November 2, 2008, Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls’ Day)

Fittingly, the readings this Sunday are “funeral readings.” We are commemorating our dead. The first reading assures us that those who were tragically slain, young, before their lives could be lived (especially those who were struck down for the sake of goodness,) are in God’s eternal care, a “future” that may, indeed, involve them in the Greater Responsibilities of “judging nations.” Why? Because they’ve learned the hard way all about the pointlessness of violence and revenge, and, because His Grace and Mercy abide with them, they are tutored in a deeper, more profound charity. In the first option for a second reading, St. Paul reminds us that “the love of God has been poured out into our hearts,” the very same Love that the Song of Songs assures us is “stronger than death.” The second option for a second reading presents a “cosmic view” of baptism, wherein it may start in a small baptismal pool, but in reality it is an initiation onto the eternal path that will bring us “to the Glory of the Father”--the beginning, then, of an eternal journey to the Heart of God. And, in the Gospel reading, Jesus assures us by all that’s Holy and Good that the will of the One Who sent Him is that He should not lose anything given Him...and in I Corinthians 15, which will be read in a few weeks for the Feast of Christ the King, we are told that by the end of time, ALL will have been given Him, and all creation will be placed beneath His feet so that He can present it to the Father. These are indeed optimistic and hopeful readings in the face of death’s dominion, and they call us to trust the God Who gave us life–a God Who has proven trustworthy in every generation.

October 26, 2008, 30th Sunday in OT, Cycle A

We are beginning the climax of the Church year. At the end of November, the Church year ends. And, so the readings we’ll hear over the next few weeks orient us toward “The End”... of life, of time, of the world...and ask us to be prepared so that we may transcend the limitations of physical life, and time and the material world to know eternity. Just as the beginning of the Bible--Genesis Chapter 1–builds toward Sabbath, the crown of all creation–the day when God and humans “meet” and get to know each other, the readings of the next several weeks “build” toward the New Creation or Re-creation of all that has ever been, as all of existence and its history is bound up into the promise of eternal life. This week’s readings bring us to the basics of religion–just in case we were losing our way. The duties we owe to God are truly life-giving things, for He IS the Lord of Life! And, so, LOVE is at the center. Exodus reminds us, though, that “love, Love, LUV!” is merely poetry UNTIL we begin to do definite actions: stop oppressing aliens and the poor, being decent in lending to those in need, etc. It is in doing the daily “little things” that we embody religion and “imitate the Lord,” and fulfill the poetry of love. Let us “love” in the small things, so that our lives may paint the Greater Picture. God bless.

October 19, 2008, 29th Sunday in OT, Cycle A

There are dozens of different opinions about what today’s Gospel means. Without getting too deeply into that debate, we can safely say that when Jesus mentions Caesar and God in the same sentence, He seems to be addressing “power.” Isaiah is also addressing “power” in his oracle that comprises the first reading. Isaiah sees that this “foreign, pagan, Gentile dictator” is actually merely a “pawn” of God. He has “power” (he was the first “world emperor” in the ancient near east), but GOD put him where God wanted him so that he could do God’s bidding–in this case: rebuild the state of Judah and the city of Jerusalem. Christ recognizes a power in Caesar, but He, too, seems to see it as inferior to the Real Power: that of God. St. Paul speaks of the “power of the Holy Spirit” which touched the Thessalonian Church. So, the question for us is: when we are feeling weak and powerless, inferior and vaguely debased, how do we find strength? Where do we go for power? Do we shop? Do we manipulate our kids, our parents, our teachers, our leaders, our people? What do we do? The readings suggest something deeper, more interior, and more connected to God, the Source of All Power. May you be powerful this week in this sense of deep connection to Goodness. God bless. 

October 12, 2008, 28th Sunday in OT, Cycle A

We’ve entered the “difficult readings” of Matthew’s parables–last week’s, this week’s–they seem to present a “raging, moody, cantankerous God” who outdoes us, if that’s possible, in vengeance. Not only does he not forgive those who killed His servants (something Christ will do from the Cross,) He trashes those not fully prepared for the feast–those not clothed in the wedding garment after they’ve been dragged in from Heaven knows where, to eat! Christians have enjoyed seeing this parable as “the replacement of the Jews by Christians, and the wedding garment symbolizing baptism!” but that seems to me a spiritually lazy approach. We need to read this parable as a response to Isaiah’s vision for the future, which is one of God’s bounty being acknowledged by all the earth, as all make their way to God, and join the banquet, and tears of angers ancient and rages new all melt away as we learn to care for each other, and then, even death–the last human enemy–will be overcome. The question then that this parable raises is: “How do we live with the words of Isaiah’s positive hopefulness, in a world that is so very ugly and vicious? Is it even possible?” This Gospel parable is all about realism! It second guesses the entire Christian/Isaiahan project. Is it possible to overcome hate, and love the enemy deeply when the enemy doesn’t quit? St. Paul reminds us that in God there is always ABUNDANCE—whatever we need, He will supply. So, take heart. The possibility for overcoming the violence within us is there. Let’s try. Shall we?

October 5, 2008: 27th Sunday in OT, Cycle A

Today’s Gospel is comprised of one of the very strangest parables in the entire corpus of the parables of Jesus: the “owner” of a vineyard abandons his property, leasing it to tenants, but not sticking around to pay attention to what they do; then after many murders of those he had sent to claim some of the harvest, he sends his son, who was also killed by those voracious thugs. Then the question: NOW, what do you think the “owner will do?” And the only intelligent answer would be “NOTHING!” He hasn’t done anything, yet! He’s shown no concern for daily management, or any number of deaths; why do we think his reaction to this one would be any different, just because it was his son? He must not have cared too much about his son to begin with! And this is the interpretative clue–there was only one ruler of Judea who didn’t love his children, and had a number of them murdered, for fear they were plotting to replace him, and who spent as much time "outside" the country as in it, as he "buttered up" the Caesar. That was King Herod, the Herod reigning when Jesus was born. Here, Christ is simply looking at history, and asking us to learn from it. And what do we learn? Violence begets violence–there is no end to it. Herod was followed by procurators like Pilate! The pain has only increased through rebellion. St. Paul urges us to be peaceful so that the God of peace may be with us, and only thus can we avoid being “overrun with thorns,” and ruined, as Isaiah’s vision instructs. Can we make our peace, today? God bless.