Making Hard Choices

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Dear Folks,

Our Gospel this Sunday is, once again, from Matthew chapter 10, Jesus giving instructions to His disciples as he sends them forth to preach and heal (Mattew 10:37-42). He is giving some hard sayings about what it’s going to be like sometimes. This calls to mind Matthew 5:10, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (I suggest as one goes through the Gospel of Matthew, it is good to look for echoes of the Sermon on the Mount).”

There is a constant temptation to do religion as one thing among many, our work life, our social life, our hobbies, our Christianity, etc. and do it when it fits what we want to do. Jesus said that to be His followers we must be ready to lose everything for His sake. If we aren’t we are not really doing Christianity.  

C. S. Lewis famously said, “Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance, the only thing it cannot be is moderately important.” And  we see in the Scriptures “Since you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of my mouth (Rev 3:16).”

Jesus speaks of carrying one’s cross. We are used to that. The Apostles are not. The cross was the ultimate humiliation and agonizing death. They would learn how serious he was, and what it would cost them to be His followers. If we are truly rooted in Christ, there will be times the world will be opposed to us.

And yet, even as they went to horrible deaths, if you had asked them if it was worth it, I bet they all would have told you yes. I also think that the reasons why it was worth it would not have made sense to them when they started. 

We learn as we go what being Christian will cost us, and we will learn what benefits there are. In the early Church, people often had to choose between their faith and their family. In those days, family was also social contacts, business contacts, and safety net. Losing the family was losing everything in the world. What has our Christianity cost us?  

Not all Christians are called to die for the faith, but all Christians are called to be ready to die for the faith. If we are ready to lose everything, we are truly following Jesus. 

Blessings,

Fr. Jim

Being Sent: Be Warned

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Dear Folks,

Our Gospel this Sunday is from Matthew chapter 10. In this chapter Jesus gives instruction to the apostles as He sends them forth to preach and heal. I challenge you that these instructions are for all us for we have all been sent, and it’s worth reading all of Matthew chapter 10 this week. 

We are warned that trying to do good will often be met we opposition, sometimes mean opposition, and we are going to have to face that. Clare Boothe Luce famously said, “No good deed goes unpunished.”  

I would especially point out: “Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves. (Matthew 10:16).” The Greek word for shrewd (phronimos) is used in the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament that was popular at Jesus’ time) in Genesis 3:1 “The serpent was the most phronimos of the animals that the Lord God has made.” Matthew’s readers would have immediately made the connection. Being sent by Jesus will take everything we have, including our cleverness, but we must never allow ourselves to become mean and hateful. 

The first letter of Peter repeatedly hammers home the idea that we need to be careful that we are being persecuted for doing God’s work and not for being jerks. “For whenever anyone bears the pain of unjust suffering because of consciousness of God, that is a grace. But what credit is there if you are patient when beaten for doing wrong? But if you are patient when you suffer for doing what is good, this is a grace before God (1 Peter 2:19-20).” “For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that be the will of God, than for doing evil (1 Peter 3:17).” “Beloved, do not be surprised that a trial by fire in occurring among you, as if something strange were happening to you. But rejoice to the extent that you share in the suffering of Christ, so that when his glory is revealed you may also rejoice exultantly. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. But let on one among you be made to suffer as a murder, a thief, an evildoer, or as an intriguer. But whoever is made to suffer as a Christian should not be ashamed but glorify God because of the name (1 Peter 4:12-17).”

To be God’s witnesses, we will need to be well grounded in our relationship with Jesus (John 15:1-8).  Only in union with Him will we be able to face the reality of the world and not be made according to its image. Clever as serpents, clever as The Serpent, but remain innocent as doves. The world can get nasty; we are to remain faithful, not just for our sake, but for the sake of those people to whom God sends us.

Blessings,

Fr. Jim 

Being Called

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Dear Folks,

In our Gospel this week we see Jesus selecting and calling his apostles

God calls each one of us to play a role in His gigantic plan. We may figure that we are not important enough, not powerful enough, or not situated right to be major parts of His plan. This is missing the point. We see in Pope Leo’s encyclical Magnifica Humanitas:

“212. At this point, however, a subtle temptation may emerge, namely the thought that the problems are too big and we are too small, and that our choices, therefore, cannot make a difference. This is a polite form of resignation, often disguised as realism. Certainly, not everyone has the same power to make a difference. There are those who govern, make investment decisions, lead institutions, conduct research, educate, produce or provide information, and then there are those who only seem to live their daily lives. Yet, no one is without responsibility. We all have our own areas for action, and it is precisely there — and nowhere else — that we must choose whether to fuel the mentality of force (even if only through indifference, cynicism, lies or hatred), or to preserve the mindset of peace (with truth, moderation, closeness and care).

