Mary, the Holy Mother of God

ANTIPHON

Today a light will shine upon us, for the Lord is born for us; and He will be called Wondrous God, Prince of Peace, Father of future ages: and His reign will be without end. (cf Isaiah 9:1, Luke 1:33).

COLLECT

O God, who through the fruitful virginity of Blessed Mary
bestowed on the human race
the grace of eternal salvation,
grant, we pray,
that we may experience the intercession of her,
through whom we were found worthy
to receive the author of life,
our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son.
Who lives and reigns with You
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen

RESPONSORIAL PSALM

May God bless us in his mercy. (Psalm 67:2a).

SCRIPTURE EXCERPT

“All who heard it were amazed (ἐθαύμασαν, ethaumasan) by what had been told them by the shepherds. And Mary kept (συνετήρει, suneterei) all these things, reflecting (συμβάλλουσα, sumballousa) on them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as it had been told to them..” (Luke 2:6-12).”

REFLECTION

Once again the familiar Bethlehem Nativity scene is before us this day as we rejoice in the Motherhood of Mary, the Holy Mother of God. Yes, I know that pages of a calendar have flipped and a new one is now posted, a ball has dropped, fireworks, libations, the Mummers (for us Philadelphia folk) and all sorts of well-wishing and resolution-making fill the air. Yet throughout the Catholic Christian world, today is marked by celebrating the Gift of Mary as Mother of God, Mother of the Church. Today is the Church’s celebration of Mother’s Day with a clear focus on the Child born of Mary, given gratuitously to us for our salvation. This is a key point in the midst of the Christmas Mystery. Throughout the pages of the Gospel according to Saint Matthew and the Gospel according to Saint Luke, we meet many people whose lives are impacted substantially by the birth of Jesus Christ. Each person in the ‘Infancy Narrative’ acts as a teacher of Christian discipleship. By their actions and words, people such as Joseph, the shepherds and even Herod (in a negative way, of course) offer an insight as to what it means to be or to not be a disciple of the Newborn Savior. Towering over everyone in the ‘Infancy Narratives’ as a teacher of discipleship is Mary, the Holy Mother of God. Mary is the first and the model disciple.

So what does Mary do as the first and the model disciple? How does she teach us to be a disciple of her Son? First, she does nothing - she simply (and please pardon the poor grammar) be’s. Yes, I know it is not a word but throughout the history of theology, words have been ‘invented’ to assist in breaking open the Sacred Mysteries. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. I often use this statement (or variations thereof), “Mary be’s” to underscore that the work of discipleship is never about activity, effort, energy or work that I initiate as a person to accomplish a ‘standing’ before God the Father. There certainly is activity that Mary does, effort and energy she expends, and certainly work that she does and accomplishes. Yet this activity, effort, energy and work is done in the mode of a humble response to the offer of gratuitous Life.

Thus when the shepherds proclaim all that was told them, everyone who hears the shepherd’s report is amazed (ἐθαύμασαν, ethaumasan). θαυμάζω (thaumázō) is a person’s expression that the events are outside one’s scope of explanation. The event may spark intense curiosity, astonishment, questioning, admiring, wondering or simply “Wow!” The event is as real to the person as today is Sunday (or whatever day of the week you are reading this blog entry). Any attempt by a listeners to disregard the event due to lack of explanation is met with words, admittedly bumbling at times, “It is real, I just can’t explain it!” (Try, for example, to capture in words the sight of Niagara Falls or the Grand Canyon. Even on a human level, we acknowledge events and experiences that are beyond both comprehension and expression, yet are nonetheless real.) In the New Testament and particularly the Gospels, θαυμάζω (thaumázō) conveys an additional quality. The experience or event, as real and as potent as it is for a person or persons, is part of the much larger unfolding of salvation history. In other words, it can never be “my moment,” “my wow time,” or “my astonishing event” not to mention “my Baptism,” “my First Communion,” “my Wedding day,” or “my Ordination.” Amazement in the Gospels (and hence for all disciples) is that moment, as ‘wow’ as it, that is never mine because it is part of a much larger picture. Thus “all” who listen to the shepherds teach us a valuable lesson about the experience of God-with-us: it’s not mine to have and to hold. The event and even little ole me is part of a much bigger picture.

Great lesson? Yes - AND - Mary teaches that there is more. Recognizing and celebrating God-with-us is a cause for genuine θαυμάζω (thaumázō). Mary, however, knows that there is more: the experience or the event of God-with-us has to be kept (συνετήρει, suneterei) and [continuously reflected upon (συμβάλλουσα, sumballousa). What does it mean to “keep” all these things? Isn’t that contrary to the Gospel sense that these experiences are not mine to keep? συντηρέω (syntēréō) is not so much about keeping in the hoarding sense as it is about protecting. συντηρέω (syntēréō) is the response Mary rendered knowing (in the sense of experiencing) that the events unfolding before her were all that she sang of when she visited her cousin Elizabeth months earlier. Seeing, knowing and recognizing God-with-us Who is about the work of our salvation is an awesome event that requires care. We cannot afford to be glib or casual about the Divine work in our midst and consequently we take reasonable steps to protect the wonderful wow moments of life that God the Father sends our way from time to time. We protect them by paying attention, stopping to soak in all that is happening, pulling the ear buds of the ipod out from our ears, turning away from television and computer monitors to be wholly present to the holy moment. In doing so, we are humbled by the enormity of the event or experience - not in a crushing way but in a way properly accommodated for our growth. Again, this is not something any of can force or engineer by way of a prayer technique or spirituality seminar. We can respond, however, by offering an environment or disposition for this Presence to growth according to Divine Will. This is the continuous reflecting that Mary does in response to the unfolding events before her. It's not Mary saying, ‘well, it is now time for me to reflect ... what shall I reflect upon?' No, reflecting is not an action that she initiates, it is rather a response to what God is doing (think often of how many describe the action of praying - ‘time to say my prayers.’ ‘Time to read my Office.’ The richness of the verb συμβάλλω (sumballo), which conveys a sense of ‘throwing together’ or ‘collecting’ is the same root for another English word, symbol. As used by the Evangelist Saint Luke, συμβάλλουσα (sumballousa) is a present-tense participle which in Greek grammar speaks of an action that is repeatedly done. The action of “reflecting” is actually a “collecting” of myself done, not by me, but by the Lord of Life.

And so for the disciple of the Newborn Savior, His Mother calls us today to three actions: θαυμάζω (thaumázō) - wowing in the salvific work of God-with-us, συντηρέω (syntēréō) valuing and protecting this work as singularly vital for life and συμβάλλω (sumballo) repeatedly being collected as one loved infinitely and intimately by God the Father that His will may always be done.

Nativity of the Lord

Mass During the Night

ANTIPHON

The Lord said to me: You are my Son. It is I Who has begotten You today. (cf Psalm 2:7).

COLLECT (OPENING PRAYER)

O God, Who have made this most sacred night
radiant with the splendor of the true light,
grant, we pray, that we, who have known the mysteries
of His light on earth,
may also delight in His gladness in heaven.
Who lives and reigns with You in the Unity of the Holy Spirit,
on God for ever and ever. Amen.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM

Today is born our Savior, Christ the Lord. (cf. Luke 2:11, Psalm 96).

SCRIPTURE EXCERPT

“While they were there, the time came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger (ἐν φάτνῃ, en phatne), because there was no room for them in the inn. Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields and keeping the night watch over their flock. The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were struck with great fear. The angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord. And this will be a sign (σημεῖον, semeion) for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger (ἐν φάτνῃ, en phatne).” (Luke 2:6-12).”

REFLECTION

In the Christian world, the Nativity scene is a staple of this Sacred Season. Nativity sets, as some refer to them, come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, colors, textures and even occasionally appear living, complete with a newborn infant and various animals. Rooted probably in the ministry and preaching of Saint Francis of Assisi, the Nativity scene that appeared in the 13th century was intended to convey the historic reality of the Savior's birth and thereby teach the goodness of human nature and indeed all creation. Over the years, various artistic renderings of the Bethlehem event have taken on a life of its own and one might venture that some distance has grown between the typical Nativity set and life in first-century Bethlehem.

Take, for example, the usual depiction of the manger. Generally you see clean-sawed wood that is even smooth to the touch. Many mangers are small, just big enough to cradle a newborn infant (how convenient) with hay or straw that is not only clean, but nicely arranged to make for a great picture. In the first-century, the φάτνη (phatne) would better be described as a feeding trough for all the animals. It could be wooden or stone and in either case, it had to be big enough and sturdy enough to service the needs of one's animals. For the Evangelist Saint Luke, what is important about the φάτνη (phatne) is what goes into it: food. The φάτνη (phatne) is the sources of food for the animals and the animals are smart enough to be drawn to the φάτνη (phatne) for their daily sustenance. No doubt, the φάτνη (phatne) certainly was not a sterile environment, to say the least. With all the animals helping themselves to what was in the φάτνη (phatne), things were bound to get a bit messy and smelly, not to mention the fact that these animals needed ‘to learn’ how to co-exist with one another at the φάτνη (phatne); instinctively: not an easy thing to do.

