Take Off the Mask (Mt 5:17-37)

This coming Tuesday we will celebrate Mardi Gras in preparation for Lent.  A fun part of Mardi Gras is the enjoyment of many foods and various delights before giving up some of them for Lent.  Another fun part of this celebration are the many parades and costume parties that go on.  Putting on a costume and mask to hide our true identity is always fun because we can pretend to be anybody we want.  Indeed, pretense is the whole point of wearing a mask.

In real life, we also wear masks for the same reason.  At times, we want to pretend in a way that conceals our thoughts or emotions, or enables us to meet social expectations, or to hide our true intentions.  In most cases, the pretense is a harmless part of ordinary living, like putting your best foot forward, so to speak.  The innocence of wearing a mask disappears, however, when the pretense becomes an excuse for mistreating or unjustly harming others.  

The injustice of this kind of pretense is precisely why Jesus called out the hypocritical behavior of the Pharisees.  Their public pretense of keeping the Word of God concealed their fake piety and religious elitism.  Their mask enabled the extortion and mistreatment of others for personal gain.  They had taken the wrong road.  Theirs was an inauthentic faith that undercut their true spiritual destiny by steering them away from the true God.  Jesus wants us to go the other way and stay on the right road of authentic faith based on the values and wisdom of God.  

To that end, he does something a bit unexpected.  He provides several examples to help us think outside the box and expose the illusion and spiritual danger of an inauthentic faith.  He deepens our understanding in that regard by describing anger as having the same root as murder.  He warns us to settle our differences before offering our gifts at the altar.  He claims that the vows of marriage require more than a pretense of loyalty.  He says that mocking others and calling them names is a form of cruelty subject to severe judgement.

From a modern perspective, these claims appear absurd, impractical, and unreasonable.  Today, we readily shun those who hate us.  We think nothing of returning insult for insult.  We imprison those who steal as common criminals, and we expect repayment in full for money loaned.  We only give to those who deserve it, and we know exactly who qualifies.  We view bad behavior as deserving of just punishment.

Authentic faith, on the other hand, calls for a different perspective—love of enemies, doing good to those who hate us, giving more to the one who steals from us, lending without expecting a return, refusing to judge and condemn others.  Jesus wants us to stop focusing on who deserves our help, and instead, offer assistance when and where needed regardless of why the person needs our help.  This is not to say that motive counts for nothing, but it does mean that we cannot turn our backs on those who need our cloak, our funds, our respect.  To refuse such help is unjust.

God gives us a choice between life and death, good and evil.  Whichever we choose will be given us.  We receive back what we give: give and gifts will be given in good measure…overflowing in fact (Ps 126:5; Lk 6:38).  We can live by the wisdom and values of God if we so choose (Sir 15:15).  As Jesus puts it, whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake, will find it (Mt 16:25).  The inference of that choice is plain enough—we literally build our spiritual life both here and in the hereafter by the way we live day by day, deed by deed, choice by choice.

We simply make better choices on our spiritual journey when we love others in a way that is shaped by our love for God.  This is the point that Christ makes when he emphasizes the preeminence of love with the two great commandments.  For Jesus, love binds us to each other and to God in a dynamic, interconnected relationship.  The result is that whatever we do to and for the other, we do to and for Christ himself.  Living by the principle of love means that we see things in a different way than is expected.  We see with the eyes of the soul rather than with ordinary eyes.  

With ordinary eyes, many of the “least” don’t look as we imagine God.  The least may frighten us, be different from us, or seem undeserving.  Such a vision leads us to give only to those who give to us; to do good to those who do good to us; lend only to those who will repay.  Jesus calls us to a different way of life, a different way of seeing things. Jesus expects us to live according to the values and wisdom of God.

In essence, Jesus expects us to follow him on his path of love.  He is our model for daily living in both word and deed.  We put on the mind of Christ without pretense to see ourselves and others as Jesus sees us—with the eyes of love.  This is the essence of authentic faith that enables us to be the kind of person we are meant to be, in which case we have no need of masks.  This deeper perspective on authentic faith is what Jesus means when he says that he came not to abolish the law or the prophets, but to fulfill. 

Stick to the Right Road (Mk 6:14-29)

The mission of John the Baptist is described in the New Testament as the “voice of one crying out in the desert,” proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins (Mk 1:4; Is 40:3).  In fact, these three words—sin, repentance, and forgiveness—indicate the entire focus of John’s mission, a mission that Jesus himself reaffirmed when he said, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Mt 4:17).  These three words have meaning for us today as well, because sin is part and parcel of the human fabric.  Thus, the need for repentance and forgiveness persists to this day.

Sin itself is a matter of going down the wrong road, embracing something that takes us away from the one true God.  To sin is to follow and imitate a false god.  We get an idea of what a false god is in the Psalm that reads: “Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands…Those who make them become like them; as do all who trust in them” (Ps 115:4-8).  In other words, false gods are those things with no lasting value, the illusions we treasure and prefer.  We know what those illusions are because we know what captures our attention, and how we devote our time and energy.  We know what matters to us.   

For that reason, the god we worship—whether the true God or a false god—always motivates and energizes our decisions about what to pursue and how to live in the world (CCC 1782-89; CCC for Adults, p. 315).  There is a spiritual line that separates the two possibilities, with legitimate attention and effort on one side, and the illusion of idol worship on the other.  No rule of religion or theology draws this line for us.  Each of us knows where the line is and when we cross it.  

All of this is to say that sin is not simply a matter of breaking rules by doing this, or not doing that.  Rather, sin is a mindset, a choice to turn away from the true God of love toward a false god of illusion.  It follows that repentance is a decision to go back on the right road.  What triggers a decision to repent is perhaps different for each of us, but St. Paul attributes the underlying motivation to God himself.  

