Daily Retreat 02/02/09

2009 Feb 2 Mon: PRESENTATION OF THE LORD F
Mal 3: 1-4/ Ps 23(24): 7. 8. 9. 10/ Heb 2: 14-18/ Lk 2: 22-40

From today’s readings:  “And suddenly there will come to the temple the LORD whom you seek....  Reach up, you ancient portals, that the King of glory may come in!...  He had to become like his brothers in every way....  Now, Master, You may let Your servant go in peace, according to Your word, for my eyes have seen Your salvation....”

Presenting...JESUS!

Malachi prophesied that “suddenly there will come to the temple the LORD whom you seek.”  Simeon was on hand when the prophecy was fulfilled, and he appended some additional verses of prophecy, both about the Child and His Mother.

And about us!  In his beautiful prayer, Simeon recognized in Christ the “light for the revelation of the gentiles.”  Where would we be without light?  In darkness, of course!    And so, where darkness remains in our lives and in our nations, it’s clear that the light of Christ must be brought to bear in order to dispel those shadows.  

Mary and Joseph were entrusted with the Christ Child, and they presented Him to the Lord and to those such as Simeon and Anna who were waiting and searching for Him.   In the intimate moment of receiving the Eucharist, each communicant is likewise entrusted with the Body of Christ - so each of us, like Mary and Joseph, have the divine privilege of re-presenting Him as we turn to God in reverent gratitude, and then, letting our lives shine with His light, we turn to present Him anew to all in the world who are still waiting and searching for Him!

Daily Retreat 02/01/09

2009 Feb 1 SUN: FOURTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Dt 18: 15-20/ Ps 94(95): 1-2. 6-7. 7-9 (8)/ 1 Cor 7: 32-35/ Mk 1: 21-28

From today’s readings:  “Moses spoke to all the people, saying: ‘A prophet like me will the LORD, your God, raise up for you from among your own kin; to Him you shall listen....’  If today you hear His voice, harden not your hearts.....  I am telling you this for your own benefit....   The people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority.... ”

What Can We Still Learn from Jesus?  

Like those first disciples mentioned by name in last Sunday’s gospel reading, all of us who glory in the name “Christian” have decided to follow Jesus in our lives.  In one way or another, be it promptly or tardily, be it enthusiastically or begrudgingly, each one of us has heard the call of Jesus to come and follow after Him.

But our commitment to Christian discipleship does not imply that you and I already know everything about Jesus - on the contrary, by definition, a disciple is a learner, a student.  So we follow Jesus because we recognize Him as our Rabbi, our Teacher, someone who can yet instruct us in essential matters about ourselves, about our world, and about our God Himself.

In all four Gospels, and most clearly in the Gospel of St. Mark, every turn of the page brings new additional and essential details which are intended to teach the Christian disciples the answer to the question, “Who is Jesus?”  As a matter of fact, as I will explain later this year, the entire Gospel according to St. Mark is structured to provide the pedagogical answer to that question.

Who is Jesus?  When the first disciples originally decided to follow Jesus, they recognized Him as their rabbi, their teacher, and some even had at least a vague hope or hunch that He was the prophet promised by Moses in the First Reading from the book of Deuteronomy.  But, in any case, every time Jesus spoke or acted, He revealed Himself as substantially more than the disciples had previously learned about Him.

So, for instance, the Gospel passage today, which is taken from the very first chapter of Mark, relates that the first disciples, soon after their decision to follow Jesus as their rabbi, observed Him teaching in their synagogue on the Sabbath.  But clearly, He was more than a typical teacher, more than a run-of-the-mill rabbi, for “He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.”  In fact, His authority evidently even extended over the unclean spirits, for He rebuked one such disruptive demon with the simple command, “Quiet!  Come out of him!”  and  the demon had no choice but to obey.

In time, the disciples would gradually learn more and more about the authority of Jesus, and they learned that, although He was indeed their rabbi and teacher, although He was indeed the prophet promised in the Old Testament, He was still much more than just that!  Gradually,  the disciples would learn to recognize Jesus as Messiah and Son of God and all that that entailed, but only because they heard His voice, and hardened not their hearts; they never (except for Judas) closed their minds to new insights taught by Jesus about themselves, their world, and their God.

Yet I fear that, too often, you and I, and so many of the Christian disciples of this time and place, think we already know Jesus enough, and know enough about Jesus.  We think we have Him pretty well figured out, and so there’s no compelling reason for us to listen carefully to the Scriptures and His Sabbath teaching in the Church.  We figure that our baptismal matriculation in His Church is enough in itself - why would we need continuing education in His school, why would we need careful study of His doctrines?

Well, the first Christian disciples learned, every day that they followed Jesus, that He was more than they had previously learned about Him.  They learned that He loved them more, they learned how He loved them more, they learned that they needed to love Him more, they learned that He had more to teach them, they learned that He clearly wanted them to learn more - and so they learned that Christian discipleship means following Jesus every day, learning from Him continually about themselves, their world, and their God!  They learned what you and I need to learn today:  that we don’t yet know Jesus well enough, and we don’t yet know enough about Jesus, but as long as we remember that we’re still disciples, we’re still learners, then He Himself will clearly continue to teach us!

Daily Retreat 01/31/09

2009 Jan 31 Sat: John Bosco, p, rf M
Heb 11: 1-2. 8-19/ Lk 1: 69-70. 71-72. 73-75/ Mk 4: 35-41

From today’s readings:  “Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen....  Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel; He has come to His people....  Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?”

Faith of our Fathers

The eleventh chapter of the Letter to the Hebrews recalls some of the great things that were brought about because of the faith of our biblical ancestors.  Read the whole chapter, and then recall also a few if the great things that have been brought about because of the faith of your own more recent forbears.  And then look back over your own life, and trace the flood of blessings unleashed with your own faith.  Then you’ll be well on your way to appreciating why this chapter was written - to fathom the fantastic fullness of faith!