Grasping the significance of the φάτνη (phatne) is a vital task of the Christmas event. No less than an “angel of the Lord” (someone you do not want to mess around with in Sacred Scripture!) reveals to shepherds that the φάτνη (phatne) is part of a σημεῖον (sēmeíon, sign). Saint Luke's use of σημεῖον (sēmeíon) recalls words of the Prophet Isaiah to Ahaz ("But Ahaz answered, “I will not ask! I will not tempt the LORD!” Then he said: Listen, O house of David! Is it not enough for you to weary men, must you also weary my God? Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:11-14)” Why did Ahaz protest a sign? Why didn't he want a sign? It seems so contrary to human nature. Even in our day, we cry out in our prayers “Give me a sign, O God!” As corrupt as he was, Ahaz knew that to receive a σημεῖον (sēmeíon) from God required action and change on his part. Biblically, a σημεῖον (sēmeíon) is not passive. Biblical signs are not ‘take-it or leave-it realities.’ The σημεῖον (sēmeíon) calls forth a response from the person or persons to whom the sign is given and often time the response involves some aspect of ongoing conversion on the part of the recipient.

Thus the φάτνη (phatne) of Bethlehem - a σημεῖον (sēmeíon) given by an “angel of the Lord” - is not a nice, warm, fluffy nostalgic ‘take-it’ or ‘leave-it’ object that conjures up memories of Christmas past. “Today is born our Savior, Christ the Lord,” we chant following the Isaian proclamation. Notice the word today. We gather today to celebrate an event is not confined or locked in the past. Yes, we celebrate a historic event, most definitely - AND - we celebrate an event that is also most present: God-in-the-flesh Who is Emmanuel: God-with-us. What exactly does that mean for each disciple of Jesus? The ‘answer’ to that question requires each to imitate the shepherds who went in haste (Luke 2:16) to Bethlehem (the city whose name in Hebrew means “House (or home) of Bread”). In other words, the shepherds did not procrastinate. The shepherds did not permit their attention to wander off point. The angel said go, and go they did! To go to Bethlehem is to encounter the σημεῖον (sēmeíon) and to be changed. Bethlehem for us is as close as the Altar of our parish Church. It is going to that φάτνη (phatne) where we will be given “our daily Bread” Who transforms our lives by filling them with His joy.

Advent, the Fourth Sunday

ANTIPHON

Drop down dew from above, you heavens, and let the clouds rain down the Just One; let the earth be opened and bring forth a Savior. (cf Isaiah 45:8).

COLLECT (OPENING PRAYER)

Pour forth, we beseech you, O Lord,
Your Grace into our hearts,
that we, to whom the Incarnation of Christ Your Son
was made known by the message of an Angel,
may by His Passion and Cross
be brought to the glory of His Resurrection.
Who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM

For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord. (Psalm 89:2a).

SCRIPTURE EXCERPT

“Now to him who can strengthen (στηρίζω) you, according to my gospel (εὐαγγέλιόν) and the proclamation (κήρυγμα) of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery (κατὰ ἀποκάλυψιν μυστηρίου) kept secret (σεσιγημένου) for long ages but now manifested through the prophetic writings and, according to the command of the eternal God, made known (γνωρισθέντος) to all nations to bring about the obedience of faith (ὑπακοὴν πίστεως), to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ be glory forever and ever. Amen. (Romans 16:25-27).”

REFLECTION

“I have a secret, do you want to know what it is?” How quickly did your attention pique when you heard that question? Let’s face it, as human beings were are instinctively inquisitive and often throw caution to the wind when it comes to transforming the unknown of secrecy to knowledge that I can grasp and more importantly, use. There is something unsettling at times about a secret. When another announces “I have a secret” implicitly he or she is also saying ‘I have knowledge that you don't.’ Whatever that knowledge might be, when someone ‘has it’ (no matter what the ‘it’ is) one also has a certain power over another that may or may not be manipulated for personal gain. On occasion, as the 'secret holder,' I might choose to let another know. But consider how one tells a secret: generally it is done with a whispery voice accompanied by clandestine gestures and postures to prevent others from knowing whatever it is that I call “secret.”

There certainly is a good dimension and proper use of secrecy. This ‘good side’ of secrecy is better expressed by the word confidential, a word grounded in the experience of trust. When we talk, for example, of professional confidentiality it is not so much about having secrets about another in a negative sense. A person is not an ‘it’ whose data or information can be capriciously and whimsically spread about for entertainment or self-aggrandisement. Rather it is about keeping silent when it comes to aspects of another’s life, a silence that is meant to help heal life’s injuries and wounds by respecting the dignity of the human person. It is in this context that Saint Paul speaks of a “secret" (σεσιγημένου, sesigemenou) kept for "long ages but now manifested through the prophetic writings.” The Greek verb σιγάω (sigao) can be translated appropriately as “to keep a secret.” But as is often the case with the ancient biblical languages, there are additional meanings that are quite valid. The difficulty is that many of these other meanings require multiple words if not sentences or a paragraph or two to translate the ancient word more precisely. If all of these words, sentences and paragraphs were employed in the oral proclamation of Sacred Scripture, we might loose the sense of the message because of the verbage. Hence, translators have opted for a paucity of words in proclamation with the intention of keeping our attention on the big-picture of the biblical message. It falls then to ongoing mystagogical catechesis (ongoing unfolding of the Sacred Mystery) to break open deeper layers of meaning that the biblical text conveys in both the literal and spiritual senses. For this reason, the sacred study of our Faith is a necessity! Secondly, it is also the reason why translations must be revised from time to time. As we come to learn more precisely the ancient languages through good scientific and archeological discoveries, translations must then reflect that deeper precision.

At any rate, what then do we make about “the revelation of the mystery kept secret for long ages?” What happens when the translation is rendered “the revelation of the mystery kept silent for long ages?” For Saint Paul, this silence is the expression of God the Father’s preparation for the offer of salvation that will be spoken (thus breaking the silence) by God-in-the-flesh, Jesus Christ, the Word of God. The beauty and power of breaking the silence (telling the secret) is that what is heard is not an it, but a Person. Telling the secret is not about getting knowledge in sense of data or trivia but experiencing and encountering a Person; the Person Jesus Christ. This is the difference in Greek between οἶδα (oida) and γινώσκω (ginosko). Yes, a number of biblical scholars consider οἶδα and γινώσκω to be synonyms. Yet there are scholars who contend that there is a difference between the two. For these scholars, οἶδα (oida) indicates a type of knowledge that one can acquire or learn. A student at the end of a semester (how timely at this time of year) can say “I know that I know the course material” and the professor is able to appropriately assess (quantify) that knowledge based on a grading rubric and matrix it into a course grade. γινώσκω (ginosko) on the other hand is a ‘penetrating experience to the core of one’s being that establishes identity.’ Thus that same student at the end of a Christology course can say “I know the material and because of that knowledge I willingly change this or that in my life and know Jesus Christ as Lord.” This is knowledge in a different realm. This reflects the disciples’ encounter with the Risen Jesus at Emmaus. When Saint Luke records that “He [Jesus] became known (ἐγνώσθη, egnosthe) to them in the Breaking of the Bread (Luke 24:35,” the disciples’ knowledge of Jesus was not the same as the knowledge of their surroundings, the day, the time or the weather. This was a ‘knowledge’ that was an experience of a Person that resulted in a change of heart (μετάνοια metánoia) and change of action (the disciples willingly and joyfully return to Jerusalem to proclaim Jesus is risen and alive). Thus the Pauline Word of God to us this Sunday is a challenge to allow ourselves to be drawn into Divine Silence this week that we may be prepared to receive and encounter the Word Who shatters silence for the sake of our salvation.

O Sacred Lord of Ancient Israel, Who showed Yourself to Moses in the burning bush, Who gave him the holy law on Sinai mountain: come, stretch our Your mighty hand to set us free.

And a post script: Some have written and asked about the underlined English words with the Greek and Hebrew in parentheses that I have not addressed in the particular Sunday blog. Fret not, these are words, topics and subjects for a later entry. A sapiential guide told me recently, “don't try to do everything at once because you can’t.” His wisdom has proved true.

Advent, the Third Sunday

ANTIPHON

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice. Indeed, the Lord is near. (cf Philippians 4:4-5).

RESPONSORIAL PSALM

My soul rejoices in my God. (Isaiah 61:10).

SCRIPTURE EXCERPT

“The spirit (רוּחַ ruach) of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed (מָשַׁח mashach) me; he has sent me to bring glad tidings (בָּשַׂר bāsar) to the poor, to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and release to the prisoners, to announce a year of favor from the LORD and a day of vindication by our God (Isaiah 61:1-2a).”

