25th Week in Ordinary Time 2025 - Monday - Deliverance from captivity

 For a period in Israel’s history known as the Babylonian Captivity, the people of God were cut off from their Temple, their families, and their land. While in captivity, the stories could not be told, the traditions could not be practiced, the faith could not be passed on. 

So, a generation of Jews grew up without knowing about God freeing their people from slavery in Egypt; they grew up without knowing the promises God made to Abraham—without the knowledge of the ten commandments or the promised land.  They grew up only knowing the gods and practices of Babylon-- a culture which practiced child sacrifice, polygamy, and other behaviors condemned by Jewish law.

This is not hard to imagine. So many children and grandchildren these days do not know their faith, and have been totally assimilated by the culture. 

Today’s reading from the book of Ezra details the turning point in this sad chapter. In 539 BC, the Persian King Cyrus defeated the Babylonians. A year later King Cyrus decreed that he would allow the captive Jews to return to their homeland. 

“The LORD inspired King Cyrus of Persia” to free the Jews, and he even decreed that the Jews should be assisted in rebuilding the house of God—the Temple—in Jerusalem. God was faithful to his promise to deliver his people from their captivity.

Similarly, in our own day, God is at work to deliver the peoples of the world from the captivity of sin. And what instrument does he use? Us. The Church. 

It’s our mission to convert hearts to God—the hearts of kings and presidents and mayors and city councilmen and union leaders and heads of businesses and heads of families. This is why St. Paul writes to Timothy, as we heard in the Gospel yesterday, “First of all, I ask that supplications, prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone, for kings and for all in authority”

As we are faithful to our mission—there will be liberation; but when we neglect our mission, captivities continue. 

In the Gospel, the Lord instructs his disciples that lamps are not given so that they may be hidden under a bushel. The light of lamps is to be shared for the good of all. The light of faith, which we have given, isn’t simply for our own sake, for what we do inside of Church buildings. It is meant to shine out in the world—in our words and deeds—especially in our charitable works.

May we be faithful in sharing the light of faith with those we encounter today and every day, that those in captivity may be freed, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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“That our parishes, animated by a missionary spirit, may be places where faith is communicated and charity is seen.”

That all Christians tasked with the spread of the light of the Gospel, may be faithful to that same Gospel in every dimension of their lives. We pray to the Lord.

For all those who have fallen away from the Church, those whose lives are darkened by sin, for the conversion of all unbelievers and those who have fallen into error, and the conversion of all hearts.

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.

O God, you 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.

25th Week in Ordinary Time 2023 - To inspire (and convert) kings

 We read this morning from the fascinating Old Testament book of Ezra. The Old Testament Books of Ezra and Nehemiah detail the 50-year period after the Babylonian Captivity. 

For over a hundred years, the Jews were cut off from their Temple, their families, and their land in Babylon. A while in captivity, the stories could not be told, the traditions could not be practices, the faith could not be passed on. So, a generation of Jews grew up without knowing about God freeing their people from slavery in Egypt, they grew up without knowing the promises God made to Abraham, without the knowledge of the ten commandments or the promised land.  They grew up only knowing the gods and practices of Babylon-- a culture which practiced child sacrifice, polygamy, and other behaviors condemned by Jewish law.

This is not hard to imagine. So many children and grandchildren these days do not know their faith, and have been totally assimilated by the culture. 

Today’s reading from Ezra details the turning point in this sad chapter. In 539 BC,  the Persian King Cyrus defeated the Babylonians. A year later King Cyrus decreed that he will allow the captive Jews to return to their homeland. 

And we’re told “The LORD inspired King Cyrus of Persia” to free the Jews, and he even decrees that the Jews should be assisted in rebuilding the house of God—the Temple—in Jerusalem.

In our own day, God is at work to bring about the liberation of the peoples of the world from the Babylonian captivity of sin to bring them to right worship in the Temple of God the Catholic Church. And what instrument is he using to inspire and convert the Cyrus’ of the world? Us. The Church. It’s our mission to convert hearts to God—the hearts of kings and presidents and mayors and city councilmen and union leaders and heads of businesses and heads of families.

As we are faithful to our mission—there will be liberation; but in our negligence, captivity and slavery to sin and faithlessness will perdure. 

As we heard in the Gospel, we are given the light of faith, not that it may be hidden under a bushel, but that it may be shared for the good of all. May we be faithful in sharing the light of faith with those we encounter today and all days, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For the Holy Father, Francis, our Pope, that he may be aided by the Holy Spirit in leading those captive to sin home to right relationship to God through Holy Church. We pray to the Lord.

That all Christians tasked with the spread of the light of the Gospel, may be faithful to that same Gospel in every dimension of their lives. We pray to the Lord.

For all those who have fallen away from the Church, those whose lives are darkened by sin, for the conversion of all unbelievers and those who have fallen into error, and the conversion of all hearts.

For Pope Francis’ prayer intention for the month of September: “That our parishes, animated by a missionary spirit, may be places where faith is communicated and charity is seen.”

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.

O God, you 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.

3rd Week of Advent 2021 - Wednesday - "Near indeed is salvation"

 

Throughout the Old Testament God is revealed as Savior. 