Daily Retreat 01/30/09

2009 Jan 30 Fri: Ordinary Weekday
Heb 10: 32-39/ Ps 36(37): 3-4. 5-6. 23-24. 39-40/ Mk 4: 26-34

From today’s readings: “We are not among those who draw back and perish, but among those who have faith and will possess life....  The salvation of the just comes from the Lord....  With many such parables, He spoke the word to them as they were able to understand it. ”

Don’t Throw Away Your Faith!

Faith, because it is something precious, entails a price.  In order to hold fast to our faith and live up to it, we need to part with worldly values, and even worldly valuables, if that be necessary.  All of us have already paid something for our faith - while many of us would sense that much still remains to be paid in the future,  some have already paid quite dearly, thereby qualifying for the commendation in today’s first reading.

Since at least some modest “down payment” has already been made, how tragic then to throw away one’s faith and confidence in God - this always involves a horrendous loss!  And yet, people do throw away their faith because they’ve undervalued it as costly and unrewarding.  Faith is costly - yes!  But faith is also rewarding - and the whole Bible insists that the reward ultimately over-compensates for the cost, no matter how great it may be!

Daily Retreat 01/29/09

2009 Jan 29 Thu: Ordinary Weekday
Heb 10: 19-25/ Ps 23(24): 1-2. 3-4ab. 5-6/ Mk 4: 21-25

From today’s readings: “We should not stay away from our assembly....  Lord, this is the people that longs to see Your face....  The measure with which you measure will be measured out to you....”

Missing Church

God loves each one of us individually, but He also loves us together as His family.  While it’s altogether too easy to brand “other people” as the source of all our annoyances and problems, as Christians, we must recognize the presence of Christ in each other, and see how God also sends so many blessings to us through other people.

I strive to be very pro-active in reaching out to lapsed and inactive Catholics.  After praying, I make a point of  stopping by their homes for a short visit, and after mentioning that our parish truly misses them, I give them a chance to discuss the reasons they’ve stopped coming to church.

I don’t recall anyone ever saying that a direct loss of faith in God was his reason for shirking Sunday mass - people offer all kinds of reasons, but most of them boil down to disappointment or disagreement with either the pastor or the other people of the parish.

In my years of serving as a pastor, I’m certainly aware that I have alienated people from the Church.  Often enough, the fault clearly lies with me, and so I need to apologize and strive to make amends (and I jump to do this whenever possible) .  Other times, though, the alienation stems from reaction to a defensible pastoral decision that I can’t in good conscience retract, as much as I’d certainly like to smooth out the ruffled feathers!

But whether it’s annoyances with the people or the pastor, those who absent themselves from Church for such reasons (good or bad) might indeed insulate themselves from future annoyances, but they also isolate themselves both from future blessings and from their duty of bringing blessings to others.  As the Word of God reminds us in the Letter to the Hebrews: “We must consider how to rouse one another to love and good works. We should not stay away from our assembly, as is the custom of some, but encourage one another, and this all the more as you see the day drawing near.”

Daily Retreat 01/28/09

2009 Jan 28 Wed: Thomas Aquinas, p, r, dr M
Heb 10: 11-18/ Ps 109(110): 1. 2. 3. 4/ Mk 4: 1-20

From today’s readings:  “By one offering He has made perfect forever those who are being consecrated....  You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek....  Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand any of the parables?”

The Seminal Parable

Of all the things that Jesus taught, most people find His parables particularly memorable.  All good teachers, of course, strive to not just present facts for their students to memorize and parrot on tests, but rather, to inspire the students to think about the facts as they learn them.  Parables are well-suited for such efficacious teaching, since they effectively engage the listener in the search to understand their meaning - no wonder that the best Teacher made extensive use of parables in His teaching!

The Parable of the Sower is particularly detailed and prominent, and one of the few parables for which Jesus explicitly appended His own explanation, simply because of its fundamental theme of exposing the obstacles to the fruitful reception of the Word of God.

Those who first heard and those of us who most recently heard again this punchy parable are thus left with some thought-provoking and action-inspiring questions:
Since I have heard the Word of God, how rich of a harvest has been yielded?  
Thirty? Sixty? A hundredfold?  
If less than that, why?  
Has my inattention too often allowed Satan to steal the Word before being well implanted in my heart?  
Has my lack of follow-up and follow-through exposed me as one with lack of rooted convictions concerning the Word of God?  
Have my worldly anxieties, the lure of riches, and other preoccupations choked the Word of God in my life?  
What can I, with the help of God, do today about that?

Daily Retreat 01/27/09

2009 Jan 27 Tue: Ordinary Weekday/ Angela Merici, v, rf
Heb 10: 1-10/ Ps 39(40): 2 and 4ab. 7-8a. 10. 11/ Mk 3: 31-35

From today’s readings: “We have been consecrated through the offering of the Body of Jesus Christ once for all....  Here am I Lord; I come to do your will....  Whoever does the will of God is My brother and sister and mother.... ”

Once for all

The Epistle to the Hebrews stresses the definitive nature of the Lord’s redemptive sacrifice, emphatically classified, according to Hebrews 10:10, as “once for all.”  Protestants have appealed to this clear biblical insistence as an objection to the Catholic teaching on the sacrificial nature of the Holy Mass, asking  “Do you believe that Christ is re-sacrificed, or that the Mass adds something the unique, definitive sacrifice of Christ?”

