Today’s First Reading is taken from Paul’s Epistle to the Romans (4:13, 16-18)
God promised Abraham that through him all of the people of the earth would receive blessing (Genesis 12:3). God also promised that Abraham’s descendants would be more numerous than the stars in the sky. Abraham did not receive this promise through the Law, which God gave to Moses four and a half centuries after Abraham’s time, but through righteousness that comes from faith (Genesis 15:6).
Therefore, Paul writes, the promise is not earned (by obedience to the law, for instance), but it is a gift granted by God to Abraham and his descendants, not only to those who merely obey the Law, but to all who have faith, like Abraham, who is the father of all the faithful, as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations” (Genesis 17:5). He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he placed his trust, God who gives life to the dead, and calls into being that which did not exist. Abraham believed, hoping against hope, that God’s promise would be fulfilled, that he would become the father of many nations, and that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the sky (Genesis 15:5).
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 105:6-7, 8-9, 42-43
R. The Lord remembers his covenant forever.
You descendants of Abraham, his servants,
sons of Jacob, his chosen ones!
He, the LORD, is our God;
throughout the earth his judgments prevail.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant forever.
He remembers forever his covenant
which he made binding for a thousand generations –
Which he entered into with Abraham
and by his oath to Isaac.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant forever.
For he remembered his holy word
to his servant Abraham.
And he led forth his people with joy;
with shouts of joy, his chosen ones.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant forever.
Today’s Gospel reading is taken from Luke (12:8-12). Jesus tells his disciples, “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I, the Son of Man, will acknowledge before God’s angels. On the other hand, he also says, “But whoever disowns me before men will be disowned before God’s angels. And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven.”
The teaching of Jesus that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is an unforgiveable sin is found not only here, in Luke 12:10, but also in Matthew 12:32 and Mark 3:29. The Church teachings that there are no limits to God’s mercy, but those who deliberately refuse to accept God’s mercy by repentance reject the forgiveness of sin, and the salvation offered by the Holy Spirit. Such hardness of heart can lead to final impenitence and eternal loss. [John Paul II, DeV 46]
The disciples of Jesus will have troubles because of their faith, but Jesus promises that the Holy Spirit will help them. They may be brought before a synagogue court, or perhaps the Sanhedrin [the Temple Court] would hear their cases. Later, Gentile rulers will oppose them, as well. But Jesus reminds them, “Do not worry about how you will defend yourselves, or what you will say. The Holy Spirit will teach you at that moment the right words to say.”
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Friday, October 16, 2009
Have No Fear! You Are Worth More Than Many Sparrows!
Today's First Reading is taken from Paul's Letter to the Romans (4:1-8)
Paul continues his teaching about faith. Paul wants the reader to know that his message about faith is not a new message, so he explains how the Hebrew Scripture teaches the same message, choosing Abraham and David as models of faith. When Abraham was told by God that Sarah, his wife, would bear a son, and that his descendants would be more numerous than the stars in the sky, Abraham had faith in God that this would happen. Abraham trusted in God’s word, and God credited his faith to him as righteousness (cf. Genesis 15:6).
A worker’s wages are not credited as a gift, but as earnings. But no one can earn a right relationship with God. When a sinner trusts in God who justifies even the ungodly, such faith is credited as righteousness. Because of God’s merciful love, the sinner is forgiven, and by continuing to cooperate with God’s grace, that sinner can – and will – become a saint. This is the experience of Saul of Tarsus, a persecutor of the Way of Jesus who became the Apostle to the Gentiles. It is the experience of Augustine, the son of Monica, whose prayers for his conversion from a profligate and sinful life were answered, and he became a great saint.
Paul then turns to the experience of King David. It is likely that you are familiar with the story of David and Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah, the soldier who lived next door to the palace. Perhaps you also know of an earlier incident, when Saul was murdered while he slept, and David became King. Paul closes this section of his Epistle to the Romans by citing a psalm written by David many years later, a psalm of thanksgiving for God’s boundless and undeserved mercy:
Today’s first reading concludes with the first strophe of today’s Responsorial (Psalm 32).
+++ +++ +++ +++
R. I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation.
Blessed are they
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
Blessed are they
to whom the Lord imputes no guilt,
in whose spirit there is no deceit. R.
Then I acknowledged my sin to you,
and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,
and you took away the guilt of my sin. R.
Rejoice in the LORD, and be glad, you who are just;
exult, all you who are upright of heart.
R. I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation.
+++ +++ +++ +++
Today’s Gospel is taken from Luke (12:1-7):
At that time, a large crowd had gathered and they were trampling each other underfoot, to get closer to Jesus. Jesus first began to speak to his disciples. “Be on guard against the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.” “Leaven” or “yeast” is a substance that bakers use to make bread rise. Jesus uses the word to describe the attitude of the Pharisees, calling it “hypocrisy”. The dictionary defines hypocrisy as: pretending to be what one is not, or to believe what one does not; especially: the false assumption of an appearance of virtue or religion.
Jesus continues: “There is nothing hidden that will not be revealed, no secret that will not be made known. What you say in the dark will be heard in the daylight; what you have whispered behind closed doors will be proclaimed from the rooftops.” Jesus’ words recall an “ironic dictionary" definition of a secret: Something you reveal only to a few of your closest friends. Then, each of your closest friends tells your secret to a few of their closest friends, etc. etc. etc.
Jesus then speaks about the fear of death: “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and can do no more. I will tell you whom you should fear: Be afraid of the one who has the power, after your body is dead, to throw you into Hell. That is who you should really be afraid of!”
After a person's physical body dies, no one can kill them a second time. But God’s power remains after the body dies. God is the judge of the living and of the dead. He can punish the wicked and send them to Gehenna. This is the Aramaic word meaning “the Valley of Hinnom”, which was just outside the walls of Jerusalem, and the people of the city brought their rubbish there. As it happens in rubbish dumps in our own time, the Valley of Hinnom was the source of frequent fires, creating billows of black smoke, and an unspeakably ugly stench.
Then Jesus changes his theme from the power of God to punish, to God’s loving kindness. At the market, it cost only two pennies to buy five sparrows. The disciples have nothing to fear. God knows the number of hairs on our heads (and it doesn’t matter whether you’re a woman with flowing curly locks or a man with only a fringe from ear to ear). Have no fear! You are worth more than many sparrows!