For Paul, the loving kindness of God leads a person to give up sinful ways and once again live with integrity, to live in a manner consistent with the values of God (Rm 2:4).  In this sense, repentance is more often a process of transformation that begins with an awareness that we have crossed the line, that we have gone down the wrong road.  Acknowledging and owning this error in turn leads to a desire for forgiveness.    

Forgiveness is a standing offer from God, always available, without reserve, to those who ask for it (1 Jn 1:9).  In fact, the word “pardon” first appears in the golden calf story when Moses says to God, “If I find favor with you, Lord, please…pardon our wickedness and sins, and claim us as your own.”  God does just as Moses requests, thus revealing himself to be a God of mercy and forgiveness (Num 14:20).  

This exchange between God and Moses shows that God does not deal with us according to our sins, but with his mercy.  God is therefore our hope because he is gracious and slow to anger, a God of second chances who is eager to forgive our unfaithful behavior (Ps 103:8-10).  Awareness of our loving God is often the inspiration we need to repent and remain steadfast on the right road.

To Witness is to Evangelize is to Witness (Jn 1:29-34)

Suppose we knew that God wanted each of us to be his chief witness for Jesus, to testify on his behalf in a way that inspires faith in others.  Could we meet that challenge?  How would we meet that challenge?  These questions must have occurred to John the Baptist, appointed by God to be a chief witness for Christ, to testify to the Light.  John is not the only one called by God to be a witness for Jesus, nor is he the first.  

The first witness is Mary, the mother of our Lord Jesus.  God chose Mary to proclaim the coming of the Lord, first to her cousin Elizabeth, and then to others—in a special way at his birth, and then later at the Cana wedding feast.  There are many other such witnesses whose testimony is recorded in the New Testament.

These early witnesses are in essence the first evangelizers.  They were eager to spread the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ.  They simply revealed to others what they had seen and heard.  In fact, the efforts of these first evangelizers defined the course of missionary work in the early Church that continues today in full force the world over.   We celebrate this missionary work every year on the third Sunday in October.  This year will mark the 100th anniversary of this celebration established by Pius XI.  The theme for this year’s celebration chosen by Pope Leo is “One in Christ, united in mission.”

The heart of all missionary work centers on the confident proclamation of the message of Christ.  The aim is to inspire trust and faith in Christ.  Go forth and teach all nations, Jesus says to his disciples.   This directive applies to more than a select few in the Church, however (Mt 28:19).  As followers of Christ, we all are called to proclaim his message.   

There is no better way to understand his words when Jesus says, come, follow me.  All four gospels record this invitation of Jesus (Mt.16:24-28, Mk. 8:34-35, Lk. 9:23-24, Jn. 12:25).  Jesus calls each of us to work in his vineyard (Mt. 20:1-16, Mk. 10:29-31, Lk. 18:29-30), to be his witnesses (Acts 1:8).  In accepting his invitation, we in fact become evangelizers.  The question for us today is how do we do that?  How can we evangelize the Christian message?  

The short answer is twofold—we evangelize with our lives and with our deeds.  There is no other way to evangelize other than living out the faith that we hold in our hearts.  The way we live our daily lives in fact is our answer to the invitation by Jesus to follow him.  In turn, what we hold dear in our hearts motivates what we do, our deeds.  We always do what is important to us.  When our lives are centered on Christ and his love for us, we bring his loving presence to others in a way that inspires faith and heals the soul (Mt 7:16, Rm 15:7).  Evangelization is fundamentally a journey of love.  

Jesus invites us to go with him on this journey for three good reasons.  First, Jesus appeals to our natural fondness for challenge.  This is the whole point in asking us to go on a journey that invites us to exchange our love of wealth for love of others.  Jesus wants us to journey with him, who is love itself.  Jesus is fully aware that accepting his invitation means that we abandon our fear of the unknown and place our trust in him.  He also knows how difficult this can be at times.

Second, Jesus appeals to our natural fascination with mystery.  We like the mysterious.  Jesus asks us to follow him without saying where we shall go or what we will do together.  Jesus invites us without providing the details.  We do not chart the way.  We do not decide when to rest and when to go on.  We do not even know what the experience will be like along the way.  We simply get up, leave behind our old ways and habits, and follow him.  

Third, Jesus appeals to our natural desire for community, for connection.  His invitation is to voluntarily associate with his followers in a special way.  Living in community provides the most fundamental way we experience love, especially in our families and in our faith communities.   In both family and in community, we can learn how to connect with others in a meaningful way.  We learn how to love and invite others to join our community.  

These three elements—challenge, mystery, and community—are the heart and soul of the invitation that Jesus extends.  With these elements, Jesus aims to show that the journey of love, however mysterious, is a journey that leads to eternal life.  That journey begins with a genuine attitude of trust and abandon in the here and now.  

Our choice to accept his offer calls for us to think about our lives in comparison to how Jesus invites us to live—seeking peace, honoring justice, showing mercy, and above all, loving others without bias and judgment.  In that case, we might have to give up some old ways of doing things, but we have nothing to fear in accepting this challenge.  We can trust the Holy Spirit to show us the way and to provide the necessary grace to “walk the talk” (2 Cor 12:9).

Walking on this path provides opportunity to encounter others with the ears and eyes of faith.  Faith enables us to see Christ in ourselves and in others.  We can do this because each person we encounter on the path of love is a child of God.  When we look into the face of another, no matter how distorted or ugly that face appears to us, we look into the face of Christ.  When we deliberately seek the Lord in our encounters with others, especially the least of his children, we are sure to see him.

Our calling to evangelize is a calling to live a different way in the world, to see things in a different way, to adopt a worldview that is possible only through Christ, who strengthens us for the task (Phil 4:13).  As evangelizers, we become coworkers with Christ.  We become the salt of the earth, light for the world, a branch of the true vine, a temple of the Holy Spirit, who in turn renews the face of the earth.  We are all chosen for a life of good works born of faith and love to bring about a new reality, a new world—the kingdom of God.  This is what evangelization is all about.  This is what it means to bring the message of Christ to others.  