The answer to both questions is “No” - no, Catholics do not believe Christ is sacrificed again at every Mass, nor do we believe that the Mass adds something lacking in the unique, definitive sacrifice of Christ.  What the Church does teach, however, is that Holy Mass is the re-presentation of Christ’s sacrifice - not just a symbolic re-enactment, but a divinely dynamic, “making present,” a miraculous transcendence of time and space, a profoundly personal participation, precisely because Christ’s sacrifice is indeed “once and for all,” a historically anchored event that nevertheless has an everlasting immediacy and efficacy unconstrained by time.

At the Last Supper, Christ commanded His apostles to “Do this in memory of Me.” What was the “this” Christ commanded?  Christ had taken bread and wine, and, in anticipation of His definitive sacrifice on the Cross, He changed the bread and wine into His Body and His Blood, offered up so that His followers could share personally and intimately in the communion of His once and for all sacrifice.  The Mass is the consummation of Christ’s command, when the Church ever new fulfills the divine directive to “Do this in memory of Me.”

Daily Retreat 01/26/09

2009 Jan 26 Mon: Timothy and Titus, bps M
2 Tm 1: 1-8 or Ti 1: 1-5/ Ps 95(96): 1-2a. 2b-3. 7-8a. 10/ Mk 3: 22-30

From today’s readings:  “For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control.....  Proclaim God’s marvelous deeds to all the nations.....  If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.”

Timothy and Titus

There are a two options for the first reading today - Paul’s letters to Timothy and Titus, because of their personal touch, provide us with a sense of how we should see all of the Bible - not as an intimidating, musty, outdated book, rarely read but kept mostly for its antique value, but rather, as a living, loving letter written to guide and inspire us by a wise, caring Father.

The beginnings of both the letters in the lectionary are filled with such excitement and joy at this opportunity for Paul to “fan the flame” and give encouragement to Timothy and Titus, so that they in turn will give encouragement and direction to the people of God entrusted to their care.  As Paul proves (and in turn, Timothy and Titus as well), helping others to grow in their faith is one of the best ways to celebrate and strengthen and rejuvenate your own faith!

Daily Retreat 01/25/09

2009 Jan 25 SUN: Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul
Acts 22: 3-16 or Acts 9: 1-22/ Ps 116(117): 1bc. 2/ Mk 16: 15-18

From today’s readings:  “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? ....Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature!”

The Conversion of St. Paul in the Pauline Year

You’re probably aware that Pope Benedict XVI designated a special Jubilee year to the Apostle Paul from June 28th 2008 to June 29th 2009 to mark the bimillennium of his birth.  
For more information, check out this link:  http://www.annopaolino.org/interno.asp?id=3&lang=eng
In addition to his feastday in June (which he shares with St. Peter), the commemoration of  St. Paul’s conversion is also celebrated every year on this day.

Accounts of the conversion of St. Paul recur three times in the Acts of the Apostles: first, the author (St. Luke) recounts the incident (chapter 9); then, St. Paul narrates his conversion while presenting his defense to the Jews in Jerusalem (chapter 22); and  then again, Paul recalls the miraculous events in his speech before King Agrippa (chapter 26).

In compiling the Acts of the Apostles, Luke could have chosen to present the details of Paul's conversion only once, and then merely mentioned a summary of Paul's  defense statements before the Jews and King Agrippa.  But because the details of the conversion are repeated  and even offered from a slightly different point of view each time, it's patently clear that Paul's conversion was a watershed event in the early Church, and the miracle of his conversion must have been the inspiration for many conversions.

Some of us can trace particular moments of conversion  in our own lives, but even if, by God's grace, we've  stayed relatively close to Him all of our lives, each of us needs to be committed to ongoing conversion, to continual sanctification, and the commitment to grow in our faith - and to be just as grateful as St. Paul was for the wondrous ways God has shown us His light!

Daily Retreat 01/24/09

2009 Jan 24 Sat: Francis de Sales, bp, rf, dr M
Heb 9: 2-3. 11-14/ Ps 46(47): 2-3. 6-7. 8-9/ Mk 3: 20-21

From today’s readings:  “ He entered once for all into the sanctuary, not with the blood of goats and calves but with His own Blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption....  God mounts His throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord....  When His relatives heard of this they set out to seize Him, for they said, ‘He is out of his mind.’ ”

Craziness

Today’s Gospel passage is not only the shortest daily reading in the entire lectionary (a mere two verses), but’s it’s also one of the most difficult to interpret, especially taken, as it is, out of its wider context.  Evidently, the compilers of the lectionary wanted the congregation to be confronted with the abrasiveness of verse 21, for otherwise, today’s verses could have easily been read with the eight ensuing verses assigned for Monday.

First, there are a few translation issues to be considered.  Because of an ambiguity in the original Greek text, verse 21 could be rendered, “When His relatives heard, they went out to take control of it (viz., the demanding crowd mentioned in the previous verse), for they were saying it was beside itself.”  This interpretation would neatly remove the distastefulness of recording that some of the closest people to Jesus thought He was crazy.  But, while such a translation is defensible, based on word usage patterns in Mark’s Gospel, most scripture scholars would hold that a stronger case could be made for the more straightforward and traditional translation, “... they went out to take control of Him....”

Now, what were they saying about Him?  The American lectionary reads, “... they said, ‘He is out of his mind.’ ” However, other translations put it, “He is beside himself.” Both are acceptable translations, but the second reads a bit less harshly to pious listeners, since, given the demands of the pushy crowd,  it is certainly understandable that the Lord’s relatives would be worried about His perhaps being overwhelmed with the frenzy of His work.

However, even granted the possibility that such legitimate translation possibilities exist, the compilers and translators of our lectionary wanted us to face head-on the traditional rendering, viz., that those close to Jesus were saying that He was insane!  

You or I would never say such a thing about our Lord, of course.  And yet, when we read the Gospels attentively, and consider the full impact of what Jesus did and said, and when we take seriously what He demands that His followers likewise do and say, then can’t we sometimes detect a little voice of doubt in our own hearts that also seems to say, “He can’t really mean that - that’s impossible - He’s crazy!”