Paul continues his teaching about faith. Paul wants the reader to know that his message about faith is not a new message, so he explains how the Hebrew Scripture teaches the same message, choosing Abraham and David as models of faith. When Abraham was told by God that Sarah, his wife, would bear a son, and that his descendants would be more numerous than the stars in the sky, Abraham had faith in God that this would happen. Abraham trusted in God’s word, and God credited his faith to him as righteousness (cf. Genesis 15:6).
A worker’s wages are not credited as a gift, but as earnings. But no one can earn a right relationship with God. When a sinner trusts in God who justifies even the ungodly, such faith is credited as righteousness. Because of God’s merciful love, the sinner is forgiven, and by continuing to cooperate with God’s grace, that sinner can – and will – become a saint. This is the experience of Saul of Tarsus, a persecutor of the Way of Jesus who became the Apostle to the Gentiles. It is the experience of Augustine, the son of Monica, whose prayers for his conversion from a profligate and sinful life were answered, and he became a great saint.
Paul then turns to the experience of King David. It is likely that you are familiar with the story of David and Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah, the soldier who lived next door to the palace. Perhaps you also know of an earlier incident, when Saul was murdered while he slept, and David became King. Paul closes this section of his Epistle to the Romans by citing a psalm written by David many years later, a psalm of thanksgiving for God’s boundless and undeserved mercy:
Today’s first reading concludes with the first strophe of today’s Responsorial (Psalm 32).
+++ +++ +++ +++
R. I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation.
Blessed are they
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
Blessed are they
to whom the Lord imputes no guilt,
in whose spirit there is no deceit. R.
Then I acknowledged my sin to you,
and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,
and you took away the guilt of my sin. R.
Rejoice in the LORD, and be glad, you who are just;
exult, all you who are upright of heart.
R. I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation.
+++ +++ +++ +++
Today’s Gospel is taken from Luke (12:1-7):
At that time, a large crowd had gathered and they were trampling each other underfoot, to get closer to Jesus. Jesus first began to speak to his disciples. “Be on guard against the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.” “Leaven” or “yeast” is a substance that bakers use to make bread rise. Jesus uses the word to describe the attitude of the Pharisees, calling it “hypocrisy”. The dictionary defines hypocrisy as: pretending to be what one is not, or to believe what one does not; especially: the false assumption of an appearance of virtue or religion.
Jesus continues: “There is nothing hidden that will not be revealed, no secret that will not be made known. What you say in the dark will be heard in the daylight; what you have whispered behind closed doors will be proclaimed from the rooftops.” Jesus’ words recall an “ironic dictionary" definition of a secret: Something you reveal only to a few of your closest friends. Then, each of your closest friends tells your secret to a few of their closest friends, etc. etc. etc.
Jesus then speaks about the fear of death: “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and can do no more. I will tell you whom you should fear: Be afraid of the one who has the power, after your body is dead, to throw you into Hell. That is who you should really be afraid of!”
After a person's physical body dies, no one can kill them a second time. But God’s power remains after the body dies. God is the judge of the living and of the dead. He can punish the wicked and send them to Gehenna. This is the Aramaic word meaning “the Valley of Hinnom”, which was just outside the walls of Jerusalem, and the people of the city brought their rubbish there. As it happens in rubbish dumps in our own time, the Valley of Hinnom was the source of frequent fires, creating billows of black smoke, and an unspeakably ugly stench.
Then Jesus changes his theme from the power of God to punish, to God’s loving kindness. At the market, it cost only two pennies to buy five sparrows. The disciples have nothing to fear. God knows the number of hairs on our heads (and it doesn’t matter whether you’re a woman with flowing curly locks or a man with only a fringe from ear to ear). Have no fear! You are worth more than many sparrows!
Thursday, October 15, 2009
O My God! Source Of All Mercy! Give Me Your Grace, Now And In The Future!
On March 28, 1515 a daughter was born to the wife of Don Alonso Sanchez de Cepeda, Doña Beatriz Davila y Ahumada; she was baptized Teresa. After the death of her mother, when Teresa was 14 years old, and the marriage of her oldest sister, Teresa was sent to the convent school of the Augustinian nuns at Avila, but due to an illness which partially crippled her, she was forced to leave after a year and a half, and remained at home. At 17, she expressed the desire to enter the convent, but her father opposed her decision, and she left the family manor in November 1535 to enter the Carmelite Convent of the Incarnation at Avila. Seeing the depth of her commitment, her father and family consented.
Soon after taking her vows, Teresa became seriously ill, and her condition was worsened by inadequate medical treatment, and her health remained permanently impaired. During the years of suffering, she began the practice of mental prayer, but fearing that her conversations with worldly relatives, who often visited the convent, Teresa discontinued the practice until she came under the influence of Dominican and later Jesuit spiritual directors.
Meanwhile, God had begun to inspire her with “intellectual visions and locutions”, to use the words of her autobiography, manifestations in which the five exterior senses were not involved, but the words heard and the images seen were impressed directly on her mind. Feeling unworthy of such graces because of her shortcomings, which her delicate conscience considered to be terrible faults, she stopped praying almost completely for years, under the guise of humility, considering herself a wicked sinner who did not deserve to receive favors from God. When she was 41 years old, a priest persuaded her to go back to prayer, but she continued to find it difficult. “I was more anxious for the hour of prayer to end, than I was to remain there. I don’t know what great penance I would rather have undertaken than to practice prayer." But the more steadfastly she tried to resist, the more powerfully did God work within her soul. Eventually, it would be the task of Jesuit Father Francis Borgia and Franciscan Friar Peter of Alcantara, both of whom became canonized saints, and a number of other priests whose names are not recorded in history, to discern the work of God, and guide Teresa on the path to her own sainthood.
