Aug 31 - 22nd Week in OT - Monday

+ In a dramatic way Jesus opens his public ministry by selecting the passage from the Prophet Isaiah and reading it in his home synagogue in Nazareth. He then challenges everyone in attendance to actually listen and hear what he has to say, and to watch and see what he is doing, for it will be unlike any other person they have ever seen.

 

When he announces that the prophecy is now fulfilled in himself, the people wish to run him out of town and throw him over a cliff – but he eludes them. He has many more things to say and do before he actually allows himself to be taken and killed – but that is at the end of the story.

 

In contrast to Jesus’ public announcement of ministry, Paul, in the first reading says that he comes among the communities that he visits “in weakness, fear and much trembling – and not with the persuasive words of wisdom” – but he gets his gospel message across quite well because it is the Spirit who is doing the speaking, and who is opening the hearts and minds of the hearers.

 

May we today, in our labors, in our weakness, and with fear and trembling, likewise be proclaimers of the mysteries of the Kingdom – pointing the people we come across in our day always towards heaven – and to the God and Father who loves us all so very, very much!

 

Lord, I love your commands.

 

 

Aug 27 - St. Monica

+ St. Monica was born in Tagaste (modern Algeria, Northern Africa) in 322. She was given in marriage to a bad-tempered, adulterous pagan named Patricius. She is the mother of three sons one of whom is St. Augustine of Hippo, whose writings about her are the primary source of our information about her. She prayed constantly for the conversion of her husband (who converted on his death bed), and of her son (who converted after a wild life). Augustine (whose feast day we will celebrate tomorrow) was the spiritual student of St. Ambrose of Milan. After Augustine’s baptism in Milan, he and his mother set out for Ostia, but she died on the way in 387. She was fifty-five. Monica is reported to have said to her son before her final illness that she had fulfilled her life’s purpose in seeing him converted and baptized.

 

It is interesting to note that we must realize that Monica just didn’t stay on her knees praying for Augustine for 3 decades without coming up for air. No, she lived an ordinary human life, with its ups and downs, good times and bad. And she also was very much a saint in that she had to deal with her own penchant to temptation, and have successes and failures with it, like all the rest of us have to do with our human penchants: “Monica, enjoyed her wine!” is what some writers on her life have revealed and told to us. In fact, she is said to have enjoyed it very much. But, that she knew about it, and prayed and worked herself to curb her desires is a credit to her, and an inspiration to all of us, who deal with unruly penchants!

 

Our readings today are particularly suited for St. Monica. The first reading speaks the beauty of a virtuous wife as the radiance of her home: like the sun rising in the Lord’s heavens. The gospel passage spoke to Monica about the moral resurrection of her own son, Augustine, when Jesus raises the deceased only son of a widow in Nain. The widow, like Monica, asked the Lord in faith to have mercy on her son; Jesus does not refuse a mother’s prayer for her children.

 

In you, Lord, I have found my peace!

Aug 21 - St Pius X

+ On June 2, 1835 Guiseppe Melchiorre Sarto saw the light of earth at Riesi, in the Province of Treviso, in Venice, Italy; on August 20, 1914, he saw the light of heaven; and on May 29, 1954, he who had become to 259^th pope was canonized St. Pius X. Two of the most outstanding accomplishments of this saintly Pope were the inauguration of the liturgical renewal and restoration of frequent communion from childhood. He also waged an unwavering war against the heresy and evils of Modernism (the predecessor to our own overarching pandemic of godless secularism), gave great impetus to biblical studies, and brought about the codification of Canon Law. His overriding concern was to renew all things in Christ.

 

Above all, his holiness shone forth conspicuously. From St. Pius X we learn again that “the folly of the Cross,” simplicity of life, and humility of heart are still the highest wisdom and the indispensable conditions of a perfect Christian life, for they are the very source of all apostolic fruitfulness. His last will and testament bears the striking sentence: “I was born poor. I have lived in poverty, and I wish to die poor,” and so he did deeply engulf in the poverty of the great Beatitudes of the Sermon on the Mount!

 

Jesus certainly handpicked Pius X to feed the lambs of his flock with a shepherd’s care, and as Paul did among the Thessalonians, so did Pius not only share the Gospel with others, but he also gave his life with apostolic zeal. May the Church today remain open to liturgical renewal and sensible further penetration of the Gospel message of her Lord and Master, Jesus Christ; and may she fight bravely the great war of the ever-present cancerous evil infecting society that is called “secularism.”

