25th Sunday in Ordinary Time 2025 - The Virtue of Justice toward God and Neighbor

 

One of my favorite features of any Catholic Church are often the stained-glass windows. Some Churches depict scenes from scripture, some depict the sacraments, some depict saints.

I remember when Pope Benedict XVI visited the United States for the first time. Upon visiting the marvelous St. Patrick Cathedral in New York City, he commented that stained glass windows illustrate the mystery of the Church. He said, You don’t really get to experience the beauty or message of stained-glass windows from the outside of the Church.  “It is only from the inside, from the experience of faith and ecclesial life, that we see the Church as she truly is: flooded with grace, resplendent in beauty, adorned by the manifold gifts of the Spirit.” One of our duties, as Christians, is to welcome people to come inside, so that they can learn and experience the presence of God, and behold the truth and goodness and beauty of the Church from the inside. 

Yet, even those of us who are inside of the Church, should take some time to consider the meaning of the art and symbols that surround us. 

The stained-glass windows here at St. Clare contain a variety of symbols. And they are not just randomly placed. The first seven windows are the seven gifts of the holy spirit: wisdom, understanding, knowledge, council, piety, fortitude, and fear of the Lord. Next, are the three theological virtues: faith, hope, and love. And then there are the four cardinal virtues: justice, prudence, temperance, and fortitude. 

I’d like to consider the symbol for one of those stained glass windows today, the symbol for justice: the scales. From ancient times, scales have been used in trade and business and engineering to ensure right measurement and fair transactions.  Scales utilize two flat plates or bowls hanging from a central beam. You put the item you want to weigh on one plate. Then, you add weight to the other plate until both sides are perfectly level. When they are level, it means the weight on each of the plates is the same.

The scale shows whether one side is heavier than the other, the “heavier” side symbolically represents a debt, something yet to be repaid, evened out. So scales are a symbol of justice because justice is all about what we owe to others and what we owe to God.

Our readings this weekend each speak of justice, in their own way. In fact, the first reading even contains mentions of scales. The prophet Amos describes how immoral, unjustice and wicked people of his day can’t wait for the Sabbath to be over so that they could get back to cheating their customers. Amos describes them fixing their scales for cheating. 

Their unbalanced relationship with God led to an unbalanced relationship with their neighbor. They were unjust toward God, and that was reflected in their unjust treatment of others. 

And so Amos had a stark message for them. God was well aware of their injustices. “Never will I forget a thing they have done!” In other words, there would be eternal consequences for injustice, if they did not change their ways.

The message is timeless—what we do in this life matters, how we treat people, what we give to God and what we withhold from God out of selfishness, has consequences, for both society and the individual. So many of Jesus’ teachings have to do with how we treat the poor and downtrodden—we owe them care and charity—the same care and charity we would want for ourselves if we were in their shoes.

In the second reading today, St. Paul writes to Timothy about another matter of Justice: one of our Christian obligations to our neighbor, especially our leaders is to pray for them. St. Paul writes, “First of all, I ask that supplications, prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone, for kings and for all in authority.”

If we want our government officials, our civil leaders, our bishops and priests to be righteous and good, we need to pray for them. We need to pray that they may have wisdom and prudence to govern well, and fortitude—because leadership is hard and affects many lives. There are temptations that our leaders face to tip the scales in their own favor. So we need to pray that they may be just in their duties. If justice demands they govern rightly, justice demands the governed pray for our leaders.

St. Paul goes on to explain the reason why it’s important to pray for our leaders: “that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all devotion and dignity.” When leaders govern wisely, families live in peace, society flourishes, the Church is able to worship God and spread the Gospel in peace. Injustice and poor leadership, on the other hand, spreads disorder and harm to many. 

No doubt, some of the leaders Paul had in mind (like Roman emperors) were hostile to Christians — yet Paul still insisted they be prayed for. Jesus told us to pray not only for friends but also for enemies—"love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” Justice before God means we pray for and seek the good of all people, even those who oppose us, especially those whose hearts are so misaligned that they would persecute the Body of Christ. 

In the Gospel, we have this strange parable where the Lord appears to endorse the practices of a dishonest steward. When the steward recognizes that he had neglected his duties, does something drastic and cunning to save his job. 

This too is a story of justice. The steward does what he can, he utilizes his unique position and authority— in order to make things as right as possible. He exercises cunning and takes drastic measures to make things right. 

The message to Christians is that we are to do the same. We have been given time, talent, earthly and spiritual treasures from God. We owe it to God to use these things for his purposes. Unlike the world, which uses people to gain things, we are to use our things to gain people for God.  Our possessions are not simply for our own comfort and pleasure. They are to be utilized for the mission of the Church. 

Now, sometimes we neglect or turn away from Justice because we believe that giving will make our lives emptier, but our faith shows us, over and over, that giving makes our lives not emptier, but more full.

The people that we most admire are those who are generous and self-sacrificial. “He would give the shirt off of his back to help someone” is one of the highest complements we could receive. The saints, the martyrs are those who give of themselves and so become filled with the life of God.

Justice is such a vital virtue for all of us to cultivate. In a sense it encapsulates all of the virtues and really the entire Christian life because it stands for everything that we owe to God. 

