11th Week in Ordinary Time 2023 - Tuesday - Pro omnibus et singulis (For all and for each)

 Throughout his Sermon on the Mount, the Lord expounds what it means to be truly righteous, truly holy—to live in such a way that one is filled with the life of God on earth, that you may enter into the beatitude of God in eternity. 

And so hear today the a portion of his sermon on love. Already he has challenged his disciples to expand their concepts of holiness and generosity, and today’s passage certainly presents a challenge as well. 

The Lord begins with a saying his audience would have been familiar with, a saying that even seems like common sense: “you have heard that it was said, you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” 

It's easy to love one's neighbor. My neighbor looks like me, talks like me, acts like me.  He’ll let me borrow a mule, or a wine press, or a piece of bread if I ask him.  I feel comfortable inviting him over for a cup of coffee.  My neighbor is lovable.

But an enemy, he looks differently, he talks differently, he might not worship the same God as me or vote for the same politicians. In fact, if I think about it, he is undermining the very fabric of society, he’s barely human; therefore, the best thing would be if he were to not exist at all, right?  Hating one's enemy makes sense...and, honestly...it's not all that difficult.

But, Jesus says, listen: the sun rises and sets on the evil and the good alike; God loves the person you perceive as your enemy just as much as he loves you.  For God loves without measure.  

To follow Christ is to love without regard to race or creed. You must seek what is best pro omnibus et singulis—for all and for each individual—neighbor or enemy. And if you are to treat each with love…is there really any distinction at all?  Kindness must not be limited to those who are kind to us.  

For many, perhaps for most, this may be the hardest of all Jesus’ instructions. But, as we heard this last Sunday, “God proved his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.” God loves the sinner. He loves those who made themselves his enemies. For a sinner becomes an ally and an agent of evil in his sin—evil which opposes the goodness of God. You have opposed God. I have opposed God in my sin. But he died for all those who opposed him, out of love and utter goodness.

And that very same divine love for all is to make its dwelling in the hearts of Christians and is to animate our lives, our behaviors, our actions, our decisions, our relationships pro omnibus et singulis—for all and for each for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

- - - - - -  

To God the Father Almighty, may every prayer of our heart be directed, for it is His will that all humanity should be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.

For the Church during this time of Eucharistic Revival: for a deeper love and reverence for the Bread of Life; that the Most Blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist will help us to live out our vocation to holiness with greater zeal, self-sacrifice, and trust in God.  

That during this month of June dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus: we may make reparation for the many blasphemies committed against God and the Church, and that the afflicted may know God’s compassion in all of their trials.

For the repose of the souls of our beloved dead, For the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, for the deceased priests and religious of the diocese of Cleveland, for the poor souls in purgatory, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom, and for…

O God, our refuge and our strength, hear the prayers of your Church, for you yourself are the source of all devotion, and grant, we pray, that what we ask in faith we may truly obtain. Through Christ our Lord.

7th Sunday of OT 2020 - Beyond spiritual mediocrity

For several weeks now, we’ve been hearing from the Lord’s Sermon on the Mount. On the Mount of Beatitudes the Lord offers instruction to his disciples on how to live a blessed life—who they are and how they are to act in the world. Last week we heard how Christians are called to greatness—moral greatness—by observing and teaching the commandments of God. We are to make a break with sin, and seek to conform our lives to all of the Lord’s teachings and the teachings of his Church.

The commandments of God and the commandments of the world are quite different aren’t they? Where God commands we worship Him alone, the culture tells us to make money, power and pleasure the central pursuits of our life. Where God commands that we keep holy the sabbath, the culture tells us not to let church or religion get in the way of sports programs, family and social events, work and vacation. Where God commands we keep our oaths, strive for purity, and practice selflessness, the culture hates commitments, justifies perversions, and promotes narcissism and self-indulgence.

God calls his people to greatness—to a holiness and perfection which surpasses that of even the old law—a greatness which surpasses the spiritual mediocrity for which we so often settle.