“I rejoice heartily in the LORD, in my God is the joy of my soul; for he has clothed me with a robe of salvation (יָשַׁע yasha) and wrapped me in a mantle of justice, like a bridegroom adorned with a diadem, like a bride bedecked with her jewels. As the earth brings forth its plants, and a garden makes its growth spring up, so will the Lord GOD make justice and praise spring up before all the nations (Isaiah 61:10-11).”

REFLECTION

When was the last time you addressed someone with “glad tidings” or a person addressed you with the same greeting? The question would be the same if “glad tidings” were substituted by the word gospel. Many Christians tend to think the word gospel is unique to the Christian experience bearing the names Mark, Matthew, Luke and John. Historically, the English word that comes to us as gospel has a rich foundation in the cultures of the Ancient Near East as well as the Persian and Greek military machines. In the pages of the Old Testament, glad tidings (בָּשַׂר bāsar) is often associated with war, particularly victory. The victor and company sing the “glad tidings” of a new way of living that the victory has effected. More specifically, numerous uses of glad tidings (בָּשַׂר bāsar) in the Old Testament center on David either victorious in battle or protected against his enemies. Accounts of victorious battles or protection from those who sought to kill him were often couched in the language of glad tidings (בָּשַׂר bāsar). Around the time of Alexander the Great when a Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures occurred (a text known as the Septuagint and commonly abbreviated by the Roman numeral LXX (70) because it is believed that 70 elders were involved in the production of the Greek translation) “to bring glad tidings (בָּשַׂר bāsar)” was translated εὐαγγελίζω (euaggelizo, gospel) “To announce good news” in the Persian-Greek era was to announce victory over one’s enemy or enemies. In time, the use of εὐαγγελίζω (euaggelizo, gospel) appeared to be somewhat restricted to news of victory concluding a war. While there were (and still are!) many events that constituted “good news,” Alexander’s time opted for a more restrictive identity of “good news” linked to a victorious end of a war or military campaign.

Prior to Alexander the Great and still within the Tradition of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Advent’s Prophet of Hope made use of glad tidings (בָּשַׂר bāsar), especially in the chapters beginning at 40. In the Isaian text proclaimed last week, “glad tidings (בָּשַׂר bāsar)” was news intimately linked to freedom from captivity, a freedom that resulted from the transformation (not annihilation) of obstacles. “Go up on to a high mountain, Zion, herald of glad tidings (בָּשַׂר basar); cry out at the top of your voice, Jerusalem, herald of good news (בָּשַׂר basar)! Fear not to cry out and say to the cities of Judah: Here is your God! Here comes with power the Lord GOD, who rules by his strong arm; here is his reward with him, his recompense before him. Like a shepherd he feeds his flock; in his arms he gathers the lambs, carrying them in his bosom, and leading the ewes with care (Isaiah 40:9-11).” True to his time and culture, Isaiah conveys a sense of the military (“power,” and “rules by his strong arm”) but notice the other aspect: the ‘good news’ of feeding, carrying and leading. These actions are at the heart of living, especially in and on a land that is often hostile to life. These actions became concrete images in the Old Testament describing (never defining, that is, limiting) the experience of salvation (יָשַׁע yasha or yesha [the Hebrew root of Jesus!]). Salvation (יָשַׁע yasha) in the context of the Old Testament is about living on a land that is broad and wide, not hemed in to or by a tight space. On this land that is broad and wide, one has sufficient resources for a family to live: sufficient drinking water for family, livestock and crops. One has sufficient food for family and herd. Sufficient clothing and housing offers protection from nature (a scorching sun by day and surprisingly cold night) and criminals. For Isaiah this was all experienced as pure and complete gift from a Providential God of Love.

For Isaiah, this proclamation of glad tidings (בָּשַׂר basar) is an act of creation. It brings into existence and establishes order and harmony that did not exist prior to the proclamation. Glad tidings (בָּשַׂר basar) is power that transforms even the most colossal obstacle into a vehicle of life and love. It is for this reason that one is anointed (מָשַׁח mashach). The concrete image of an abundant ‘rubbing oil into’ (not a passive pouring of drops) equips the recipient with the power necessary to call being into existence. That is truly the work of Messiah whose root in Hebrew is that of anointed. The Messiah whose birth we prepare to celebrate reminds us that we too have been anointed for mission through Baptism and Confirmation (and Ordination). Following the initiative of and working with the Holy Spirit, we model John the Baptist in speaking a word to burn complacency from our midst as the glad tidings of Divine Love are breathed into a waiting world and longing hearts.

COLLECT (OPENING PRAYER)

O God, Who see how Your people
faithfully await the feast of the Lord’s Nativity,
enable us, we pray,
to attain the joys of so great a salvation
and to celebrate them always
with solemn worship and glad rejoicing.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
Who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

An Initial Thought on the Threshold of Advent

REFLECTION

What comes to mind when you hear the word Advent? Perhaps the phrase “coming to” or “preparation” recalls homilies or lessons from the past. Perhaps Advent triggers a word of frustration: Ugh - because Christmas is close and there is much to do in a short period of time. Seemingly, we blink and Advent is over; that is if we even entered into it with the Christmas crush. With Christmas falling on a Sunday this year, we have an opportunity for a full-four week celebration of Advent and an opportunity to experience Advent not just as a Liturgical Season but as a way of life.

In the prayer following the Lord’s Prayer at every Mass, the Church prays: “Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil, graciously grant peace in our days, that, by the help of Your mercy, we may be always free from sin and safe from all distress, as we await the blessed hope and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.” 1. Deliverance from every evil. 2. Peace in our days. 3. Freedom from sin. 4. Safe[ty] from all distress. Might any of these four be a dream that you nurture deep within, wondering if any or all 4 will ever become a reality in your life? The world repeats and old message: there will always be evil in the world, peace will never come, we will always sin and we will have to find ways to medicate and to cope with distress in our lives. The repetitive and old message of pessimism and despair is real in the sense that anyone of us can give into its life-robbing power. The irony is that in the Face of Jesus Christ, these realities have no power; but WE give them power when we acknowledge their repetitive and old existence. Discovering the singular, unique newness Who is Jesus the Christ destroys evil, provides peace, gives freedom from sin and safety from distress.

Thus we come to the “work” of Advent. Yes, Advent as a way of life is a work, a work of responding to the new creation in our midst that is Jesus. Centuries ago, Saint Irenaeus wrote: “You must realize that He Who was promised has brought something totally new by giving us Himself.” Advent is a way of living life that proclaims boldly Jesus makes all things new (Revelation 21:5) and consequently there is no room for a repetitive, old message of evil, unrest, sin and distress. Allowing oneself to be found by Jesus Christ (in other words, not seeking after as if “I” must find Him) unleashes power that floods life with deliverance, peace, no sin and no distress. It begins by pondering, “how is Jesus new in my life?”

A specific reflection on God’s Word for the First Sunday of Advent has been posted.

Sunday, the Thirty-third

ANTIPHON

The Lord says: My plans for you are peace and not disaster; when you call to Me, I will listen to you, and I will bring you back to the place from which I exiled you (Jeremiah 29:11, 12, 14).

RESPONSORIAL PSALM

Blessed are those who fear the Lord. (Psalm 128).

SCRIPTURE EXCERPT

“Jesus told his disciples this parable: “A man going on a journey called in his servants and entrusted (παρέδωκεν, paredoken) his possessions (ὑπάρχοντα, huparchonta) to them. To one he gave (ἔδωκεν, edoken) five talents (τάλαντα, talanta); to another, two; to a third, one – to each according to his ability. Then he went away.” (Matthew 25:14-5).”

REFLECTION

What exactly is a talent especially in the context of this Sunday’s Parable? It is a good question, along with a few other questions, to pose given the introduction to the Parable. Initially, we learn about “a man going on a journey” who later is known as the “master of those servants (Matthew 25:19).” The Greek for “master” is ὁ κύριος (ho kyrios, the Lord), which is the title of the Resurrected Jesus: triumphant Lord over sin and death. Then, prior to departure, “the man … handed-on (the translation of the Greek παρέδωκεν, paredoken) his possessions” yet “gave … talents … to each according to his ability.” Is there a difference between possessions and talents? If there is a difference between these two in the context of the Parable, is there a difference then between “entrusted [handed-on]” and “gave”? The reader might think that this is an over splitting of hairs, but I think it is part of a larger question dealing with why the two servants immediately invested the talanta while one buried the talanta. Unfortunately, many have been quick to reduce the difference to a matter of initiative versus laziness and thus appeal to the Parable to justify a Pelagian approach to the mystery and gift of Salvation. In other words, the Parable becomes the Christian way of saying, “Be all you can be” because “God helps those who help themselves.” (an often cited quip that is not found in the Scriptures nor does it have any standing in sound theology).