213. The twentieth-century Catholic author J.R.R. Tolkien, in the words of a protagonist in one of his novels, described our responsibility in this way: “It is not our part to master all the tides of the world, but to do what is in us for the succour of those years wherein we are set, uprooting the evil in the fields that we know, so that those who live after may have clean earth to till.” The civilization of love will not arise from a single or spectacular gesture, but from the sum total of small and steadfast acts of fidelity that serve as a bulwark against dehumanization. For this reason, it is worthwhile pausing to reflect on some aspects of how we, each in our own way, can cooperate in building the civilization of love. Without presuming to exhaust this theme, I would like to propose five paths toward daily and public responsibility: the need to disarm words, building peace through justice, adopting the perspective of victims, cultivating a healthy realism and reviving dialogue and multilateralism.”

We only see a part of God’s work, so we cannot see all the ways we will fit in it. John 15:16a says “You did not choose me. Rather, I chose you. And I appointed you to go out and bear fruit that will remain…”

Looking through the Bible and the lives of the saints one can see that God is constantly calling people to be a part of His plan.  It is often the person you’d least suspect.  We don’t know much about the twelve before they were called. We know four were fishermen, that one was a tax collector and that one was from the zealot party, but that’s pretty much it. The New Testament is not very cooperative in getting us the answers we sometimes want. Very often, God called people when they are busy doing something else.  He often asks people to do something that makes no sense to them at the time. 

We sometimes ask why God allows there to be so much evil in the world. I suggest that part of the answer is that God gives us some responsibility for making the world better. Now if you consider all the people who were called to do good and didn’t do it, and then all all the evil that people have done since the beginning, that is a lot. I suggest that is the gap between the world that God wanted and the one we have.  If we have been paying attention, I bet that we’ve noticed how the actions of those who went before us have left us better or worse off.  As we respond to God’s call, I suggest we are will be affecting people in the future until the end of time.

How has God called you? How might he be calling you now? How would you respond if he calls you in the future? It matters.

Blessings,

Fr. Jim

Participating in the Ultimate Sacrifice

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Dear Folks,

The Bible is paradoxical about many things. A paradox is an apparent contradiction, but on closer inspection, we see how it fits together and shows a deeper truth than a simple statement would have made.

One paradox is about sacrifice. The sacrifices of the Old Testament lead up to the one sacrifice of Jesus, offered once for all (Romans 6:10; Hebrews 10:10, 1Peter 3:18, etc.).

But we find some interesting stuff in the New Testament. Romans 12:1 “Therefore, brethren, I implore you by the mercies of God to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice hat is holy and acceptable to God – a spiritual act of worship.” We see Colossians 1:24 “I find great joy at present in suffering for you, and in my own body I am completing the suffering that still must by undergone by Christ for the sake of his body, the Church.” 1 Peter 2:4-5.“Come to him, a living stone, rejected by men but chose by God and precious. You too, are like living stones, being built up into a spiritual temple and a holy priesthood to offer sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” I would also understand Ephesians 5:1-2 as a fulfillment of Ezekiel 20:41.

There is only one sacrifice now: the Jesus offering once in history Himself on the cross, and that sacrifice is always before the Father (see Revelation 5:6), while the Scriptures say that we are to offer sacrifice.  Therefore, the sacrifice we are to offer is that one.  It is already perfect and perfectly holy, but it makes us a part of that sacrifice. We don’t add anything to it, but once again it is gift from God to make us connected to Jesus. We are the body of Christ, (remember 1 Corinthians 12, Ephesians 4:11-13, and Romans 12) and this is a body that is offered to the Father (see 1 Corinthians 15:28). Jesus gave Himself sacramentally at the Last Supper, and then on the Cross. Without the cross, the Last Supper is just dinner and without the Last Supper, the Cross is just an execution. 