This week, we hear the Lord continuing his Sermon—giving a number of illustrations—examples—what exactly this surpassing holiness looks like.

In the first example, the Lord says if someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one to him as well. You really have to imagine what this looks like. We’ll have to forego the live demonstration today. If a right-handed person were to slap you, they would typically slap you with the palm of their hand on your left cheek. A slap to your right cheek however, would mean that they would have slapped you with the back of their hand. In Jewish tradition, such a violent assault carried a double penalty. Yet Jesus challenges his disciples to not only forgo financial compensation, but to even endure further insult: offer your other cheek. The Lord teaches us to beyond that violent reaction to violence. To remain calm and focused.

“Should anyone press you into service for one mile, go with him for two miles.” Under Roman Law, a Roman soldier could legally force someone to carry his equipment for up to one mile. Don’t just go the one mile Jesus says, show him Christian generosity and endurance. Carry the soldiers equipment for two miles. Well, for Jesus to teach Jewish people under Roman rule to show this generosity and kindness toward their Roman oppressors would have been quite shocking.

“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Again, another startling teaching to those who were oppressed by Romans. The Romans occupied Jewish land, taxed the Jews heavily and treated them with violence and injustice, and the Lord says, “love them and pray for them”. That will make you children of the Heavenly Father. We are to look to the deepest identity of even our enemy, as see that God created them, and loves them, just as he loves us.

In each of these examples, the Lord is calling us to act quite differently than what could be considered normal, to rise above our fallen tendencies and moral mediocrity, and even to bear some humiliation in order to do what is good in the eyes of God.

It’s humiliating to be slapped on the right cheek, and hard to hold back an insult. It’s humiliating to be forced to carry an enemy soldiers’ equipment, to kneel down and pray for that coworker that backstabbed you, that politician who stands for everything you are against, that family member that betrayed your trust. Christians are to treat people better than they treat us.

And when we’re faithful to this teaching, a number of things happen. First we begin to enjoy a freedom not understood by the rest of the world. When we refuse to return insult for insult, injury for injury, we become free from the cycle of violence which often dominates human relationships. We become free from poisonous sentiments of hatred and resentment. And this freedom enables us to become instruments of God.

Because imagine you are that roman soldier who witnesses a Christian going that extra mile, carrying his equipment uphill, in the hot sun, twice as far as legally required. You begin to wonder, what is inside this Christian that enables them to treat me this way? With such gentleness and generosity? Where does that come from? Where does that freedom come from, that inner strength? And maybe, just maybe, that Roman Soldier begins to seek the God who gives us this freedom and strength.



The Lord Jesus exemplifies these very lesson particularly during his crucifixion. Remember, with those who called for his crucifixion in his midst, with the Roman soldiers who nailed him to the cross, he says, “do you think that had I wanted, my Father would not send twelve legions of angels to come and avenge me.” The Lord prayed not for angelic warriors to slaughter his enemies, but for his Father to forgive them. “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” The Lord teaches us, and gives us an example to forgive whenever anyone insults us, or humiliates us, or hurts us—to endure our sufferings, pray for our enemies, and seek to show them the face of the one true God.
This week, on Ash Wednesday, begins the great season of Lent. Lent aims at helping us go beyond spiritual mediocrity and to grow in authentic Christian holiness. Traditionally, throughout Lent we engage in greater prayer, fasting, and almsgiving as ways of converting us, increasing our capacity to give to God and to others.

So, give up chocolate and desserts and snacking if that will help you love the pleasures of the world less and God more. But really consider, take responsibility for your spiritual life, and ask the Holy Spirit, what will help you become more like Jesus this Lent who is so free that he is forgive his enemies from the cross? An extra Our Father every day? Or how about a Holy Hour every week? How about getting to daily Mass, to hear the Lenten Scriptures and to receive the Lord’s flesh and blood offered on the cross for you and for many? What will help you to grow in freedom from the worldly attitudes and behaviors which have crept into your life?