There certainly are elements of the Parable that reflect the sitz im Leben of Jesus’ Public Ministry as well as the Evangelist. Scholars note the custom of “entrusting” goods and lands to servants as a test for trustworthiness. But the practice also afforded a landowner the ability to travel from place to place to survey the holdings as well as the possibility for further acquisitions. In this case, servants acted as custodians or guards of the master’s goods while absent. Burying money or good, another action in the Parable, was a common form of protecting one’s (or another's) wealth and valuable possessions especially during a time of war.

On the other hand, there are elements of the Parable, particularly the talents, which do seem strange against the background of first-century life. Various scholars note that while we cannot know for certain the ‘exchange rate’ for a talent and contemporary currency, it was a surprisingly large amount of money and people of that era knew it. This would account for the element of “strangeness” or “vividness” that is characteristic of Jesus’ Parables. He uses many elements of ordinary day-to-day living in the Parables and invariably hyper-exaggerates one or two of the elements intending to ‘hook’ His listeners’ imagination and draw them into the mystery of Kingdom living that is at the heart of all the Parables.

Whether it is the case of 1, 2 or 5 talents (and the 5 talents also has a ring of “5” from last week’s Patristic insight on the 5 senses), talents do differ from possessions. In the Greco-Roman world, possessions (ὑπάρχοντα, huparchonta) were clearly ‘existing things.’ As such, depending on size, these ‘existing things’ had a connection to and from the hand. The image here is one having ‘a hand on the goods.’ Having a hand on the goods was seen as a type of control (in a good way), care-taking and safeguarding. In the case of “a man going on a journey,” he “handed on” or puts-into-the-hands of his servants the ‘existing things,’ the possessions presumably for their protection and safeguarding. But when it comes to the talanta, notice the action: gave (ἔδωκεν, edoken, from the Greek didomi, to give). “A man going on a journey … gave … talents.” In the Gospels, didomi (to give) often conveys an action of gift-giving. There is something magnanimous (in varying degrees of intensity) done on the part of one who gives. But it is clear that the initiative for the action lies with the giver, not the receiver. No matter what the receiver did, does, or will do the “hand” of the giver cannot be forced. It is even more interesting when one digs a bit deeper into the meaning of talanta. Talanta, in time, became a word synonymous with “coinage” or money. It was derived from a related Greek word meaning “to balance.” The balancing resulted from using weights to balance a purchase: an appropriate balance between an item’s worth and the willingness to purchase. The important aspect here is the balancing action.

In the Parable, 3 were given (in the context of gift) varying number of talents. A “talent” in its most root form is not necessarily a thing to be possessed in the hand, but an action (balancing) that requires continuous attentiveness and diligence. A talent, because it is an action and an action given as a gift, cannot be safeguarded by burying it because a talent technically is not an it, ‘it’ is an action that must be used. True, concerns of initiative, laziness, the return of the master (Jesus at the end of the ages) are all valid and worthy concerns. Yet even these concerns require the primal requisite recognition of what to do with a unique action given as gift.

OPENING PRAYER

Father in heaven,
ever-living source of all that is good,
from the beginning of time You promised man salvation
through the future coming of Your Son,
our Lord Jesus Christ.
Help us to drink of His truth
and expand our hearts with the joy of His promises,
so that we may serve You in faith and in love
and know for ever the joy of Your presence.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Sunday the Thirty-second

ANTIPHON

Let my prayer come before You, Lord; listen and answer me (Psalm 87:3).

RESPONSORIAL PSALM

My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God. (Psalm 63).

SCRIPTURE EXCERPT

“Jesus told his disciples this parable: "The kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish (μωραὶ, morai) and five were wise (φρόνιμοι, phronimoi). The foolish ones (μωραὶ, morai), when taking their lamps, brought no oil with them, but the wise (φρόνιμοι, phronimoi) brought flasks of oil with their lamps. Since the bridegroom was long delayed, they all became drowsy (ἐνύσταξαν, enustazan) and fell asleep (ἐκάθευδον, ekatheudon). (Matthew 25:1-5).”

REFLECTION

Last Sunday evening as I checked the readings for this Sunday a thought quickly came to mind (not necessarily to heart) regarding the tension between wisdom and foolishness. Some random thoughts about the Greek ideal of wisdom (σοφία, sophia) started to gel with Wisdom as one of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. In this vein, Wisdom (σοφία, sophia) is an antidote for choices that are, at the bottom line, simply stupid. ‘Ah, thought enough for a day,’ I thought to myself last Sunday evening: ‘I have ‘something’ to ponder for the week in preparation for Sunday’s homily. Eventually in the course of the week, I opened the Greek New Testament ‘just to check’ (after all, I had ‘my’ thought and was comfortable running with it for Sunday). I was a bit perplexed as I perused the text. ‘Where’s sophia?’ It was nowhere to be found in Sunday’s Gospel text. Sure, the English translation presents the ‘wise’ virgins, but they were not ‘sophia’ virgins they were ‘phronimoi’ virgins. The Sacred Scriptures once again taught me a lesson that I drive home to undergraduates, deacon candidates and seminarians: the Text, the Text, the Text! Never presume, as I did last Sunday evening, anything about the Sacred Text without digging deeply.

Once again, the sitz im Leben for Jesus’ Parable is first-century Ancient Near East wedding practices (“Sitz im Leben” is a worthwhile phrase to know. It is a German phrase that means “situation in life.” It was a term coined by German biblical scholars towards the end of the nineteenth century in an effort to accentuate the importance of the historical, cultural, societal, etc. background influencing episodes, events and teachings in the Sacred Scriptures. By anchoring a person, place, thing or event in its historical context it helps as ONE of the tools in getting to the saving message that God intended the human agents to record). Check the blog entry from a few weeks ago that examined wedding practices in the first century. In summary for purposes of this Sunday’s Text it is important to recall that big differences exist between how we celebrate weddings today and how they were celebrated in the world and time of Jesus. Important for this week’s proclamation is the fact that the wedding ceremony in Jesus’ day was determined by the completion of all preparations on the groom’s part (and to varying degrees, assistance from his father). Some historical evidence suggests that it was the groom’s father who gave the ‘OK’ that all was ready for the wedding to commence. Our practice is to ‘set the date’ and work towards that set time for the wedding celebration. In our day, Bride, Groom, attendants, family, friends and all kinds of invited guests show up (hopefully on time!) at the appointed time at the designated place. In Jesus’ day, one did not ‘show up’ at a wedding; you waited to hear the voice of the bridegroom announcing that all was ready for the celebration. One and all lived in expectation of the groom’s voice, especially the bride and her close friends and attendants. Here is where the Greek word ‘phronimoi’ is important in this week’s biblical proclamation.

φρόνιμος (phronimos) in the Greek world centered on intellectual activities, particularly “thinking” and “reasoning.” Thinking and reasoning, as activities of the mind, were directed towards understanding or grasping the workings of one’s world. For Aristotle, this type of thinking and reasoning informed one’s actions and was the beginning or foundation of a life of virtue. Knowing and understanding what was expected of oneself as a citizen came not only from what was taught (from without), but also from one’s capacity for thought and reason (from within). Phronimos in this context was ordered towards a more practical side of knowledge. Phronimos did not dabble so much in the ‘what ifs’ of life but more so in an exploration of knowledge that immediately impacted living life now with its pressing demands. As such, it might be better to translate “phronimos” as “smart,” “clever” or even “future/forward thinking.” This is not to say that “wisdom” per se is incorrect in the translation. The fact is, however, that the Greek word often associated with the Holy Spirit’s Gift, namely “Wisdom (σοφία, sophia)” is not used in this parable.

An even stronger case can be made for viewing phronimos in the context of knowledge ordered to acting in the here-and-now. A handful of patristic era writers take up the question as to why there are 10 maidens in the Parable. While some make allegoric references to the 10 Commandments, Saint Augustine takes a different approach, albeit allegoric as well. In Sermon 93, the saintly Bishop of Hippo notes that there are 5 senses of the body for doing good and 5 senses of the body for doing wrong. Hearing, seeing, smelling, tasting and touching can be used ‘in a smart way’ that promotes virtuous living. These same 5 senses can be used ‘in a foolish way’ that promotes aimless or dissolute living. Phronimos is the ‘smart’ or ‘future thinking’ that knows an action done or not done in the present will have a consequence, virtuous or foolish, in the future. In the Parable with the translation many of us will here this Sunday, what makes the “wise” virgins “wise”? It is their ‘smart’ or ‘forward thinking’ that enables them to have enough oil for their torches when the groom arrives. Scholars note that in Jesus’ day that while people thought this would be the day or that would be the day for the wedding, all knew there could be some difficulties with the father of the groom and bride working out details. Sometimes there was a snag in the arrangements that caused a delay in the start of the wedding festivities (think of the limousine breaking down while transporting the bride to Church!). The smart thing to do is to know these things can happen and to plan and be prepared for consequences that delays pose.