Faith is Active, Not Static (Mk 2:1-12)

    There’s a different way to imagine what faith means than how we usually think of it today.  Today, we tend to think of faith in static terms, more as a frame of mind, something we have, rather than something we do.  In modern terms, having faith in God is commonly understood as a belief that God exists, while the content of our faith is a set of beliefs about God.  The ancient Hebrews, however, understood faith as something more than a fixed belief.

    For them, faith was an active relationship with God built on a lively belief and trust on their part that God would make good on his promises; that God would indeed do as he said he would.  For that reason, their lives centered on their faith, which in turn, shaped and influenced the way they lived.  In other words, the ancient Hebrews understood faith in an active sense, something they did.  Their faith was a matter of daily living in a vibrant, dynamic, trusting relationship with God.  

    This is the background for the story of healing in today’s gospel.  The story of Jesus healing the paralytic is a story about faith in an active sense.  Notice that the paralytic does not ask Jesus for healing.  Rather, he is brought before Jesus by his friends and remains silent.  This approach reveals humility and courage on his part as a reflection of his hope and trust.  The paralytic’s desperate need to be among the living once again compels him to seek the help of Jesus.  And, in his compassion, Jesus meets the man where he is, in his silent need.  Their encounter shows that hope, trust and compassion are the essence of faith rather than law and ritual.  Their encounter shows that the relationship between believer and God is a personal relationship built on trust and energized by faith.

    In plain terms, the story reveals Jesus’ divine power to heal in both a physical and a spiritual sense and welcome the sinner back into the faith community.  Inspired by faith, the paralytic takes the initiative in approaching Jesus with hope for a cure, and trusts that Jesus will respond with compassion.  Jesus does indeed respond with compassion and authority to heal the man’s paralysis and forgive his sins.  Jesus affirms the authenticity of his faith, first by forgiving the man’s sins, and then by telling him to “rise, pick up your mat, and go home.”   

    The lesson for us is clear.  Jesus is willing to respond to us in our need, and wants us to be daring in seeking his help.  Because Jesus wants a relationship with us, he does not restrict who may seek him or when.  Clearly, the paralytic sought Jesus WHEN he was in need of healing, and BEFORE he was healed.  Jesus is not saying to us:  Go get holy, go be healed of your sins and then knock on the door.  Rather, Jesus says to us:  Knock on the door and I will open it.  I will show you how to be holy.  I will forgive you and welcome you back into full communion with me.

    The encounter between Jesus and the paralytic demonstrates that we can approach Jesus no matter what our circumstances.  Jesus meets us where we are.  He looks for and is eager to respond to the faith and trust that each of us can muster.  We can trust that Jesus will respond to our needs with compassion.  That is the nature of his love.  May the faith and trust of the paralytic inspire and strengthen us in our own faith and trust in Jesus that we may follow him more closely in our daily lives. 

Be a Dreamer (Mt 1:18-24)

An angel appearing to Joseph in dream would not have seemed unusual to him, or to the ancient Israelites (Mt. 1:20).  Scripture records many such dreams as a means of divine communication and prophecy.  For example, the First Book of Kings records the dream of Solomon wherein he receives wisdom from God (1 Kings 3:12).  Genesis describes the dream of Joseph, the beloved son of Jacob, whose dream was about his own fate and that of his family before being sold into slavery by his brothers (Gen 37:5-11).  Matthew records the dream of the wise men who are warned to take a different route home to avoid the danger posed by Herod (Mt 2:12).  

Foiled by the Magi, Herod does not let up.  For that reason, soon after the birth of Jesus, Joseph receives a second dream instructing him to flee with his family to Egypt to avoid the violence of Herod.  Yes, Mary, Joseph and Jesus were indeed refugees like the many refugees of today who must flee their homes for safety reasons.  In any case, the dreams recorded in scripture were meant to prepare the dreamer for action, and preparation is the heart of every Advent season.

Before Joseph has his first dream, however, he becomes aware that Mary is pregnant.  How he becomes aware of that the story does not reveal, but his awareness brings about a difficult dilemma for him.  The Mosaic Law requires that he now renounce his promise of marriage to Mary because of her apparent infidelity.  He has two options in that regard.  He can do so in a very public manner that exposes Mary to public scorn, humiliation, and possibly even death by stoning as prescribed by the Law.  Or, the alternative provides that Joseph give Mary a discreet bill of divorce that avoids such dreadful consequences.  Because he is compassionate and merciful, Joseph chooses the latter option and plans to divorce Mary in a private manner.  

Mary also faces a difficult time of decision.  Because she is an unmarried woman and pregnant, she is aware of the likely threatening consequences that will come about by accepting the proposal delivered by Gabriel.  Such consequences include a humiliating bill of divorce from Joseph and the ultimate possibility of death by stoning.  We know how Mary courageously faced these adverse consequences to become the mother of Jesus.  Her consent expresses her profound faith and trust in the Lord.

Ironically, the way Joseph initially chooses to resolve his own dilemma would have helped Mary resolve her situation in a satisfactory manner as well.  Before Joseph carries out his decision, however, lo and behold, an angel of the Lord appears to him in a dream.  The angel reassures him about his original marriage plans with Mary, which is enough for Joseph.  Although he cannot foresee the full consequences of following the inspiration of the Lord, Joseph sets aside his personal judgement and fear to comply with the angel’s instruction.  

Like Mary, Joseph places his trust in the Lord and goes against the grain of public opinion to do the right thing—follow the right road—despite the hardship that such a choice will bring about for him.  His response mirrors the faith and trust that Mary places in the Lord.  Their story of faith and trust in the Lord despite the consequences is an ancient story that we commemorate and celebrate in a special way on Christmas day and throughout the season.

