Daily Retreat 12/01/07

2007 Dec 1 Sat/ BVM
Dn 7:15-27/ Dn 3:82. 83. 84. 85. 86. 87/ Lk 21:34-36

From today’s readings: “The kingship and dominion and majesty of all the kingdoms under the heavens shall be given to the holy people of the Most High, Whose Kingdom shall be everlasting: all dominions shall serve and obey Him....  Praise and exalt Him above all forever....  Be vigilant at all times....”

Getting Ready....

In chapter two, Daniel had interpreted that vivid dream of King Nebuchadnezzar about a terrifying statue symbolizing four kingdoms – historically, probably to be identified as the Babylonians, the Medes, the Persians, and the Greeks.  The four beasts in Daniel’s own dream probably correspond also to those same four kingdoms.

A few weeks ago, the first readings were taken from the Books of Maccabees.  The first book begins with the introduction of the evil King Antiochus, who fits the description presented here in the Book of Daniel of the king who “shall speak against the Most High and oppress the holy ones of the Most High, thinking to change the feast days and the law.”

The prophecy about the “final and absolute destruction” of this king’s rule must have been a great source of comfort to the faithful living at that time.  So too did Jesus prophecy about numerous tribulations, which however, would be ultimately subject to His dominion.  His prophecy was meant to likewise be a source of comfort and inspiration to the faithful who would be subject to those tribulations until His Second Coming.

Today we reach the end of the Church’s liturgical year.  Tomorrow, the First Sunday of Advent, begins a new cycle in the lectionary: Sunday readings will be from the “A” cycle (the Gospel will primarily be Matthew’s - this past year, you might recall, has been mainly from Luke’s Gospel) and the daily readings will be from the “Year II” cycle.

Daily Retreat 11/30/07

2007 Nov 30 Fri:Andrew, ap F
Rom 10:9-18/ Ps 18(19):8. 9. 10. 11/ Mt 4:18-22

From today’s readings: “But how can they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone to preach?...  The law of the LORD is perfect, refreshing the soul....  Come after Me, and I will make you fishers of men!”

Beautiful Feet

Echoing Isaiah, St. Paul declares, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”  ‘Twas an inspired feat run with inspired feet when St. Andrew, immediately after seeing Jesus, rushed to tell his brother Simon the good news (cf. John 1:40-42).  What an instructive inspiration for our coming Advent season, which begins this Sunday!

Most of the people reading this virtual retreat live in countries with a nominal majority of Christians, so instead of being welcomed as “Good News,” the Gospel is too often dismissed as “old news,” as if there were nothing there worth talking about any more.

But in fact, the Gospel welcomed, lived and shared with integrity is always news - and not just “good news”because, really, it’s the best news!  Yet, as Paul points out, the Good News needs to be proclaimed anew!  As I’ve mentioned before, almost every year of my priesthood, I’ve encountered marginally Christian families with children and adolescents who have never made the connection between Jesus and Christmas - without a doubt, there’s families like that living near you too, and this Advent, you could have the joy of bringing the Good News to them!  People need to hear the heart of the Gospel more than most of us realize: many have never heard Him, many have forgotten Him, many have lost Him - so many are waiting for YOUR beautiful feet to bring them the best news

Daily Retreat 11/29/07

2007 Nov 29 Thu
Dn 6:12-28/ Dn 3:68. 69. 70. 71. 72. 73. 74/ Lk 21:20-28

From today’s readings: “O Daniel, servant of the living God, has the God whom you serve so constantly been able to save you from the lions?...  Give glory and eternal praise to Him!...   When these signs begin to happen, stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand....”

Daniel in the Lion’s Den

Today’s reading is the most familiar of all the exciting adventures of Daniel, that truly versatile biblical hero!  One of the enjoyable and profitable reasons for re-reading even such a well known biblical episode is to pick up on the details and deeper insights that might be missed if we start to tune out because we’ve heard the story before.

One such detail is Daniel’s commitment to prayer three times a day!  The prayer must have been more than just a quick petition muttered under his breath or a simple blessing before meals, otherwise his enemies wouldn’t have been able to document his disobedience of the royal prohibition against prayer.  How many times a day do you pray?  Would you be arrested had you lived in Daniel’s day, or would the case have been thrown out of court for lack of evidence?

Daily Retreat 11/28/07

2007 Nov 28 Wed
Dn 5:1-6. 13-14. 16-17. 23-28/ Dn 3:62. 63. 64. 65. 66. 67/ Lk 21:12-19

From today’s readings: “The writing I will read for you, O king, and tell you what it means....  Sun and moon, bless the Lord....  By your perseverance you will secure your lives....”

Reading the Writing on the Wall

Many people are unaware of how many cliches and literary allusions in modern parlance can be traced back to the Bible.  In chapter five of the Book of Daniel, we find the origin of the monition to “Read the writing on the wall!”  King Belshazzar was faced with a very clear sign (the hand writing on the wall), but the sign needed interpretation (since evidently neither the king nor his counselors could read the three simple words MENE, TEKEL, and PERES because they were written in Aramaic, the vernacular of Daniel and the other Jewish exiles).   To King Belshazzar’s credit, he did seek out Daniel to decipher the mysterious message, although by then it was too late!

Whenever a person strays from God, He always sends clear signs to warn of the evil consequences of turning from Him.  Such “writing on the wall” is indelibly etched in a properly formed conscience, biblical revelation, and the message of the Church’s Magisterium; it also is often found in  providential timely advice from family and friends, or other portents discerned in nature and “coincidental” events.  But, as clear as such divine signs are, they can still be summarily ignored by a person bent on resisting and ignoring such grace.  On the other hand, when you and I take the time to read (and whatever effort necessary to interpret!) such writing on the wall in our lives, then that divine direction can help us make the necessary changes to turn back to God before it’s too late!

Daily Retreat 11/27/07

2007 Nov 27 Tue
Dn 2:31-45/ Dn 3:57. 58. 59. 60. 61/ Lk 21:5-11

From today’s readings: “The great God has revealed to the king what shall be in the future....  Give glory and eternal praise to Him....  See that you not be deceived....”

Daniel’s Denouement of the Dazzling Dream

In chapter two, Daniel interprets that vivid dream of King Nebuchadnezzar about a terrifying statue symbolizing four kingdoms – historically, probably to be identified as the Babylonians, the Medes, the Persians, then the Greeks – each of whom successively conquer previous empires, one after the other, until finally, there is this great, this great boulder, this great stone that overturns all the kingdoms of the Earth, and it rises up into this mountain that endures forever! That’s how Daniel envisions the coming of Christ –  the way that God overturns everything in history and introduces a whole new perspective. Not a perspective any longer of military power, “who’s conquering whom,” but rather, where it’s all leading – leading up into the very heavens, that mountain that fills the earth and leads us up to God!

