2nd Week of Lent 2021 - Monday - Be merciful. Stop judging. Stop condemning. Forgive.

The Lord gives four short commands for us in the Gospel today: Be merciful.  Stop judging. Stop condemning.  Forgive.  Be merciful.  Stop judging. Stop condemning.  Forgive.  

We’d do well just to replay those four commands in our heads over and over for the remainder of Lent. Be merciful.  Stop judging. Stop condemning.  Forgive.  

The call to be merciful is a perennial commandment in Holy Scripture. The people of Israel were to be known for their mercy to widows, orphans, and resident aliens. And so too, Christians are to practice the mercy of the good Samaritan, and mercy of the father of the prodigal son. And notice, the Lord doesn’t say, “be merciful....once in while.” “Be merciful, only to the people whom you like.”  “Be merciful, only to people who will be able to pay you back.”  No, he says, “be merciful as your Father in heaven is merciful” and his mercy is available to all people at all times.  

What does it mean not to judge. We are certainly to avoid the sin of rash judgment—giving people the benefit of the doubt. Catechism says, To avoid rash judgment, everyone should be careful to interpret insofar as possible his neighbor's thoughts, words, and deeds in a favorable way:

Every good Christian ought to be more ready to give a favorable interpretation to another's statement than to condemn it. But if he cannot do so, let him ask how the other understands it. And if the latter understands it badly, let the former correct him with love. If that does not suffice, let the Christian try all suitable ways to bring the other to a correct interpretation so that he may be saved.

To avoid condemning we need to avoid treating people as if they are not worthy of our help. To condemn a person is to say that they are too sinful, too ignorant, too perverse for my help or the help of God—I will have nothing to do with them because they are damned anyway. Rather, as long as a person draws breath, we are to bring God’s goodness to them and preach the Gospel to them. 

Finally, we must forgive. Forgive, forgive, forgive. If we do not practice forgiveness, we will not be forgiven by the Father. We must let go of all grudges, all resentment towards those who have injured us either physically or emotionally. We are to forgive 70 times 70 times when our brother sins against us. Some of us are more willing to forgive strangers than close family members, because we claim they should know better, but forgiveness is to granted to all people: strangers, neighbors, family, friends, those in authority over us, to all.

Forgive.  Be merciful.  Stop judging. Stop condemning. Forgive.  Be merciful.  Stop judging. Stop condemning. 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 the Holy Spirit’s continued guidance for Our Holy Father, Bishop, and all Church leaders.

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. And for the Church in places where Christian’s are persecuted and the Gospel 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.

12th Week in OT 2019 - Tuesday - Pearls before swine

Having discussed the importance of prayer, piety, and performing works of charity, the final chapter of Jesus’ sermon on the mount offers instructions about personal relationships—how as Christians we are to interact with one another.

Jesus first warns about judging others. If not for the solemnity of John the Baptist yesterday, we would have heard the gospel of noticing the splinter in our brother’s eyes while ignoring the wooden beam in our own. We are to take care not to focus on the small imperfections of others while ignoring our own greater imperfections, lest we be guilty of hypocrisy.

But, the command to “stop judging” is not as sweeping as it might sound. Correction of a brother or sister who has become wayward in following Christ is an important act of mercy. Only after we have taken great care that we are acting out of authentic concern are we to engage in what is called fraternal correction. And there is a place for fraternal correction in the church. Speaking the truth, gently, after ensuring that we ourselves are being faithful to that truth, in order to bring an erring brother back to the practice of the faith; this is a good and holy thing. Parents, especially, have a vital role in correcting their children no matter how old they are.

The Lord then warns today, “do not throw pearls to the swine”. Now, some might take this an excuse not to give public witness to the faith. The Gospel might be rejected by some when it is preached in a public manner, but it is preached for the sake of those willing to listen. The Apostles, for example, in dealing with the Scribes and Pharisees, knew they would likely be rejected by many of them. But they persisted in preaching for the sake of those of goodwill—those who would be converted or edified by their teaching.

The Pope and the Bishops and the Clergy, likewise, preach the Gospel in public manner. Yes, it might be rejected by some. But the Lord blesses that public teaching. I would want to be corrected if I had fallen away from the truth, wouldn’t you?

On the other hand, sometimes it is a waste of time to persist in dealing with people who are impervious to correction. But I think we should be very slow to write someone off as impervious swine.

Bishop Perez has enjoined the Church of Cleveland many times, to meet people where they are with the truth of the Gospel. It is an act of love to preach and teach the Gospel. May we do so without hypocrisy or compromise of the truth, and with patience and complete faith in its authenticity for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
 
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That Pope Francis and all the clergy may witness to the truth of the Gospel faithfully, courageously, and compassionately.

For the protection of the unborn, and that people of goodwill will work together to enshrine the protection of the unborn in law and in the hearts of all.

For the conversion of those who do not believe in God, for Catholics who have left the Church, those guilty of heresy or schism, and for a return to the sacraments of those who have fallen into serious sin.

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, all victims of abuse, especially children, for the mentally ill, those with addictions, and the imprisoned, for those who struggle to live the call of 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 St. Joseph Father Larry Tosco, and for N. for whom this mass is offered.

Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord.

12th Week of OT 2018 - Monday - Remove the speck from your own eye first (Nursing Home Mass)

In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches many lessons about the attitudes and actions that Christians need to practice: we need to pray, fast, give alms, we need to forgive if we wish to be forgiven, we need to be willing to make peace with our brother, and be willing to suffer for the Gospel.

We heard from the part of his sermon today where Jesus teaches his followers about judging others, the tendency to condemn what needs to change in others without willingness to acknowledge what needs to change in ourselves, criticizing others while letting ourselves off the hook for similar behavior.

If we are to live and witness to the Gospel successfully, the Gospel must be rooted in our hearts. We are to practice what we preach, to be extremely patient with those who fail, to avoid any semblance of moral hypocrisy.

So how are we to “remove the specks from our own eye” as the Lord teaches? Before getting into bed, it is an indispensable spiritual practice to examine our conscience in light of God’s commandments and the moral virtues.  To ask ourselves a series of questions about the choices we made, the attitudes we displayed, the words we chose to speak.

Did I treat the waitress, the cashier, the custodian, the nurse, my roommate, the stranger in the hallway, with the patience, the respect, the gentleness that is befitting a Christian? Did I hold my tongue when I was tempted to spread that juicy piece of gossip? Did I pray enough? Where did I waste my time on frivolous pursuits? Where did I fail to control my tongue, my eyes, my heart today?

Many of us put off the daily examine or engage in it with minimal effort because we are afraid to discover just how far from Christ-like love we’ve been.  Faithfully examining our conscience takes real humility—the humility to admit that my heart has a long way to go. But without humility there can be no growth in the spiritual life.  And if we are not growing spiritually, it is likely that we are stagnating, perhaps even rotting on the vine.

The Lord is always challenging us to grow in holiness, through the perfection of the virtues.  May we cooperate with the grace of conversion he desires for each of us, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That all Christians may practice the humility mandated by the Gospel mercy.

For all those who suffer from violence, war, famine, extreme poverty, addiction, discouragement, loneliness, and those who are alienated from their families.  May they know God’s mercy and be gathered to the eternal kingdom of peace. 

For all those who suffer illness, and those in hospitals, nursing homes and hospice care, that they may be comforted by the healing light of Christ. 

For the repose of the souls of our beloved dead, the deceased members of our families friends and parishes, for those who fought and died for our freedom, and for Eli and Cora Perish Cole, for whom this mass is offered