Teresa became determine to found a new convent that went back to the fundamental spirit of a contemplative order: a life of simplicity, poverty, and prayer. After much difficulty, Teresa founded the Convent of Saint Joseph at Avila, on August 24, 1562. It was the first foundation of the “Discalced Carmelite Nuns of the Primitive Rule”; six months later, she received permission to take up residence there. After four years, she welcomed the visit of the General of the Carmelites, Father Giambattista Rossi, who not only approved of what she had done, but gave her permission for the foundation of other convents of nuns, and also of friars. With the assistance of Antonio de Heridia, prior of Medina, and Juan de la Cruz de Yepes y Heredia (Saint John of the Cross), she established the reform of the Carmelite friars.
In 1582, Teresa was invited by an Archbishop to found a convent in his diocese, but when she arrived in the midst of a raging rainstorm, he ordered her to leave. “And the weather was wonderful too”, was her only comment. Although she was ill, she was asked to attend to a noblewoman giving birth. But by the time she got there, the baby had already been born. Teresa commented, “The saint won’t be needed after all!” Too ill to leave, she died on October 4, 1582 at Alba de Tormes in Castile. Her incorrupt body remains at Alba. Teresa de Jesús, also known as Teresa of Avila, was beatified by Pope Paul V on April 24, 1614, and canonized on March 12, 1622, by Pope Gregory XV. In 1970, she was awarded a title she had long held in the popular mind: Doctor of the Church.
Prayer to Redeem Lost Time
O my God! Source of all mercy! I acknowledge Your sovereign power. While recalling the wasted years that are past, I believe that You, Lord, can in an instant turn this loss to gain. Miserable as I am, yet I firmly believe that You can do all things. Please restore to me the time lost, giving me Your grace, both now and in the future, that I may appear before You in "wedding garments." Amen.
Saint Teresa of Avila
Soon after taking her vows, Teresa became seriously ill, and her condition was worsened by inadequate medical treatment, and her health remained permanently impaired. During the years of suffering, she began the practice of mental prayer, but fearing that her conversations with worldly relatives, who often visited the convent, Teresa discontinued the practice until she came under the influence of Dominican and later Jesuit spiritual directors.
Meanwhile, God had begun to inspire her with “intellectual visions and locutions”, to use the words of her autobiography, manifestations in which the five exterior senses were not involved, but the words heard and the images seen were impressed directly on her mind. Feeling unworthy of such graces because of her shortcomings, which her delicate conscience considered to be terrible faults, she stopped praying almost completely for years, under the guise of humility, considering herself a wicked sinner who did not deserve to receive favors from God. When she was 41 years old, a priest persuaded her to go back to prayer, but she continued to find it difficult. “I was more anxious for the hour of prayer to end, than I was to remain there. I don’t know what great penance I would rather have undertaken than to practice prayer." But the more steadfastly she tried to resist, the more powerfully did God work within her soul. Eventually, it would be the task of Jesuit Father Francis Borgia and Franciscan Friar Peter of Alcantara, both of whom became canonized saints, and a number of other priests whose names are not recorded in history, to discern the work of God, and guide Teresa on the path to her own sainthood.
Teresa became determine to found a new convent that went back to the fundamental spirit of a contemplative order: a life of simplicity, poverty, and prayer. After much difficulty, Teresa founded the Convent of Saint Joseph at Avila, on August 24, 1562. It was the first foundation of the “Discalced Carmelite Nuns of the Primitive Rule”; six months later, she received permission to take up residence there. After four years, she welcomed the visit of the General of the Carmelites, Father Giambattista Rossi, who not only approved of what she had done, but gave her permission for the foundation of other convents of nuns, and also of friars. With the assistance of Antonio de Heridia, prior of Medina, and Juan de la Cruz de Yepes y Heredia (Saint John of the Cross), she established the reform of the Carmelite friars.
In 1582, Teresa was invited by an Archbishop to found a convent in his diocese, but when she arrived in the midst of a raging rainstorm, he ordered her to leave. “And the weather was wonderful too”, was her only comment. Although she was ill, she was asked to attend to a noblewoman giving birth. But by the time she got there, the baby had already been born. Teresa commented, “The saint won’t be needed after all!” Too ill to leave, she died on October 4, 1582 at Alba de Tormes in Castile. Her incorrupt body remains at Alba. Teresa de Jesús, also known as Teresa of Avila, was beatified by Pope Paul V on April 24, 1614, and canonized on March 12, 1622, by Pope Gregory XV. In 1970, she was awarded a title she had long held in the popular mind: Doctor of the Church.
Prayer to Redeem Lost Time
O my God! Source of all mercy! I acknowledge Your sovereign power. While recalling the wasted years that are past, I believe that You, Lord, can in an instant turn this loss to gain. Miserable as I am, yet I firmly believe that You can do all things. Please restore to me the time lost, giving me Your grace, both now and in the future, that I may appear before You in "wedding garments." Amen.
Saint Teresa of Avila
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Lord, You Give Back To Everyone According To Their Works.
First Reading
Romans 2:1-11
You, O man, are without excuse, every one of you who passes judgment.
For by the standard by which you judge another you condemn yourself,
since you, the judge, do the very same things.
We know that the judgment of God on those who do such things is true.
Do you suppose, then, you who judge those who engage in such things
and yet do them yourself,
that you will escape the judgment of God?
Or do you hold his priceless kindness, forbearance, and patience
in low esteem, unaware that the kindness of God
would lead you to repentance?
By your stubbornness and impenitent heart,
you are storing up wrath for yourself
for the day of wrath and revelation
of the just judgment of God,
who will repay everyone according to his works,
eternal life to those who seek glory, honor, and immortality
through perseverance in good works,
but wrath and fury to those who selfishly disobey the truth
and obey wickedness.
Yes, affliction and distress will come upon everyone
who does evil, Jew first and then Greek.
But there will be glory, honor, and peace for everyone
who does good, Jew first and then Greek.
There is no partiality with God.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 62:2-3, 6-7, 9
R. Lord, you give back to everyone according to his works.
Only in God is my soul at rest;
from him comes my salvation.
He only is my rock and my salvation,
my stronghold; I shall not be disturbed at all.
R. Lord, you give back to everyone according to his works.
Only in God be at rest, my soul,
for from him comes my hope.
He only is my rock and my salvation,
my stronghold; I shall not be disturbed.
R. Lord, you give back to everyone according to his works.
Trust in him at all times, O my people!
Pour out your hearts before him;
God is our refuge!
