Thirty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

The Sadducees were a sect of Jews who rejected all but the Torah (the first 5 books of the Bible) as well as all unseen realities: Angels and the Resurrection from the dead being primary. They set up an improbable situation for Jesus to address. They are using a classic style of reducing everything to the absurd - this poor women would be married to all seven brothers. But Jesus responds by reminding them that Heaven (the place of the Resurrected) is not a matter like this world - there is no birth there. There is no marriage, therefore. He goes on to show the absurdity of their theological suppositions. Moses did not identify with God as the God who "was" but rather "is" the God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob. As a lot, it is easy to assume that the Sadducees would easily fall into a certain nihilism - that there is nothing beyond this world and the only reason to follow the Law (Torah) in this life is so that God would bless in this life. But if there is a Resurrection, every choice should be affected by our ultimate goal of heaven.

The story of the seven brothers and their mother from 2 Maccabees is a moving account of eight people who understood that to give in to breaking the covenant in order to receive an extension of their lives here on earth was not worth anything when considering the Resurrection. Each one went to his death, aware that God is the giver of life and that He would raise them again. The Mother (which we do not hear of in today's reading), gives a moving exhortation to the last son, after witnessing the murder of her other sons for not eating pork. She tells him that she knows that he is a gift from God, and that he should be strong and do the right thing. He, too, goes to his death.

In our world today, we face much practical 'Sadduceeism' - we proclaims that reality of heaven and Resurrection, but fail to let it influence our actions. But if we judge our actions in light of our final goal, we will live aware that our moral choices have eternal consequences. In discerning our vocations, we should ask what does God want, how am I to live in this world for the next?

Thirty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time

Zacchaeus was a short man, and a man accustomed to being looked down upon. As a tax collector, he was hated and despised. Thinking he knew his standing, he knows that he will not be able to see Jesus with the great crowds. This grown man climbs a tree. But Jesus sees him, and calls him. This is perhaps the first time anyone has looked up at him.

The crowds grow wild - how dare Jesus go to his house! But Zacchaeus stands his ground, and vows to change his life - that half of his possessions will be given to the poor and if - note this "if" - he has defrauded anyone - he will pay back that person back four-fold. His life is radically changed and truly the salvation that Christ declares enters his house has been effective in his life.

We, too, could easily let the world look down upon us. But we need to take our stand, strengthened by Christ's look at us. What is our response?

Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

The Pharisee and the Publican could equally be understood as the braggart and the beggar... The pharisee is in front, boasting to God all the good that he has done, and while that in itself is interesting, it is how he refers to himself as the primary source of action and God as a witness. It is all about him.

The Tax Collector (or Publican as some call it), begs for mercy. He is focused on God, open to His mercy. He makes himself small, and even keeps distant, not out of fear, but out of humility.

Jesus tells the parable to demonstrate the proper attitude of His followers. Those no exalt themselves leave little room for the All-powerful God to save them. Those who humble themselves, who throw themselves on the mercy of God are profoundly open to Him and His salvation.

In discerning one's vocation, we must become humble enough to allow God to speak and work. By telling God what we want, what we are good at, is on the verge of bragging. By asking God to help us, we submit to His power and can hear Him calling.

Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time

We are asked to be persistent in prayer, not because God does not hear or is unjust, but to show our faith. The persistent widow in the parable we hear has her request heard not because of the goodness of the judge (who had little) but by being persistent. God is good, just, and loving - how much more will He respond.

Just as Moses grew tired during the battle, so too do we. Aaron and Hur provide the back up for him - they allow him to sit and they hold his arms aloft. At times, when we are worn by our praying, we should invite others to help us, to hold our arms in a spiritual way.

Even still, we can grow weary by our distractions. In my prayer, I find the distractions fall into three categories: Grocery Lists, To Do Lists, and Injury lists. With the grocery lists, I find my mind wandering to all the things I need or want. I could easily fill out a long list, but find the best way to deal with these distractions is to acknowledge them and set them behind me. The To Do lists things are more tempting - if I am not in a right place, I could easily get up and do them immediately. I find it best to ask God for the grace (and strength and stamina) to deal with them after my prayer. The Injury list, though, is the most destructive. With these distractions, I find my mind wandering to all the past hurts and people who have caused them, as well as the injuries I have caused others. With the perceived injuries, it is dangerously easy to allow them to take over and suddenly find myself brooding over them and to the brink of cursing. Instead, I find I ned to pray over the hurts, to invite Christ into them and to bring healing. When a person comes to mind, prayer for the individual, even if it is for the ability to forgive, brings my mind back to prayer.