And so in the Book of the Prophet Daniel, we have a insightful panorama of history,  a comprehensive vision of  the past and the present and the future that is hardly seen in any other book of the Old Testament.
Now, it is this insight and perspective of God’s presence throughout history that we need to re-discover in our own times in the same sense that Daniel was awake to it in his own times.  First, we are to proclaim anew, in a certain prophetic sense, that historical coming of Christ, but also, we are “prophesying,” in a real sense, we are sharing with the whole world the revelation God has entrusted to us about the Second Coming of Christ at the end of time, and seeing how all the pictures, all the dreams, and all the visions, even all the obstacles, can come together – how Christ’s role in history is the very center of history itself, and the rest of it – what came before, was all meant to lead up to that point, and what came after, was all meant to solidify and to complete the building up of that central event in history.  

This means, for instance, we have something irresistible to confront the worldly wise men, enchanters, magicians and astrologers who are all at a lost to explain the most profound mysteries of life.   There is a God in Heaven who reveals these mysteries, the great God who has revealed what shall be in the future, and so we can convincingly compel the heathens to confess the kingship and supremacy of God!   How?  Not through military conquest or brute force, but by offering the convincingly compelling biblical explanation and interpretation of the disturbing portents of this time, thereby helping all people understand even the thoughts in their own minds.  In doing so, we are to be as assertive and uncompromising as Daniel in our proclamation of the Gospel, not just with words, but even more so in demonstrating the dominion of God with our very lives, which are meant to form a veritable mountain of testimony to God’s saving presence which smashes into smithereens all that defies it in the sweeping panorama of history.  That’s the point of Daniel’s prophecy!

Daily Retreat 11/26/07

2007 Nov 26 Mon
Dn 1:1-6. 8-20/ Dn 3:52. 53. 54. 55. 56/ Lk 21:1-4

From today’s readings: “In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came and laid siege to Jerusalem....  Glory and praise for ever!...  I tell you truly, this poor widow put in more than all the rest....”

Daniel - Excelling in Exile

With the prophet Daniel, one of the latest of the prophets, we have a bit of familiarity at least, because there’s some well-known events in his life: Daniel in the Lion’s den, or Daniel condemned with his friends to the fiery furnace; Daniel, the fast-thinking young man who saves the beautiful Susanna from the unjust sentence of death; Daniel, the one who explains the cryptic writing on the wall, and Daniel, the one who interprets dreams.

In all these vignettes of who Daniel was and what he did, it’s important to not miss the overall vision of this book, recognizing it as one of the most sophisticated examples of prophecy in all of the Old Testament. Daniel has a spectacularly sweeping view of history and how all the pieces fit together in God’s plan.   Most of the prophets are concerned about history mainly in how it pertains just the chosen people, how God is leading them, and calling them to turn away from their sins, but for Daniel, there are no limits - he’s not afraid to trace the hand of God at work in the lives of all men and all nations.

Recall, for instance, that Daniel is introduced in the first chapter as in exile, drafted to serve in the Babylonian royal court.  Now rather than spitefully and wistfully daydreaming of the return to Jerusalem, Daniel is awake and aware of God’s presence and action and influence even in that dreadful deportation, and so it becomes Daniel’s prophetic mission to remind the chosen people of this, and to also demonstrate incontestably among pagans the presence of God and the universal sway of His will and law.  This is an extraordinary approach: rather than calling God’s curse upon the captors, Daniel convincingly compels the conquerors themselves to confess the kingship and supremacy of God!  In so doing, Daniel uncompromisingly and unabashedly asserts the universal dominion of the God of the Hebrews, a dominion which (see chapter 14!) reaches even into the temples of the gods of the heathens in that capital city of the conquerors of Jerusalem!

Daily Retreat 11/25/07

2007 Nov 25 SUN:CHRIST THE KING S (Thirty-fourth and Last Sunday in Ordinary Time)
2 Sm 5:1-3/ Ps 121(122):1-2. 3-4. 4-5/ Col 1:12-20/ Lk 23:35-43

From today’s readings: “In those days, all the tribes of Israel came to David....  Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord....  He delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in Whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins....  Jesus, remember me when you come into Your kingdom....”

The Return of the King

This past week, I finished re-reading Tolkien’s masterpiece, The Lord of the Rings.  Many have read this book or seen the cinema trilogy of a few years back, so you can probably recall one of the main characters, along with those endearing Hobbits, Frodo and Sam, and Gandalf, the dazzling wizard, was Aragorn, also known as “Strider.”

At first, it seems Strider is a mere supporting character, helping out the Hobbits as a guide and bodyguard.  But as the story unravels, Strider is revealed to be much more than meets the eye. Mention of his ancestry unveils his dignity as the rightful, but uncrowned, high king of the realm.  Comments about his past hint at his vast travel and experience in life.  Scattered legends and prophecies point again and again to his lofty destiny.   But most of all, the gripping adventures thoroughly enthrone the nobility of this character, Aragorn, son of Arathorn, one who is upright, brave, wise, charismatic, loyal, patient, resourceful - all to the royal degree!

And moreover, he is singularly selfless - constantly risking his life for others, and striding the arduous path of  his destiny, never motivated by personal ambition, but always doing his irreplaceable part in saving the world.  This then is the crowning characteristic about Strider:  his humble selflessness and radical service to others. 

Literature and history have recorded many admirable subjects making great sacrifices for their king; then too, there’s certainly a fair number of good kings clearly focused on the common good, and even a few undeniably great kings, yet only one eminently noble King who lived in every way and even died as the greatest service and sacrifice for His subjects.  Clearly, Tolkien, a faithful Catholic, purposely portrayed Aragorn as a Christ-figure, and in particular, a literary image of Christ the King.  

The literature of today’s liturgy likewise portrays essential aspects of the kingship of Christ: The responsorial psalm and the first reading, from Second Samuel, recall David’s kingship, which established the royal ancestry of Jesus, Son of the Most High. The second reading, from Colossians, muses on the universal dimension of Christ’s dominion and destiny, which thoroughly permeates and permanently transcends even time and cosmos.  But the most central and uniquely Messianic aspect of Christ’s kingship is recorded in the Gospel, which narrates how the true King of the Jews died on the Cross, the fulfillment of a life of service and sacrifice, so that those who turn to Him in faith and contrition will have a full paradisal share of His coming into His kingdom.

To the world, alas, the true Lord of the Kings and one Cross of Christ is most unreasonable, and, at this time of the year, even rings a bit unseasonal.  Talk of baby Jesus, it seems, can be tolerated by our world these weeks, as long as it serves a precious commercial purpose.  But unapologetic focus on the kingship of the crucified Christ will always read like a fantasy, except to those whose own lifework is intentionally written as a subplot of the Return of the King.