R. Lord, you give back to everyone according to his works.
Gospel
Luke 11:42-46
The Lord said:
“Woe to you Pharisees!
You pay tithes of mint and of rue and of every garden herb,
but you pay no attention to judgment and to love for God.
These you should have done, without overlooking the others.
Woe to you Pharisees!
You love the seat of honor in synagogues
and greetings in marketplaces.
Woe to you!
You are like unseen graves over which people unknowingly walk.”
Then one of the scholars of the law said to him in reply,
“Teacher, by saying this you are insulting us too.”
And he said, “Woe also to you scholars of the law!
You impose on people burdens hard to carry,
but you yourselves do not lift one finger to touch them.”
+++ +++ +++ +++
The “seats of honor” in the synagogue faced the congregation, and those who sat there were visible to everyone. The Pharisees loved to sit right up front, so everyone could see how pious they were. Jesus also calls the front seats the perfect place – for hypocrites. The Pharisees’ religious practice was superficial, in the strict sense of the word: it was about surfaces. Jesus once said, “If your virtue goes no deeper than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20).
Today’s first reading, from Paul’s Letter to the Romans, touches on another facet of hypocrisy, reminding us that “by judging others, you condemn yourself”. Most of us, when we were infants, received baptism, and became members of the “one, holy, catholic and apostolic church”. Yet, when the Church receives new members who, as grownups or teenagers, belonged to other communities of Christians, they are welcomed into the Catholic Church without being baptized again. Clearly, that signifies that they became members of the “one, holy, catholic and apostolic church” when they were first baptized. As Christians, we believe in One God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God IS Truth, the absolute fullness of truth is an aspect of God’s nature (as IS the fullness of justice, of mercy, and of love). We humans, by our very nature, are imperfect beings. We cannot know the fullness of truth until (and unless) we are welcomed into the heavenly presence of God at the end of our natural lives. From the perspective of divine justice, God has ever reason to deny some of us (perhaps most of us, even all of us) entry into Heaven because of our sinfulness. If that does not happen, it is because the fullness of God’s justice is exercise in the fullness of God’s mercy and love.
One of the legal experts said to Jesus in reply, “Rabbi, what you are saying is insulting us, too!” He answered, “Woe also to you, scholars! You impose on people burdens hard to carry, but do not lift one finger to help them." Jesus reminds those of us who administer the law, and interpret it for his people – and in doing so, reminds all of us – that our mission as members of Christ’s Church, is to reflect the “theological” virtues – the three which are the mirrors of God, faith, hope and love – in our own lives. I believe that God will give me the graces I need to do his will on earth. I hope that I will cooperate with God’s grace well enough to be admitted to heaven, and to help my brothers and sisters to achieve that goal. Finally, I keep reminding myself that God’s charity is exercised in mercy, and mercy in forgiveness, and that I must strive to emulate God’s charity if I am ever to be welcomed into His eternal above. For the measure I measure out will be measured back to me.
Romans 2:1-11
You, O man, are without excuse, every one of you who passes judgment.
For by the standard by which you judge another you condemn yourself,
since you, the judge, do the very same things.
We know that the judgment of God on those who do such things is true.
Do you suppose, then, you who judge those who engage in such things
and yet do them yourself,
that you will escape the judgment of God?
Or do you hold his priceless kindness, forbearance, and patience
in low esteem, unaware that the kindness of God
would lead you to repentance?
By your stubbornness and impenitent heart,
you are storing up wrath for yourself
for the day of wrath and revelation
of the just judgment of God,
who will repay everyone according to his works,
eternal life to those who seek glory, honor, and immortality
through perseverance in good works,
but wrath and fury to those who selfishly disobey the truth
and obey wickedness.
Yes, affliction and distress will come upon everyone
who does evil, Jew first and then Greek.
But there will be glory, honor, and peace for everyone
who does good, Jew first and then Greek.
There is no partiality with God.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 62:2-3, 6-7, 9
R. Lord, you give back to everyone according to his works.
Only in God is my soul at rest;
from him comes my salvation.
He only is my rock and my salvation,
my stronghold; I shall not be disturbed at all.
R. Lord, you give back to everyone according to his works.
Only in God be at rest, my soul,
for from him comes my hope.
He only is my rock and my salvation,
my stronghold; I shall not be disturbed.
R. Lord, you give back to everyone according to his works.
Trust in him at all times, O my people!
Pour out your hearts before him;
God is our refuge!
R. Lord, you give back to everyone according to his works.
Gospel
Luke 11:42-46
The Lord said:
“Woe to you Pharisees!
You pay tithes of mint and of rue and of every garden herb,
but you pay no attention to judgment and to love for God.
These you should have done, without overlooking the others.
Woe to you Pharisees!
You love the seat of honor in synagogues
and greetings in marketplaces.
Woe to you!
You are like unseen graves over which people unknowingly walk.”
Then one of the scholars of the law said to him in reply,
“Teacher, by saying this you are insulting us too.”
And he said, “Woe also to you scholars of the law!
You impose on people burdens hard to carry,
but you yourselves do not lift one finger to touch them.”
+++ +++ +++ +++
The “seats of honor” in the synagogue faced the congregation, and those who sat there were visible to everyone. The Pharisees loved to sit right up front, so everyone could see how pious they were. Jesus also calls the front seats the perfect place – for hypocrites. The Pharisees’ religious practice was superficial, in the strict sense of the word: it was about surfaces. Jesus once said, “If your virtue goes no deeper than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20).
Today’s first reading, from Paul’s Letter to the Romans, touches on another facet of hypocrisy, reminding us that “by judging others, you condemn yourself”. Most of us, when we were infants, received baptism, and became members of the “one, holy, catholic and apostolic church”. Yet, when the Church receives new members who, as grownups or teenagers, belonged to other communities of Christians, they are welcomed into the Catholic Church without being baptized again. Clearly, that signifies that they became members of the “one, holy, catholic and apostolic church” when they were first baptized. As Christians, we believe in One God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God IS Truth, the absolute fullness of truth is an aspect of God’s nature (as IS the fullness of justice, of mercy, and of love). We humans, by our very nature, are imperfect beings. We cannot know the fullness of truth until (and unless) we are welcomed into the heavenly presence of God at the end of our natural lives. From the perspective of divine justice, God has ever reason to deny some of us (perhaps most of us, even all of us) entry into Heaven because of our sinfulness. If that does not happen, it is because the fullness of God’s justice is exercise in the fullness of God’s mercy and love.