In terms of Christian living, there is certainly a meaning of the Parable that points to Jesus’ arrival at the end of time. As all in the town know that the groom will eventually arrive, the Christian must come to terms in her or his life the REALITY of Jesus’ Return - not only His definitive Return at the end of the ages, but also His Return to each of us when each is called to give an accounting for how we have used our 5 senses to become more like Him. Each of us can ask, have I heard His Word and responded accordingly? Have I seen Jesus, particularly in the poor, and acted towards that person as if I were acting towards Jesus? Have I been moved by the fragrance of the Spirit’s anointing in Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Orders to witness and to serve as Jesus teaches? Have I tasted Jesus often in the Holy Eucharist and allowed that taste to move me to remedy the hungers of the human family? Have I touched another with the healing hand of Jesus or with a manipulative fist of oppressive power? Being smart (phronimos) in the Lord involves ‘forward thinking’ because His Return is a fact. His Return is not a fearful premise for smart behavior but a recognition of the Gift He wishes us to have on His Return ... a thought to explore next week after digging deeply into that Text.

OPENING PRAYER

Almighty Father,
strong is Your justice and great is Your mercy.
Protect us n the burdens and challenges of life.
Shield our minds from the distortion of pride
and enfold our desire with the beauty of Truth.
Help us to become more aware of Your loving designate
so that we may more willingly give
our lives in service to all.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Sunday the Thirtieth

ANTIPHON

Let hearts rejoice who search for the Lord. Seek the Lord and His strength, seek always the face of the Lord (Psalm 104:3-4).

RESPONSORIAL PSALM

I love you, Lord, my strength. (Psalm 18).

SCRIPTURE EXCERPT

“When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them, a scholar of the law tested him by asking, "Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?" (Matthew 22:33-35).”

REFLECTION

The person came to the Lenten Penance Liturgy with a paper filled margin to margin with a list of sins committed over the previous few months. When the time came for individual confession of sins and absolution, the person came to me and began by showing me the list. I was told that it had been written over the course of a couple of days in preparation for the evening celebration of the Rite of Penance (I was moved by the seriousness of the person’s Examination of Conscience). Much was on the list, meticulously organized under a few, specific Commandments. No sooner had I seen the list when the person crumbled it into a ball, looked me in the eye and said, “I missed the whole point with this list.” Curiously I asked, “Missed what point and how?” “You see, father, I have all my sins grouped under particular Commandments. But as I listened to the Reading from the Old Testament tonight (we had used Deuteronomy 6:4-9) I realized I never even gave the First Commandment any thought or reflection. I jumped right to number 4 (“Honor your father and mother”) and began examining my conscience from that point. Dealing with the first 3 commandments and especially the First seems so nebulous and vague to me. But it hit me tonight; without the First Commandment I don't stand a chance of getting anything else in its right place.” We then proceeded to spend a few moments examining connections between the First Commandment and everything on the list. Items on the list were important matter for the Sacrament – AND – all of it needed to be viewed in the context of the First Commandment.

We learn from an ancient commentator on Sacred Scripture, Origen of Alexandria (†254), that the question posed by the scholar of the law was not the noteworthy event of the episode. What was eye opening is that Jesus answered the question “which commandment in the law is the greatest?” In other words, by responding to the question Jesus taught that there is, what we might call, an ‘order of importance’ or a hierarchy of truths and values when it comes to the Commandments. Origen further noted, “This is the supreme and the first commandment in which the discourse of Jesus presents a vital point to take-to-heart because of the commandment’s importance. Other [commandments] are secondary to this one (Commentary on Matthew).” Contemporary biblical scholars, following insights that already surfaced in the Age of the Fathers and among Ancient Christian Writers, note that the question concerning ‘which of the Commandments is most important’ reflected discussion that characterized religious life during the time of Jesus’ Public Ministry. There were a number of prescriptions (613 according to theologians and historians) that defined Covenant living. With so many individual precepts, it was a humanly natural question to ask which one was most important. Ask any professor in university or seminary and you will learn quickly that students engaged in any discipline want to know ‘what is most important’ if for no other reason than to pass the test, essay, assignment or course.

Interestingly, Jesus’ response to the scholar-of-the-law’s question is linked to an important discipline of Jewish living. As a devout Jewish Man, Jesus would have practiced the praying of the Shema. Shema is a Hebrew verb that means “to listen / to-take-to-heart.” Shema is also the word that is used to designate an important DAILY prayer that is recorded Deuteronomy 6:4-9. The fact that this prayer defined daily Jewish living makes the scholar’s address to Jesus suspect. Would not the scholar-of-the-law know the answer to the question? (Incidentally, this notes the observation already evident among Ancient Christian Writers that addressing Jesus as “teacher” in the Gospel according to Saint Matthew is an insult. Only truly disciples (“those who are being taught”) address Jesus as “Teacher.” These true disciples manifest their true colors as disciples by the way they live the Kingdom of God.)

Yet there is another reason why the Frist Commandment MUST be taken to heart. The First Commandment is a bold proclamation that God is Person – AND – the only Person Who is the ground of all reality and life. Theologically, personhood and relationality are synonyms. To be a person is to be a ‘being capable of relational living.’ ‘Being capable of relational living’ is the essence of personhood. Philosophy, psychology, sociology and other scientific disciplines can and do weigh in on the question, description and definition of personhood. But the biblical and theological approach is clear: relationship, relationship, relationship. One might (yes, I said “might”) argue that when one focuses on the specifics of thinking, expressing or doing, ones misses ‘Person’ and therefore misses relationship.

As a confessor (and yes, as a regular penitent as well … that means I ‘know’ what it is like to be on the other side of the screen or sitting before a confessor confessing my own sins), it is easy to focus on the ACTIONS that are sinful. It is another ‘thing’ to delve into the realm of relational living. I recall a recent conversation with friends married about 10 years. A spouse lamented the ‘feeling’ of not being loved. When I asked if the ‘feeling’ had been discussed, the response was most telling, “My spouse talked about all the WORK that is DONE for me and the family.” As human beings created in the “Image and Likeness of our Creator,” our lives are defined by ‘being’ (image and likeness) not by the work any of us do, no matter how significant. The same is true when we speak about our relationship with the Divine Persons. None of us can be content with what any of us does religiously. Sunday Mass, daily charity to one another – especially those in need – are importantly and laudable actions. Yet if they are not lovingly done in response to the love that has been revealed to us by the Divine Persons, we gain nothing.

OPENING PRAYER

Almighty and ever-living God,
strengthen our faith, hope and love.
May we do with loving hearts
what You ask of us
and come to share the life You promise
Who lives and reigns with You and
the Holy Spirit, One God for ever and ever. Amen.

Sunday the Twenty-ninth

ANTIPHON

I call upon You, God, for You will answer me; bend Your ear and hear my prayer. Guard me as the pupil of Your eye; hide me in the shade of Your wings (Psalm 16:6, 8).

RESPONSORIAL PSALM

Give the Lord glory and honor (Psalm 96).

SCRIPTURE EXCERPT

“Thus says the LORD to his anointed, Cyrus, whose right hand I grasp, subduing nations before him, and making kings run in his service, opening doors before him and leaving the gates unbarred: For the sake of Jacob, my servant, of Israel, my chosen one, I have called you by your name, giving you a title, though you knew me not." (Isaiah 45:1. 4-5).”

REFLECTION

The Lord speaks and addresses him by name. He is the Lord’s “anointed (Hebrew, מָשִׁיחַ mashiach, this is the same root for Messiah).” The Lord grasps his “right hand.” He conquers. He strikes fear among leaders of nations. He is “chosen.” He is given a mission that all people may know “I am the Lord and there is no other.” Sound familiar? Perhaps it is Isaiah or Jeremiah or one of the other prophets. Wrong. Perhaps it is one of the kings of Israel? Wrong again! He is Cyrus, the pagan, gentile king of Persia! This point becomes even more interesting as we take a crash-course in a particular period of Israel’s history.

The historical context of the Isaian proclamation this Sunday is the era of the Babylonian Captivity, second only to the Exodus as a pivotal event in Israel’s life as the Chosen People. The Babylonians conquered Israel in 587 BC (the Northern Kingdom had fallen to the Assyrians about 134 years earlier, 721 BC). Despite repeated warnings from the prophets to return to living the Covenant faithfully and devoutly, many in Israel preferred a life of pleasure and instant gratification. Covenant living was too hard and certainly inconvenient. Such a way of living was also an embarrassment when it came to wanting to be like everyone else. Israel once again ‘forgot’ that she was different: she was set-apart (Hebrew, qadosh which eventually is translated “holy” in English) but wanting to be like her neighbors, Israel forsook monotheism and its radical demands of living. Yes, God is One – AND – monotheism requires that this oneness of life be demonstrated in how one as an individual and as a community lives. Morally weakened, Israel had no power born of a disciplined, covenant way of living to battle an enemy. Not only did Jerusalem fall to the Babylonians, but the glorious Temple of Solomon lie in ruins. The movers-and-shakers of society were rounded up and marched back to Babylon to be assimilated into a new culture. The elderly, sick, criminals, women and children were left behind in Jerusalem. As the Babylonian conquers returned home, they gave Jerusalem and her inhabitants one last gift: salted water supplies and fields. Those who were left behind died from dehydration and starvation.