Daily Retreat 11/24/07

2007 Nov 24 Sat:Andrew Dung-Lac, p, mt, & co., mts M
1 Mc 6:1-13/ Ps 9:2-3. 4 and 6. 16 and 19/ Lk 20:27-40

From today’s readings: “As King Antiochus was traversing the inland provinces, he heard that in Persia there was a city called Elymais....  I will rejoice in your salvation, O Lord....  He is not God of the dead, but of the living, for to Him all are alive....”

Discernment of Death

Although it takes courage to do so, we should all meditate from time to time on our own mortality and inevitable death - not in a preoccupied manner (which would be morbid), but at least in a sober style, because some of the most important insights about life can be gained by directly facing death.

St. Ignatius of Loyola explained how we can make better life decisions by imagining how we will look back on those same decisions at the time of our death: will we be at peace with the decisions, or will we regret our choices as selfish and a waste of our precious God-given time on earth?

The First Book of Macabees recounts how, at the moment of his death, King Antiochus looked back at so much of what he had done with bitter remorse and utter hopelessness.  By meditating on our own death, you and I can become aware of what in our present life could be a source of compunction as we face our earthly end, and therefore choose to do something about it NOW, before it’s too late!

Daily Retreat 11/23/07

2007 Nov 23 Fri/ Clement I, pp, mt/ Columban, ab, ms/ Bl Miguel Augustín Pro, p, r, mt
1 Mc 4:3-37. 52-59/ 1 Chr 29:10bcd. 11abc. 11d-12a. 12bcd/ Lk 19:45-48

From today’s readings: “All the people prostrated themselves and adored and praised Heaven, who had given them success....  We praise Your glorious name, O mighty God....  Jesus entered the temple area and proceeded to drive out those who were selling things....”

The Feast of Dedication in the Holy House of Prayer

After a string of victories, Judas Maccabee and his brothers were able to re-claim the Temple in Jerusalem, which had been defiled by King Antiochus, who had introduced the worship of Zeus there.  The Temple is then purified and re-dedicated; this event is commemorated annually in the Jewish eight day Feast of Dedication (which Jesus took part in, cf. John 10:22), and is better known today as Hanukkah, the joyful Festival of Lights, which takes place near Christmas (this year, it begins at sunset on the 4th of December).

The Gospel too, treats of the cleansing of the Temple (this time, from the profanation of mercantile interests, instead of pagan cults) and the Lord’s insistence that it be known as a House of Prayer.  Meditating on these readings, perhaps you’ll be inspired to step forward to beautify your local church with your own prayers, and take part in the festive spirit of your House of Prayer by organizing a “Cleansing of the Temple” and assisting with ornaments and repairs in preparation for the Holy Days (from which we get the word “Holidays”).

Daily Retreat 11/22/07

2007 Nov 22 Thu:Cecilia, v, mt M (Thanksgiving Day in the USA)
1 Mc 2:15-29/ Ps 49(50):1b-2. 5-6. 14-15/ Lk 19:41-44.
Options for Thanksgiving: Sir 50: 22-24/ 1 Chron 29:10bc, 11, 12/ Col 3:12-17/ Jn 15:9-17

From today’s readings: “God forbid that we should forsake the law and the commandments - we will not obey the words of the king nor depart from our religion in the slightest degree....  To the upright I will show the saving power of God....  If this day you only knew what makes for peace– but now it is hidden from your eyes....”

Mattathias:   A Leader, an Honorable and Great Man

This second chapter of the first Book of Maccabees introduces Mattathias, a great man in his own right, but also the father of Judas Maccabeus, the foremost war hero in this period and thus the one for whom the books are named.

Far from following the crowd, and falling to the temptation of doing something just because everyone else is doing it, Mattathias proves himself a real leader, an honorable and great man, by his refusal to compromise his religion for political favor.  In doing so, he does not hesitate even to sacrifice all his earthly wealth and security in order to be faithful to principle.

Leadership today demands no less!  The political aspirant who compromises religious beliefs for popularity, or places material goods ahead of human life, or seeks security in the status quo, will never achieve the historical status of a true Leader, an Honorable and Great Man.

In the United States, we celebrate Thanksgiving today - specifically and unabashedly , thanksgiving to Almighty God for blessings received!  But in truth, no day should not be a day of thanksgiving - the blessings of our lives fill the cornucopia, and are sufficiently super-abundant to inspire us to at least remember to thank God and put Him first in our lives EACH and EVERY day.

Daily Retreat 11/21/07

2007 Nov 21 Wed:Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary M
2 Mc 7:1. 20-31/ Ps 16(17):1bcd. 5-6. 8b and 15/ Lk 19:11-28

From today’s readings: “Most admirable and worthy of everlasting remembrance was the mother, who saw her seven sons perish in a single day, yet bore it courageously because of her hope in the Lord....  Lord, when Your glory appears, my joy will be full....  While people were listening to Jesus speak, he proceeded to tell a parable because He was near Jerusalem and they thought that the Kingdom of God would appear there immediately....”

A Most Admirable Mother

Nearly all mothers, of course, strive to instill in their children the thirst for excellence and commitment to high moral standards.  The Maccabean mother presented in the first reading had such dedication to this responsibility that literally, with her own dying breath, she exhorts her sons to faithfulness even unto their own dying breath.
 
There are two aspects to this dying mother’s undying witness: first, she clearly recognizes God’s sovereignty, His primary and principal role in the creation of her children’s life, that He, and He alone “is the Creator of the universe  who shapes each man's beginning.” So, while not denying her own essential, but necessarily ancillary role,  she is aware that she is not the One who gives the breath of life.  Thus, the second point: she and her sons owe their first allegiance not to themselves or to each other, but to God, the Creator.

May the mothers (and fathers!) of this day begin and focus their own children’s instruction with those same crucial insights!

Daily Retreat 11/20/07

2007 Nov 20 Tue
2 Mc 6:18-31/ Ps 3:2-3. 4-5. 6-7/ Lk 19:1-10

From today’s readings: “He declared that above all he would be loyal to the holy laws given by God....  The Lord upholds me....  Today salvation has come to this house....”

Simulation of Sin

Temptations come at times with a seductive “option”- after tempting a person to outrightly do  something gravely sinful, since that can seem too blatant and barefaced, the devil will follow up with a curve ball: perhaps the person tempted will at least pretend to sin in order to “save face” in some manner.  That’s wouldn’t be too bad, would it?

Teenagers are particularly faced with such temptations: in order to “fit in,” when talking with peers, many will claim to skip class, shoplift, use vulgar language, take drugs, have sex, deny their faith etc., even if, thanks be to God, they don’t actually commit such sins.  The teenage peer pressure is well known in this regard, but parallels exist among adults as well - think, for instance, of people who will deliberately downplay their faith commitment so as not to appear the least bit “fanatical” to their neighbors and co-workers.