Interestingly enough, in his letters, St. Paul didn’t hesitate to admit that Christ’s whole life certainly appears as utter madness to the world (see, for instance, 1Cor. 1:23, 2:14ff, 4:10).  For, if solely secular standards of sanity are sanctioned, then Christ indeed is crazy!  But, when Christ and His sanctity are seen as the sole sane standard of salvation, then really, it’s only our world that’s crazy, not our Lord!

Daily Retreat 01/23/09

2009 Jan 23 Fri: Ordinary Weekday
Heb 8: 6-13/ Ps 84(85): 8 and 10. 11-12. 13-14/ Mk 3: 13-19

From today’s readings:  “Now our high priest has obtained so much more excellent a ministry as He is mediator of a better covenant, enacted on better promises....  Kindness and truth shall meet....  He appointed Twelve, whom He also named Apostles, that they might be with Him and He might send them forth to preach and to have authority to drive out demons....”

The Old and the New

Many key passages of the New Testament (including today's first reading) reflect on the significance of the new covenant established by Jesus (particularly worthy of mention are the words of our Lord at the Last Supper, Luke 22:20). Hebrews 8:8 begins a long quotation from  Jeremiah 31:31ff which explains why a new covenant was needed: not because of any deficiency or faithlessness on God's part, but because of the faithlessness of the people of the covenant.  

Because of the gracious magnanimity and "better promises" of the new covenant, the Epistle to the Hebrews goes on to call the old covenant "obsolete." Especially here, as Christians, you and I need to carefully adhere to the precise teachings of scripture and not allow a misinterpretation to move us to dismiss the old testament as superfluous. Something that is obsolete is not  necessarily useless.

For example, by coincidence, I am visiting a friend today and typing this virtual retreat reflection on his computer, which certainly can be  considered "obsolete" (it's about ten years old). But  it still works! I would certainly benefit if I had access to a better computer, but for the moment, I am grateful that this obsolete machine can still get the  job done.  

Paul mentions elsewhere that God's gift and call are irrevocable (Romans 11:29). Without a doubt then, God continues to sanctify and draw His people to salvation through means of the old covenant, which, even if "obsolete," remains a great blessing. However, since an even greater  blessing is available in God's new covenant, we should avail ourselves of that and help others to do so as well! 

Daily Retreat 01/22/09

2009 Jan 22 Thu: Ordinary Weekday/ Vincent of Saragossa, d, mt
Heb 7: 25 – 8: 6/ Ps 39(40): 7-8a. 8b-9. 10. 17/ Mk 3: 7-12

From today’s readings:  “Jesus is always able to save those who approach God through Him, since He lives forever to make intercession for them....  Here am I, Lord; I come to do Your will....  ”

1-22

This day, 1-22, an even more tragic anniversary than 9-11, marks the US  Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion in 1973. The following is  an excerpt from the American Bishops’ webpage (http://www.usccb.org/prolife/fastpray.shtml):

On January 22, a "day of penance for violations to the dignity of the  human person committed through acts of abortion, and of prayer for the  full restoration of the legal guarantee of the right to life" will be  mandatory in the dioceses of the U.S. for the first time. As an "Optional  Memorial," the Mass celebrated that day may be the Mass "For Peace and  Justice" or follow the normal weekday Mass readings and prayers for the  day found in the Ordo, with or without optional prayers related to St.  Vincent of Saragossa whose Feast Day falls on January 22.

There are three things we can do to combat abortion: prayer, personal  contact, and political involvement. PRAYER is essential and primary,  and so today in particular we entreat almighty God for aid in overcoming the scourge of abortion; PERSONAL CONTACT is also key in converting hearts,  one by one, to pro-life; and POLITICAL INVOLVEMENT has become our sacred  responsibility in order to continue the momentum gained in the past  election year.

Daily Retreat 01/21/09

2009 Jan 21 Wed: Agnes, v, mt M
Heb 7: 1-3. 15-17/ Ps 109(110): 1. 2. 3. 4/ Mk 3: 1-6

From today’s readings:  “He remains a priest forever....  The LORD has sworn, and He will not repent....  Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath? ”

Melchizedek

In chapter 14, the book of Genesis introduces a most mysterious man, Melchizedek, whose name means “king of righteousness,” as the letter to the Hebrews explains. Not much more about him is mentioned, except that he blessed Abraham, and Abraham in turn tithed to him. Melchizedek is also mentioned in Psalm 109 (110):4 “You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek,”a verse already quoted twice in Hebrews (5:6 and 6:20).

The epistle to the Hebrews argues that Jesus is the great high priest, and specifically, that His priesthood surpasses the priesthood of Aaron, that is, the Jewish priesthood of the Old Testament, which was a hereditary office, “expressed in a commandment concerning physical  descent.” Elements of Melchizedek’s priesthood are thus presented as prototypical of Christ’s priesthood, although it’s important to note that even Melchizedek “was thus made to resemble the Son of God,” i.e., Christ as priest is not a reduction or imitation of Melchizedek as priest; instead, Christ’s priesthood is the example par excellence which was foreshadowed in Melchizedek’s priesthood.

The insight expressed in the letter to the Hebrews is that Melchizedek is more than a mysterious minor supporting figure whom Abraham happened to meet. Rather, the “king of righteousness” introduced in the book of Genesis was a precursor to help the chosen people grasp the transcendent and priestly nature of Jesus, the definitive “King of Righteousness.”

Daily Retreat 01/20/09

2009 Jan 20 Tue: Ordinary Weekday/ Fabian, pp, mt/ Sebastian, mt
Heb 6: 10-20/ Ps 110(111): 1-2. 4-5. 9 and 10c/ Mk 2: 23-28

From today’s readings:  “God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love you have demonstrated for His Name by having served and continuing to serve the holy ones....  The Lord will remember His covenant for ever....  the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.”

