32nd Sunday in OT † Year B ‘09

The First Reading (1 Kings 17:10-16) and the Gospel (Mk 12:41-44) both concern widows who offer to God everything they had. Both of these women are generous because they trust in Him who is the Father of the fatherless and the protector of widows (Ps 68:6). They know they can trust Him because it is the Lord who sustains the orphan and the widow (Ps 146:9). They can sacrifice everything and love to the utmost because their hearts are full of God. The widow of Zarephath is rewarded for her courage and faith for: the jar of flour did not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry, as the LORD had foretold through Elijah. What good teachers they are! This morning let’s look at the lessons these women teach us:
FIRST Whether it is your time, talents or money be willing and ready to give, for it is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have (2 Cor 8:12).
SECOND Both widows contributed all they had, their whole livelihood and they are chosen by God. The Church also, is not wise by human standards, not powerful, or of noble birth. And she is chosen by God. For, God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong, and God chose the lowly and despised of the world, those who count for nothing, to reduce to nothing those who are something (1 Cor 1:26-27).
THIRD These widows then become types of the Church who also gives to God all she is and all she has. In a way the Church is a widow because her Beloved was put to death. Her Bridegroom is taken away. But He has gone to prepare a place for her (Jn 14:2-3). Soon He will come again and take her to Himself.
FOURTH These days the Bride uses her time, talent and treasure to make herself ready to prepare for the Marriage of the Lamb. It was granted her to be clothed with fine linen, bright and pure – for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints (Rev 19:7).

Let us love God and make ourselves ready by giving Him everything!

28th Sunday in OT † Year B ‘09

There is much to imitate from the actions of the rich man in today’s Gospel:
A MAN RAN UP (TO JESUS) Don’t miss any opportunity to encounter Jesus. Run, hurry, and hasten to reach Him. So let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus (Heb 12:1).
(HE) KNELT DOWN BEFORE HIM By kneeling down before Him he was expressing reverence and honor and, at the same time, he was imploring His aid. Remember the leper who was cleansed, the man whose son was delivered from a demon, the ruler whose dead daughter was raised, and the Canaanite woman whose daughter was severely demonized: all knelt before Jesus and all received what they sought. Learn from them: kneel down before Jesus and honor and reverence Him.
AND (HE) ASKED HIM Unlike the scribes and Pharisees, whose questions were meant to trick or trap the Lord, the rich man’s question was sincere. The wealthy man had courage. Don’t be afraid to ask the Lord a question. He Himself promised that whoever asks receives (Lk 11:10).
GOOD TEACHER, WHAT MUST I DO TO INHERIT ETERNAL LIFE? This man knew that there was something more important than wealth and happiness in this life. There was in him a desire for something wealth couldn’t buy. He desired beauty that would not fade, something that was not subject to rust, decay or theft; he longed for what was of eternal value (Lk 6:19-20).
JESUS ANSWERED HIM, YOU KNOW THE COMMANDMENTS
All men know the Commandments for, what the Law requires is written on their hearts (Rm 2:15).
TEACHER, ALL OF THESE I HAVE OBSERVED FROM MY YOUTH To keep the Commandments is so very important. But even if one could keep all the Commandments a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ (Gal 2:16).
JESUS LOOKED AT HIM Everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of Him to whom we must render an account (Heb 4:13). Your lives, your deeds, the intentions of your heart, all lie transparent to His gaze. A few years ago everyone was home for a visit. Dinner had just finished and I was enjoying just looking at the faces of my adult children. One of my daughters noticed my gaze and said Dad, what are you looking at? I responded by saying, I’ve been looking at you for 28 years and you’re just now noticing? Brothers and sisters, the Lord has been looking upon your faces for your entire lives . . .
JESUS LOVED HIM And that love is an unconditional gift: For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him might not perish but might have eternal life (Jn 3:16). The eternal life that the rich man, and every man and woman, is looking for is found by believing in Jesus Christ. With the psalmist seek the Face of Christ. My heart says, Your face Lord do I seek (Ps 27:8).
AND SAID TO HIM SELL WHAT YOU HAVE 
The rich man’s disordered attachment to his wealth was exposed before the gaze of the LORD. But for you dear parishioners it is probably enough that you put your Time, your Talents and your Treasure at the Lord’s service. Purchase today that treasure hidden in the field; give everything to acquire the Pearl of great price. So,
GIVE TO THE POOR THEN COME FOLLOW ME. Like the Wise Man in today’s First Reading, the rich man should have preferred Wisdom and deemed riches nothing in comparison with her (Wis 7:8).
HIS FACE FELL AND HE WENT AWAY SAD Here you see how his excessive love of and dependence on wealth. The attitude of wisdom would have been all gold, in view of her, is a little sand and silver is to be accounted mire.
THEN WHO CAN BE SAVED? To the Apostles, and everyone at that time, this seemed like such a contradiction because wealth and honor come from God (1 Chron 29:12).
JESUS LOOKED AT THEM AND SAID, FOR MAN IT IS IMPOSSIBLE BUT NOT FOR GOD Man cannot save himself. Salvation cannot be inherited, no amount of $$$ can purchase it, and you certainly cannot earn it.
ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE FOR GOD
Whether you are rich or poor; whether you are a sinner or saint, Jesus is the only means provided by God for your salvation. His very name means God saves. Turn to Him in a new and fresh way today! Run after Him, kneel before Him, and make your requests known to Him. In turn He will look at you, love you. and speak His word to you!