Given the way we have idealized and romanticized their story, however, we tend to overlook the difficult challenges Mary and Joseph had to endure and resolve.  For one, at serious stake for both is their intimate relationships and reputation with family and friends.  These relationships could easily deteriorate and turn ugly, or cease altogether, depending on how others viewed their decisions.  The same holds true with respect to their standing in their faith community.  Indeed, their personal identities—how they saw themselves and how others understood them—could, and most likely would be altered forever by the decisions they made.  Indeed, their entire spiritual fate is at stake.  The unavoidable degree of fear and unimaginable difficulty Mary and Joseph must have endured in their situation are important but often overlooked aspects of their story that offer inspiration for us today.

In fact, Mary and Joseph are iconic examples of how to resolve any conflict and do the right thing.  How they faced the fear and anxiety of unexpected challenges with family, friends, and community offers inspiration to all those in difficult situations.  This is especially true for those who are poor, homeless, refugees, immigrants, and those who must flee their homes for safety reasons.  Mary and Joseph also offer support and encouragement for those who must deal with painful stress and unavoidable disruptions in family life.  

Most of us find inspiration in the story of Mary and Joseph because we see ourselves as independent agents willing to go against the grain of public opinion to do the right thing.  We pride ourselves on our determination to live by our humanitarian values in helping the poor and homeless, for example, despite the fact that we too can be a fearful people.  But, sometimes our fear leads us instead to protect ourselves by rejecting, shunning, and ostracizing those who are different from us—any person or group that does not fit our view of the world and our purpose in it.  

Sometimes, we add ridicule and condemnation to further separate ourselves from those who are different.  The many recent violent attacks against minority groups of one kind or another is one hideous example of how fear sometimes ignites a violent response to that which is different.  This contradiction in values and the underlying fear that often motivates a distasteful and dreadful response is what the dream of Joseph is all about.

For that reason, the way in which Joseph ultimately resolves his conflict provides a message of hope and guidance for us today.  Although Joseph’s first response is to let public opinion and fear drive his choice to quietly divorce Mary, he ultimately puts his total trust in the Lord.  With courage, he follows a new path of love and compassion.  If he looks like a sinner, so be it.  Joseph had a conflict of values that he resolved by placing his trust in the Lord; likewise for Mary.

We can do the same.  We can hand ourselves over to the Holy Spirit.  We can place our trust in the Lord and allow him to guide and inspire our choices, especially those choices that are difficult and possibly disruptive to our daily routines.  And, like Joseph and Mary, we can be sure of the outcome.  Joseph’s dream and his decisions echo the ancient proverb, “Trust in the Lord in all things” (Prov 3:5).  Like Joseph and Mary, we can be confident that the Lord works all things to the good for those who love him (Rm 8:28).  Let their inspiration and trust in the Lord be the heart of our Advent and Christmas celebration.

Faith and Trust is the Way (Lk 1:5-25

Luke uses an interesting strategy with his back-to-back positioning of the two annunciation stories—the birth of John the Baptist immediately followed by the birth of Jesus story.  These two stories invite a comparison that reveals some lessons for us today.  For one, such a comparison shows that no matter how bleak things may appear or how confused we may be, we have every reason to trust that God will show us the way (Ps 28:7).  God yearns for our trust such that faith in God calls for trust in God (Prov 3:5; Ps 62:9).

Luke demonstrates this point with the questions that Zechariah and Mary raise in their encounters with Gabriel.  Each asks Gabriel, in a similar but slightly different way, how the message he delivers will come about.  The similarity in their questions, however, conceals a difference in their motives.  

Zechariah’s question—how shall I know this—asks for proof.  Zechariah already knows how because Gabriel has just explained that Zechariah’s prayer has been answered.  His wife, Elizabeth, is pregnant.  Gabriel adds details of the child’s name, how joyful the event will be, and the many great things John will accomplish.  Zechariah still wants to know why he should believe Gabriel since he and his wife are beyond childbearing years.  His question thus reveals a lack of trust in God.  It’s as though he doesn’t believe God would, or perhaps even could, make such a thing happen in his and Elizabeth’s old age.

Gabriel’s response shows disappointment in Zechariah.  Gabriel responds that he comes as a messenger from God, and therefore, Zechariah has no reason to question his authority or the message.  Because Zechariah does not trust God, he will be unable to speak until the naming of John.  He does not understand that faith in God calls for trust in God.   

Mary, on the other hand, has the opposite reaction in her encounter with Gabriel.  After Gabriel explains all that is about to happen, he waits for her response, for apparently none of what he predicts will unfold without her consent.  Mary’s first response, however, is not to consent, but to ask for more information.  Her question to Gabriel—how can this be—reveals surprise and confusion.  She does not understand because she is not having relations with a man.  Her current marital status alone justifies her wanting to know how all this will come about.  She is not asking for proof.  She just wants to know how.  

Gabriel honors her request with further explanation.  He even goes further with an offer of proof by revealing that Elizabeth is now pregnant with John.  At this point, Mary does indeed consent, but her consent does not reflect understanding on her part.  Rather, her consent—be it done unto me according to your word—expresses a profound belief and trust that things will work out for the best.  Mary shows that faith in God calls for trust in God.

Mary’s reaction and consent is a daring example of trusting in God despite the risks involved, known and unknown.  Mary has everything to lose in this situation.  She is a young, single woman with no social status or independent means of support.  Giving her consent therefore would seriously jeopardize her reputation and continued good standing in the community.  Exposure of her pregnancy might even lead to death by stoning.  Mary is aware of this and more, and yet, she places her trust in God.  She shows that, sometimes, trusting in God means that we follow our heart no matter the possible consequences.