Satan would love us to grow weary, to follow the distractions, and cease our prayer. God, however, constantly invites us back into the prayer. But we must do our part - to pray, and to keep faith.

Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

The healing of the ten lepers is usually reduced to some statement on only 10% being grateful, but there is more to the episode than that.

This weekend, it is paired with the episode of Naaman, an Aramean commander, who is a leper himself (2 Kings 5). Having had success at battle, he is losing the battle for his health because of this contagious disease. He is told of Elisha, the Jewish Prophet, and desires to go. Elisha tells him to plunge into the River Jordan. Naaman did not wish to hear it - there are better rivers than the Jordan closer to home. Naaman's servant persuades him, and he takes the plunge. Coming out, he is clean. While he does return to Elisha to thank him, the real reason is to express his new-found faith in the God of Israel. When Elisha refuses the gift, Naaman asks for two wagons of dirt so that he can worship God on holy ground! (Perhaps this might be considered for those that are opposed to relics!)

It is interesting to note that this is the only healing miracle for more than one. While all ten were healed, the other nine perhaps felt compelled to go to the temple to be declared 'clean' before returning. The Samaritan that returns does so not to simply thank Jesus, but to worship and glorify God. There is a profound difference there! He is an outsider to the Jewish faith, and while he had no legal right to even walk into the temple area, he did understand that it was God who healed him.

It is good to be thankful, but in the end, these episodes tell us that it is worship of God is most important. Perhaps we can take a lesson from Naaman, too. It would be easy to overlook the simple commands of the prophets among us. Perhaps we should be willing to do the simple things and in doing so, as we heard last week, discover God's will for our lives.

Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

The Disciples ask the Lord to increase their faith, and Jesus responds with if they had faith the size of a mustard seed, they could say to mountains, move, and they would listen. I lack that kind of faith. But Jesus does not stop there. He moves on, though, telling them that they are to be like good servants who await their master's command, and having fulfilled the command, knowing where they stand.

So it is for us. So often, we ask for the faith to move mountains and ignore the command to "move dishes". We focus on the big things, when we are equally called to be faithful to small things, responding to the little things that we know God is calling us to do. By doing these, by moving step by step, we can do great things.

In this weekend's second reading, we hear St. Paul telling the young Bishop St. Timothy to stir into flame the gift of God he received through the imposition of hands - his ordination. The gift is the Spirit of God that is one of power, love and self control. Again, it is in the littleness of things, in the response to God, that this is lived out.

Twenty-SIx Sunday in Ordinary Time

This weekend, we hear the parable of the Rich man and Lazarus. This, by the way, is the only parable that Jesus tells that has a character named, and perhaps that name is the key to opening the mind to understand. Lazarus means "God is my Help", and beside God, who helped this poor man? The dogs licked his wounds, but the rich man would not even recognize him and his dignity. In death, Jesus suggests that he wasn't even buried - just that he was taken to the bosom of Abraham - the image of heaven akin to our understanding of St. Peter! There, he is comforted.

The rich man dies and is buried, and is sent to hell. From there, he starts to make demands, finally recognizing Lazarus. He asks that Lazarus be sent into the heat of hell to quench his parched thirst. But the chasm between heaven and hell is too wide. The rich man persists - send him to my family, that they may be warned. Abraham responds that they should know - after all, they have the Law and the Prophets. The rich man relied on his own wealth, his own understanding. Of course, it was shattered. Now, he wants to warn others.

While some might preach on the chasm between the rich and the poor, or the need for social justice, which admittedly are needed, the parable calls us to more. It is calling us to repentance, to be aware of the consequences of our actions, consequences which may be eternal. It calls us to respect all persons and to rely on God alone, not on our wealth (whatever that might be - riches, intelligence, security, etc.). In the end, all of these will be stripped away.

In discerning our vocations, ask God to help us to rely on Him alone. We ask Him to help us to live with our eyes on eternity, and to be aware of how our actions have eternal consequences.