To feign to sin is in itself a sin, especially when the simulation of sin can be just as scandalous as the sin itself.  At times, the simulation may objectively be less sinful than carrying out the sin itself, but that fact alone doesn’t excuse such simulation.  The example of Eleazar, in the Second Book of Maccabees, gives an ardent explanation of the evils inherent in simulation, an example which can inspire you and me to completely stop even pretending to sin.

Daily Retreat 11/19/07

2007 Nov 19 Mon
1 Mc 1:10-15. 41-43. 54-57. 62-63/ Ps 118(119):53. 61. 134. 150. 155. 158/ Lk 18:35-43

From today’s readings: “Let us go and make an alliance with the Gentiles all around us; since we separated from them, many evils have come upon us....  Give me life, O Lord, and I will do Your commands....  Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!”

Martyrdom or Cave-in to secularism

Although the First Book of Maccabees was actually written in Hebrew, that original text has been lost, so our present translation is based on the early Greek Septuagint translation.  The recorded events of this book begin with the rise of King Antiochus, who “became king in the year one hundred and thirty-seven of the kingdom of the Greeks” (= 175 BC).   Antiochus and his followers strove to force all the Jews to forsake the God-given biblical law and assimilate the customs and practices of the pagans (Gentiles).

Many Jews did abandon their religion and go along with the pagans, but others courageously “preferred to die rather than to be defiled with unclean food or to profane the holy covenant.”  The courage of these martyrs creates an ideal benchmark for you and me to examine our own commitment to our faith.  In large ways and small ways, we are tempted and pressured in our own day to compromise our faith commitment, and assimilate to godless customs and practices.  

For instance, our faith demands that we “keep holy the Lord’s day,” which means to go to Church on Sunday and sanctify the day with the commitment “to abstain from those labors and business concerns which impede the worship to be rendered to God, the joy which is proper to the Lord's Day, or the proper relaxation of mind and body"(CCC §2193).  Yet even many “church-going” Christians have compromised the sanctity of Sunday in this regard instead of showing the intransigent faith commitment of the Maccabean martyrs.

And that’s just one example - as we read the Books of Maccabees, may the fidelity witnessed on every page of those books inspire you and me to commit ourselves to living out our faith without compromising it by assimilating in any way to the godless customs and practices of our day!

Daily Retreat 11/18/07

2007 Nov 18 SUN:THIRTY-THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Mal 3:19-20a/ Ps 98:5-6. 7-8. 9/ 2 Thes 3:7-12/ Lk 21:5-19

From today’s readings: “Lo, the day is coming, blazing like an oven, when all the proud and all evildoers will be stubble....  The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice....  You know how one must imitate us, for we did not act in a disorderly way among you....  All that you see here- the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down....”

My Messenger

Today is one of only two Sundays in a span of three years in which the first reading is taken from the book of the prophet Malachi.  Since the short, short reading encapsulates many basic biblical insights, it certainly makes sense to take a closer look, to listen with all of our heart, so that such crucial words not fall on closed ears.

What do you know about the prophet Malachi?  Don’t be afraid to say, “Nothing” because that might be all there is to know about the prophet named “Malachi.”  What I mean is, “Malachi” in the original Hebrew means, “My messenger.”  So we just don’t know for sure whether Malachi is a proper name, or merely a descriptive title of this prophet.  The most famous verse of this book (3:1), reads, “Behold, I send My messenger to prepare the way before Me.”  This verse is cited or at least alluded to in all four of the Gospels in reference to John the Baptist, the one sent by God to prepare the way for the coming of the Lord.  

Although not the last written chronologically, in Christian bibles, Malachi is placed as the last book in the Old Testament - the prophecies about the Messiah and His precursor (John the Baptist) make it a most appropriate bridge to the New Testament.  Malachi is a short book, but the brief chapters are steeped with terse verses:  like a small cup of concentrated expresso coffee, the prophet packs a powerful punch in a petite package, attempting to wake up and shake up the people of God with the reminder that life is ultimately a crucial choice for or against God.  Are YOU ready for the coming day of the Lord?  Read the whole book: the prophet’s question and answer style clearly outlines the issues being addressed and the wrongs being redressed.  

Evidently in Malachi’s day, the people (and the priests!) were shortchanging God with their selfishness and “me-first!” attitudes.  Yes, nominally, the people were still practicing their faith, but very complacently, with the presumption that whatever little leftover time or tithe they gave should be enough to satisfy God.  In their arrogant attitude, they eroded the Covenant with countless compromises in carrying-through the Commandments.  Divorce is specifically mentioned as one of the evils that had become casually widespread, and the pop psychology of the day was wearying God Himself with the pernicious lie that sin didn’t really matter, because of the absurd assumption that “everyone who does evil is gooood in the sight of the Lord, and He delights in them.”  (2:17).

Now remember, these are observations of the people in Malachi’s day, about 25 hundred years ago!  And yet don’t these words chillingly apply to our own day as well? Who can contradict the cynic’s sneer that today, as in that time, "indeed evildoers prosper, and even tempt God with impunity"?   (Mal 3:15).  This is a problem, no less for ourselves, as for the Israelites of long ago.  What good then is it to put God first?  “What do we profit by keeping His command?” (3:14). Why shouldn’t we just give in to our selfishness, and the temptation of putting God on the backburner, and creatively bending the biblical moral code whenever it interferes with our modern idea of self-fulfillment?

Malachi penetrates the clouds of these cynical musings with a bolt of biblical brilliance: And a record book was written before Him of those who fear the LORD and trust in His name. And they shall be Mine, says the LORD of hosts, My own special possession, on the day I take action. And I will have compassion on them, as a man has compassion on his son who serves him. Then you will again see the distinction between the just and the wicked; Between him who serves God, and him who does not serve Him.
For lo, the day is coming, blazing like an oven, when all the proud and all evildoers will be stubble, And the day that is coming will set them on fire, leaving them neither root nor branch, says the LORD of hosts. But for you who fear my name, there will arise the sun of justice with its healing rays!

Speaking of the day of the Lord’s coming, the message of God’s messenger is clear: a nominal commitment to religion is worthless!  Rather, blameless conduct, covenant fidelity and true worship are what God has a right to expect  from us.   As we enter the closing days of the Church’s liturgical year, remember that the message and mission of Malachi is not passé, because God wants to call you too, “Malachi - My Messenger!”

Daily Retreat 11/17/07

2007 Nov 17 Sat:Elizabeth of Hungary, mw, r M
Wis 18:14-16; 19:6-9/ Ps 104(105):2-3. 36-37. 42-43/ Lk 18:1-8

From today’s readings: “For all creation, in its several kinds, was being made over anew, serving its natural laws, that Your children might be preserved unharmed....  Remember the marvels the Lord has done!...  Jesus told His disciples a parable about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary....”