In contrast, Zechariah’s lack of trust is an example of how fear and doubt can lead us away from the right road.  Zechariah had devoted his life to serving God as prophet and priest.  He had been favored with visions from God, and for that, was held in high esteem by his faith community (Lk 1:8-9).  Placing his trust in God at this crucial moment would have reaffirmed the authenticity of his religious role and leadership in the community.  God’s answer to his persistent prayer would offer additional evidence in that regard.  Apparently, the risk stemming from doubt is too great for Zechariah, and he cannot express hope and trust.  He does not realize that faith in God calls for trust in God.      

One final point from these stories is that God looks to our hearts for our true motives.  We cannot fool God.  The way we live in response to his inspiration and grace is proof positive of what is in our hearts.  Our lives always reflect our true motives.  As Proverbs puts it, "Every way of a man seems right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the heart" (Prov 21:2).  For, the Lord sees not as we humans see.  We go by appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart (1 Sam 16:7).  In the end, these annunciation stories show that God yearns for our trust.  No matter how bleak things may appear or how confused we may be, we have every reason to trust that God will show us the way.  Faith in God calls for trust in God.

Just Ask (Mt 9:27-31)

The story about Jesus healing the two blind men is a story that reveals our need for the light of Christ and the way to receive that light.  The irony in this story is that, in a spiritual sense, the two men have no need of healing.  They already see with the eyes of faith.  They clearly see and understand that Jesus has the power to do just that, heal them of their blindness.  They demonstrate their belief in answer to his question, do you believe that I can do this.  When they answer yes, Jesus affirms their steadfast faith and spiritual vision by restoring their physical sight.  They simply ask and Jesus responds.

This story highlights a common need for spiritual light as the way to be healed of spiritual blindness.  Jesus highlights this need when he says that “the lamp of the body is the eye.  It follows that if your eye is sound, your whole body will be filled with light.  But if your eye is bad, your entire body will be in darkness,” and that darkness is great indeed (Mt 6:22-23).  In putting it this way, Jesus describes the need for light in both a physical and a spiritual sense. 

Scripture reveals this dual function of light in at least three ways.  The first is the way light functions in the creation story.  On the first day of creation, the earth was covered with darkness and God created light that he called day and the darkness he called night (1:1-5).  On the fourth day, God created the sun to illuminate the day and the moon and stars to illuminate the night (1:14-17).  God was not the light itself.  Rather, the light was merely a manifestation of His presence (Ps 4:6).  Today, the light of God allows us to see his creation in all its plenitude, beauty and variety.

The second role for light is the spiritual function it has for us.  Jesus reveals this role in his claim that he is “…the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (Jn 8-12).  With this claim, Jesus declares himself to be light in a spiritual sense.  Jesus is the light that gives life to the soul, for all things were created in and through him, including life itself.  His light “shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it (Jn 1:1-5).

This is why Jesus tells his disciples, “The light is with you for a little longer.  Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness may not overtake you.  If you walk in the darkness, you do not know where you are going.  While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of light” (Mt 11:35–36).  To be a child of light through faith in Jesus, therefore, is the third role of light. 

The children of light believe in Jesus and follow his way.  Their faith enables them to become light for the world and salt for the earth.  As children of the light, the followers of Jesus do not to hide their light under a bushel basket.  Rather, they let others see the good deeds they carry out with his light in imitation of his good deeds.  In fact, we are made for good deeds born of the light of Christ (Mt 5:13-16; Ep 2:10). 

The challenge for us today is how to access the light of Christ.  How can we see with the eyes of faith?  We need the light of Christ here in the physical world as much as we need his light in the spiritual realm.  The blind men who were healed by Jesus show us the answer.  They simply ask for his light.  Their faith motivates their search for healing, and their search born of faith leads them to Jesus, who is eager to comply. 

Jesus wants to give that same light to everyone.  This is the very reason he came into the world (Jn 1:9).  Jesus is light itself (1 Jn 1-7).  He is the new dawn that brings “light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace” (Lk 1:78-79).  He gives us light to heal our spiritual darkness, and that healing brings us peace.  All we have to do is ask for his light.  Why else would he say to us, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened for you” (Mt 7:7-8).  There is simply no better way to put it.    

 

Connection and Transformation (Presentation of Mary)

 

Faith and gratitude are at the heart of the feast of the Presentation of Mary.  This ancient feast commemorates Mary’s presentation in the Temple by her parents, Anne and Joachim.  As legend has it, Anne and Joachim were a childless couple who longed for a child.  Their faith in God inspired their prayer for the gift of a child (see Protoevangelium of James).  Soon after, Anne became pregnant with Mary, and after her birth, brought Mary to the Temple for consecration to God as an expression of gratitude.  Although scripture does not record this event, there is ample evidence in the Old Testament that shows such consecration to God was common place (e.g. 1 Sam 2:22; Ex 8:38; 13:2; 13:13; Lk 2:22-24). 

The presentation of Mary reveals two aspects of faith that we often overlook: connection and transformation.  This event shows that faith connects us to each other and transforms our lives.  We are all children of God and members of the same divine family.  We therefore share a divine purpose of loving service to each other in imitation of Christ.  For this reason, our connection through faith allows us to do more together than we can do alone.  There is a touching story in Luke that illustrates this kind of faith in poignant detail. 

The story is about a paralyzed man who wants to be healed, but is unable on his own to present himself to Jesus for that purpose.  Coming to his aid is a group of friends from his faith community, who carry him to the roof and lower him down in front of Jesus.  Neither the paralytic nor his friends ask anything of Jesus.  Rather, with unspoken hope and trust, they simply take bold action in faith for their neighbor. They force their way through the crowd, up to the roof, and down into the presence of Jesus.  Right away, Jesus acknowledges their combined show of faith and immediately heals the man in a complete sense—first from his sins and then from his paralysis (Lk 5:17-26).

Obviously, the paralytic had his own faith in the healing power of Jesus.  Otherwise, he would not have sought his help.  The man could not act alone, however.  He needed others to help him realize the full expression of his faith.  Those from his faith community who provided the needed assistance shared the same faith in Jesus.  Otherwise, they would not have brought him to Jesus for healing.