Forward or Reverse in Faith?

There’s no room for complacency in the Christian faith, because our faith is something living - like a plant, at any given time, faith either will be growing, or decaying.  This is a crucial passage of Hebrews: the lectionary omits 5:11-6:9 with its severe warnings against apostasy, the shameful act of backpedaling in matters of faith.

The lectionary omission allows us to focus more on what is encouraged in these verses: faith, full speed ahead!  Scripture assures us that God has sworn an oath to convince in the most solemn way possible that He will be faithful, that He will be with us as we move forward in faith.

But it’s up to us to take the steps forward in faith.  Instead of an attitude of resting on the laurels of yesterday’s faith, you and I need to realize that God is with us this day, encouraging us to take a step closer to Him and make a deeper commitment to living the fullness of our faith!

Daily Retreat 01/19/09

2009 Jan 19 Mon: Ordinary Weekday
Heb 5: 1-10/ Ps 109(110): 1. 2. 3. 4/ Mk 2: 18-22

From today’s readings:  “ Son though He was, He learned obedience from what He suffered; and when He was made perfect, He became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him....  You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek....  New wine is poured into fresh wineskins.”

The Priesthood of Christ

Too often, you and I turn to Scripture and mine it for merely an inspirational verse for the day - some little nugget of divine revelation, preferably when it makes a memorable motto.  But ultimately, the Word of God can’t be condensed into a Reader’s Digest version!  Even though some verses of the Bible are deliberately appealing as appetizers, such verses should be followed as an invitation to ever deeper contemplation....

The eternal and unparalleled priesthood of Christ is one of the central themes of the Epistle to the Hebrews.   The topic is too theologically rich to be adequately summarized because, in fact, the whole carefully-crafted epistle purposely begins by laying out the essential background needed to understand the universal context of Christ’s priesthood, and then the epistle explores the infinite dimensions of His priesthood and how His sacrifice is the perfect sacrifice that atones forever in the establishment of the new and eternal covenant.

Since none of that can be summed up in a slogan, you may experience the temptation to tune out today’s and the upcoming sections of the Letter to the Hebrews.  But what a loss that would be, as if, like the folks in His hometown (cf. Mt. 13:53-58), we had concluded that Jesus was simply too much for us!  So instead, let us try to at least take a look at what the Holy Scriptures teach us about the priesthood of Christ and the profound implications of that - my reflections over the next few days will focus on this theme.

Daily Retreat 01/18/09

2009 Jan 18 SUN: SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
1 Sm 3: 3b-10. 19/ Ps 39(40): 2. 4. 7-8. 8-9. 10 (8a. 9a)/ 1 Cor 6: 13c-15a. 17-20/ Jn 1: 35-42

From today’s readings:  “ Speak, LORD, for Your servant is listening.....  Here am I, Lord; I come to do Your will....  The body is not for immorality, but for the Lord....   What are you looking for?”

Listening and Looking

As the guarantor of our free will, God has made it very clear that He will never force us to come to Him.  He calls us, and stands ready to lead us; He beckons, and offers to feed us, but ultimately, we can say “No” to all of this.  Or, just as bad as saying “No,” we can simply ignore His loving invitations.

You see, most people, even those least marked with love for God in their lives, will initially recoil in horror at the mere idea of saying “No” to God, because such a refusal is so clearly Satanic.  And well does the Devil know that, even among the many whom he routinely drags into mortal sins, few of them will confess their dealings with demons, their friendship with the Fiend.  Few people will confess an actual “No” to God, but many are they who are content to engage in selective hearing in regards to the Word of God, in order to better tune in the secular musings; many are they who are satisfied to spot God only in peripheral vision, in order to better focus on worldly things.

But what then of those of us ready this day to cast off such complacency?  How can we follow more faithfully, to come and see, not just a peek, but the full revelation of all that Jesus wants to show us?  How can we respond more readily, to come and hear, not just a peep, but the whole symphony of all that Jesus wants to conduct us in?

In his youth, Samuel was given this excellent advice by Eli the priest: “If you are called, reply, ‘Speak, LORD, for Your servant is listening.’ ” The priest who writes this can only emphasize and echo the soundness of such wisdom!  For there are certainly still many among us whom the Lord has been patiently calling and repeating their names, and yet in the same mistaken way that Samuel initially responded,  such people barely hear the first word of God, but then immediately start running in the wrong direction and talking altogether too much, when they need to stand still, be quiet, and pray, “Speak Lord, for Your servant is listening.”  So indeed, does the psalm prescribe patience,  that we too at last can say, “I have waited, waited for the LORD, and He stooped toward me and heard my cry. And He put a new song into my mouth, a hymn to our God!”

In their adulthood, Andrew and another of John’s disciples heard the Baptist’s voice pointing out the Lamb of God, and so they decided to take a closer look at this Lamb, Who then rewarded them with a personal invitation for an ever closer look: “Come and you will see!” were the simple words, but the full revelation was, “Come and follow Me!  Come and remain with Me!  Come and let Me lead you to My dwelling!”  For  there are certainly still many among us to whom the Lord has been patiently beckoning with His invitation, “Come, and you will see, come, for you still have much to learn about Me!” and yet in the same mistaken way that Peter initially stood aloof, such people hesitate to come any closer, perhaps out of pride, or shame, or lack of interest, or any number of excuses, but then finally a family member, a close friend, a zealous disciple brings them Jesus.

Listen to the Lord, and look for the Lord!  Not listening just with selective hearing, but listening attentively with all our hearts to all He says, including the hard sayings, such as this found in Paul’s letter to the Corinthians: “Avoid sexual immorality.  Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.”  