One can only imagine the state of mind that gripped the Israelites living in captivity. It began to dawn on them gradually that the reason for the destruction of Jerusalem was their own sinfulness and lack of attentiveness to the demands of Covenant living. But it was now impossible to atone for those sins. Even if they could get back to Jerusalem there was no Temple within which to offer a fitting sacrifice. To say that Israel was depressed was certainly an understatement. They needed an infusion of hope and that was the mission God entrusted to Isaiah (see chapter 40).

One can appreciate Israel’s reticence to immediately embrace Isaiah’s hope-filled words. They seemed too good to be true, and human nature knows that if something is that good, chances are it will backfire on you. Israel could also point to obstacles: mountains, valleys and rugged terrain. Isaiah proclaimed boldly that the obstacles would be transformed (not destroyed) by the hand of God. Practically speaking, people wondered how they would be able to leave from under the Babylonian rule; they were, after all, prisoners of war. That changed in 539/538 BC when Cyrus (King of Persia), known in history as “the Great,” conquered Babylon. Unlike many leaders before him, Cyrus believed it made good political sense to permit people to hold onto their culture, their way of life and even their religious beliefs and practices. So long as people paid their taxes and kept the peace, the Persian government was happy. Cyrus believed that if people could keep their customs, such would reduce civil unrest and make the task of managing an empire far easier than imposing a particular culture or exiling whole groups of people to foreign lands. With Cyrus as sole ruler, Israel travelled home and began to rebuild the temple.

On one level, this appears as a ‘happily ever after story’ since everything works out in the end. Yet within the context of Isaiah, there is much about Cyrus and his work that is important for believers of any age – ours certainly included – to take to heart for the good of the salvation of all. The first point I speak to concerns the individual believer and her/his faith community. There is the temptation for people of religious traditions, especially those with a substantial human history to live by the 11th commandment: ‘we’ve always done it this way. God can’t certainly act in any other way.’ Intellectually we know that such a commandment never made it to the list but our ways of thinking, speaking and acting reveal otherwise. Historically, we can look back and marvel at the hand of God and give thanks for great thinkers and leaders such as Cyrus. Yet at the time, I do not know how many in Israel’s camp would have tolerated the good talk about Cyrus. He was a pagan, a gentile and not numbered among the Chosen People as Israel understood it at that time. For many I am sure they considered Isaiah a heretic when he delivered the prophetic word calling Cyrus an anointed, a chosen and one entrusted with a Divine mission. Hindsight is 20-20 and when we’re in the thick of things, it is hard to think outside the box. When life as we know it is crashing in all around us, we naturally revert to the familiar and fight change at all costs. Yet the covenant-person and covenant-community must be properly attentive and discern the will of God in the present time. Thankfully in this setting, Israel was docile and pliable enough to discern the movement of God in their lives and in the world. It resulted in a joyous return home and the rebuilding of a cherished culture and life in what would be the iconic Second Temple.

The second point I speak to from this biblical episode concerns civil authority. He may never know Cyrus’ motivation for permitting conquered cultures to retain their ways of living and beliefs so long as the common good flourished. Whether Cyrus was noble or utilitarian in governing in such a way, history has demonstrated that nations lived in relative peace and cultures matured. Civil authority must exercise its power with attentiveness and vigilance to the common good that enables legitimate diversity within society to mature. As we are witnessing in our present age, this is a most delicate issue and wrought with all sorts of implications, known and unknown, for our future and the future of generations to come. Cyrus the Great ruled with authority and wisdom that benefitted an expansive land filled with much diversity. May our leaders do as well in our time and may we continue to pray for them by name.

OPENING PRAYER

Almighty and ever-living God,
our source of power and inspiration,
give us strength and joy
in serving You as followers of Christ,
Who lives and reigns with You and
the Holy Spirit, One God for ever and ever. Amen.

Why belong to the Church?

When he travelled to Germany, Pope Benedict met with reporters on the plane and responded to a number of questions. One of the Holy Father’s responses in particular has caught the attention of many throughout the Church, especially those involved in various aspects of parish work. The reporter noted that many people in Germany are leaving the Church for various reasons and asked Pope Benedict to comment on this phenomenon.

Pope Benedict said, “I think it important to ask oneself; “Why am I in the Church? Do I belong to the Church as I would to a sports club, a cultural association, etc., where I have my interests, such that I can leave if those interests are no longer satisfied? Or is being in the Church something deeper?”

The Holy Father continued, “I would say it is important to know that being in the Church is not like being in some association, but it is being in the net of the Lord, with which he draws good fish and bad fish from the waters of death to the land of life. It is possible that I might be alongside bad fish in this net and I sense this, but it remains true that I am in it neither for the former nor for the latter but because it is the Lord’s net; it is something different from all human associations, a reality that touches the very heart of my being. In speaking to these people I think we must go to the heart of the question: what is the Church? In what does her diversity consist? Why am I in the Church even though there are terrible scandals and terrible forms of human poverty? Therefore, we should renew our awareness of the special nature of “being Church,” of being the people made up of all peoples, which is the People of God, and thereby learn to tolerate even scandals and work against these scandals from within, precisely by being present within the Lord’s great net.”

What can we take from the Pope's words? Parishes are communities blessed with many people of diverse backgrounds and shaped by equally diverse life-experiences and understandings of both the Church and the Catholic Faith. Yet as a Church we pray each time the Most Holy Eucharist is celebrated that we become, “One body, one spirit in Christ.”

Certainly the work of Christian Unity within a parish is first and foremost the work of the Holy Spirit. The ongoing Divine Work of the Holy Spirit is needed to combat evil that wants to “tear apart (the literal meaning of the word diabolic)” the Church and Her members.

But there are also attitudes alive and well within each of us that pose obstacles to unity that are contrary to Jesus own prayer He made to His Father the night before He died for us, “And I have given them the glory you gave me, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may be brought to perfection as one, that the world may know that you sent me, and that you loved them even as you loved me (John 17:22-23).”

Each of us asking “why I believe, why I am part of a parish, why I participate in Sunday Mass” can be the start of reconnecting with faith in an invigorating and conscious way. Reflecting on the Pope’s words can be a start of moving from complacency and apathy to a faith that encompasses and animates every aspect of our existence and leads to building up the Body of Christ in unity.

Sunday the Twenty-eighth

ANTIPHON

If You O Lord, laid bare our guilt, who could endure it? But You are forgiving, God of Israel (Psalm 129: 3-4).

RESPONSORIAL PSALM

I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life (Psalm 23).

SCRIPTURE EXCERPT

“The servants went out into the streets and gathered all they found, bad and good alike, and the hall was filled with guests. But when the king came in to meet the guests, he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment. The king said to him, 'My friend, how is it that you came in here without a wedding garment?' But he was reduced to silence. Then the king said to his attendants, 'Bind his hands and feet, and cast him into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.' Many are invited, but few are chosen. (Matthew 22:9-14).”

REFLECTION

“Is there anything in the text we just heard that raises a concern?” This is a question that my undergraduates frequently hear once we have listened to a particular biblical text. It is a question quite applicable to the parable proclaimed this Sunday. A king dispatches servants to gather all who have been invited to his son’s wedding feast. People excuse themselves not once, but twice and even with mind-boggling violence. Since the preparations for the festival are complete, the king instructs another batch of servants to get anyone, both the good and the bad, and bring them to the feast. Yet when one shows up without a wedding garment, he is not only removed from the feast but bound hand and foot and cast outside because of improper attire. Even if we understand the significance of the wedding garment, the sense of the text suggests that there may not have been time for this person to don such a garment. So, what’s up with the white garment?