This combined effort demonstrates that faith is more than a solo, private experience of God.  This is true because “Christ is not simply the one in whom we believe...Christ is the one with whom we are united precisely in order to believe” (Lumen Fidei, 18, 22).  By this definition, faith does not function in isolation.  Faith by its nature is meant to be lived in and through a community of believers.  Faith connects us to each other.

For this reason, faith is not a passive experience born of rational analysis and mere assent of mind and heart.  Rather, faith finds expression in words and deeds based on the love of Christ.  Faith transforms us.  Because Christ lives in complete and constant union with the Father, Christ is the supreme manifestation of God’s love, and the one who makes God known to us (cf. Jn 1:18).  As a result, when we live in union with Jesus, our faith allows us to see things as Christ sees them, with the eyes of love (1 Jn 4:7-9; LF 18).

Faith working through love inspires and motivates us to imitate the deeds of Jesus.  In fact, Jesus declares that those who believe in him will do the works that he does and even greater ones (Jn 14:12).  This is the transformative difference that faith can make in our lives.  When we open our hearts to the faith and love offered by Jesus, we become his love in action. Faith and love working together then enlarge and expand our lives in ways that we could never achieve on our own (LF21).

St. Paul describes what happens when faith connects and transforms us when he says "It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.  I live by faith in the Son of God who has loved me and given himself up for me” (Gal 2:20).  In this same spirit and in honor of our Holy Mother’s presentation, we pray that our faith will always keep us connected to each other and transform our hearts into willing acts of love (Eph 3:17).

 

Love and Wisdom are the Tools (Mal 3:19-20a; 2 Thes 3:7-12; Lk 21:5-19)

 

The readings for today show us that love and wisdom are the sure tools for dealing with the fear that comes with uncertainty.  Such fear often intensifies when the uncertainty stems from an impending bad outcome brought about by our own hand.  In other words, fear of uncertainty increases when any accounting would show that we are responsible for the doom and gloom we are about to experience, especially when it’s too late to change the outcome.

Malachi relies on exactly this scenario in the first reading to predict the fate of the proud and the evildoers.  He predicts an inescapable day of reckoning for them that will result in their total obliteration, leaving them with neither root nor branch for their posterity.  Oddly enough, there is an offer of hope in Malachi’s prediction.  That hope comes with the exception he provides for those who follow the right path based on fear of the Lord. 

Those who follow the path of respect and honor for God are the wise ones whose path is made clear by God (Prov 3:6).  They know which way to go because they seek what God wants above all else (Mt 6:33).  Their wisdom allows for a better outcome as determined by the healing rays of justice.  Those who fear the Lord and live by His Word will be spared the inevitable doom and gloom that Malachi predicts for those who follow a different path.

Jesus offers this same hope when he predicts the total destruction of the temple.  Despite its beauty and the many offerings made there, Jesus predicts an impending and inevitable end to its existence.  No stone will be left unturned.  Someone asks for a sign to know when this is about to happen, and Jesus responds with a list of signs, rather than just one.  He understands our need for signs.  Signs are useful because they always point to something beyond.  Good signs always point to the truth.

There are many such signs in the New Testament.  These signs always point to the wisdom that those who believe in Jesus and follow his way will have a new life in him.  Jesus is therefore the cause of our hope and the source of our wisdom.  In this sense, the kind of wisdom revealed in the New Testament is different from worldly wisdom.  The New Testament speaks about spiritual wisdom. 

Spiritual wisdom is not something we acquire by our own work alone.  Spiritual wisdom is not simply the product of our study, learning, and experience.  Spiritual wisdom in essence is a generous and loving gift from the Holy Spirit (1Cor.12:8; Eph.1:17).  When we pray for this gift, the Holy Spirit honors our request and enables us to know the right thing to do in particular circumstances; to do what God wants, to take the right path.  The wisdom of the Holy Spirit is thus our sure guide to a life filled with hope for a good outcome.

All of us receive the essence of this wisdom from the first moment of our existence.  This gift of wisdom is none other than the light of Christ.  Because all things are made through Christ, and without him nothing is made, Christ is the life and the light of everyone, the true light that enlightens every person coming into this world (Jn 1:3-4, 9; Kasper, p. 529).  In this sense, spiritual wisdom is not a state of mind, but the light of Christ that stands ready at every moment to show us what direction to take.  We simply have to want to see with His light.

For that reason, the light that we receive from the beginning to find our way through the darkness is a seed.  As with any seed, it must be protected and nourished to blossom into a full outpouring of the Holy Spirit.  For the Christian, the first and most fundamental way of protecting and nurturing the outpouring of the Holy Spirit is through baptism. The liturgical rite of Baptism inaugurates our life in Christ and formally incorporates us into the body of Christ, our faith community.

Baptism is not only a sacrament of rebirth and initiation into the body of Christ, however.  Baptism is also a call to live as a disciple of Christ.  Through baptism, we receive a mission to be witnesses to Christ (Matt. 28:19; Kasper, p.530).  We are baptized to be Christ to others, to be a sacrament of love, both for ourselves and for others.  Indeed, the baptized are called to proclaim the mighty acts of God, both in attitude and in conduct (1 Pet. 2:5, 9).

What enables us to live out our call to discipleship is the wisdom of God, the light of Christ that we receive from the Holy Spirit.  The wisdom of the Holy Spirit teaches us that we must be solicitous in protecting our baptismal call (2 Peter 1:10-11).  This is why St. Paul urges us many times to put on the heart and mind of Christ and live in the Spirit of God (1 Cor 2:14).  Only in this way will our hearts of stone become hearts of flesh.  Only with the heart and mind of Christ can we love others as He loves us (1 Jn4:9-11).