Listen to the Lord, and look for the Lord!  Not looking just from afar or merely with peripheral vision, but looking intently with all our hearts to all He reveals, following the path of life where He leads us, and eating the Bread of Life which He feeds us, and making the holy choice with the noble resolution of our free will, to not refuse God’s invitation, to no longer ignore God’s call, but to say, in word and deed, “YES!” to our divine vocation.

Daily Retreat 01/17/09

2009 Jan 17 Sat: Anthony, ab M
Heb 4: 12-16/ Ps 18(19): 8. 9. 10. 15/ Mk 2: 13-17

From today’s readings:  “The word of God is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword....  Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life....  Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. ”

Sharper than a two-edged sword!

The first verse of the first reading is often invoked as a slogan describing the power of Sacred Scripture: “The Word of God is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.”   True as this is about the written word of God, it is even more fundamentally true about the Incarnate Word of God, Jesus, the great high priest, for “No creature is concealed from Him, but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of Him to whom we must render an account.”

What is your attitude to the Word of God?  Do you treat Him as just another of the many words which clamor for your attention, occasionally giving ear to Him perhaps, but even more often, closing your ears and heart to Him?  OR do you recognize His “living and effective” nature, and thus accord Him His rightful place as the divine Word of life, truth, and love?

Daily Retreat 01/16/09

2009 Jan 16 Fri: Ordinary Weekday
Heb 4: 1-5. 11/ Ps 77(78): 3 and 4bc. 6c-7. 8/ Mk 2: 1-12

From today’s readings:  “Therefore, let us strive to enter into that rest, so that no one may fall after the same example of disobedience....  Do not forget the works of the Lord!...   But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth....”

Profiting from the Word

All in all, the triumph of Truth is more hindered by lack of listeners than by paucity of preachers.  The letter to the Hebrews reminds us that, like our ancestors, we have been exposed to the Good News - the Word of God has reached all of us in one way or another.  What good has it done us?  

Well, that all depends on how well we have listened to it and received it.  God’s revelation is the greatest of blessings for those who welcome it, but Scripture records many examples of people, such as the obstinate Israelites in the wilderness, who refused to listen to God and so forfeited the peace and rest God intended for them.

Today, you and I do well to consider to what degree we have listened to God’s Word, welcomed His revelation, and ordered our lives by it.  We have all encountered the divine Good News, and we profit from that blessing to the degree that we welcome it!

Daily Retreat 01/15/09

2009 Jan 15 Thu: Ordinary Weekday
Heb 3: 7-14/ Ps 94(95): 6-7c. 8-9. 10-11/ Mk 1: 40-45

From today’s readings:  “Encourage yourselves daily while it is still ‘today,’ so that none of you may grow hardened by the deceit of sin....  If today you hear His voice, harden not your hearts.... go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed.... ”

While it is still today....

The words of Scripture are almost all driven with a keen sense of urgency - nowhere in the Bible, for example, can you find a passage which suggests that our journey of faith is meant merely to be a leisurely amble or meander along the Way of Truth and Virtue.  So, for instance, the first reading, echoing the psalm, insists that today is the proper moment for listening to the voice of God and encouraging each other in this regard - revelation has little tolerance for procrastination!

Daily Retreat 01/14/09

2009 Jan 14 Wed: Ordinary Weekday
Heb 2: 14-18/ Ps 104(105): 1-2. 3-4. 6-7. 8-9/ Mk 1: 29-39

From today’s readings:  “Because He Himself was tested through what He suffered, He is able to help those who are being tested....  The Lord remembers His covenant for ever....  Rising very early before dawn, He left and went off to a deserted place, where He prayed.”

The Hinge of Salvation

Tertullian, one of the great writers of the patristic age, remarked that “The flesh is the hinge of salvation.”  This motto is often invoked as a summary of the arguments in defense of the Incarnation of Christ, His bodily Resurrection, and the general resurrection of the body at the end of time.

Many heresies have arisen which denied, compromised, or mitigated these truths of our faith.  At times, the temptation even lures ardent Christians to “spiritualize” the historicity of the Gospel details about Christ’s Incarnation, birth, human life, passion, death, and bodily resurrection and ascension.

But this is the bottom line:  if Jesus did not fully share our human nature, He could not have been our Redeemer, the One who, on behalf of all mankind, presented to God the Father the atoning sacrifice which reconciled humanity to divinity.  These verses of the Letter to the Hebrews are particularly clear on this point, which is why you and I can turn, in all of our  human weaknesses, to the our merciful and faithful high priest who became like us in every way but sin.

Daily Retreat 01/13/09

2009 Jan 13 Tue: Ordinary Weekday/ Hilary, bp, dr
Heb 2: 5-12/ Ps 8: 2ab and 5. 6-7. 8-9/ Mk 1: 21-28

From today’s readings:  “...by the grace of God, He might taste death for everyone....  You have given Your Son rule over the works of Your hands....  The people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes....”

Of Angels and their Lord

During Advent, the lectionary readings, although thematically related, “jump” from book to book, making it difficult in that schema to observe continuity and development of themes within books of the Bible.  But in the Christmas season, the daily first readings were progressively taken from the First Letter of John, so we were able to reflect not just on isolated verses, but on the overall thematic impact of the whole work.

Now, for a few weeks, the daily first readings will peruse the New Testament book (or letter) to the Hebrews.  The day-by-day lectionary reading of this text will occasionally abbreviate the text in the Bible by omitting a few verses, but as always, it is highly encouraged to use your own Bible to read the whole passage, including omitted verses.  Thus, yesterday, the lectionary ended with Hebrews 1:6, while today the reading begins with Hebrews 2:5 -  the omitted verses are not essential, but reading them will lead to a more complete understanding of the issues.