We look at Paul being fierce about the way people behave at Eucharist in 1Corinthians 11:17-34, especially “Therefore, anyone who eats the bread and drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner is guilty of an offense against the body and blood of the Lord. 

“Taking part in the Eucharistic sacrifice, which is the fount and apex of the whole Christian life, they offer the Divine Victim to God, and offer themselves along with It. (Lumen Gentium #11. See also Sacrosanctum Concilium 48).”

As a bride and groom give themselves to each other sacrimentally at their wedding, and then in practice living out their vows, so Jesus gives Himself to us sacramentally as Mass, and then gave Himself in practice on the cross. So we are called to give ourselves sacramentally at Mass and in practice as we go live the Christian life. “For all their works, prayers, and apostolic endeavors, their ordinary married and family life, their daily labor, their mental and physical relaxation, if carried out in the spirit, and ever the hardships of life, if patiently borne – all these become spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ (c.f. 1 Peter 2:5) Lumen Gentium 34.” 

This explains why St. Paul is so fierce about really meaning it “Everyone should examine himself about eating the bread and drinking the cup. For a person who eats and drinks without discerning the body of the Lord is eating and drinking judgement on himself (vv. 27-29).”

The essence of the Gospel is the gift of self. The Lord gives Himself completely to us, not even withholding the last drop of His blood, and He calls us to give ourselves completely to him. 

Blessings,

Fr. Jim

The Trinity Matters

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Dear Folks,

This is the Feast of the Holy Trinity.  Some people gloss over this doctrine like they are checking a box, but this truth has such treasures. In the first century, the big argument was whether we were called to works of the Law of Moses or faithfulness to Jesus. The next several centuries the big arguments were about who and what Jesus is and the nature of the Trinity.

The Father is eternally giving Himself to the Son, who is eternally receiving and returning that love. The love that passes between them is the Holy Spirit. God Himself is already the perfect community of love and so has no need for creation. However, love is by nature fruitful, so God created the universe (including us) out of love.  Christianity teaches that the whole universe is a love story.   

The fullness of being alive is to receive love and give ourselves in love. We often, being human, get distracted by other things, but Jesus teaches us how to receive His gift of Himself, and how to give ourselves in return. That is all of Christian practice.  

Consider what Jesus said: “I pray not only on behalf of these, but also for those who through their word will come to believe in me. May they all be one, as you Father, are in me and I in you, may they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have gave me I have given to them, so that they may be one, as we are one. I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, that thus the world may know that you have sent me. Father, allow those you have given me to be with me where I am, so that they may behold my glory, which you have bestowed on my because you loved me before the foundation of the world (John 17:20-24).” We are called to be drawn into that community of love that is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 

I suggest that a good thing to do on the Solemnity of the Trinity would be to read Jesus’ farewell discourse (John 14-16) and great priestly prayer (John 17). Jesus said it much better than I could. 

Blessings,

Fr. Jim

We Have been Sent

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Dear Folks,

Today is Pentecost.  It is the great feast of the Holy Spirit, and the birthday of the Church. We read the Pentecost story in Acts chapter 2 and we see the first thing that the new Church does is share the Gospel with others. We see how the Holy Spirit breaks down barrios between people.

Why is it a good thing to be a practicing Catholic Christian?

How would you explain what the Gospel story is in a few minutes? 

How did Jesus get you to where you are now?

Could you do it without using religious language?

What we speak only has power if we are consistent in our lives. When people look at us, they should see “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).” When they look at us, they should see people living an abundant life (John 10:10). They should see us being free (John 8:32), but not using that freedom for license to sin (Galatians 5:13).”

One thing in our favor is that God is in charge, not us. We don’t necessarily have to do the whole task of taking someone on a journey to the kingdom. We might do a small bit of the work of moving someone in that direction.  Sometimes, ever listening patiently is all we are called to do. We look at what we are given. Any encounter with another person is potential territory for sharing a bit of goodness.  Everyone we meet is beloved by God, and we may be able to spark a bit of goodness during the encounter.  

If you have been baptized and if you have been confirmed, you have also been sent. Pentecost is a good time to stop and consider how we have been sent, and how we have responded.

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful, and enkindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your spirit, and we shall be created, you shall renew the face of the earth.