The Mighty Word and Wisdom of God

Although there is a specific book of the Bible titled "Wisdom," every verse of Holy Scripture is, in fact, replete with the Wisdom of God.  In fact, part of the Book of Wisdom simply reviews how God's Word and Wisdom is clearly seen in earlier books of the Bible.

So, for example, today's first reading reflects on the events of Israel's Exodus out of Egypt, when all creation "was being made over anew, serving its natural laws, that [God's] children might be preserved unharmed."

As summarized by St. Thomas Aquinas, "Natural Law" is "the participation of the eternal law in rational creatures." In other words, God's design and will can be clearly discerned in the very nature of humans since we have been endowed with reason.

Even though Natural Law thus is the only sure basis for international or any universal human law, atheists and all kinds of secular humanists now object to all appeals to Natural Law because, instead of recognizing such as appeals to human reason (which Natural Law argumentations indeed directly are), secularists dismiss them as appeals to Divine Revelation. In fairness, valid Natural Law reasoning does also reliably conform to Divine Revelation, but that's just because of the harmony of Truth, so really, Natural Law conclusions can be securely established by human reason alone.

St. Thomas Aquinas compared Divine Revelation and Natural Law to a coin, which is stamped on both sides. Whether we see "Heads" or "Tails," we can instantly recognize the value of a coin, and so also, the conclusion is the same, whether God's eternal law is clearly spelled out in Divine Revelation or validly detected in Natural Law.

Daily Retreat 11/16/07

2007 Nov 16 Fri/ Margaret of Scotland, mw/ Gertrude the Great, v, r
Wis 13:1-9/ Ps 18(19):2-3. 4-5ab/ Lk 17:26-37

From today’s readings: “For from the greatness and the beauty of created things their original Author, by analogy, is seen....  The heavens proclaim the glory of God....  As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be in the days of the Son of Man....”

Ample Proof of God

The Book of Wisdom insists that, even without the revelation of the Word of God, man is capable of reasoning with certainty about the existence of God - “For from the greatness and the beauty of created things, their original Author, by analogy, is seen.” The Catechism of the Catholic Church reaffirms this insight(§32): “Starting from movement, becoming, contingency, and the world's order and beauty, one can come to a knowledge of God as the origin and the end of the universe.”

Even those who are well past this initial faith phase of discerning the existence of God can still benefit from a meditation on “the greatness and beauty of created things” and a renewed appreciation for the Creator of all.  Indeed, who is not moved by a starry night sky or spectacular sunset to ponder the creative genius of our God?

The psalmist concurs:  “the Heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims His handiwork.”  And yet, as awesome a proof and witness as creation is to the work of God, even more wonderful is the revelation of His ongoing personal love for us - chapters 10 and 11 of Wisdom recall the saving hand and sapiential guidance of God in the early events of our salvation history.  Note that, while Revelation thus goes beyond reason, it is never contrary to reason - this is a crucial insight!

Daily Retreat 11/15/07

2007 Nov 15 Thu/ Albert the Great, bp, r, dr
Wis 7:22b – 8:1/ Ps 118(119):89. 90. 91. 130. 135. 175/ Lk 17:20-25

From today’s readings: “For there is nought God loves, be it not one who dwells with Wisdom....  Your word is for ever, O Lord....  For just as lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in His day....”

Worldly Wiseman or Heavenly Wisemen?

Even in the smallest town library, you will see shelves of thousands of books (my modest parish library itself contains hundreds of books!).  So many books - no one person can read them all!  And this, of course, is just a tiny snapshot of the dilemma posed by the “information explosion” - we have tools and opportunities to learn so much, but how do we decide what we’re going to spend our time learning?

The biggest danger present in this quandary is the temptation to be satisfied with a wide sampling of many diverse things, and a reluctance to focus on what is crucial.  The “Worldly Wiseman” character in Pilgrim’s Progress personifies what happens when a person buys into this temptation.  Worldly Wiseman enjoys an eclectic, liberal education - he has an open mind, he’s up-to-date in every field, and he’s at ease in every social circle.  He even has the crowning touch of the new ideal of a Renaissance man - a dash of religion and faith in his life.  In spite of all these “merits,” Worldly Wiseman is hopelessly shallow in all the things that count!

The alternative is to strive to become a “Heavenly Wiseman” - a person who places his primary priority on pursuit of divine Wisdom, instead of settling for a diet of the variety of worldly goods and novelties.  Why limit your focus to just one thing?  The Book of Wisdom limns and portrays in splendid detail the multi-faceted beauty and worth of divine Wisdom, and the sacred scripture insists that nothing else comes close in value - even light (which reveals other beauties) fades, so “compared to light, she (Wisdom) takes precedence....”  

Of your plans for today, which endeavors count as “pursuit of divine Wisdom” and which activities are simply secular?   Since divine Wisdom is so pre-eminent, why waste time learning to become merely a “Worldly Wiseman” when the Bible teaches us how to become “Heavenly Wisemen”?

Daily Retreat 11/14/07

2007 Nov 14 Wed
Wis 6:1-11/ Ps 81(82):3-4. 6-7/ Lk 17:11-19

From today’s readings: “To you, therefore, O princes, are my words addressed that you may learn wisdom and that you may not sin....  Rise up, O God, bring judgment to the earth....  Ten were cleansed, were they not?”

Wisdom for All

Sometimes, the Word of God is directly addressed to a specific group of people, such as today’s exhortation to kings, magistrates, and princes.  Now, while the chapter’s focus makes it easy to see why rulers in particular are addressed, those of us who aren’t “in power over the multitude”
nonetheless should not casually conclude that nothing in these verses applies to us!  On the contrary: the fact that these words have been recorded in the Bible is proof that all (“the great as well as the small!”) can benefit at least in some way from this wisdom.

For example, we can benefit from the realization that each one of us does have some limited authority over others, if only by virtue of the ways that our own decisions often directly effect others (more authority = more people affected).  Even when this merely involves the most mundane matters, recall that “authority was given you by the Lord...who shall probe your works and scrutinize your counsels.” In other words, we are accountable to God for our motives, actions, and the consequences of our actions, particularly when they affect other people - a sobering reminder for both kings and peons!

One last word to the wise: while the second half of chapter six (vv. 12-25) is omitted from the lectionary, don’t overlook this gem - the poetic personification of Wisdom!

Daily Retreat 11/13/07

2007 Nov 13 Tue:Frances Xavier Cabrini, v, r M
Wis 2:23 – 3:9/ Ps 33(34):2-3. 16-17. 18-19/ Lk 17:7-10

From today’s readings: “By the envy of the Devil, death entered the world, and they who are in his possession experience it....  I will bless the Lord at all times....  We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do....”