Many biblical scholars suggest that knowledge of first-century Jewish wedding practices is essential to assist in the salvific meaning of the parable. At the same time, scholars acknowledge that we do not have all the relevant information to have a complete or big-picture view of the wedding feast celebrated in this era. We do know that once a couple married-but-before-they-lived-together (what we would call today a ‘formal engagement’) plans were ‘officially’ set in motion for the eventual day of the bride moving into a home (or room) prepared by her husband. An important note here is that the marriage and its announcement (again, in biblical times this was the commitment but a couple did not live together at this point) came after the families (i.e. fathers) worked out the terms of marriage for their children, especially his daughter. With the announcement of the marriage, the couple was committed (or espoused) to each other. In terms of our culture, they could not ‘see’ or date other people. The groom, guided to a degree by his father, began the necessary work of building a home or adding a room onto the family home for his bride. He enlisted the help of family, friends, and skilled people to make all ready. Others in the town made preparations for the wedding festival, a celebration to mark the glorious event. Some would prepare food, some would hope that their wine would be ready while others took care to have a suitable place for the celebration. The bride for her part lived in a state of expectation not knowing the exact day when all would be ready. She and her friends lived in anticipation of the groom’s voice announcing that all preparations were complete and his bride could now come to live with him. The bride’s father escorted her to the new home and she was handed-over to her husband. As the bride was carried over the threshold of the door (marking the start of living together) the celebration began throughout the town. The festivities could last as long as a week, or until the wine ran out – an embarrassment for sure if this happen too early (cf. Cana, John 2). As for the matter of the wedding garment, scant and sketchy historical data suggests that this was a garment worn particularly by those who had a close role in the proximate preparations for the arrival of the bride. Some data suggests that the wedding garment was the change of clothing marking a transition from preparatory work to festive celebration. Especially for those involved in the proximate and last-minute preparations for the bride’s move to her new home, the wedding garment was a refreshing way of leaving behind the work and entering into the celebration.

Many commentators note that this parable has much in common with the parables of previous Sundays. The theme of ‘gift offered, gift rejected and gift given to another people’ surfaces once again this Sunday. Similar to past weeks, we do not want to lapse into a mentality where we as humans decide a person’s or a people’s eternal destiny. There is only one Person who alone will do that – God the Father. But the “wedding garment” is the ‘sticky’ element this week. Why does its absence cause someone to be violently and quickly booted from the festival? Some commentators have mentioned in passing that the garment is a symbol. While not many have offered insight as to the symbolic nature of the garment, it is worth pursuing here. Admittedly, there is a chasm of difference between our present, cultural meaning of symbol and the theological meaning of symbol. Perhaps in the weeks to come I will offer some words on that topic which I often give to both undergraduates and seminarians. The other difficulty is that scholars at times use the word symbol and it seemingly terminates further reflection and discussion on the point at hand.

When it comes to symbol in the Scriptures, there is no better authority than the Fathers of the Church (and a few Ancient Christian Writers, Origen of Alexandria the notable bright-star in the group. Look for a blog entry shortly on the Fathers of the Church. They are surfacing as a vital resource in the Church’s New Evangelization.) The Fathers of the Church know how to “do” symbol in the reading and proclamation of Sacred Scripture. Too often people believe symbol is a license that gives free reign as to what a biblical text can mean. In these cases symbol is often an opinion that does violence to the literal sense of the Sacred Text. Not so with the Fathers. In their commentaries on Sacred Scripture, they show and teach how to be lead more deeply into the saving meaning of the Text.

As for this week’s Parable, a few Fathers of the Church offer insight on the whole episode, but Saints Augustine and Gregory the Great amply address the wedding garment. A good deal of Patristic commentary notes the variety of people invited to the banquet and all the people – good and bad – who come to the banquet as a result of the ‘last round-up’ commanded by the King. Since the Fathers of the Church often view the many banquets and feasts in the Scriptures as an image of the Kingdom of God, Saint Augustine and company comment that the parable is hope-filled: all are invited to the banquet and some at the festival might even be somewhat unsavory. The point is that nobody came to the banquet as a result of her or his initiative. No one ‘earned’ a place or a seat at the banquet. All were invited as pure gift hence equality among all the guests be they rich or poor, good or bad. All are equal in the eyes of the Inviter. But for the Fathers, especially Saints Augustine and Gregory the Great, the universal invitation is not without a requirement. Both view the banquet as the Church and Baptism as the ‘door’ through which the invitation to the Church is opened. However, the baptized must be clothed in the garment of love. Since a wedding is a joining, the garment expressive of that joining must reflect the essence of that union – love. Saint Augustine further comments that this love is none other than the sacrificial love of Jesus Christ Himself. That love – the wedding garment – must be worn by the baptized 24/7/365.

With these insights it is possible to conclude that the wedding garment speaks of a reality deeper than our good or bad actions. The wedding garment speaks of an underlying attitude or manner of life that is sacrificial in nature. This is especially needed in our culture of moral relevance and goodness. How many times do we hear, ‘Oh, well, you know … she or he (or me, of course!) is a good person.’ An exceptionally vague concept of goodness has become the epitome of life and it is a goodness that is often self-defined. The Christian is not called to goodness but holiness. Our thinking, speaking and acting must go beyond a vague, self or societal construct of convenient goodness. The wedding garment – especially for the baptized and those who consider themselves good – is the challenge to think, to speak and to act sacrificially: the essence of love lived Personally by Jesus Christ Who died that we might enjoy the festivities of the Banquet His Father summons us to in the Holy Spirit.

ALTERNATIVE OPENING PRAYER

Father in heaven,
the hand of Your loving kindness
powerfully yet gently guides all the moments of our day.
Go before us in our pilgrimage of life,
anticipate our needs and prevent our falling.
Send Your Spirit to unite us in faith,
that sharing in Your service,
we may rejoice in Your presence.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Sunday the Twenty-seventh

ANTIPHON

If You O Lord, laid bare our guilt, who could endure it? But You are forgiving, God of Israel (Psalm 129: 3-4).

RESPONSORIAL PSALM

The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel (Isaiah 5:7a and Psalm 80).

SCRIPTURE EXCERPT

“Therefore, I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that will produce its fruit. (Matthew 21:43).”

REFLECTION

Gospel life flows once again from a vineyard. For three weeks now Jesus’ teaching regarding Kingdom Living has been anchored in vineyard living. A couple of weeks ago, I discussed the work involved in transforming arid, rocky and sandy land into a fruitful vineyard. When completed, the vineyard becomes a place “set-apart” or “different” that has its own rhythm of life to help make a bountiful harvest a reality. We also learned a few weeks ago that a vineyard can be instrumental in the local economy as it is a place of employment. That point is underscored this week as we learn the landowner not only planted a vineyard but also dug a winepress and built a tower. In other words, this is no ordinary vineyard: many operations happen within the hedge of this vineyard not the least of which is employment.

As was the practice in Ancient Near East, landowners might have a few vineyards and lease them to trusted employees to manage in his absence, as reported in this Sunday’s parable. Those employed are exactly that: employees, not the landowner. One might make the case that the workers, driven by a horrific attitude of entitlement, lost their identity as employees and attempted to appropriate to themselves that which was not theirs from the start. In the end, they lost more than they could even imagine.

As Jesus addressed this parable to “the chief priests and the elders of the people” He was reviewing salvation history for them. The workers in the vineyard (and image of the Israelites) rejected all who had been sent in the name of God calling them to repentance, conversion and covenant living. In the end, many would reject Jesus Himself. Sadly this parable has had an unfortunate history in Jewish-Christian relationships. Throughout the centuries, a good number of Christians have held that this parable ‘sanctions’ a view that Israel has lost her identity as The Chosen People and a new people, namely Christians, are the successors to The Chosen People. Such a position misses the point that Jesus addressed this to a limited number of people, “the chief priests and the elders of the people.” Yet more than that, when we lapse into divisive thinking, speaking and acting we become blind to our own areas of weakness and sin. It is so easy and comfortable to point out other people’s shortcomings than to admit our own and work on them.

For Jesus’ followers Kingdom living as He defines and lives it is the only permissible life path. Embracing that path demands changes not only on the levels of thinking, speaking and acting but also a changes of attitude, what Sacred Scripture terms a “change of the heart.” The ongoing attitude adjustment, so vital in being numbered as a disciple of Jesus, frees one from taking on a false identity. When our attitude is that of Christ’s (last Sunday’s proclamation from Philippians) we see and accept ourselves for who we are: disciples, people in need of learning. We do not dictate how the Kingdom is lived, that was the problem with the vineyard employees. We do not take what is not ours, as the vineyard employees did. Kingdom living, a living that is different and set-apart requires a humility of heart that at the opening and closing of each day and all time in between we live dependent on every word from The Word and act immediately on The Word’s prompting.

ALTERNATIVE OPENING PRAYER

Father in heaven,
the hand of Your loving kindness
powerfully yet gently guides all the moments of our day.
Go before us in our pilgrimage of life,
anticipate our needs and prevent our falling.
Send Your Spirit to unite us in faith,
that sharing in Your service,
we may rejoice in Your presence.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Sunday the Twenty-fifth

ANTIPHON

I am the Savior of all people, says the Lord. Whatever their troubles, I will answer their cry, and I will always be their Lord.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM

The Lord is near to all who call upon Him (Psalm 145).

SCRIPTURE EXCERPT

     “When it was evening the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman,'Summon the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and ending with the first.' When those who had started about five o'clock came, each received the usual daily wage. So when the first came, they thought that they would receive more, but each of them also got the usual wage. And on receiving it they grumbled against the landowner, saying, 'These last ones worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who bore the day's burden and the heat.' (Matthew 20:8-12).”