One of the legal experts said to Jesus in reply, “Rabbi, what you are saying is insulting us, too!” He answered, “Woe also to you, scholars! You impose on people burdens hard to carry, but do not lift one finger to help them." Jesus reminds those of us who administer the law, and interpret it for his people – and in doing so, reminds all of us – that our mission as members of Christ’s Church, is to reflect the “theological” virtues – the three which are the mirrors of God, faith, hope and love – in our own lives. I believe that God will give me the graces I need to do his will on earth. I hope that I will cooperate with God’s grace well enough to be admitted to heaven, and to help my brothers and sisters to achieve that goal. Finally, I keep reminding myself that God’s charity is exercised in mercy, and mercy in forgiveness, and that I must strive to emulate God’s charity if I am ever to be welcomed into His eternal above. For the measure I measure out will be measured back to me.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Practice Charity, And Everything Will Be Clean For You.
Today’s First Reading is taken from the Epistle of Paul to the Romans (1:16-25).
Paul speaks boldly about the gospel, because it is God’s message, through which the power of God touches every person, whether Jew or Gentile. In the gospel, the righteousness of God is revealed to his people, a righteousness that moves “from faith to faith” Through faith, a person accepts God’s promise to grant to the repentant sinner forgiveness for sin, and the graces necessary to live according to God’s will and to share that faith with others. Thus, is it written, “The righteous shall live by faith” (Habakkuk 2:4).
Paul goes on to speak about “the wrath of God”. God’s wrath is not like human anger, which is typically petty and selfish. God’s wrath is like the anger of the judge when issuing a sentence (cf. 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10). God’s wrath arises because some of his children have chosen to be wicked, which Paul equates with godlessness, since disobeying God’s law is denying God’s will, which is tantamount to denying God’s very existence.
What we can know of God is evident to the wicked as well as to the just, because God has made his presence visible since the creation of the world. The writer of Psalm 19 said, “The heavens tell out the glory of God; the vault of heaven reveals his handiwork.” Paul used this explanation when teaching the pagans at Lystra (Acts 14:15-27); he used the same imagery in speaking to the philosophers in Athens (Acts 17:24-29). Paul concludes, “There is no possible excuse for their conduct, for though they knew God, they did not according glory or give him thanks.” Although they claimed to be wise, they became foolish, exchanging the glory of the immortal God for images formed to look like mortal men, and birds, animals and reptiles.
“That is why God handed them over to the lustful desires of their own hearts, and to the mutual degradation of their bodies. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie; they worshiped and revered creatures rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.”
+++
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 19
R. The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they display knowledge.
There is no speech or language
where their voice is not heard.
Through all the earth their voice resounds,
and their message to the ends of the world.
R. The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
+++
Today’s gospel is taken from Luke (11:37-41):
After Jesus had finished speaking to the gathered crowd, one of the Pharisees invited him to have dinner at his home. When Jesus entered the hose, he immediately reclined at table to eat. The Pharisee was taken about because Jesus did not first wash his hands. This ritual was a sign that the diners came to the table had been purified after being in the world outside. Jesus may have touched something or someone unclean, which would have made him unclean until he washed.
Jesus berated his host: “You Pharisees! You cleanse the outside of cups and dishes but, on the inside, you are greedy and evil. You fools, God made both the outside and the inside. Practice charity, and behold, everything will be clean for you.”
+++ +++ +++ +++
Saint Augustine wrote: “There are many sorts of alms. What our Lord says, “Give alms, and everything will be clean for you”, applies to all practical deeds of mercy. It does not apply only to those who give food to the hungry, drink to the thirsty, clothes to the naked, hospitality to the traveller, or refuge to the fugitive. It also means, forgive the one who has offended you.”
In the Latin of Augustine, the verb “donare” is the root of the word “condonare”. This is true of other modern languages as well, not only those with Latin roots, but those with Germanic roots as well: English: give/forgive; German: geben/vergeben.
In almsgiving, the gift comes from without: the wallet, the purse, the bank account. In forgiveness, the gift can come only from within: from the heart. The inner source from which forgiveness flows must be a pure, untainted source. Cyril of Alexandria wrote, “Christ shows that those who sincerely serve God must be pure and clean from what is hidden in the mind.” If the source of your forgiveness is pure, neither your thoughts nor your actions will be tainted. Then, as Jesus said, “everything will be clean for you.”
Paul speaks boldly about the gospel, because it is God’s message, through which the power of God touches every person, whether Jew or Gentile. In the gospel, the righteousness of God is revealed to his people, a righteousness that moves “from faith to faith” Through faith, a person accepts God’s promise to grant to the repentant sinner forgiveness for sin, and the graces necessary to live according to God’s will and to share that faith with others. Thus, is it written, “The righteous shall live by faith” (Habakkuk 2:4).
Paul goes on to speak about “the wrath of God”. God’s wrath is not like human anger, which is typically petty and selfish. God’s wrath is like the anger of the judge when issuing a sentence (cf. 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10). God’s wrath arises because some of his children have chosen to be wicked, which Paul equates with godlessness, since disobeying God’s law is denying God’s will, which is tantamount to denying God’s very existence.
What we can know of God is evident to the wicked as well as to the just, because God has made his presence visible since the creation of the world. The writer of Psalm 19 said, “The heavens tell out the glory of God; the vault of heaven reveals his handiwork.” Paul used this explanation when teaching the pagans at Lystra (Acts 14:15-27); he used the same imagery in speaking to the philosophers in Athens (Acts 17:24-29). Paul concludes, “There is no possible excuse for their conduct, for though they knew God, they did not according glory or give him thanks.” Although they claimed to be wise, they became foolish, exchanging the glory of the immortal God for images formed to look like mortal men, and birds, animals and reptiles.
“That is why God handed them over to the lustful desires of their own hearts, and to the mutual degradation of their bodies. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie; they worshiped and revered creatures rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.”
+++
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 19
R. The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they display knowledge.
There is no speech or language
where their voice is not heard.
