22nd Week in Ordinary Time 2022 - Wednesday - The Kingdom of God

Yesterday, we heard in the Gospel how the Lord made the headquarters for his public ministry in Capernaum, and there he was wildly successful: evoking astonishment, perhaps even belief, and performing many healings, miracles, and exorcisms. But after not much time there, he tells the crowds that he must move on: “To the other towns also I must proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God”

What does that mean? What is the kingdom of God?

The kingdom of God is to replace the kingdom of Satan—the kingdoms—some petty, some grand—which Satan rules over in this world.

Jesus’ miracles and exorcisms are proof that God is at work to overthrow the kingdom of Satan. The demons are powerless to stop him. Illness is banished at a word. The dead are raised, like Jairus’ daughter. Jesus’ public ministry signals the inbreaking of the kingdom of God and the end of Satan’s reign over the earth and over souls.

The first reference to the kingdom of God in the Gospel of Luke occurs at the annunciation. The Archangel Gabriel explains to Mary of Nazareth that the son that she will bear “will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

The everlasting kingdom promised to David and proclaimed by the prophets is at hand is something new, something different from the temporal earthly kingdoms. In the Gospel of Luke, especially, we see the Lord going to the marginalized, the sick, the demon possessed, the poor, and even to women and children who had lower social status. The kingdom of God belongs to such as these. It is a kingdom where the mighty are cast down from their thrones, and the lowly are lifted up, the hungry are fed, and the rich are sent away empty.

We see Jesus also dining with sinners. Sinners, who sought their happiness in sin, too are invited to membership in the kingdom through repentance, to find their joy in God, and admitted to the kingdom through the redemptive suffering and death of Christ the King on the cross.

The kingdom of God preached by Jesus is the long-awaited reign of God over all time and space—a restoration of the order and justice of God disturbed by evil and sin—an end of evil and violence and slavery and destruction, suffering and sadness, and most of all death.

Through baptism we are made members of the kingdom of God, the bonds of sin and death are broken, but that entails responsibility on our part, to use our God-given freedom to continue the mission of gathering in the poor and the sinner to God’s kingdom for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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As the month of August comes to an end, we pray for the virtue of humility, for the ability to repent of our sins, pray as we should, and seek God’s will over our own; for the grace and willingness to become instruments for the building up of the kingdom of God.

For an end to indifference  to God and human dignity in our government & educational institutions, businesses, and personal attitudes and for a flourishing of the Gospel in our land.

For the sick and afflicted, the homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, for victims of natural disaster, those who suffer from war, violence, and terrorism, for the mentally ill, those with addictions, and the imprisoned, for those who struggle to practice Christian chastity, for the comfort of the dying and the consolation of their families.

For the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, and all the poor souls in purgatory, for deceased priests and religious, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom; for the repose of the soul of Fr. Russ Lowe who will be buried today.

O God, who know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the prayers of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our Lord.

 

 

24th Week of OT 2020 - Friday - Jesus' unconventional followers and benefactors

 

We often speak of the ways that Jesus shattered the social convention and religious expectation of his day. The pious Jews of Jesus’ day greatly anticipated and deeply longed-for the arrival of the Messiah. But the Messiah turned out to look and talk and act a lot different than what they expected. He was born in a barn to unknown parents without anyone knowing. He grew up, not in a palace, but in a home of a carpenter. He dressed not in fine linens and jewels, but in the ordinary garb of the working class. His retinue, too, were not the powerful and the well-connected, but as St. Luke tells us this morning, they were comprised of a group of fishermen, tax collectors, and women—poor, socially marginal, and unschooled in their religion.

St. Luke mentions Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Susanna, and many other women as among those who accompanied Jesus. The presence of women—single and married—accompanying an itinerant teacher and his male disciples would have been extraordinary and even scandalous in first-century Palestine. This would be especially true in the case of Joanna because of her public role as wife of Herod’s chief steward. Despite the social pressures and conventions, they followed Him anyway.

These were women who recognized Jesus as the Messiah. Many, if not all of them, had been miraculously healed or delivered by Jesus—like Mary Magdalene—out of whom the Lord had cast out seven demons. Their response to Jesus is certainly contrasted to hard-heartedness of the Scribes and Pharisees—who while witnessing signs of Jesus’ divinity—conspired against him to put him to death.

Notice, too, these remarkable women financially supported the Lord’s work out of their resources, for his ministry. They recognized not only Jesus’ divinity, but his humanity. He still needed to eat. He and his disciples still had temporal needs--just like the Church today still has temporal needs--we need to pay the electric bill.

And it is often through women—like the good women who make up the majority of many parish congregations--who recognize the needs of the Church and contribute from their resources in many and often hidden ways. Thank God for these women!