Wisdom’s Take on Death

The verses of the first reading are probably the most familiar in the Book of Wisdom - they are often selected for the Old Testament reading at Catholic funerals.  It is especially noteworthy that this beautiful reflection on death (tempered by “hope full of immortality”) was written before Christ’s Resurrection!

Perhaps the most fundamental insight about death comes in the opening verses, “God formed man to be imperishable;  the image of His own nature He made them.  But by the envy of the Devil, death entered the world....”  In other words, notwithstanding the natural mortality of the human body, in God’s design, death was not intrinsic to original human nature!  Since the Fall of Man, death has become a consequential part of human nature, but in the beginning, “God formed man to be imperishable.” (Cf. CCC §1008).

As will be shown later, this insight is an essential part of the groundwork for understanding the redemptive nature of Christ’s death - that He did not have to die, but in choosing to die, He paid the price for our sins, which thus transforms our own death from “affliction” and “utter destruction” into “sacrificial offerings” which God takes to Himself, “because grace and mercy are with His holy ones, and His care is with His elect.”

Daily Retreat 11/12/07

2007 Nov 12 Mon:Josaphat, bp, r, mt M
Wis 1:1-7/ Ps 138(139):1b-3. 4-6. 7-8. 9-10/ Lk 17:1-6

From today’s readings: “Love justice, you who judge the earth; think of the Lord in goodness, and seek Him in integrity of heart....  Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way....  If you have faith the size of a mustard seed....”

Words of Wisdom

Although most of the Old Testament was written in Hebrew, there are seven books (Tobit, Judith, 1,2 Maccabees, Wisdom, Sirach or Ecclesiasticus, Baruch) which were either originally written in Greek or, for those that were written in Hebrew, the original text was lost. For this reason, these seven books are not included in most protestant versions of the Bible, nor in Jewish editions.  However, most of the Church Fathers treat them as inspired scripture, and so they have been recognized by Catholics and Orthodox Christians as belonging to the Bible. (The issue of the formation of the Old Testament canon is actually more complicated and nuanced, but this is just a basic outline explaining why the book of Wisdom is not found in some bibles).

For the next week, the first reading will be taken from the book of Wisdom.  The writing style is dense, but profound.  Every verse must be read slowly and thoughtfully in order to reap the sapiential insights.  It will be helpful to compare two different translations in order to grasp better the meaning of the text.  

The first chapter, from which today’s verses are drawn, is basically  a warning against wickedness, which separates one from divine Wisdom.   You might consider choosing one favorite verse as a proverb to dwell on throughout this day; for example, verse four reminds us that sin and evil expel wisdom:  “Because into a soul that plots evil, wisdom enters not, nor dwells she in a body under debt of sin.”

Daily Retreat 11/11/07

2007 Nov 11 SUN:THIRTY-SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
2 Mc 7:1-2. 9-14/ Ps 16(17):1. 5-6. 8. 15 (15b)/ 2 Thes 2:16 – 3:5/ Lk 20:27-38

From today’s readings: “It is my choice to die at the hands of men with the hope God gives of being raised up by Him....  Lord, when Your glory appears, my joy will be full....  May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the endurance of Christ....  Some Sadducees, those who deny that there is a resurrection, came forward and put this question to Jesus....”

The Resurrection

Have you ever heard of the Sadducees?  Possibly not at all, or at most, only a little, for it’s only a little that history has recorded of that Jewish faction mentioned in today’s Gospel passage, and in a few other places in the New Testament, and in a couple of other contemporary works.

And sadly to say, the Sadducees are chiefly characterized, not by what they believed, but by what they disbelieved, as we see from their introduction in the Gospel: “Some Sadducees, those who deny that there is a resurrection....”  Now, perhaps some have forgotten, but resurrection is really the linchpin of our Christian faith - as St. Paul admitted pointblank to the Corinthians, “If there is no resurrection of the dead, then neither has Christ been raised.  And if Christ has not been raised, then empty, too, is our preaching; empty, too, your faith.....  If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are the most pitiable of all men!”

Clearly, then, just like Christ, Christianity rises with the resurrection, or is buried forever, if those Sadducees were right in denying the resurrection.  Now, remember, “resurrection” means something that is fallen or dead “rises again.”  Thus, (and too many have lost sight of this crucial point!), “resurrection” is a much more audacious claim than mere affirmation of the immortality of the soul - “resurrection” is a precise reality that dispels so much of our contemporaries’ foggy notions of “life after death.”

Do you believe in the immortality of the soul?  Do you believe in life after death?  The nearly unanimous majority of all peoples of all times would say “Yes!” but with quite different visions of what those concepts entailed.  For some would put it this way: “Death cannot destroy the essence, the spiritual core of a person.”  Fine, as far as it goes, but that’s far short of Christian belief!  Or those who affirm: “After death, a person lives on in the hearts and memories of the next generation.” So what?  Even the Sadducees wouldn’t hesitate to agree with such platitudes!  Even those who insist, “We mustn’t cry, because Grandma is with God now....” - even such faith-grounded remarks haven’t begun to fathom the fullness of Christian faith in the resurrection!

You see, by definition, “resurrection” is an assertion about the eternal fate of the body - the physical, carnal, corporeal, mortal body!  And, in spite of the historical insignificance of the Sadducees, there are many, many people (perhaps even most!) who would flatly deny the resurrection of the body.  

Quite a wide spectrum, in fact, of philosophies and religions see the body basically as a disposable vehicle for the soul, hypothesizing that, at the beginning of a mortal’s life, the soul enters and animates the body, which in turn “bears” the soul until death.  At that point, the assumption is that the body is abandoned by the soul and left behind forever, so that the soul can continue its existence in a different mode, perhaps through reincarnation (entering another body), or amalgamation (uniting with a greater spirit), or whatever.  In any case, the presumption is that, at death, the soul certainly lives on, but the body is history, literally buried forever.

Such notions, however, are absolutely incompatible with even a mustard seed of Christian faith!  For Jesus Himself said, “I am the Resurrection....  I am the Way, the Truth, the Life.”  So those who believe in Him, must, by definition, believe the truth He taught and wrought about the resurrection of the body!

For, to be Christian, to believe in Christ, means to believe, as Jesus taught, in the resurrection of the body: at the moment of human death, the body and soul do separate, but only for a time.  For the soul is immediately ushered to God for the particular, private judgment - and remember, according to Jesus, not all go to Heaven - it’s not a “shoo in,” by any means!  And at the end of time, the eternal fates of all souls will be publicly reiterated at the last judgment; then, the body will be resurrected, re-vivified, and reunited for all eternity with its proper soul.  For, God created us humans body and soul, He redeemed us body and soul, and His will is for our eternal life, body and soul!