In the early books of the Old Testament God saves people from famine, from slavery, and from enemy armies. Over and over, through Judges like Gideon and Deborah, God saves his people who fall into sin and become vulnerable to enemies like the Amorites, Philistines, and Canaanites. David sings of how God saves him from the murderous plots of saul, and is a constant savior to the people of Israel.

We know the story well of the devastation wrought by the Babylonians. Israel, having forsaken God quite profoundly, fall to the Babylonians and are marched off into exile.

For about two generations, from 587 to 538, the exiled Jews lived under the oppression of the Babylonians. Prophets like Daniel began to speak of how God would save the Jews from Babylonian exile.

In the Gospel, we hear how God the Savior had now come in the flesh, curing the blind and the lame and the lepers and the deaf, and raising the dead. The same God who saved the people of Israel over and over in the Old Testament, had now come as the savior of all mankind.

These Advent readings help us appreciate who Jesus is, who we will be celebrating at Christmas. Not an ordinary man who simply had nice things to say about getting along with each other. He is God in the flesh come to save his people—and not simply from physical ills or enemies, but from the great spiritual enemies of the human race—sin and death. 

These Advent readings help us appreciate who Jesus is, who we will be celebrating at Christmas. Not an ordinary man, who goes about an ordinary life. He is God in the flesh come to save his people—and not simply from physical ills or enemies, but from the great spiritual enemies of the human race—sin and death. 

“Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him” writes David in today’s Psalm. 

Like Isaiah, like David, like John the Baptist, we are to point people to Jesus who is the Savior of mankind. Christmas is not the celebration of the birthday of an ordinary child. It is the birth of the Savior of mankind without whom we would remain exiled from heaven forever. 

May all the ends of the earth turn to him for salvation, justice, and peace, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That the Holy Father, all bishops and priests, religious and laity may shine with the Light of Christ’s love for the lost and despairing.

That world leaders may look upon the Son of God, believe in him, and seek the peace and justice that only he can bring.

For those who have fallen away from the Church, who have become separated from God through error and sin, for those who reject the teachings of Christ, for their conversion and the conversion of all hearts.

That our young people will turn away from the evils of our culture to spread the good news of Christ’s eternal kingdom.

For those experiencing any kind of hardship or sorrow, isolation, addiction, or illness: may they experience the healing graces of Christ and the saving powers of God.

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

O God, you 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.

Monday - 25th Week of OT 2017 - Returning from Exile, Rebuilding Your Life

The Old Testament Books of Ezra and Nehemiah detail the 50-year period after the Babylonian Captivity. For over a hundred years, Jews lived and worked in Babylon, cut off from their traditions, their history, their rituals, their stories, and their worship.  A generation of Jews grew up without knowing about God freeing their people from slavery in Egypt, they grew up without knowing the promises God made to Abraham, without the knowledge of the ten commandments or the promised land.  They grew up only knowing the gods and practices of Babylon-- a culture which practiced child sacrifice, polygamy, and other behaviors condemned by Jewish law.

Imagine if your children or grandchildren knew nothing about their family histories, knew nothing about their heritage, in fact, they had adopted practices which were exactly the opposite of the truths of their faith.  In a way, not knowing their history, not knowing their faith, you would say, that they did not know themselves.

The Old testament reading today details the turning point in this sad chapter. In October 539 BC, so this time of year, two thousand, five hundred, fifty-some years ago, the Persian King Cyrus defeated the Babylonians. A year later King Cyrus decrees that he will allow the captive Jews to return to their homeland. What inspired the King to make this allowance? We heard today…”The LORD inspired King Cyrus of Persia” Cyrus even decrees that the Jews should be assisted in rebuilding the house of God—the Temple—in Jerusalem.

There is certainly a powerful spiritual analogue to this story of captivity and return. In our sin and ignorance, we are held captive, separated from God and the ways of the saving faith. Some Catholics fall away from the faith, some struggle to be free from very serious sins or addictions, for what seems like a hundred years. But, like Cyrus inspired by God, we receive the grace to break free from our sin, our addiction, our captivity, the fallen away Catholic comes home, the Christian struggling with sin is liberated.

But that gift of liberation and return, is given by God for a purpose. The returning exiles were tasked with rebuilding the Temple and recommitting to the works of God’s Holy Law. So, too Christians, freed from sin are tasked with offering right and beautiful worship to God, and must commit ever more fervently to the works of Christian Law, the works of mercy. We are freed from sin, that we may engage in the life of God, the life of mercy, to build up the New Temple of God, the Church, built with living stones.

As we heard in the Gospel, we are given the light of faith, not that it may be hidden under a bushel, but that it may be shared for the good of all, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
 
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For the Holy Father, Francis, our Pope, that he may be aided by the Holy Spirit in leading those captive to sin home to right relationship to God through Holy Church. We pray to the Lord.

That all Christians tasked with the spread of the light of the Gospel, may be faithful to that same Gospel in every dimension of their lives. We pray to the Lord.

For all those who have fallen away from the Church, those whose lives are darkened by sin, for the conversion of all unbelievers and those who have fallen into error, and the conversion of all hearts.
For Pope Francis’ prayer intention for the month of September: “That our parishes, animated by a missionary spirit, may be places where faith is communicated and charity is seen.”

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.

O God, you 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.