31st Sunday in Ordinary Time 2023 - Conversation with an athiest tailor

 A few years ago I had to pay a visit to our local tailor, as, surprise, after a few years of priesthood, I needed my cassock and a few pairs of paints to be let out a bit. 

After taking care of business, the tailor says to me if she could ask me a personal question. I love personal questions, so I said, “Of course.” She said that she had been raised without any faith, and didn’t  believe in God, and that she came from a land very hostile toward religion. And she would like to know why a young man such as myself (I did say this was a few years ago), why a young man like myself would want to be a priest. Now, I’ve told my vocation story to Catholics, but now speaking to an atheist, I knew my answer had to be a little nuanced. 

After a moment’s reflection, I said, “I think both you and I know how much evil is in the world, yes? Well, I believe much of that evil comes from people not knowing about God’s love—from turning away from God; and I want to help people turn toward God.” She became quite pensive at that, and she then began to explain how the Stalinists, the Atheistic Communists, caused so much destruction and suffering in her country, and of course, outlawed religion. But, she claimed that Stalin has been replaced, and even though religion has been allowed again, many of the people who worked for Stalin were now in religious leadership, and they still seem to be oppressing the people. They exchanged the hammer and sickle for the cross, but they did not change their hearts, and now used the cross to control people. So the tailor sees Christians as largely hypocritical. 

What do you say to that? I told her that God is not fooled by actors. God sees to the heart. And we will be judged by our true intentions and actions in this life. There will be justice.

Throughout the Gospel, the Lord is constantly confronting the scribes, elders, pharisees, and Sadducees for their religious hypocrisy. He uses that word hypocrisy quite a bit. For at that time, the word hypocrite was a technical word, it was a mask-wearing play actor. The actor changes his mask depending on the character he is playing. And so the Lord calls these people hypocrites because they were wearing the mask of the religious leader, but they were in fact leading God’s people away from God. As we heard in the Gospel today, these so-called religious leaders were seeking places of religious authority and power, but using it to oppress and mislead--they were guilty of the grave misuse of power and God was not pleased with their masquerade, their corruption of religion. 

Religion: it can be the best thing around, and it can be the worst thing around. When religion functions well, according to its own deepest purpose, it brings us into friendship with God, it brings out the best in us—it brings relief, and mercy, and peace, and joy. But, when it is dysfunctional, when religion goes bad, it goes really bad, and it can bring out the worst in us—and be a source of misery, rather than mercy.

The ancient Romans would say: “Corruptio optimi pessimo”, the corruption of the best is the worst. When the best thing goes bad, it really goes bad. And that’s certainly true for religion. Dysfunctional religion can be very dangerous. It can create murderous terrorists who commit acts of violence in the name of God; it can lead to the exploitation of good trusting people; it can create terrible scrupulosity where the love of God is replaced by a false image of God as a tyrant; it can lead religious leaders to abuse their power, and lay people to become filled false piety and self-righteousness.

Now notice, how even though Jesus points out the religious failure of the Scribes and Pharisees, he doesn’t discredit religious leadership altogether. Were the Scribes and Pharisees in many ways corrupt? Yes. But does that mean that the whole idea of teaching authority and religious leadership is altogether corrupt? Absolutely not. After all he founded his Church on the religious leadership of the Apostles. Regarding the apostles he says, "those who listen to you, listen to me. those who reject you, reject me"

Contrast the corrupt religious leadership of the Pharisees with the great humility and authentic leadership of the saints, who we celebrated this week on the Holy Day of Obligation, All Saints Day. The saints do not use religion to inflate their own egos, rather, they seek to become empty of ego, to serve others and help others to be as holy as possible. Their humility is truly humbling, their goodness is truly inspiring. The saints never preach what they are unwilling to do themselves. They are the first ones in the confessional when they’ve sinned, and are the first ones with a cup of water, to give drink to the thirsty. They illustrate our religion’s highest ideals; they show us how God transforms those who follow Christ in holy surrender to the Divine Will. 

And remember, the saints weren’t born saints. Many of them lived for decades at odds with God, in league with the Devil, off the path of Christ and his righteousness. But when God broke into their life they responded with faith, hope, and love, thanks be to God. If the corruption of the best is the worst, many of the saints show us how the redemption of the worst, is the best; they show us the marvelous things that can happen when we seek conversion and the growth in holiness God desires for us.