The first verses of Hebrews acknowledge Jesus as the definitive revelation of God.  In explaining that point, the first chapters of Hebrews detail how Jesus is superior to the angels and to Moses.  Now, by nature, angels (both good and evil) enjoy certain advantages over humans: their intellects are superior, and furthermore, angels, being pure spirits,  need not worry about the limitations and weaknesses of the body.  So the fact that Jesus was truly human seems to lead, at first glance, to the conclusion that He was inferior to the angels, which is why these first chapters address that issue and explain why Christ, not only in spite of His humanity, but precisely because of His Incarnation as God’s Son, is infinitely superior to the angels.

Daily Retreat 01/12/09

2009 Jan 12 Mon: Ordinary Weekday
Heb 1: 1-6/ Ps 97: 1 and 2b. 6 and 7c. 9/ Mk 1: 14-20

From today’s readings: “In times past, God spoke in partial and various ways to our fathers through the prophets; in these last days, He spoke to us through the Son....  Let all His angels worship Him.....  This is the time of fulfillment - the Kingdom of God is at hand!  Repent, and believe in the Gospel!”

The Full Feast of Life

We have now officially finished Christmas season, but the first reading will sound vaguely familiar if you went to the last Mass on Christmas Day, since the same passage was used then as the second reading.  Indeed, the first verses of Hebrews are such a succinct meditation recognizing the Incarnation as the culmination of revelation.

And that point needs to be stressed, especially since a common temptation today is to take a sample-size bite of Christianity, and then prematurely conclude that the Faith ought to be enhanced with humanism, or flavored with Eastern or New Age spices, or peppered with rationalism, or seasoned with modernism, or beefed up with materialism, or at least ground into syncretism.

But Jesus is the definitive Word of God - no past, present, or future human or even divine utterance can ever retract, qualify, nuance or enhance the full, unequivocal and unique revelation of God.  So, no time need ever be wasted looking elsewhere for some mundane complement to Christianity - but, real effort does need to be exerted to ascertaining (and living!) the divine completeness of Faith in Christ.  After all, Christianity is the fullest feast of life, not just an appetizer!

Daily Retreat 01/11/09

2009 Jan 11 SUN: BAPTISM OF THE LORD F
Is 55: 1-11/ Is 12: 2-3. 4bcd. 5-6 (3)/ 1 Jn 5: 1-9/ Mk 1: 7-11

From today’s readings:  “Thus says the LORD: All you who are thirsty, come to the water....  With joy, you will draw water at the fountain of salvation....  This is the One who came through water and blood, Jesus Christ, not by water alone, but by water and blood.....  It happened in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized in the Jordan by John..”

His and our baptism

Since the life of Jesus is an example for us, our celebration of His baptism today is also intended to inspire us to appreciate anew the grace of our own baptism.  Our own baptism is such a glorious bath of rebirth and renewal that should be celebrated annually (and even commemorated daily, in some form, such as by making the Sign of  the Cross with holy water).

Many people, particularly those baptized as infants, since they lack specific memories of that event, aren’t very inspired to commemorate that day.  However, even though each of us was born as an infant, although we have no recollection of that, we still celebrate our birthday every year.    So, if we appreciate the ongoing effects of our baptism, that day should be noted even more so!

Take the time today to look up the date of your baptism, and write the anniversary on your calendar.  Then, on the feast of your own baptism, turn to God with gratitude for generously adopting you as His own beloved child.  And, so that you can be cleansed of all sin and be once again wholly pleasing to Him, go to confession that day (or week) so that your soul is once more cleansed of all sin.

Daily Retreat 01/10/09

2009 Jan 10 Sat: Christmas Weekday
1 Jn 5: 14-21/ Ps 149: 1-2. 3-4. 5 and 6a and 9b/ Jn 3: 22-30

From today’s readings: “Children, be on your guard against idols....  The Lord takes delight in His people....  He must increase; I must decrease.... ”

Wrapping up the Christmas season

Although profoundly poetic, especially in the ecstatic meditations on the nature of divine Love, the first letter of John is not the easiest book of the Bible to read from start to finish - there’s quite a bit of jumping around from one topic to another, and there’s not a strong structure to suggest a sense of direction.

However, that observation is not meant to dismiss the letter in any way - only to offer a warning when reading to compensate for some of the confusion that’s bound to arise.   Since St. John does not shrink from addressing some of the most profound implications of faith in Jesus, it’s no wonder that he doesn’t always complete every explanation and connection - it would simply take too many words to adequately explain!

Yet what he does write is so deep - it’s no wonder the Church prescribes reading this whole letter right after Christmas in order for us to begin to fathom the mystery of the birth of Christ in the world!  And so, my recommendation is that you join me in re-reading the whole letter today, thereby igniting once again the light of Christmas faith for the whole year that lies before us!  Parts of the letter are refreshingly blunt and lucidly unforgettable, but other passages might seem esoterically cryptic, at least until complementary biblical texts are encountered in future lectionary readings.  But be patient - they will come!  “Beloved: We have this confidence in Him....”

Daily Retreat 01/09/09

2009 Jan 9 Fri: Christmas Weekday
1 Jn 5: 5-13/ Ps 147: 12-13. 14-15. 19-20/ Lk 5: 12-16

From today’s readings:  “ God gave us eternal life, and this life is in His Son....  Glorify the LORD, O Jerusalem; praise your God, O Zion....  It happened that there was a man full of leprosy in one of the towns where Jesus was; and when he saw Jesus, he fell prostrate, pleaded with Him....”

Eternal life and love

As St. John begins to bring this letter of love to a close (and as we likewise approach the formal close of the Christmas liturgical season), he states his purpose in writing:
“I write these things to you so that you may know that you have eternal life, you who believe in the Name of the Son of God!”