When I think of this strange and unconventional retinue of the Lord those two thousand years ago, I can’t but help think of how the Lord wishes to use us, in the midst of this changing neighborhood, with its many challenges and hardships, to continue his saving work. 

For, the work of the Church only continues when men and women, rich and poor, the well-connected, the simple,  and the gifted and uneducated utilize their resources, their time, talent, and treasure—to further the mission of the Gospel. May neither social convention, nor fear of failure or ridicule, keep us from doing the Lord’s good work .May each of us consider-well how each of us can generously respond and contribute to the work of the Gospel for the glory of God and salvation of souls. 

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In great gratitude for the benefactors of this parish, and for those who generously provide for the needs of the Church. 

For an end to indifference to God and human dignity in our government and educational institutions, businesses, and personal attitudes.

During this month of September, dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows, we pray for all those who grieve, and that we may grieve sufficiently for our sins.

That the love of Christ, the divine physician, may bring healing to the sick and comfort to all the suffering.

For the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, and all the poor souls in purgatory, for deceased priests and religious, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom. We pray.

O God, who know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the prayers of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our Lord.

July 22 2019 - St. Mary Magdalene - To love and be loved by Christ

Three Years Ago, during the Jubilee of Mercy, Pope Francis raised the liturgical celebration of St. Mary Magdalene from the rank of a memorial to a rank of a feast. And I think this is the first time that I personally have the honor of celebrating the Feast of St. Mary Magdalene.

The letter promulgating the feast explains the Holy Father’s decision: “The decision is situated in the current ecclesial context, which calls upon us to reflect more deeply on the dignity of women, the new evangelization and the greatness of the mystery of divine mercy. It was St. John Paul II who dedicated great attention not only to the importance of women in the very mission of Christ and the Church, but also, and with special emphasis, to the peculiar function of St. Mary Magdalene as the first witness of the Risen Christ and the first messenger who announced to the apostles the resurrection of the Lord. This importance remains in today's Church – as shown by the current commitment to a new evangelization – which seeks to welcome, without distinction, men and women of any race, people, language and nation, to proclaim to them the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to accompany them on their earthly pilgrimage and to offer them the wonders of God's salvation. St. Mary Magdalene is an example of true and authentic evangelization, that is, an evangelizer who proclaims the joyful central message of Easter. The Holy Father Francis has taken this decision precisely in the context of the Jubilee of Mercy to stress the importance of this women, who shows great love for Christ and was very dear to Christ"

Beautiful words for us to reflect upon today.

Up and down the centuries Mary Magdalene has been called the Apostle to the Apostles. She wasn’t one of the twelve apostles, of course, and she is not regarded as a bishop at any point by the Church, but she is called Apostle to the Apostles as the first witness who saw the risen Christ, and as the first messenger who announced the Lord’s resurrection to the Twelve Apostles; as the Opening Prayer stated: God’s Son “entrusted Mary Magdalene before all others with announcing the great joy of the Resurrection.”

In raising the rank of St. Mary Magdalene’s feast, the Holy Father certainly wants this feast to inspire us to consider our own role as apostles, evangelizers, joyful proclaimers of the Lord’s resurrection. And the letter of promulgation roots that identity in that two-fold realization: showing love for Christ and being dear to Christ. As the Song of Songs sings so sweetly: I belong to my beloved and my beloved belongs to me

On one hand, as we grow in love for Christ, we want to tell people about him—to tell people about our beloved, shouting it from the rooftops.. Mary Magdalane’s life was change by the Lord, she loved him deeply—not romantically, as some of the Hollywood movies would put it, but a love that changes us to our core.

On the other, we come to realize in the Christian life, that we are dearly loved by Christ. The experience of being loved is what changes us. We want to adhere to the moral life, we want to do great things for the Lord, because we are loved, and want to present our best selves, to the God who loves us.

The life that is changed by love is the most powerful instrument of evangelization, thereby making St. Mary Magdalene one of the greatest saints of the Church, a model for us all, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That women of faith may continue to bless the Church through their sharing of spiritual gifts.

For all women trapped in sin, especially, for the deliverance of all women from prostitution.

That young people may, through the intercession of St. Mary Magdalene, be preserved from evil, and discover the great joy of loving and being loved by Christ.

For all the needs of the sick and the suffering, the homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, the underemployed and unemployed, immigrants and refugees, victims of human trafficking, natural disaster, war, and terrorism, for the unborn, for all those who grieve the loss of a loved one, and those who will die today, for their comfort, and the consolation of their families.

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

Hear Our Prayers, O Lord, and through the intercession of St. Mary Magdalene, free us from all that keeps us from the love of Christ. Through the same Christ Our Lord.