This month, the month of November, the Body of Christ the Church prays in a special way for the souls in purgatory who at the end of life, were found in need of further purification from the effects of sin in their life. Yes, they died in friendship with the Lord, but at the time of death, they still had need of further purgation. So we should seek purification from the effects of sin in this life, now, through penance and works of mercy. For the saints attest to the fact that purification in this life, is preferred, to the purifying sufferings of purgatory.  But our prayers truly help those in purgatory, our prayers are acts of love. 

At first Friday Holy Hour, I recommended the practice of bringing to the Lord the names of your departed loved ones. I recommend taking a note book, and prayerfully writing down the names of the dead who have touched your life. “Uncle Jim, may he rest in peace. Aunt Martha, may she rest in peace.” Anyone who touched your life, pray for them. Anyone who blessed you or hurt you. Anyone who was a model Christian, and those who weren’t, pray for them. When we pray for the poor souls, we also begin to loosen any of the resentments or unforgiveness we might be carrying regarding the dead. And it is vital to let go of those things: they cause us unhappiness on earth, and we will not enter heaven until we are willing to let them go. 

Our religion is so beautiful, because it teaches us to practice love toward the living and the dead, to orient ourselves toward the love of God, the Father of Creation. Through our practice of love, may we witness to unbelievers the redemptive and transformative power of the Gospel of Christ for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

28th Week in OT 2020 - Friday - All that is concealed will be revealed

 As the Lord’s public ministry brings him closer to Jerusalem, large crowds of people begin to follow him and listen to his teaching. This morning’s passage begins a long sermon contrasting genuine discipleship with the hypocrisy of the Pharisees.

Beware hypocrisy for “there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed”. The Pharisees were hypocrites because on the outside they acted as if they were upright, but inside they were full of evil. They were quick to point out what they perceived as the faults of others but did not see or repent of their own. Behind a mask of righteousness, the concealed an inner coldness, malice, pride, and lust for power. They were pretenders, play acting at holiness. 

And the Lord explains that in the end, no one will get away with hypocrisy. There is nothing concealed that will not be revealed. God sees to the heart. Jesus saw through the façade, the deception of the Pharisees. And offered them warnings and invited them to repent.

All Hypocrisy will certainly be exposed on judgment day, we will certainly have to answer for any evil deeds and division we sowed in private. There will be some Christians who will be exposed as shams and false prophets on judgment day.

So in this sermon, the Lord is certainly warning his disciples not to follow such false-teachers. After his return to the Father, the Church will be have to be on guard against false teachers, false apostles, he sew division and heresy.  

But, in this warning against hypocrisy, the Lord also wants to ensure that his followers, his disciples don’t fall into this sin. Genuine Christian discipleship isn’t about play acting at holiness, but cultivating genuine authentic love of God and neighbor. We are truly to repent of our sins so that they may be replaced with virtue and righteousness.

Today, we celebrate the feast of St. Margaret Mary, that great visionary who made known the powerful devotion to the Lord’s sacred heart. In 1677, Jesus appeared to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, a Visitation nun in France and revealed his Sacred Heart. She said, “I could plainly see His heart, pierced and bleeding, yet there were flames, too, coming from it and a crown of thorns around it. He told me to behold His heart which so loved humanity. Then He seemed to take my very heart from me and place it there in His heart. In return He gave me back part of His flaming heart.”

Here is the remedy for all hypocrisy. Again the Lord doesn’t want play actors, rather he wants to replace our cold, divisive hearts with his own. And that comes through prayer, devotion, right belief, repentance, and works of charity.

May the burning fire of his sacred heart, burn away all hypocrisy in our lives and in our parish, that we may witness to the transforming and saving power of Christ for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

 

That all Christians may grow in devotion to the Lord’s sacred heart, that sinner may turn to the infinite ocean of God’s mercy, lukewarm souls may grow fervent, and fervent souls may grow in perfection.

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

That our young people may take seriously the call to holiness, and turn away from the evils of our culture to spread the good news of Christ’s eternal kingdom.

That, during this month dedicated to the Holy Rosary, many Christians will discover new and deep devotion to Our Lady’s powerful intercession and maternal care for the Church.

For all whose lives are marked by suffering may come to know the healing and peace of Christ.

For the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, and all the poor souls in purgatory, for deceased clergy 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.

1st Week of Lent 2020 - Friday - The mask of the Pharisee

It sounds as if the Lord is setting some impossibly high standards in the Gospel today: “Unless your holiness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees you shall not enter the kingdom of God.”  How could our holiness possibly "surpass" that of the Pharisees?  They prided themselves on following every letter of the law—observance of the 613 commandments found in the Torah, their concern for ritual purity was surpassed by none other.  It seems as if Jesus is demanding the impossible for his disciples.