Blessings, 
Fr. Jim

Don’t Forget the Holy Spirit

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Dear Folks,

One thing we better not forget about Acts of the Apostles is the Holy Spirit. In fact, it has been called the Gospel of the Holy Spirit. We tend not to talk much about the Holy Spirit because he is generally at work in the background.  

It is helpful to think of the Gospel of Luke and Acts of the Apostles is one work (just as it is useful to see the Gospel of John and the Book of Revelation as one book). 

The Gospel of Luke will show the Holy Spirit active from the beginning of the Gospel story.  

“Even when he is still in his mother’s womb, he will be filled with the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:15b).”

“The angel Gabriel answered, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the child to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God (Luke 1:35).’” 

“When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the babe leaped in her womb. Then Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she exclaimed with a loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb (Luke 1:41-42).’” 

“Then the child’s father was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied: ‘Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has visited his people and redeemed them (Luke 1:67-68).’”

The brief story of Simeon at the temple had three mentions of the Holy Spirit (see Luke 2:25-27).

All four Gospels (Matthew 3:16; Mark 1:10; Luke 3:22; John 1:32-33) show Jesus having a new relationship with the Holy Spirit at His baptism. 

By the way, we will also see the Holy Spirit in the farewell discourse of the Gospel of John (See John 14:15-17 and 16:7-15). I would also point you to the Book of Revelation 22:1 “Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and the Lamb.” This is the Trinity. “God and the Lamb” was pre-Nicean language for God the Father and God the Son, while the water of life is the Holy Spirit (John 7:39).

Acts of the Apostles, in the intro, shows Jesus just before He ascends, talking to the “apostles He has chosen” and “giving instructions through the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:2). He talks to them one last time and twice promises the Holy Spirit (vv. 5 and 8). 

Then we see the story of Pentecost in chapter 2.   I dare you to read Acts 2 and consider that in your baptism you received the Holy Spirit for rebirth, and in confirmation you received that Holy Spirit for mission.  How is God calling you to mission?

Blessings,

Fr. Jim

Responding to God

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Dear Folks,

One of the things we see in Acts of the Apostles is the theme that being justified (in right relationship with God) comes though faithfulness to Jesus, not from works of the Law of Moses. This pivots around Acts 15 which describes the council of Jerusalem making that decision by the power of the Holy Spirit.  We can read more on that in the works of St. Paul, especially Romans and Galatians. Romans 4 argues that Abraham was justified before being circumcised, and so the uncircumcised can receive the gift too, and it is not dependent on following the precepts of the Law. 

There is some confusion here, and we must understand correctly. “By faith Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac. He who had received the promises was ready to offer up his only son (Hebrews 11:17).” “By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, for she had received the spies in peace (Hebrews 11:31).” James 2:14-26, especially 23-25: “Thus, the words of Scripture were fulfilled that say, ‘Abraham believed in God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,’ and he is called the friend of God. You can see, then that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. Likewise, Rahab the prostitute, was she not also justified by works when she welcomed the messengers and sent them away by a different road?”

If you look at Kittel’s Theological Dictionary of the New Testament you find a lot written on the Greek pisteuo which is generally translated “I have faith” in the Bible. It carries meanings like trust, hope, faithfulness, obedience, a personal relationship with Him, etc. (It’s a long section). 

I would suggest that what St. Paul and the author of Hebrews mean by “faith” James means by faith and works. The Jews thought more in terms of the whole person, while the Greeks thought in term of parts. We have been influenced by Greek thought. James was writing to the twelve tribes in the dispersion (v 1:1) and who would have been more Hellenized (Greek thinking) and so when they heard that righteousness comes with faith they would have thought “Great, all we have to do is believe.”  James corrects that. 

God offers us the gift of salvation. This is a free gift, all grace. Our acceptance of that gift is a total personal response to Him, choosing Him over the promises of the world. Even the ability to respond is only possible because of His grace. It does not depend on us accomplishing anything before He will accept us, but if we have the chance, we are called to use it in response to Him. God calls each of us. How will we respond?

Blessings,

Fr. Jim

God Surprises

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Dear Folks,

As we go through Acts of the Apostles, we see that people are working but God is in charge.