 

Forever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

Aug 18 - 20th Week in OT - Tuesday

+ After hearing about the plight of the rich young man, the disciples were discouraged and felt sorry for themselves. “Then who can be saved – we all like some of our possessions!” But Jesus encourages them by saying that “all things are possible with God.” And he tells them that though it is very difficult for a camel to get through some of the low-fitted narrow city gates –they do get through – and so even many rich people will get to heaven so long as their possessions don’t own them.

 

Peter then, to justify himself and his friends, says to Jesus – “Hey, we have given up everything to follow you! What are we going to get for it?” And Jesus assures him that he will indeed get places of great honor in the age to come. Giving up family, friends and lands for his sake will always be a cause for great reward from God.

 

“The last and the first and the first and the last” may have something to do with those who comprehend these things – and attempt to put them into practice.

 

May we today be satisfied with being poor so that we might become rich in Christ Jesus our Lord – our Brother and our Friend – and that richness has no real human terms to describe it, but divine terms oh yes! Oh yes!

 

 

 

Aug 10 - St. Lawrence, Archdeacon

+ St. Lawrence was a third-century archdeacon of Rome, distributor of alms, and “keeper of the treasures of the church” in a time when Christianity was outlawed. On August 6, 285, by decree of Emperor Valerian, Pope Saint Sixtus II and six deacons were beheaded, leaving Lawrence, a deacon as the ranking Church official in Rome.

 

While in prison awaiting execution Sixtus reassured Lawrence that he was not being left behind; they would be reunited in four days. Lawrence saw this time as an opportunity to disperse the material wealth of the church before the Roman authorities could lay their hands on it.

 

On August 10 Lawrence was commanded to appear for his execution, and to bring along the treasure with which he had been entrusted by the pope. When he arrived, the archdeacon was accompanied by a multitude of Rome’s crippled, blind, sick and indigent. He announced that these were the true treasures of the Church. He was then led to execution. A colorful legend has it that he was burned on a gridiron where he instructed his executioners to turn him over in time because he was already done on one side; but another more reliable source tells us that Lawrence was simply beheaded like the seven who had gone before him.

 

Either way: Lawrence has always been known as one of the greatest and most renowned martyrs in all of Church history and a true inspiration for all to spend their lives and to give their selves entirely and completely to the Lord Jesus as his instrument in sanctification and salvation: even if it means death.

 

The first reading today finds St. Paul, who gave his all, telling the Corinthians that God is able to make every grace abundant for those who have decided to cooperate with him in doing his will and work; and in the gospel passage Jesus assures those whose cooperation involves the ultimate gift of giving one’s life – to any degree – but especially by the sacrifice of physical death – much fruit will result in the world, and for the giver of the gift in heaven.

 

Blessed Lawrence cried out: I worship my God and serve only him. So, I do not fear your torture. God is my rock, I take refuge in him, so I do not fear your torture.

Aug 9 - 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time

+ There is an interesting statement that St Paul makes in the second reading today: “for I could wish that myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my own people, my kindred according to the flesh.” What is Paul saying? Can he really mean what he is saying: “accursed and cut off from Christ”?

 

Now Paul, we must remember was a very energetic, passionate and yes dramatic young man – and sometimes the drama shows, like in this passage. In Rome, Paul is trying to get the attention of the Jewish people – all his efforts seem to be in vain, and so out of exasperation he says: “if this would bring you to the love of Christ, then I will gladly sacrifice even my own relationship with Christ – which is dearer to him than anything at all in this world or in the next. And, this was really a rhetorical statement: a dramatic oratorical joust: he knew he would never abandon Christ, but he also knew that this statement would have a tremendous effect on at least some of the mind-wandering, worldly minded Romans. Yes, sometimes drama is the best way to go in proclaiming the Kingdom.

 

What we have in the first reading however is the exact opposite of lights, action and drama – Elijah found that he could only hear the voice of the Lord speaking to his heart not in the strong and heavy wind, not in the earthquake, not in the fire – but rather in a tiny whispering sound. “Then Elijah hid his face in his cloak and went and stood at the entrance of the cave.” We must seek the inner recesses of the caves of our hearts often – many times a day - so that we can hear the still small voice of God’s Spirit whispering the love of God there – for it is our destiny to hear that wondrous voice forever in heaven.

 

The gospel passage is a repeat from earlier in the week. Jesus walks on water – because the confidence that he could do it was absolute – it was a gift from God and he wholeheartedly used it. Peter wanted to try it too – but quickly found out that his faith and confidence was far too centered on himself and his weakness in the face of the storm and the wind, rather than on God and his strength, and so he faltered. Jesus quickly took him by the hand and raised him up – but chastises him for his little faith.