The Word of God and the lives of the saints show us that justice brings peace. Justice restrains deceit, it protects and cares for the helpless and most vulnerable. It ensures a good peaceful life. It leads us to pray as we should, give as we should, worship as we should, love as we should. Justice brings peace for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

February 23 2021 - St. Polycarp and the many fruits of Prayer

 

We have many great saints whose feasts days fall within the Lenten season.  Today is the feast day of saint who was born just about 40 years after the death of Jesus. His name was Polycarp, and he was the bishop of a place called Smyrna, which is in the modern-day country of Turkey, not too far from Ephesus, where St. John took Mary to live after Jesus’ death and resurrection. In fact, Polycarp was a student of one of the apostles, of St. John.

In the middle column of stained glass windows here in the eastern narthex is a series of scenes from the life of our Patron St. Ignatius of Antioch. And In the top window, there he is with St. Polycarp kneeling at the feet of St. John the Apostle, as he reads his Gospel. Polycarp and Ignatius were ordained bishops by St. John—and each sent to their respective dioceses—Ignatius to Antioch and Polycarp to Smyrna.

Ignatius and Polycarp continued to correspond after their ordination.

Ignatius begins his epistle to the bishop of Smyrna praising Polycarp’s rock-like faith, the blamelessness of his life, and then encourages him to press forward in the race of the Christian life and to work for the salvation of all people. “In all circumstances be “wise as a serpent,” and perpetually “harmless as a dove”, Ignatius tells Polycarp, quoting our Lord in explaining to his disciples how they must deal with the worldly.

Then Ignatius tells Polycarp, give yourself to unceasing prayer, asking for more wisdom than you already have. A bishop must be a man of unceasing prayer and wisdom. While a bishop must certainly be out in the streets preaching the Gospel, administering his diocese, setting good example for his flock, a bishop must be a man of unceasing prayer seeking God’s wisdom always. 

This is good advice for all of us, too. Our Lord in the Gospel today, tells us that we must be people of prayer, who go to our inner rooms, shutting the door to the distractions of the world, and praying to the Father in secret. It is in that secret prayer that we will derive much strength and wisdom in dealing with all the challenges of our vocations. And in prayer, the word of God, as we heard in the first reading, waters our soul like the gentle rain, bearing fruit. In fact, Polycarp's name means "many fruit", no doubt, fruit cultivated through prayer.

St. Polycarp, like our patron, Ignatius, would go on to be martyred for the faith--the greatest of the fruits cultivated in his spiritual life--the courage to give that ultimate witness--becoming a fruit that nourished the church and continues to nourish us to this day. While he was bishop, at the age of 86, a violent persecution broke out in Smyrna against the Christians. Christians were being forced to give up their faith or face death. Because he was a bishop, Polycarp was arrested.  He was led directly to the roman judge, who ordered him make sacrifice to a pagan God and commit blasphemy. 

Some of his Christian friends had urged him to make the sacrifice in order to save his life.  But, Polycarp responded, “for 86 years I have served Jesus Christ, and he has never abandoned me.  How could I curse my blessed king and savior.” So refusing to give up his faith, Polycarp was sentenced to be burned alive.

No doubt, it was through his prayer, that made his love for Jesus stronger than the flames of his martyrdom. In fact, descriptions of his martyrdom claim that, as Polycarp prayed during his execution, the fire created a sort of dome around him, and instead of his flesh burning, his body was like bread baking in an oven, like gold a silver in a furnace, he began to radiate the light of God. And a sweet fragrance like burning incense filled the place.

May we like Polycarp, cultivate a love for the Lord through prayer that is stronger than any earthly flame, a prayer life that sustains us in all of our challenges and duties, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

- - - - - - -  

That the season of Lent may bring the most hardened hearts to repentance and bring to all people purification of sin and selfishness.

For those preparing for baptism and the Easter sacraments, that they may continue to conform themselves to Christ through fervent prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.

That we may generously respond to all those in need: the sick, the suffering, the homeless, the imprisoned, and victims of violence. And for all victims of the coronavirus and their families.

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

Grant, we pray, O Lord, that your people may turn to you with all their heart, so that whatever they dare to ask in fitting prayer they may receive by your mercy. Through Christ our Lord.

2nd Week of Lent 2018 - Monday - Lent is a season of Hope

Over in the Academy last week, I was talking about the theological and cardinal virtues. Alongside the western wall here at St. Clare, the theological virtues, faith hope and love, and the cardinal virtues of prudence, justice, temperance, and fortitude, are depicted symbolically in our stained glass windows.

I’d like to speak this morning about the virtue of hope. Hope is depicted so often in Christian symbology as an anchor, as it is here, on one of our stained glass windows. The anchor was an early Christian symbol commonly found in the Roman catacombs as a symbol of the hope we have in the promises of Christ. Imagine you are a first century Christian taking refuge in the catacombs: three of your close friends have just been thrown to the lions or burned at the stake, or crucified and set ablaze as torches at one of Emperor Nero's garden parties. The anchor is a symbol that amidst the storms and uncertainties and suffering, Christ is our anchor, Christ is our hope.