Remember on Ash Wednesday, we heard the Gospel passage about prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.  Jesus condemned those who like to parade around, appearing to give alms, or appearing to pray, or appearing to fast.  Jesus calls us beyond the mere appearance of following religious laws.  He condemned these people who were concerned with mere appearances as hypocrites.  The word hypocrite, comes from the greek word meaning, “mask-wearer”.  Jesus doesn't want us to act as if we are praying, he wants us to really pray, from the heart.  He doesn't want us to just act as if we are charitable, he wants us to really give, to really sacrifice for the good of others. 

Jesus saw many of the pharisees as hypocrites, more worried about wearing the mask, acting, appearing to be righteous.  What Jesus teaches is for us to seek radical change—radical holiness.  Radical means, going down to the root—to change not just our outward actions, but our inner attitudes.

This sort of inner conversion requires deep examination of our motives.  Not only seeking repentance for my road rage, but seeking to change the part of my heart which gets impatient when things don't go my way.  Not only avoiding stealing and murdering, but changing the part of my heart that needs to get in the last word when I'm arguing, to change the part of me that takes delight in sharing pieces of juicy gossip, that likes to put my mother-in-law in her place.  Not only do we need to avoid stealing, but change the part of us that avoids charitable giving, because of that little bit of greed that remains in us, that little bit of resentment toward giving to people who should be able to help themselves.

Radical change requires serious self-examination in light of the Gospel and radical prayer.  Frequent sacramental confessions which go to the root of our selfish and prideful attitudes are very helpful in allowing the Lord to change us from the inside-out.

May the Holy Spirit help us to make serious and honest examinations of our lives, motives, attitudes, and habits, and come to that radical change of heart to which the Lord calls us, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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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.

For the Holy Spirit to guide the appointment of our next Bishop—that he may be a man of true faith and courage.

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 the Church in China and all places where the Christian message is silenced

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.

October 20 2017 - Taking off our masks and facing the cross

Jesus often condemned the Pharisees for their hypocrisy.  A hypocrite is someone who says one thing and does another—claims to be something on the outside, but on the inside is something else. 
On the outside, the Pharisees were claiming to be religious leaders, they were supposed to be leading God’s people to the truth needed for salvation, helping God’s people to grow in authentic holiness and righteousness. In the context of 1st century Judaea, they should have been helping the people to recognize the authenticity of Jesus’ message, helping the people to believe that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

Jesus condemns them for doing the opposite of what they should have been doing. They were leading the people to be more worried about outward appearance than on interior holiness.  Appearing to be holy was almost a social game, a status symbol to the Pharisees.  And Jesus condemns them for playing at a game, being false religious leaders, of being hypocrites.

The Pharisees were so busy playing this game, build-up their false selves, so busy lying, they actually started to believe the lie, like play actors, or Hollywood actors, who put on the mask for the stage, and start to actually believe they are the fictional character.

Jesus teaches very rightly in the Gospel today, that God sees through our hypocrisy, to the heart of the matter. He sees through all human pretenses, all play acting, all ruses: the true intensions of man will be made known, and we will be judged for them.

Many people today get caught up in social games similar to the Pharisees. They seek to appear to be more successful, they signal that they are more virtuous or concerned about the poor, and therefore better than everyone else. But much of it is a ruse.

Rather the saints take off the mask, they humble themselves before God, they repent of their sins, they seek the reformation of their hearts. Today’s Saint, Paul of the Cross, was the founder of the Passionists. Like so many saints, he urges Christians to meditate frequently on the crucifixion.

Meditation on the cross is a remedy for our self-conceit because we cannot deny that the reason Jesus is on the cross is because of MY sins. Facing the cross requires humility because it means facing the truth about ourselves, but also the truth about God. Today’s saint called the cross is “the most holy school” in which we learn what true love, holiness and righteousness looks like.

 With the help of the saints may we be stripped of our own pharisaic attitudes and come humbly and penitentially before the cross of Christ for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For spiritual growth for all of God’s people, that we may be lead in the ways of authentic truth, justice, and charity.

For those who have fallen into error, for Catholics who have grown lukewarm in their faith, for those who have left the Church, for their conversion and the conversion of all hearts.

For Pope Francis’ prayer intention for the month of October: That all workers may receive respect and protection of their rights, and that the unemployed may receive the opportunity to contribute to the common good.

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.