Through all the earth their voice resounds,
and their message to the ends of the world.
R. The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
+++
Today’s gospel is taken from Luke (11:37-41):
After Jesus had finished speaking to the gathered crowd, one of the Pharisees invited him to have dinner at his home. When Jesus entered the hose, he immediately reclined at table to eat. The Pharisee was taken about because Jesus did not first wash his hands. This ritual was a sign that the diners came to the table had been purified after being in the world outside. Jesus may have touched something or someone unclean, which would have made him unclean until he washed.
Jesus berated his host: “You Pharisees! You cleanse the outside of cups and dishes but, on the inside, you are greedy and evil. You fools, God made both the outside and the inside. Practice charity, and behold, everything will be clean for you.”
+++ +++ +++ +++
Saint Augustine wrote: “There are many sorts of alms. What our Lord says, “Give alms, and everything will be clean for you”, applies to all practical deeds of mercy. It does not apply only to those who give food to the hungry, drink to the thirsty, clothes to the naked, hospitality to the traveller, or refuge to the fugitive. It also means, forgive the one who has offended you.”
In the Latin of Augustine, the verb “donare” is the root of the word “condonare”. This is true of other modern languages as well, not only those with Latin roots, but those with Germanic roots as well: English: give/forgive; German: geben/vergeben.
In almsgiving, the gift comes from without: the wallet, the purse, the bank account. In forgiveness, the gift can come only from within: from the heart. The inner source from which forgiveness flows must be a pure, untainted source. Cyril of Alexandria wrote, “Christ shows that those who sincerely serve God must be pure and clean from what is hidden in the mind.” If the source of your forgiveness is pure, neither your thoughts nor your actions will be tainted. Then, as Jesus said, “everything will be clean for you.”
Monday, October 12, 2009
This Generation Will Seek A Sign. But No Sign Will Be Given To It, Except The Sign of Jonah.
Today’s First Reading is taken from Paul’s Epistle to the Romans (1:1-7).
The letter begins in the usual way at that time. First, the writer’s name, then, a brief description: “Paul, a slave of Jesus Christ”. In the Old Testament, “slave” described a loyal servant of God (for instance, Abraham and Moses in Psalm 105: 6, 26). Paul wanted to be Jesus’ obedient servant; in fact, he wanted to be obedient to the LORD as totally as a slave obeys his master.
Then, Paul says that he has been “called to be an apostle, and set apart for the Gospel”. At first, the word “apostle” referred to the twelve disciples whom Jesus had sent out to preach the good news (Luke 6:13). Paul tells the people of Rome that he has received a similar calling, to bring the Good News to the nations – the people of the rest of the world. (Galatians 1:15).
The next two verses tell us what the Good News consists of: Jesus, according to his human nature, belongs to the family of King David, but by the power of the Holy Spirit, he is the Son of God. In Peter’s speech to the people in the Temple Square on the day of Pentecost, God promised not to leave the “Holy One” in the grave, but raised him from the dead. The apostles were witnesses to the resurrection (Acts 2:24-33). The resurrection is the evidence that Jesus is the son of God.
Grace is, by definition, a gift that no one deserves. Once, Paul the Pharisee used to think that he could please God by obeying every detail of the law. Now he knows that eternal life cannot be earned by good deeds, but is God’s good gift. Through the sacrifice of Jesus, and for the sake of his name, Paul has received grace and the call to be an apostle, sent to call the people of the nations to “obedience that comes from faith”.
Among the disciples of Jesus in Rome, there certainly were some of Jewish origin, but many if not most of them were gentiles. Some manuscripts of this Epistle do not include the words, “in Rome”. This suggests that local churches outside of Rome received copies of this letter. Paul concludes by reminding them that they “are loved by God, and called to be saints. He wishes them “grace and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 98
R. The Lord has made known his salvation.
Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done marvelous deeds;
his right hand and his holy arm
have won victory for him. R.
The LORD has made his salvation known
and revealed his righteousness to the nations.
He has remembered his love
and his faithfulness to the house of Israel. R.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation of our God.
Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth,
burst into song; sing praise. R.
Today’s gospel is taken from Luke (11:29-32):
As the crowds increased, people began to demand evidence of Jesus’ authority. Jesus answered, “This is a wicked generation, which asks for miraculous signs. But no sign will be given to them, except the sign of Jonah. Jonah was the prophet who brought God’s message to Nineveh, the capital of Assyria. He warned the people there that they must change their ways or God would destroy their city (Jonah 3:4) Jonah spent three days in the belly of a great fish (Jonah 1:17). This was evidence of the resurrection of Jesus on the third day (Matthew 12:38-40). Jesus continued, “The Queen of the south will rise at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them. She came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and there is someone greater than Solomon here.” The people of Nineveh will also declare that the Jews of Jesus’ time are guilty, since when Jonah gave them God’s warning, the people of Nineveh repented their wicked ways, “and there is something greater than Jonah here.”
The letter begins in the usual way at that time. First, the writer’s name, then, a brief description: “Paul, a slave of Jesus Christ”. In the Old Testament, “slave” described a loyal servant of God (for instance, Abraham and Moses in Psalm 105: 6, 26). Paul wanted to be Jesus’ obedient servant; in fact, he wanted to be obedient to the LORD as totally as a slave obeys his master.
Then, Paul says that he has been “called to be an apostle, and set apart for the Gospel”. At first, the word “apostle” referred to the twelve disciples whom Jesus had sent out to preach the good news (Luke 6:13). Paul tells the people of Rome that he has received a similar calling, to bring the Good News to the nations – the people of the rest of the world. (Galatians 1:15).
The next two verses tell us what the Good News consists of: Jesus, according to his human nature, belongs to the family of King David, but by the power of the Holy Spirit, he is the Son of God. In Peter’s speech to the people in the Temple Square on the day of Pentecost, God promised not to leave the “Holy One” in the grave, but raised him from the dead. The apostles were witnesses to the resurrection (Acts 2:24-33). The resurrection is the evidence that Jesus is the son of God.
Grace is, by definition, a gift that no one deserves. Once, Paul the Pharisee used to think that he could please God by obeying every detail of the law. Now he knows that eternal life cannot be earned by good deeds, but is God’s good gift. Through the sacrifice of Jesus, and for the sake of his name, Paul has received grace and the call to be an apostle, sent to call the people of the nations to “obedience that comes from faith”.