REFLECTION

When you heard the parable proclaimed this Sunday, how long did it take before you protested the way the landowner treated the workers hired early in the day? Let’s face it: as human beings we have radar that runs 24/7/365 analyzing life – particularly others’ actions – for fairness. We boldly assert: I am entitled and I demand to be treated fairly. Life, however, is not always fair and the sooner we learn that lesson the better able we will be to handle life’s unfair side. Yet no matter how young or old, sophisticated or unsophisticated; no matter how mature or immature, there is a part of us that balks when another does not deal with me in a manner that I judge to be fair. This certainly was the response of those vineyard workers hired early in the day. But before tackling the work-rules and employment practices of the landowner, it will be helpful to examine vineyards in the biblical era. We are not only ‘in’ a vineyard this week courtesy of the Gospel proclamation, but will be for the next 2 Sundays.

Of all the agrarian imagery employed in the Scriptures, there is a good chance that people in our parishes might be more familiar with vineyards than with other aspects of farming or herding in the Scriptures. In backyard gardens, people do not scatter seed the way the Sower did in an earlier parable. Not many have sheep grazing in their backyards. Yet a number may have driven past a vineyard and certainly many more enjoy the fruit of the vineyard, especially in liquid form (my preference, red blends!). What we may not know is the work required to transform land into a vineyard as well as the work to sustain a vineyard.

When it comes to a vineyard, the 3 laws of real estate apply: location, location and location. The locale must be sunny, but not too sunny. The locale must be near water or at least be easily irrigated manually, but not too much water. The soil has to be ‘just right’ to provide a proper environment for growth, water and even air to prevent root rot. As the vines grow, they need to be carefully attached to supports or trellises yet not too tightly that halts growth or kills part of the vine. At least 1 person in the vineyard (hopefully there are more) must be competent to prune the vines. Cut the wrong leaves or vine sprout and the vine dies. Let the vines grow wild and you will have no fruit [and no fruit means no wine :( ].

From these observations alone, the vineyard is a place where life is different (or set apart). What happens in the vineyard is different from life in the town square, market place or even home for that matter. The ‘different’ way life is conducted in the vineyard is not really a question of good or bad, positive or negative. The different way of life that is the vineyard is simply a fact of life if one wants grapes and perhaps an animal skin or two of wine, hopefully and all in due time. Work in the vineyard has to be done according to a manner appropriate for growth of the vines. Tending the vineyard the way one tends the farm or the herd of sheep will result in a poor yield of grapes, if any at all.

The vineyard is a place that requires balance. Sun, water, soil, air, support and pruning – to name only a few realities expressive of vineyard life – must all be held in balance. Balance applies to each element as well as in relationship to each other element. For example, there must be sun, but not too much sun. Sunlight must also be balanced with water. Pruning the vines, a necessary action, must also be done with a view towards supporting the vine. You don’t want to cut a vine sprout that can serve as an anchor point to the trellis or support posts.

It’s no wonder then why among a few of the Fathers of the Church, the vineyard was viewed as a ‘place’ for believers to gather. In time, church buildings – concrete edifices of the Church community – were seen as places where life was different. What we did in spaces set apart for worship were (and are) intended to assist in living a balanced life. In the age of the Fathers of the Church, a ‘balanced life’ was synonymous with the ‘virtuous life.’ In this approach, the vineyard is a place where virtue is cultivated and cared-for so that it can branch out into the world and transform a plethora of attitudes, such as entitlement: a diabolic attitude that workers hired early in the day forgot to check at the gate when they entered the vineyard.

Certainly, there is no dichotomy intended here in presenting the vineyard as a balanced, set-apart space with its own way of living and the world. This is not a ‘vineyard against the world’ mentality. Ideally, life in the world must manifest the balanced, set-apart life of the vineyard. Yet we are a pilgrim people, not completely ‘there’ yet. In the meantime while being drawn into a balanced, set-apart way of living we can be thankful for those special places in our lives built to remind us not just the Lord’s loving presence, but a presence that commands us to think, to speak and to act in a particular way as cultivated in His Vineyard.

OPENING PRAYER

Father,
guide us, as You guide creation
according to Your law of love.
May we love one another
and come to perfection
in the eternal life prepared for us.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,
One God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Intellectual Tasks of the New Evangelization, Part 1

This is the first in a series of blog entries examining the “New Evangelization” prompted by a conference in Washington DC. Together with a number of non-tenured theologians from Catholic universities and colleges throughout the United States (along with a number of seasoned, well known international theologians) I was privileged to participate in a symposium entitled the “Intellectual Tasks of the New Evangelization.” The symposium was held this past Thursday (15 September) and ran through Saturday (17 September). The United States Catholic Conference of Bishops (Committee on Doctrine) and the School of Theology and Religious Studies of Catholic University of America sponsored it. The Knights of Columbus generously funded the conference including travel, room and board.

Permit me a word, at this point, to the Knights of Columbus. A sincere “thank you!” Your funding made it possible for many of us to attend who would have otherwise not had the financial resources to do so. Know that your gift was well used and will continue to be employed the service of Jesus and His Church. Thank you, again!

Before examining some of the wonderful insights surfaced at this conference, I believe some background on “New Evangelization” is warranted. I offer these words and musings in the spirit of understanding more precisely the work entrusted by Jesus to His Church and how each of us can assist. Feel free to register and post comments.

“New Evangelization” has been, is and will be a phrase sounded in Catholic circles for some time to come. In October 2012, bishops from around the world will gather in Rome with the Holy Father to ponder the command of Jesus to proclaim His Gospel to the ends of the earth. Many questions surface concerning the “New Evangelization” the most fundamental one being ‘what is it?’ ‘Can you describe or define the New Evangelization?’ It seems that in the present experience of Church a succinct, concise and precise definition of the term has yet to emerge. Even the lineamenta for next year’s Synod offers many different angles or facets of what might be considered or constitute a new Evangelization.

Among points written and discussed, one aspect has emerged clearly: the New Evangelization is not “new” in the sense of an invention that heretofore has not existed. In this context, ‘evangelization’ is not a what or an it, but a Who, a Person: Jesus the Christ Who we proclaim at the Easter Vigil, “yesterday and today, the beginning and the end, Alpha and Omega.” Hence the ‘new’ has nothing to do with a re-invention of Jesus nor a tossing out of the received Sacred Tradition and Scripture and starting anew. What ‘new’ addresses is precisely the how or the expression of Jesus the Christ Who reveals God the Father thus offering the Gift of adoption in the Holy Spirit.

One might ask another question, ‘why is the Church calling this new? Has not the Church always been vigilant about the expression of Jesus through the ages? Have not our theological, doctrinal, biblical, moral and liturgical words and gestures evolved throughout the ages? For example, there was a time in the Christian Church when we were unable to voice a primal teaching of Christianity: Jesus Christ, One Divine Person with a fully human nature and fully divine nature. The Christological and Trinitarian discussions and Councils of antiquity witness a great movement of the Holy Spirit opening the horizons of minds and hearts to voice a way of living that had been in place already for centuries prior to the expression. So again, why the adjective ‘new’ to describe the perennial work of the Church to evangelize in our contemporary era? Is there something different about now compared with previous generations?

From the viewpoint of history, it is dangerous - not necessarily erroneous - to single out one’s present as unique in the ebb and flow of history. An examination of some texts and discussions suggests that the word ‘new’ is appropriate to articulate the urgent need for the Church to respond to the eroding Christian life in areas of the world. Many of these regions were once passionately Christian and have now lost a good deal of their Christian identity and practice. Some regions have even become hostile to anything more than a mere ‘cultural Christianity’ devoid of conversion and commitment. In this sense, the current Evangelization is ‘new’ as the work of ‘evangelization’ has often been identified as work directed to people who have never heard - with ears AND heart - Jesus Christ. The current work of evangelization is still announcing and proclaiming Jesus Christ to people and lands who have not heard - AND - an urgent re-Evangelization of those who have heard but for any number of reason, have lost contact with Jesus and the subsequent demands of ongoing conversion and commitment. Thus this New Evangelization will not only ponder ways to proclaim effectively Jesus the Lord, but also the reasons why people have lost the fervor of their encounter with Him in the life of the Church. Initiated and guided by Grace, the New Evangelization is the human part of “putting people in communion with Jesus.”

On a note closely related to the New Evangelization, I offer links to four podcasts. Shortly after he was ordained a bishop and appointed as Auxiliary Bishop of Indianapolis, Bishop Christopher Coyne launched his foray into the blogging world as a bishop with a conversation he and I had on evangelization and the internet. Perhaps you may find these podcasts helpful in this discussion of the New Evangelization.

Evangelization and the Internet, Part 1
Evangelization and the Internet, Part 2
Evangelization and the Internet, Part 3
Evangelization and the Internet, Part 4