Now, for the historical Sadducees and for their modern disciples, any notion of “resurrection” is an absurd abstraction, and hence, they would endure no discussion of it!  Is that true for you?  Would you dismiss these clarifications as inconsequential?  Be warned, for that would amount to dismissal of your Christian faith, for all true Christians are known for what they believe!

Daily Retreat 11/10/07

2007 Nov 10 Sat:Leo the Great, pp, dr M
Rom 16:3-9. 16. 22-27/ Ps 144(145):2-3. 4-5. 10-11/ Lk 16:9-15

From today’s readings: “ Greet one another with a holy kiss....   I will praise Your name for ever, Lord.....  You cannot serve God and mammon....”

Wrapping up Romans

For the last month and a half, the first reading has generally been from St. Paul’s letter to the Romans, his longest and theologically richest epistle.  Why not sit down today for 30 minutes and re-read the entire letter, recalling the many insights Paul offered to help you and me (not just the Romans!) to grow in our faith?  

Today, we finally reach the closing, a litany of personal and poignant greetings.  All of those mentioned were ardent co-workers with Paul in spreading the Gospel.  If Paul were penning a letter to your community, would you rate a personal greeting for the zeal you’ve shown in living out your own faith?  

To the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be glory forever and ever - Amen!

Daily Retreat 11/09/07

2007 Nov 9 Fri:DEDICATION OF THE LATERAN BASILICA IN ROME F
Ez 47: 1-2. 8-9. 12/ Ps 45(46): 2-3. 5-6. 8-9/ 1 Cor 3: 9c-11. 16-17/ Jn 2: 13-22

From today’s readings:  “The angel brought me back to the entrance of the temple, and I saw water flowing out....  The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!...  the temple of God, which you are, is holy....  He was speaking about the temple of His Body....”

God’s House is Our House

It can seem a bit strange to have a feastday in honor of the dedication of a great church building that is set in the heart of Rome.  Although most people are more familiar with St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, it is this older Basilica of St. John Lateran which is actually the Pope’s Cathedral (as Bishop of Rome), and for this reason bears the inscription “omnium ecclesiarum Urbis et Orbis mater et caput” - “the mother and head of all churches of the City (Rome) and of the World.”

As St. Paul mentions in his letter to the Corinthians, more important and more resplendent than even the greatest basilicas, is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the heart of each believer, which makes us all Living Temples of God.  People are more important than buildings - always, and without exception.  If for some tragic reason, the destruction of the great Lateran Basilica were somehow necessary to save even one human life, then surely the building would be sacrificed to save the life!

This puts things in perspective, but that’s not to say that there is no importance or sacredness to church buildings.  Jesus Himself defended the sanctity of the ancient Temple in Jerusalem.  And, in many places in scripture (such as today’s first reading from the prophet Ezekiel), God chooses to use a building as a focal point of His blessings and presence.  This is true also of your parish church - it truly is the House of God since you will find the dwelling place of God there, His tabernacle among us!  But our loving Father does not want His House just for Himself - He wants us to join Him there!  God says to us His beloved children, “My house is your house!”

Daily Retreat 11/08/07

2007 Nov 8 Thu
Rom 14:7-12/ Ps 26(27):1bcde. 4. 13-14/ Lk 15:1-10

From today’s readings: “For if we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord; so then, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s....  I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living....  There will be more joy in Heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance....”

We are the Lord's!

To call Jesus “Lord” is more than just to extend Him a genteel title of respect, like “Sir.”  Rather, to name Jesus “Lord” is to recognize His personal authority and dominance in our lives!  St. Paul explains how inclusive is His sovereignty: “None of us lives for himself, and no one dies for himself. For if we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord; so then, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's!”

This means, of course, that we are slaves to no man - no one but God has absolute authority over us.  However, that also means that we have absolute authority over no one (not even ourselves!).  And that leaves no justification for you and me to judge or look with disdain on others, for to do so would be to usurp the authority of God Himself.

To put this more in context, read vv. 1-6 and 13-23 of this chapter 14.  Those verses are omitted from the lectionary probably because they discuss a rather complicated matter which would be almost hopeless to sort out without recourse to re-reading and reviewing Paul’s line of thought in all of the chapter.  Basically, the problem was between Christians who recognized completely that Christ superceded the Old Law (include the various dietary restrictions), and other Christians who, without necessarily undervaluing their faith in Christ, still felt bound in conscience to such prescriptions of the Old Law.  Both parties were guilty of passing judgment on each other -- Paul concedes that both sides do have a point, but he insists that, rather than preoccupying ourselves with perceived shortcomings of others, we should focus on the sobering reminder that "each of us shall give an account of himself to God."

Daily Retreat 11/07/07

2007 Nov 7 Wed
Rom 13:8-10/ Ps 111(112):1b-2. 4-5. 9/ Lk 14:25-33

From today’s readings: “Love does no evil to the neighbor; hence, love is the fulfillment of the law....  Blessed the man who is gracious and lends to those in need....  Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. ”

Love is the fulfillment of the law

The centrality of Christian love and charity is emphasized time and time again throughout the New Testament.  Here, in the context of Paul’s letter to the Romans, a crucial point is stressed: love is the FULFILLMENT of the law – but note that Paul does not say love is a REPLACEMENT for the law.  Why is this distinction so important?  Because some people have actually abused and equivocated the very concept of love in moral reasoning by purporting that as long as “love” is the motivation, nothing else matters.  

This aberrant and abhorrent argumentation is used in the defense of many evils such as euthanasia (“Out of love for grandfather, we’ll put an end to his suffering”), abortion (“Compassion for the distraught woman requires this option”), contraception (“Preoccupation about a possible pregnancy should not ever inhibit an enamored couple”) and other turpitudes.  But, proponents of such depravity ignore Paul’s further insistence, “Love does no evil to the neighbor!”

So, “doing no evil” (viz., not committing adultery, or killing, or stealing, or coveting, etc.) is the essential prerequisite for fulfilling the command to love your neighbor as yourself.  Only then does love truly fulfill (rather than replace!) all other commandments.

Daily Retreat 11/06/07

2007 Nov 6 Tue
Rom 12:5-16ab/ Ps130( 131):1bcde. 2. 3/ Lk 14:15-24

From today’s readings: “Rejoice in hope, endure in affliction, persevere in prayer....  In You, O Lord, I have found my peace....  Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in here the poor and the crippled, the blind and the lame....”

Bless those who persecute you!

These verses of Paul’s letter to the Romans contain some of the most practical advice in the entire Bible for living out our Christian faith.  Since the advice is so practical, let us take the step of putting it into practice!  Too often, you and I read words of scripture which strike us as profound, and yet we fail to follow up by letting the inspiration make a real difference in our lives.