27th Sunday in OT † Year B ‘09

WHY DID GOD MAKE EVE AFTER ADAM? That question was asked of me by one of my daughters. While I knew I was being set up I failed to come up with an appropriate answer. OK, I give up. Why did God make Eve after Adam? She responded: After He created Adam, God looked at him and said: I can do better than that! While that is funny it is not quite true. Let’s look at the Scriptures to learn what God has to say about marriage. In the First Reading you hear the LORD God say: (Gen 2:18-24).
IT IS NOT GOOD FOR THE MAN TO BE ALONE God, who is a communion of persons, has made humanity to be like Himself. There is a need everyone has to not be alone. When properly responded to, this need impels us to union with God. In a sense, we hear the LORD talking to Himself . . .
I WILL MAKE A SUITABLE PARTNER FOR HIM Adam gave names to every creature but none proved to be a suitable partner. God is not trying to do something for Adam and falling short. He’s not just trying out new ideas! Rather, God is helping Adam discover something about himself and therefore, something about who God is. In the task of naming every living creature under the sun, Adam recognizes that these creations are not like him. He is searching for communion, for union with another who is like him.
SO THE LORD GOD CAST A DEEP SLEEP ON THE MAN In the Septuagint, the Greek version of the Old Testament, the word for this deep sleep is ekstasis, or ecstasy. I think the LORD revealed something of what He had in mind for Adam and this revelation sent him into a swoon. In this deep sleep of the first Adam you see a type of the second Adam, who, in His passion, will sleep the deep sleep that becomes the offering of His life, His suffering and His death for His beloved – for His Bride, the Church.
HE (GOD) TOOK OUT ONE OF HIS RIBS . . . THEN BUILT UP INTO A WOMAN Eve was formed not from his head or feet, she is neither greater nor lesser than Adam. Eve is formed out of his side and she is equal to Adam in both dignity and worth. John Paul the Great said that Man and Woman together reflect the image and likeness of God. The Catechism of the Catholic Church notes that they reflect something of the infinite perfection of God, Who is neither male nor female, but Spirit (CCC #370).
THIS ONE, AT LAST, IS BONE OF MY BONES AND FLESH OF MY FLESH The Catechism says that this is Adam’s cry of wonder, an exclamation of love and communion. Man discovers woman as another I, sharing the same humanity (CCC 371). When Adam looked upon Eve, he beheld the beauty of her form; when he looked into her eyes for the first time he recognized both her otherness and her likeness to himself. I think Adam’s exclamation, simply said is WOW!
THEREFORE WHAT GOD HAS JOINED TOGETHER, NO HUMAN BEING MUST SEPARATE Marriage is not simply a human convention: it cannot be dissolved by any person, court or institution, but only by death. From the beginning it was God’s plan for one man and one woman to find joy and happiness in each other and to fulfill the command of God to be fruitful and to multiply. In the Gospel Jesus reaffirms all that God, from the beginning, had intended for Man and Woman. To this He adds what is so critical for our culture to hear:
LET THE CHILDREN COME TO ME; DO NOT PREVENT THEM To not prevent them, first you must not prevent their conception. Second, you must not prevent their birth. Third, you must not prevent their baptism. And, fourth, you must not prevent their ongoing religious formation and their reception of the Sacraments. As you who are spouses behold each others faces, let that gaze once again elicit a cry of wonder, an exclamation of love and joyful communion. In your free, total and mutual gift of yourselves to each other, in your mutual promise of lifelong fidelity, and in your openness to receive children , not only do you enter into that mystery, into that sacrament which is Catholic marriage, you enter into that communion which is the union shared by Christ with His bride the Church.