St. Paul describes the life of one who lives in the Spirit in terms of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Gal. 5:22-23).  These are the fruits of living in the Spirit.  Fruit is an interesting metaphor that Paul uses to describe the results of this way of life.  Fruit is something that we take in, we eat it, and we are nourished by it, though we may not know how.  Paul uses this metaphor to show that the Holy Spirit works in the same way. 

As we are willing to open our hearts and accept the grace of the Holy Spirit, especially through sacrament, prayer and good works, we receive the light of Christ.  We take in the light of Christ, the wisdom of God, as an interior guide and teacher that transforms our lives and way of thinking.  How the Holy Spirit does this is not clear, but the results are evident in our attitude and conduct.  Through the Holy Spirit, God gives us a spirit of power and love and self-control that eradicates all fear (2 Tim 1:7).

We know we have cooperated with the wisdom of God and live in the Spirit of Christ when we are peacemakers, when we are patient, when we are kind, loving, and understanding.  The wisdom of God shows us that we can become peacemakers by seeking peace; we become patient by resisting impatience; we become understanding when we seek to understand; we become loving the more we love. 

Living in the Spirit is thus more than showing a respectful tolerance of each other.  The Holy Spirit motivates us to take an active regard for the welfare of others, especially those in need.  As Paul puts it in the second reading for today, we are to earn our keep—mind our own business—and do the work of God (2 Thes 3:12).  When we live this way, we live by the love and wisdom of God.  In that case, we have nothing to fear in the outcome.

 

One or the Other, but Not Both (Lk 16:1-8)

 

The parables are timeless stories that continue to help us in our troubled times even today.  The parable about the dishonest steward is an example.  This clever steward saves his own skin through manipulation and exploitation of his master’s wealth.  Rather than express outrage over being swindled, however, the master praises the steward’s unscrupulous behavior.  More surprising is the lesson that Jesus claims the parable offers. 

Rather than warn against imitating the behavior of the dishonest steward, as we might expect, Jesus encourages the children of the light to be equally clever.  He claims that doing so proves they are trustworthy with true wealth!  All of which leads to his final point that we cannot serve both God and mammon.  One or the other, but not both (Lk 16:13).

In those days and in our own, mammon includes more than money.  Mammon includes many things of this world—material wealth of all kinds, also status, control, and a myriad of things that give us a sense of security.  If we take our eyes off Jesus, however, we risk turning any of those things into a god.  For that reason, Jesus says to the children of the light, be clever with the things of this world.  Be on guard not only with money, but all those things that do not last.  Jesus wants us to focus on things with lasting value.  For, where our treasure is, there also is our heart, our destiny (Lk 12:34).    

The question is, how are we to use the things of this world in a spiritually wise manner?  Which master do we serve?  This is a question each of us must answer.  Jesus shows us through his own life and mission that our calling is to serve the God of love, mercy, and justice by caring for those who are in need (Lk 6:36; Is 58:7-10). 

There is a passage in the first letter of Timothy that makes this point in a more persuasive manner.  Timothy says in his letter: “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant or put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.  Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.”  For Timothy, this is how we prepare ourselves to take hold of the life that is truly life (1 Tim 6:17-19).  Timothy encourages us to grow rich with good deeds, if for no other reason, than as a show of gratitude for all that God has done for each of us. 

Timothy’s advice reminds us that Jesus called the people of his day—as much as he calls us—to follow the wisdom of God, not the wisdom of the world (1 Cor 2:4-6).  Doing so is a matter of living in a vibrant, dynamic, trusting relationship with God.  The stories that Jesus tells always point to the God of Love as the only master to serve.  And, because Jesus loves us, he allows each of us to choose for ourselves, hoping that we will choose wisely. 

 

Love is the Law (Lk 14:1-6)

 

Jesus and the Pharisees clearly lived in two different worlds.  The Pharisees lived in a black and white world controlled by rules, while Jesus lived in a more nuanced world guided by the principle of love.  These are contrasting and incompatible views. The Pharisees were the educated scholars of both the Torah and their oral tradition.  That tradition included many rules developed over time as a guide for the daily practice of Judaism (Ex 31:15).  These rules eventually grew to the point of being cumbersome, with many bordering on the absurd (Mt 23:4).  Although the Pharisees professed faithfulness to God in terms of strict obedience to these rules, they interpreted and applied them in ways that often oppressed the ordinary person (Mt 23:23).  Even worse, they often found it more convenient to ignore and nullify the Word of God in favor of their own tradition (Mk 7:9-13).

Jesus had a very different perspective on faithfulness to God.  He best reveals his take on faithfulness in summarizing the entire Law and the Prophets with the dual commandments to love God and neighbor, including one’s enemies.  Jesus is not being a naive romantic in speaking this way.  He aims to show that love is the heart of the Mosaic Law, in contrast to the burdensome extension of the Law by the Pharisees.  For Jesus, following the principle of love is the only way to live in harmony with the Law and remain faithful to God.

Ironically, the Pharisees’ insisted on following the rules, and yet, they did not follow their own teaching (Mt 23:13-33).  They stopped practicing what they preached.  Their greed for status, money, and control made them spiritually blind.  Because of their inability to perceive spiritual truth, they felt threatened by Jesus and often accused him of deliberately violating the Law, especially the commandment to keep holy the Sabbath.  The encounter between Jesus and the Pharisees in today’s gospel is an example in that regard. 

On this occasion, the Pharisees question Jesus about healing a man on the Sabbath.  Their interpretation of the commandment strictly prohibited work of any kind, including healing (cf. Ex 20:8).  Their objection has no basis, however, for Jesus lived as a faithful observant of the Law.  He makes this plain when he declares that he did not come to destroy the Law, but to fulfill it (Mt 5:17). 