In Acts 10 we see Peter getting a lesson, and at the same time, people get sent to him to use that lesson. We see Paul getting a lesson in chapter 9 and also calls Ananias to heal him. Acts 9 we see Saul of Tarsus being converted by Jesus, and then Ananias gets sent to take him the next step. I expect that neither St. Peter nor St. Paul expected God to intervene in their lives that way, nor the direction their lives would take after. We see this is often how God works. I expect when the virgin Mary woke up on the day of the annunciation, her mental to do list might have included things like “do laundry” and “go to market.” I expect it did not include “have a chat with an angel about the possibility of having a baby.”   Imagine what was going through the minds of the guys who make a hole in Jesus’ roof (Mark 2:1-12) in order to get a paralyzed friend to be healed, then Jesus responds with “Your sins are forgiven.”  Jesus had His own priorities, and it often did not match the agendas of others.  The healing of the man’s paralysis seems to happen because it served Jesus’ larger purpose. 

This is not about our personal longevity or connivence, but about the mission. We see James suddenly put to death (Acts 12:2) and God does not intervene, but we see Peter and Paul saved a number of times before they are put to death. John, according to ancient stories, was not killed at all, but died naturally on the prison island of Patmos.  Each one served the mission in different ways. 

I know in my own life, God has had a number of surprises for me. I went to Michigan Tech as a sophomore in chemical engineering, I had plans. I wanted a job that involved no human contact because I found people to be illogical and annoying.   God, however, did not have the same plans. It became obvious (in retrospect) that I was not made to be a chemical engineer, but was called to the priesthood, which made no sense. I had less than zero peoples skills.  I learned people skills bit by bit. I came to realize that my interest in science is not as a scientist but as a storyteller.  I want to see how things make sense and fit together.  I came to see science as a part of a larger story.  This took me many years to see it. 

Are there parts of your story that don’t make sense now? Are there parts of you story that didn’t make sense until years later? We remember that God is in charge, and we are walking by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthian 5:7). I suggest that there will be some things we won’t understand in this life, but we trust God is at work and is writing a story of which we are a small part.  Some day we shall see.

Blessings,

Fr. Jim

Sharing the Gospel Story

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Dear Folks,

Acts of the Apostles shows Peter and Paul sharing the Gospel message.  How are we to share the Gospel story? Like Peter and Paul, we start by being connected to Jesus, to have a relationship with Jesus. Without that, we can’t tell the story.

Clearly, how we share the Gospel story depends on our audience (compare Acts 17:22-31 with Acts 22:1-21), but what is the basic message, and how do we proclaim it to someone who doesn’t understand sin or our need for salvation? I think we should start with what this Gospel means to us. 

The essence of the Gospel is the gift of self.  The Lord gave Himself to us out of love and calls us to give ourselves to him in return. From the materialist point of view is true, love is a side effect of the mating instinct, which itself is a side effect of the passing on of the genes. He gives Himself in love and has done so for all eternity.  The Father is eternally giving Himself to the Son, who is eternally receiving and returning Himself in love, and the Holy Spirit is the love that passed between them. This is the perfect community of love, but love always seeks to produce fruit, and so this God created us, from perfect, unselfish love. 

We learn to receive that gift and give ourselves in return. We sin in refusal to give ourselves, or false giving of ourselves (more on that another time). 

It must be Christ centered: It’s about the work of Jesus. Jesus is the answer to our deepest longings. I may want chocolate ice cream, but that’s not one of my deepest longings. Connecting to Jews, the apostles talked about how Jesus was the fulfillment of the Scriptures. Talking to Greeks who followed other gods were taught that Jesus was the one they were looking for (Acts 17:22-31).  He is the one who give us rain, crops, and food (Acts 14:15-17). As much as we get annoyed by rain spoiling our plans, crops and food are such good things.

We are not loving enough to turn to actual love. We can only be drawn to it by Jesus’ perfect act of love. Jesus came so that the perfect act of love could save us from ourselves. 

Sometimes we talk about what Jesus did for us personally: we see Peter and Paul both shared something of what Jesus did with them (Acts 11, 22, and 26). They did not tell the whole story about their walk with, God, but the bit that was relevant at the moment. Still, it would not be bad to have a grip on how God has gotten us to this point. I was never taught to do that, but I’ve been working on that (again, more on that another time).

How would you tell the Gospel story? How would you do it avoiding religious language? How has Jesus gotten you where you are? Do you see Him at work in you? Hmm.

Blessings,

Fr. Jim