 

It is comforting for us to know that Jesus raises us up when our faith is weak – but we can also expect a firm word or two from him afterwards on the necessity of praying daily for an increase of faith. Faith, faith and more faith is the true key to life with God, and life with one another – until we reach heaven where it will no longer be needed: we will possess the object of our faith and it will simply fade into the memory of our long and oft-times arduous journey to get there!

 

Be still – and with great faith - know that I am God – and I am your Brother, and I am your Friend.

Aug 5 - 18th Week in OT - Wednesday

+ We have two very touching, beautiful and hopeful readings at mass today. The prophet Jeremiah speaks about God who has an age-old love that he loves his people with. He has kept his mercy towards his beloved people. He promises to restore and rebuild them. 

 

Somehow the Canaanite woman of the gospel passage knew this about God – and she knows that in meeting Jesus Christ she is coming face to face with this God. And so, she boldly begs on behalf of her tormented daughter, “Have pity!” And this loving God keeps his mercy toward her. The daughter is restored to health.

 

We are no less favored children of this same God, we are no less beloved people in his sight. He wishes and wills to restore us and rebuild what needs restoring and rebuilding in our lives and the lives of those we love. All he needs from us is a simple act of belief and trust in the Son whom he sent to bring about reconciliation, restoration and rebuilding and healing. Jesus will do the rest if we but turn to him with our whole hearts and humbly raise our tear soaked eyes to him in quiet, persistent prayer.

 

The Lord will guard and protect us as a shepherd guards and protects his flock!

 

 

Aug 4 - St. John Vianney

+ St. John Vianney is a saint of God par excellence. This poor French priest was declared by Pope Benedict XVI in 2009 the patron saint of all priests because of the absolute clarity in the saint’s mind of what the mission and life of a priest of Jesus Christ is all about. An amazingly short summary that he gave is this: “The priesthood (the priest) is the love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.” This means that that when you see or hear a priest, you see and hear the sacramentally transformed image and icon of Christ’s own self-sacrificially loving heart. Pretty amazing, huh?

 

This puts the priest and the people exactly in their proper place in regard to one another. The priest is not meant to be superior to them because of this sacramental imaging and focusing: he is rather to embrace the posture of deep humility, kneeling at their feet to wash them, and to serve their spiritual needs: to attend to their sanctification, as Christ Jesus Himself did.

 

When he first arrived at Ars, a tiny village near Lyons, the new Cure stopped to ask a young lad the way to Ars: the boy pointed and said: “Why, it is that way, Father.” Fr. John Vianney then immediately responded, “now you come, and I will show you the way to heaven.” This is the ultimate servant duty of the priest help people imagine heaven, to “show all God’s people the way to heaven.”

 

John Vianney’s entire theology was based on the Cross of Christ on Calvary. He saw the Eucharistic Sacrifice and the Sacrament of Penance as inseparable and ordered one to the other. Both apply the enormous merits of Christ’s agony, and suffering and death. And both actually re-present the events of that day on Calvary.

The chief sacrament is Eucharist in which we actually eat and drink the Body and Blood of the Lord unto our salvation and future glory; but the Sacrament of Penance clears the way of grave sin, which inhibits the flow of any grace at all in the Eucharistic celebration. Going to communion with grave sin on the soul is not only pointless but it is also sacrilegious and sinful in its own right. This only makes spiritual and sacramental sense. Vianney invited all men and women to examine their consciences and then following the grace of God’s lead to come to confession.

 

St. John Vianney was the Confessor extraordinaire: he could read hearts and was the St. Francis of the Confessional: a true instrument of restoring the peace of God to tormented souls: all within a matter of minutes. And it had to be so: as his reputation grew as not only preacher and teacher, but also gentle yet firm confessor, people by the hundreds and then thousands came to him to unburden their lives and confess their sins. By the end of his 40-year ministry in Ars 20,000 pilgrims a year would come to be ministered to by this saintly priest of God: the living icon of the love of Jesus’ Sacred Heart.

 

We thank John Vianney for being but a simple, humble channel of God’s wondrous sacramental grace: not only in the confessional, but also at his most favorite place, at the altar of God, making present the true and real Body and Blood of his Lord and ours, his healer and ours, his God and ours.

 

We pray, then, today for priests – all of them – that they may come home to the fact that their lives are meant to image the love of Christ’s Sacred and Pierced Heart. What an astounding vocation, to be God’s-love-for-others-in-the-flesh!

 

St. John Vianney, pray for us.