The wedding of the Lamb has come, His bride has made herself ready (Rev 19:7).

26th Sunday in OT † Year B ‘09

AT THAT TIME, JOHN SAID TO JESUS, TEACHER, WE SAW SOMEONE DRIVING OUT DEMONS IN YOUR NAME, AND WE TRIED TO PREVENT HIM BECAUSE HE DOES NOT FOLLOW US. This parallels the situation of Eldad and Medad in our First Reading. There are many reasons why some people think certain others should not serve: Jealousy for the sake of the leader; not part of the “in” group; so and so is not ordained, or not educated enough. Moses’ reply was
WOULD THAT ALL THE PEOPLE OF THE LORD WERE PROPHETS! Well sisters and brother, guess what? By virtue of Baptism you are a prophet and have a prophetic mission.
JESUS REPLIED, WHOEVER IS NOT AGAINST US IS FOR US. Another way of saying that is, The enemy of my enemy is my friend. The two enemies of Christ in this Gospel are the devil and sin. As for the first enemy, the devil, Would that all of all of you prophesied and drove out demons. I will not prevent you and I certainly will not be jealous! As for the second enemy, that is sin, Jesus makes three points:
IF YOUR HAND OR FOOT CAUSES YOU TO SIN, CUT IT OFF. AND IF YOUR EYE CAUSES YOU TO SIN, PLUCK IT OUT.
First Point: Jesus is speaking metaphorically: Your hand, your foot and your eye have no power to sin apart from your own will.
FOR THAT IS BETTER THAN TO BE THROWN INTO GEHENNA To renounce the devil and to resist sin, is at times, as painful as cutting off a hand or a foot. The devil and sin are our enemies and the fight is a fight that will lead to eternal life or eternal death. Jesus is not speaking metaphorically when He speaks of the reality of Hell.
Second Point: The worm that does not die is remorse; and the fire that is never extinguished is the eternal duration of the punishment of terrible physical pain. Saint John Chrysostom said:

I know a chill comes over you on hearing these things. But what am I to do? For this is God’s own command. Ordained as we have been to the ministry of the word, we must cause our hearers discomfort when it is necessary for them to hear. We do this not arbitrarily but under command [(ca. A.D. 392), Homilies on the First Epistle to the Corinthians, 9,1].

Third Point: The kingdom of God is proclaimed, and everyone who enters does so with violence (Lk 16:16). It is common for Catholics to regularly go to the Sacrament of Reconciliation with the same list of sins. It’s always good to receive the Sacrament – like keeping the lawn trimmed it cuts off the top of the weed. But it’s better to pluck the weed out by it’s roots. Renounce sin and resist it to the shedding even of your own blood. This is the violence that drives out demons, makes you a friend of Christ and storms the kingdom of heaven!