What does it mean to you to have eternal life?  Mostly, we only think of that concept in terms of heavenly bliss, but St. John suggests that this is not just something promised for the future (“God WILL give us eternal life...”) but something that has already been presented (“God GAVE us eternal life...”).

To be sure, this eternal life is not yet possessed in its fulness by those of us still running the course of our earthly life. But in spite of the differences, John's insight is that there is a profound continuity between life now in Christ and life in Heaven with Christ, for "whoever possesses the Son has life...."

Daily Retreat 01/08/09

2009 Jan 8 Thu: Christmas Weekday
1 Jn 4: 19 – 5: 4/ Ps 71(72): 1-2. 14 and 15bc. 17/ Lk 4: 14-22

From today’s readings: “Whoever does not love a brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen....  Lord, every nation on earth will adore You.....  Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news of Him spread throughout the whole region....”

Delightful Logic of Love

God’s love is like the sun’s light - we can turn our backs on it and shut out its warmth, but it is impossible to altogether stymie its influence.  God is good, and God is love, and so to intentionally not love God is like attempting to cast a shadow on the sun!

And yet, our experience of the sun’s light is almost always indirect - we see the sweeping landscapes or glowing sky, or whatever is in our line of sight - all this, imbued with light from the sun, but the source of the light, the sun itself, is impossible to directly view (except when muffled with atmosphere haze or tantalizingly hovering on the horizon at sunrise and sunset).

What would we say of a person who says, “I love the sunlight!” but assiduously avoids  the daylight?  Such a person must surely be suffering from a mental mixup!  So it is, explains St. John, with the person who claims to love God (the source of love), but rejects the nearby manifestation of that love (his brother).

Daily Retreat 01/07/09

2009 Jan 7 Wed: Christmas Weekday/ Raymond of Peñafort, p
1 Jn 4: 11-18/ Ps 71(72): 1-2. 10. 12-13/ Mk 6: 45-52

From today’s readings: “Beloved, if God so loved us, we also must love one another....  Lord, every nation on earth will adore You....  Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid! ”

Law of Love

As Christians, we are all aware of Christ’s "Law of Love," the commandment from Jesus that we are to love others as He loves us (Gospel of John 13:34). St. John emphasizes this several times throughout his writings, and of course, other New Testament authors do as well.

In spite of our awareness of this injunction from the repeated biblical insistence on love of others, oftentimes, you and I are lacking in awareness of the compelling nature of this law of love. No where in the Bible is love of others presented as a mere "good idea" or "goal to strive for" - rather, Jesus and all His apostles insist on love as an absolute obligation (as St. John writes in the first reading, "Beloved, if God so loved us, we also MUST love one another.").

So, there’s really no room for half measures in this regard. And that’s why we need to take seriously St. John’s meditation on God’s love for us, for as we become aware of the extent of His love, it becomes easier for us (even something compelling!) to share this divine love with others.

Daily Retreat 01/06/09

2009 Jan 6 Tue: Christmas Weekday/ Bl André Bessette, r
1 Jn 4: 7-10/ Ps 71(72): 1-2. 3-4. 7-8/ Mk 6: 34-44
N.B. Epiphany is celebrated today in some countries

From today’s readings: “God is love....  Lord, every nation on earth will adore You....  When Jesus saw the vast crowd, His heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd....”

God is Love

The verse most quoted from John’s epistles is probably 1 John 4:8, “God is Love!” (repeated just a few verses later, 1John 4:16).  How profound, and yet how simple!

The Devil strives to blunt the effect of simple truths by tempting us to dismiss them as lackluster truisms: “Yeah, yeah, yeah, ‘God is love’ - everyone knows that, what’s the big deal?”  Likewise, the Devil tries to dim the light of profound truths by tempting us to ignore them as convoluted sophisms: “God is love?  What’s that supposed to really mean, anyway?”

So that you and I may thus avoid the demonic traps of overlooking the compelling significance of “God is love,” St. John wrote his whole first epistle to teach that simple, profound truth!  So, by reading the whole letter, we can then see “God is love” as the soul’s truth of life!

Daily Retreat 01/05/09

2009 Jan 5 Mon: John Neumann, bp M
1 Jn 3: 22 – 4: 6/ Ps 2: 7bc-8. 10-12a/ Mt 4: 12-17. 23-25

From today’s readings:  “Beloved, do not trust every spirit but test the spirits to see whether they belong to God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world...  I will give You the nations as Your inheritance....   The people who dwell in darkness have seen a great light.”

Testing the spirits

Human beings were created by God with a body and a soul, and while it is almost impossible to ignore the corporeal aspect of our existence (body), there is an ongoing temptation to slight the spiritual dimension (soul) of our life.  As a result, many, if not most, people fail to appreciate the spiritual facets of reality, which are both positive and negative.

For instance, everyone recognizes “physical” as a neutral adjective - there are good physical things and experiences (such as delicious meal), but there are also bad physical things and experiences (such as indigestion).  But many people would call to mind only the positive denotations of the word  “spiritual” - that which pertains to God or man’s higher faculties (intellect, conscience, will).   But we must not forget that evil spirits are also part of the whole of spiritual reality!

Why is this such a crucial insight?  Because so many people are spiritually impoverished, they automatically tend to welcome every spiritual experience as “positive,” and neglect to “test the spirits” and evaluate whether the source is Good or Evil.  For instance, a physical and spiritual euphoric experience can result both from marital intercourse and from an illicit union.  In the first case, in conformity with God’s plan of creation, it is something good, but in the second case, involving an infraction of God’s commandment, it is something evil.  However, the false prophets of this world, denying God’s dominion in matters of the flesh, would equivocate them both as equal spiritual experiences.  But when we “test the spirits,” and acknowledge Jesus Christ come in the flesh, we must recognize His dominion in this and every aspect of our life!