Letter to the Hebrews speaks of hope as an anchor: "We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure."

Hope helps us to remain anchored in the truth, anchored in reality. Lent is a season of Hope. The ashes of Ash Wednesday remind us of the all too real reality of suffering and death, the result of sin, but it is a day of hope, the ashes are placed on the head in the sign of the cross, an expression of our hope to be saved from sin and purified from sin through Lent.

Yesterday’s Gospel, for the second Sunday of Lent, is filled with hope. Jesus’ glory was revealed in dazzling display on the Mount of Transfiguration. This was to give his disciples hope, that though he would suffer and die, the cross was not the defeat of God, but God’s defeat of sin and death.
I thought of this image of the anchor of hope today, in light of our readings today, in which we find Daniel confessing his sins and the sins of Israel to the Father in the first reading, and which speak of the Father’s forgiveness and our need to forgive in the Gospel.

The Virtue of Hope is discovered between two vices: the vice of despair and the vice of presumption. Despair claims that my sin is so great, God will never forgive me. Presumption claims that it doesn’t matter what I do, I am assured of salvation, so I don’t have to make any attempt to amend my life.

True Christian Hope is rooted in the truth, that Yes, God is full of grace, mercy and forgiveness for the sinner, but as sinners, like Daniel, we are called to confess our sins, and show mercy and forgiveness, as the Lord teaches in the Gospel. “For if you do not forgive, the Father will not forgive you.”

May our Lenten practices help us to grow in authentic Christian hope which leads us to acknowledge and confess our sins, amend our life, forgive others and lead others to the fountain of God’s mercy, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

- - - - - - -
 
That those despairing of God’s mercy and those presumptuous of God’s mercy may come to know and practice authentic Christian Hope.

That those preparing for baptism and full Christian initiation at Easter may be strengthened in Faith, Hope, and Love through the Church’s prayer and witness.

For the Holy Father’s prayer intention for the month of February, that those who have material, political or spiritual power may resist any lure of corruption. We pray to the Lord.

That we may generously respond to all those in need: the sick, the suffering, the homeless, the imprisoned, and victims of violence.

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

Grant, we pray, O Lord, that your people may turn to you with all their heart, so that whatever they dare to ask in fitting prayer they may receive by your mercy.

Homily: Monday - 7th Week in OT 2017 - Fear of the Lord

One of the most repeated and emphasized statements in the Bible is: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

Deuteronomy tells us “fear of the Lord is good always and good for our survival.”

Psalm 112 says “Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in His commands”
Proverbs says “Fear of the Lord prolongs life” and that the “reward for humility and fear of the Lord are riches, honor and life”

The book of Sirach (from which we'll be reading until the beginning of Lent) repeats over and over the importance of holy fear, “Fear of the Lord is glory and splendor, gladness and a festive crown. Fear of the Lord warms the heart, giving gladness and joy and length of days."

Here at St. Clare, the first seven stained glass windows on the west side of the church depict the seven gifts of the spirit. Fear of the Lord is depicted as the eye of God watching over the world. What is fear of the Lord? It is the constant consciousness that the eye of God is watching us always. “l'occhio di Dio che sempre ti vede” as Padre Pio said. The eye of God that follows you always.

Coming from the eye of God in our stained glass window are lightning bolts of divine judgment, symbolizing God’s judgment. Christians are to live mindfully that the eye of God watches us always and that we will have to face judgment for our choices in life.

Speaking on this most important gift of the Spirit, Pope Francis said “The gift of fear fills us with awe and reverence for God. It makes us dread the thought of displeasing God because of our love for Him. A right-ordered and healthy fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.”

Why is the fear of the Lord the beginning of Wisdom? Because if we are to live a rightly ordered life, we must first be conscious that our actions, decisions, and attitudes must be rightly directed to God, and that we will be held accountable for those actions. Without fear of the Lord we cannot remain on the right path of wisdom, we cannot even find it.

The Spiritual masters give us three practices for increasing our fear of the Lord. First, meditating frequently on God’s infinite grandeur and sovereignty. On a beautiful day like today, we do well to behold the beauty and splendor of God’s creation, and being amazed at God’s handiwork.
Secondly we are encouraged to make a frequent examination of our lives in light of the truth of the Gospel. Frequent confession of sin helps us to remain accountable and mindful of our impending judgment.

And lastly, to spend time in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament; spending time face to face with Jesus in the Eucharist, prepares us to meet the Lord face to face at the end of our earthly life.
By the great gift of fear, we seek to live lives pleasing to the Lord, seeking never to offend our gracious God, to become worthy of eternal life with Him for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

- - - - - - - -

 
We pray that the gift of Holy Fear may deepen in the souls of our Church leaders and in the hearts of all Christians.

That our government leaders, and particularly our president, on this president’s day, may be filled with holy fear in seeking to guide our nation according to the commands of God.

For all those who have fallen away from the Church, who have fallen into mortal sin, for their return to the sacraments.

That through the gifts of the Holy Spirit we may respond to the Spirit’s promptings in caring for those most in need.

For the sick…
For the souls in purgatory…