He provides further evidence of his faithfulness to the Law by teaching in the synagogues, especially on the Sabbath (Lk 4:16).  He observes Passover with his disciples (Mt 26:17-19).  He celebrates the feast of Tabernacles as well as the feast of Lights (Jn 7:2-10; 10:22).  He even followed his own admonition to pray often and with persistence (Lk 18:1; 5:16).  All of which shows that Jesus followed the Law, and in so doing, always honored the Sabbath as a day reserved by God for rest and holiness (Ex 20:8-11).

As a result, Jesus gives a more authentic interpretation of this commandment by describing the Sabbath as a day for doing good rather than harm, for saving life rather than killing (Mk 3:4).  Jesus puts this point in sharp relief when he asks the Pharisees whether even they would work to save their own sons or livestock from harm on the Sabbath (Lk 14:5).  Jesus asked because he knew they had lost sight of the guiding principle that "The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath" (Mk 2:27).  Because of their blindness, however, the Pharisees remain silent and do not answer his question.

What are the implications of this encounter between Jesus and the Pharisees for us today?  What does Jesus want us to take away?  At the very least, the implication of his question about working to prevent harm on the Sabbath is significant.  We do not live in a black and white moral world.  At times, we do not know how to love others in the right way, and resolving our doubt requires careful consideration.  The more complex the situation, the more careful the consideration needed.  We also have the example of Jesus. 

Jesus solved the Pharisees’ question by choosing to act in favor of doing good, of doing what is merciful and just on the Sabbath.  Jesus chose the person over the rule.  At times, the moral dilemma we face also requires a decision born of a clear conscience (Summa, I-II, q. 94).  Our calling is to remain faithful to a loving God with both our heart and our mind, not just our mind.  From this perspective, love and faithfulness go hand in hand as the sure guideposts for an authentic relationship with God.

In his encyclical, “Love in the Family,” Pope Francis perhaps best summarizes this point.  In that encyclical, Francis puts emphasis on the virtues of faith, hope, love, mercy, wisdom, and prudence in guiding the process of moral discernment and decision-making.  For him, the best moral decisions are the ones that promote human dignity and development of the whole person.  In other words, a living faith in God seeks and promotes a just human community in Christ1.  Honoring and respecting the whole human person as a reflection of our love for God is the whole point of the Mosaic Law itself.  Even today, this remains the perfect justification for celebrating the Sabbath as a day of holiness.

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1 Populorum progression, 21; see also “Pope Francis and His Predecessors: A Remarkable and Unremarked Continuity” by Michael G. Lawler and Todd A. Salzman, The Furrow 68 (11), Nov 2017, pp. 579-589.

 

Reconcile Before Reckoning (Lk 12:54-59)

 

The story about settling with an opponent on the way to the magistrate’s court yields advice as sound today as when Jesus first told the story.  Although Jesus puts the story in a legal context, he is not talking about legal wrongs.  Rather, Jesus is talking about the moral wrongs that arise in our relationships with others.  In that sense, the magistrate is a symbol for God, while the idea of going to court symbolizes our journey through life to that day of final reckoning before God.  For, everything has a time and a season (Ecc 3:1).  This gives the story its spiritual significance. 

The advice itself seems clear.  As Jesus puts it, if each of us settles our moral wrongs prior to our final reckoning before God, things will go much better for us.  If, on the other hand, we refuse to reconcile with our moral opponents and force God to settle the matter, we might not like the final outcome.  The better option therefore is to settle with our moral opponents on this side of life, if at all possible.  This advice raises some interesting questions.

For one, what counts as a moral wrong, and who are our moral opponents?  A moral wrong is any intentional and unjust harm done to others.  The greater the harm, the greater the wrong.  Our moral opponent, therefore, is anyone we have harmed in that way, or on the other hand, anyone who has harmed us in that way.    Sometimes, we need to be forgiven, and sometimes we need to forgive.  The story says nothing, however, about what to do if the wounded party declines our attempt at reconciliation.  Nor does it say anything about those relationships that ought to be left alone.  From a practical standpoint, attempts to reconcile with some persons might not be warranted.

In any case, another question concerns the reason we are on our way to court, to God’s court?  Why is that?  Because life is a journey to our spiritual home, and sooner or later, each of us will give an account of ourselves before God (Mt. 12:36; Rm 14:12).  God has the final say on how well we lived our lives.  Apparently, things will not go well for us if we knowingly force God to do our moral dirty work.  Thus, Jesus urges us to prepare our best case ahead of time by resolving all moral wrongs before we get to that final court of appeal.  Better yet, we ought to avoid getting morally sideways in the first place.

More than once, Jesus revealed the right path to follow in that regard by making the principle of love our sure guide in life.  Love one another as I have loved you, he tells his disciples (Jn 13:34).  Jesus made the commandment to love God and our neighbor the cornerstone of his life and mission, and therefore, the cornerstone of ours as well.  Defining love as an obligation, however, seems inconsistent with an ordinary understanding of love. 

Ordinarily, we understand love not as an obligation, but as something we freely give to others, especially to those who most deserve and need our love.  Jesus, on the other hand, means that love is our natural state of being.  We have a natural ability to love because God loved us first.  In fact, God’s love for us is the reason we exist in the first place (Gen 1:26-28; Eph 1:3-5).  Because we are made in the image of God, we are therefore made for love.  Not that we love everyone in the same way, or to the same degree.  The point is, our natural ability to love is a gift from God and the lifeblood of our very being. 

It follows that our calling is to imitate Christ in loving service to others (Dt 10:12; Eph 5:1-2).  As the Evangelist John tells us, we ought to live just as Jesus lived (1 Jn 5:6).  Not only is this the best way to avoid intentional moral wrongs.  Loving others in imitation of Christ is also the best way to set the record straight when we go astray (Lk 11:41).  We can present our best case to God by loving his children and his creation with all sincerity.  This is what matters to God.  This is how Christ treated others, both friend and foe.  We can do no better than to follow his example.