Here’s a concrete example: Paul’s injunction to “Bless those who persecute you -  bless and do NOT curse them!”  Tough words to put in practice - it certainly is not easy to bless those who persecute us and cause us problems.  These words were particularly on my mind a few years ago when I was driving and considering a concrete application for them in my life.  Suddenly, a car swerved in front of me and came very close to causing a serious accident!  

I was just about to mutter “Darn you idiot!” when I recalled St. Paul’s recommendation, and I tried it: “Well, God bless you!” I prayed aloud on behalf of the inconsiderate driver - and it worked (at least for me)!  Instead of fruitlessly fuming about the near accident, I prayed peacefully for the safety of all on the road.  Thanks to St. Paul’s timely and timeless advice, I experienced God’s peace and was able to completely put the situation behind me.

So try it - on the road, or anytime someone does something annoying or unkind - bless them, and do not curse!  You’ll discover that you’re often in close enough range to benefit most from the blessing yourself!

Daily Retreat 11/05/07

2007 Nov 5 Mon
Rom 11:29-36/ Ps 68(69):30-31. 33-34. 36/ Lk 14:12-14

From today’s readings: “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! ...  Lord, in Your great love, answer me....  When you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you....”

The depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God

All of us have known particularly wise or knowledgeable persons who impressed us with the depth and extent of their thinking.  Whether it be in the realm of technology, medicine, history, literature, or perhaps even philosophy and theology, such enlightened people give you and me a healthy dose of humility as we face once again how much we have yet to learn about life and the world!

And yet, the wisest and most learned point out that all human wisdom and knowledge pales when compared to divine wisdom and knowledge.  Left to ourselves, not even the wisest and most intelligent among us could scale even the foothills of divine wisdom and knowledge, which is why God revealed Himself and His plan of salvation in Christ Jesus.  So divine wisdom and knowledge is accessible to us, not because of the sharpness of our intellects, but because of the gracious generosity of God.

That’s why spending time reading holy scriptures and studying and meditating on what we have read is one of the most ennobling human activities of all.  It’s like driving a car (our intellect) equipped with a rocket engine (God’s Revelation) which takes us to heights above and beyond our human limitations - it takes us all the way up to the Heavens and God Himself!

Daily Retreat 11/04/07

2007 Nov 4 SUN:THIRTY-FIRST SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Wis 11:22 – 12:2/ Ps 144(145):1-2. 8-9. 10-11. 13. 14/ 2 Thes 1:11 – 2:2/ Lk 19:1- 10

From today’s readings: “You rebuke offenders little by little, warn them and remind them of the sins they are committing, that they may abandon their wickedness and believe in You, O LORD!...  I will praise Your name for ever, my king and my God....  We always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of His calling and powerfully bring to fulfillment every good purpose and every effort of faith....  Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house....”

The 4 Last Things

I heard a voice from the infinite say, “What have you done for your soul today?”

As the days grow shorter and colder, Holy Mother Church recommends for our sober consideration not just the upcoming end of the year, but more importantly, the end of our lives, and even the end of time!  Death, judgment, Heaven and Hell are never frivolous subjects of conversation, but you and I determine, by the way we live our lives, whether these last things are matters of gloomy dread or joyful expectation.

This month of November began, after all, with one of the principal holy days of the liturgical year, the great Solemnity of All Saints, our celebration of all those who have reached the heavenly homeland, and our expression of gratitude to all of our celestial patrons for the perennial fruits of their earthly lives which continue to inspire and nourish us, and for their unceasing prayers on our behalf.

Then, this past Friday was All Souls’ Day - a particular feast in memory of, and for the spiritual benefit of all of our faithful departed friends and relatives.  After all, the Church’s teaching about departed souls in the state of purification, that is, purgatory, is in fact a matter of great hope and consolation: the love we have for friends and family does not, and should not come to an end with the physical separation of death.  Rather, you and I can still do something very important for them: as an expression of our ongoing love, we are urged to continue to pray and offer meritorious acts of mercy on behalf of our beloved departed brothers and sisters.  In fact, part of every Mass is devoted to “those who have gone before us marked with the sign of faith.”  So particularly during this month, our Christian family offers prayers for the souls of the faithful departed....

Holy Scriptures speak often, loudly and clearly about the richness of our God’s compassion, of the One Who “has mercy on all, and overlooks the sins of men so that they may repent.”  The One Who came to “search out and save what was lost.”  Remember the Confessional, the place where this Divine Mercy is there for the asking!  Mercy that is so encompassing, so overflowing, that even if we should approach Him with mixed motives, from fear, sense of duty, or even in mere curiosity, such as Zacchaeus, He won’t hesitate to invite Himself in!  The Lord is eager to stay at your house today - is there room for Him there?  Or do you plan to leave Him behind when you walk out of His house today?

My friends, even in our human finiteness, the last things are not completely beyond our comprehension.  For we are all mortals - no matter how hard we try, we cannot forget that death is part of our life.  The great gift of our conscience is our personal counsel who constantly instructs us how to secure a positive verdict in the final judgment.  The violence and evil that we can see in this life is more than enough to inspire dread for Hell and the fountain of that evil.  And our merciful God Who came down from Heaven left us the Eucharist, His Body and Blood, as the foretaste of the eternal Heavenly banquet.

I heard a voice from the Infinite say, “At your house, in your heart, I hope to stay, and share My life with your soul every day!”

Daily Retreat 11/03/07

2007 Nov 3 Sat/ BVM/ Martin de Porres, r
Rom 11:1-2a. 11-12. 25-29/ Ps 93(94):12-13a. 14-15. 17-18/ Lk 14:1. 7-11

From today’s readings: “The gifts and the call of God are irrevocable....  The Lord will not abandon His people....  My friend, move up to a higher position....”

The gifts and the call of God are irrevocable

The long series of conflicts between Christians and Jews is one of the greatest tragedies traced throughout history since the time of Christ.  While the Acts of the Apostles and other New Testament writings record instances of Jewish persecutions of the followers of Christ, Christian persecutions of Jews soon surfaced after Christians became more numerous and politically influential.

Obviously, such religious persecution, particularly when laced with violence, has no place in authentic Judaism or Christianity.  St. Paul, in particular, took great pains to remind the early Christians that “the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable,” that the Jewish people are still, and always will be, God’s chosen people, for God chose them for His revelation and divine favor through Abraham and the other patriarchs and prophets.  As Christians, we cannot fail to recognize this truth, for which we owe the Jews the greatest respect and gratitude!

But most important of all, God also chose the Jewish people through the incarnation of His Son Jesus.  Obviously, this is the point of disagreement between Jews and Christians which is impossible to overlook.  As Christians, we need to be like St. Paul, striving to share the treasure of our faith with all non-Christians, particularly the Jews.  But evangelization must ever respect individual freedom, for it is always sinful and sinister and shameful to attempt to coerce others to believe.