Among the disciples of Jesus in Rome, there certainly were some of Jewish origin, but many if not most of them were gentiles. Some manuscripts of this Epistle do not include the words, “in Rome”. This suggests that local churches outside of Rome received copies of this letter. Paul concludes by reminding them that they “are loved by God, and called to be saints. He wishes them “grace and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 98
R. The Lord has made known his salvation.
Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done marvelous deeds;
his right hand and his holy arm
have won victory for him. R.
The LORD has made his salvation known
and revealed his righteousness to the nations.
He has remembered his love
and his faithfulness to the house of Israel. R.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation of our God.
Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth,
burst into song; sing praise. R.
Today’s gospel is taken from Luke (11:29-32):
As the crowds increased, people began to demand evidence of Jesus’ authority. Jesus answered, “This is a wicked generation, which asks for miraculous signs. But no sign will be given to them, except the sign of Jonah. Jonah was the prophet who brought God’s message to Nineveh, the capital of Assyria. He warned the people there that they must change their ways or God would destroy their city (Jonah 3:4) Jonah spent three days in the belly of a great fish (Jonah 1:17). This was evidence of the resurrection of Jesus on the third day (Matthew 12:38-40). Jesus continued, “The Queen of the south will rise at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them. She came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and there is someone greater than Solomon here.” The people of Nineveh will also declare that the Jews of Jesus’ time are guilty, since when Jonah gave them God’s warning, the people of Nineveh repented their wicked ways, “and there is something greater than Jonah here.”
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Go, Sell All That You Have, And Come, Follow Me!
First Reading
Wisdom 7:7-11
I prayed, and prudence was given me;
I pleaded, and the spirit of wisdom came to me.
I preferred her to scepter and throne,
and deemed riches nothing in comparison with her,
nor did I liken any priceless gem to her;
because all gold, in view of her, is a little sand,
and before her, silver is to be accounted mire.
Beyond health and comeliness I loved her,
and I chose to have her rather than the light,
because the splendor of her never yields to sleep.
Yet all good things together came to me in her company,
and countless riches at her hands.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 90:12-13, 14-15, 16-17
R. Fill us with your love, O Lord, and we will sing for joy!
Teach us to number our days aright,
that we may gain wisdom of heart.
Return, O LORD! How long?
Have pity on your servants!
R. Fill us with your love, O Lord, and we will sing for joy!
Fill us at daybreak with your kindness,
that we may shout for joy and gladness all our days.
Make us glad, for the days when you afflicted us,
for the years when we saw evil.
R. Fill us with your love, O Lord, and we will sing for joy!
Let your work be seen by your servants
and your glory by their children;
and may the gracious care of the LORD our God be ours;
prosper the work of our hands for us!
Prosper the work of our hands!
R. Fill us with your love, O Lord, and we will sing for joy!
Reading II
Hebrews 4:12-13
Brothers and sisters:
Indeed the word of God is living and effective,
sharper than any two-edged sword,
penetrating even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow,
and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.
No creature is concealed from him,
but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of him
to whom we must render an account.
Gospel
Mark 10:17-27
As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man ran up,
knelt down before him, and asked him,
"Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
Jesus answered him, "Why do you call me good?
No one is good but God alone.
You know the commandments: You shall not kill;
you shall not commit adultery;
you shall not steal;
you shall not bear false witness;
you shall not defraud;
honor your father and your mother."
He replied and said to him,
"Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth."
Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him,
"You are lacking in one thing.
Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor
and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me."
At that statement his face fell,
and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.
Jesus looked around and said to his disciples,
"How hard it is for those who have wealth
to enter the kingdom of God!"
The disciples were amazed at his words.
So Jesus again said to them in reply,
"Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!
It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle
than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God."
They were exceedingly astonished and said among themselves,
"Then who can be saved?"
Jesus looked at them and said,
"For human beings it is impossible, but not for God.
All things are possible for God."
Peter began to say to him,
"We have given up everything and followed you."
Jesus said, "Amen, I say to you,
there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters
or mother or father or children or lands
for my sake and for the sake of the gospel
who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age:
houses and brothers and sisters
and mothers and children and lands,
with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come."
+++ +++ +++ +++
Listen to the words of King Solomon at the beginning of Chapter 7, the six verses before today’s First Reading
I am a mortal man, a descendant of the first man formed on the earth, the same as everyone else. From the seed of a man, and the pleasure that accompanies marriage, I was molded into flesh within my mother’s body and grew there, body and blood, for a period of ten months. When I was born, I breathed the common air, and wailing, uttered the first sound common to all. I was wrapped in swaddling clothes, and nurtured with constant care. For no king has a different origin or birth. Entry into life is the same for everyone; and in the same way, everyone leaves it (7:1-6).
The First Reading provides the background to the story of the young man in today’s gospel. “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” he asks Jesus. He has done well for himself in this life; now he wants to find out how he can be equally successful in the next. To begin with, Jesus gives him the standard response, one which he should know already, “You know the commandments …” and then recites them . The man answers, “I’ve observed them from my youth.” Knowing the commandments since your Bar Mitzvah is one thing; observing them faithfully is something else again! But he was speaking to the wrong person. He was confident that he could stand before God on his own merits. But his smug self-assurance is misplaced, and identical to that of the Pharisees.
Jesus does not challenge him directly, though. He simply draws him out further. We are used to hearing this story, and its impact is somehow softened for us. In Jesus’ time, wealth and social status (which tended to come paired) were generally considered a sign of God’s blessing. Jesus looked at him lovingly and said to him, “You are lacking in only one thing. Go, sell all you have, and give the proceeds to the needy. Then, come follow me.” This was too much for the young man, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions. He will be forever remembered as the only person in the gospels who turned down a direct invitation from Jesus, and walked away.
Jesus then turned and spoke to his disciples, “How hard it is for those who are wealthy to enter the Kingdom of God!” They were astonished at his words, but he went even further, “Children, how difficult it is for those who put their trust in wealth to enter the Kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle that for someone who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God.”
Some commentators suggest that Jesus was referring to a small gate in the walls of Jerusalem known as “Needle’s Eye Gate.” But the fact is that camels could get through that gate. Jesus is asserting that it is impossible for a rich man to enter God’s Kingdom. The disciples were understandably puzzled, since they came from the same tradition as the young man. “Then, who can be saved?”
Jesus’ reply gives us the solution to the conundrum: “For human beings, it is impossible, but not for God. For God, all things are possible.”
The clear implication here is that the number of one’s possessions and their monetary worth is not nearly as dangerous as one’s attachment to them. There are generous millionaires and there are miserly paupers. To be freed from the hypnotic influence of possessions is to be prepared to put the needs of others above our own comfort and convenience. It was Saint Augustine who said that, from a Christian perspective, the surplus of the wealthy is owed to the poor. Here, surplus means all that is not required for a modest life style. I believe Augustine would apply the same measure to the wealth of nations.
Wisdom 7:7-11
I prayed, and prudence was given me;
I pleaded, and the spirit of wisdom came to me.
I preferred her to scepter and throne,
and deemed riches nothing in comparison with her,
nor did I liken any priceless gem to her;
because all gold, in view of her, is a little sand,
and before her, silver is to be accounted mire.
Beyond health and comeliness I loved her,
and I chose to have her rather than the light,
because the splendor of her never yields to sleep.
Yet all good things together came to me in her company,
and countless riches at her hands.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 90:12-13, 14-15, 16-17
R. Fill us with your love, O Lord, and we will sing for joy!
Teach us to number our days aright,
that we may gain wisdom of heart.
Return, O LORD! How long?
Have pity on your servants!
R. Fill us with your love, O Lord, and we will sing for joy!
Fill us at daybreak with your kindness,
that we may shout for joy and gladness all our days.
Make us glad, for the days when you afflicted us,
for the years when we saw evil.
R. Fill us with your love, O Lord, and we will sing for joy!
Let your work be seen by your servants
and your glory by their children;
and may the gracious care of the LORD our God be ours;
prosper the work of our hands for us!
Prosper the work of our hands!
R. Fill us with your love, O Lord, and we will sing for joy!
Reading II
Hebrews 4:12-13
Brothers and sisters:
Indeed the word of God is living and effective,
sharper than any two-edged sword,
penetrating even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow,
and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.
No creature is concealed from him,
but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of him
to whom we must render an account.
Gospel
Mark 10:17-27
As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man ran up,
knelt down before him, and asked him,
"Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
Jesus answered him, "Why do you call me good?
No one is good but God alone.
You know the commandments: You shall not kill;
you shall not commit adultery;
you shall not steal;
you shall not bear false witness;
you shall not defraud;
honor your father and your mother."
He replied and said to him,
"Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth."
Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him,
"You are lacking in one thing.
Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor
and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me."
At that statement his face fell,
and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.
Jesus looked around and said to his disciples,
"How hard it is for those who have wealth
to enter the kingdom of God!"
The disciples were amazed at his words.
So Jesus again said to them in reply,
"Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!
It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle
than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God."
They were exceedingly astonished and said among themselves,
"Then who can be saved?"
Jesus looked at them and said,
"For human beings it is impossible, but not for God.
All things are possible for God."
Peter began to say to him,
"We have given up everything and followed you."
Jesus said, "Amen, I say to you,
there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters
or mother or father or children or lands
for my sake and for the sake of the gospel
who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age:
houses and brothers and sisters
and mothers and children and lands,
with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come."
+++ +++ +++ +++
Listen to the words of King Solomon at the beginning of Chapter 7, the six verses before today’s First Reading
I am a mortal man, a descendant of the first man formed on the earth, the same as everyone else. From the seed of a man, and the pleasure that accompanies marriage, I was molded into flesh within my mother’s body and grew there, body and blood, for a period of ten months. When I was born, I breathed the common air, and wailing, uttered the first sound common to all. I was wrapped in swaddling clothes, and nurtured with constant care. For no king has a different origin or birth. Entry into life is the same for everyone; and in the same way, everyone leaves it (7:1-6).
The First Reading provides the background to the story of the young man in today’s gospel. “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” he asks Jesus. He has done well for himself in this life; now he wants to find out how he can be equally successful in the next. To begin with, Jesus gives him the standard response, one which he should know already, “You know the commandments …” and then recites them . The man answers, “I’ve observed them from my youth.” Knowing the commandments since your Bar Mitzvah is one thing; observing them faithfully is something else again! But he was speaking to the wrong person. He was confident that he could stand before God on his own merits. But his smug self-assurance is misplaced, and identical to that of the Pharisees.
Jesus does not challenge him directly, though. He simply draws him out further. We are used to hearing this story, and its impact is somehow softened for us. In Jesus’ time, wealth and social status (which tended to come paired) were generally considered a sign of God’s blessing. Jesus looked at him lovingly and said to him, “You are lacking in only one thing. Go, sell all you have, and give the proceeds to the needy. Then, come follow me.” This was too much for the young man, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions. He will be forever remembered as the only person in the gospels who turned down a direct invitation from Jesus, and walked away.
Jesus then turned and spoke to his disciples, “How hard it is for those who are wealthy to enter the Kingdom of God!” They were astonished at his words, but he went even further, “Children, how difficult it is for those who put their trust in wealth to enter the Kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle that for someone who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God.”
Some commentators suggest that Jesus was referring to a small gate in the walls of Jerusalem known as “Needle’s Eye Gate.” But the fact is that camels could get through that gate. Jesus is asserting that it is impossible for a rich man to enter God’s Kingdom. The disciples were understandably puzzled, since they came from the same tradition as the young man. “Then, who can be saved?”
Jesus’ reply gives us the solution to the conundrum: “For human beings, it is impossible, but not for God. For God, all things are possible.”
The clear implication here is that the number of one’s possessions and their monetary worth is not nearly as dangerous as one’s attachment to them. There are generous millionaires and there are miserly paupers. To be freed from the hypnotic influence of possessions is to be prepared to put the needs of others above our own comfort and convenience. It was Saint Augustine who said that, from a Christian perspective, the surplus of the wealthy is owed to the poor. Here, surplus means all that is not required for a modest life style. I believe Augustine would apply the same measure to the wealth of nations.
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