What will help you be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect…for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

11th Week in OT 2019 - Tuesday - Readiness to love our enemies

We continue to read from Jesus’ great sermon on the mount during these weekdays of Ordinary Time, and we are confronted with one of Jesus’ most counter-cultural teachings this morning: love your enemies.

Why this teaching is counter-cultural should be obvious. The tendency of our fallen nature is to hate our enemies, ostracize and undermine them, defeat them in battle, seek their downfall, annihilate their influence in the world. Fallen nature takes delight in seeing enemies suffer.

But Jesus’ disciples are not to follow the tendencies of fallen nature. Rather, we are to live according to a new way, the way of Christ preached in the Sermon and modeled in his earthly life.

We are to love our enemies, because He loves those who have made themselves enemies of God through sin. He went to the cross for all out of love for all.

If we love our enemies, we can love anyone. And we must. Out of obedience to Christ!

So, how are we to love our enemies? Forgive them, be patient with them, feed them, clothe them, teach them, serve them, hold no grudges toward them, visit them, pray for them, seek what is best for them. Love them even when it feels like they are scourging you at a pillar, even when they are forcing you to march to your crucifixion.

Saint Maximus the Confessor wrote, “Readiness to do good to someone who hates us is a characteristic of perfect love.” Many people in our highly-offendable culture walk around ready to attack those who offend them, to verbally assault those who inconvenience them, they are just looking to unveil someone as their enemy so they can pummel them with their pent up frustrations, to make them into a scapegoat for all of their problems.

But Christians must ready ourselves to do good to all. And by doing so we begin to reflect that perfect love of Jesus Christ. We begin to be perfect, as our heavenly Father is perfect.

May we ready ourselves to do good to all, and pray deeply for our enemies, not simply for their conversion, but for our conversion to love them as Christ loves them, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

- - - - - - -
 
That the bishops of the Church will act as true prophets through their faithful teaching, their courageous witness, and their self-sacrificing love. We pray to the Lord.

That government leaders around the world may carry out their duties with justice, honesty, and respect for freedom and the dignity of human life.  We pray to the Lord.

For the Church’s missions amongst the poor and unevangelized throughout the world, that the work of Christ may be carried out with truth and love. We pray to the Lord.

For the grace to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, to love our neighbors and enemies and those who persecute us, and to share the truth of the Gospel with all.  We pray to the Lord.

For all those who share in the sufferings of Christ—the sick, the sorrowful, and those who are afflicted or burdened in any way.  We pray to the Lord.

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

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.

7th Sunday in OT 2019 - Love of Enemies & Breaking Cycles of Violence

Last week we heard the beginning of Jesus’ Sermon on the Plain from Luke’s Gospel—Our Lord’s instruction on how to live a blessed life—not living for wealth, for sensual pleasure, but weeping for one’s sins and being willing to endure suffering for the spread of the Christian Gospel. This week’s Gospel continues his great sermon and contains one of the most sacred, inspiring, and perhaps annoying and puzzling texts in the whole new testament: “To you who hear I say, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” The Lord teaches not just tolerance for one’s enemy, not just vague acceptance, but love.

Who springs to mind when he gives that teaching: “your enemy” For some of us that might mean one of the great global enemies of history: perhaps the September 11 hijackers or Hitler, Stalin, or Mao Tse-Tung, or perhaps your most reviled politician. Perhaps it’s a bit more personal, someone in your life who you just don’t like, who annoys you to no end, or someone who betrayed your trust or caused you harm.

Our first reading contains a pair of enemies, Saul and David. Saul had become deeply jealous of David and sought to kill him. Saul led his vast army to hunt down David and kill him. But in today’s reading, the tide is turned: David has snuck into Saul’s camp, and finds Saul asleep, unprotected, and at his most vulnerable. With a single thrust of his spear, David could kill Saul easily—this mad tyrant who was trying to kill him, unjustly, aggressively, out of insane jealousy. David has every right, you’d say, to kill Saul.

What would you if your greatest enemy was delivered into your hands? Someone you hated, someone that hurt you, someone who has mocked you and made you feel inferior. What would you do if the tables were turned? David finds himself in this position. Now he was the one with the power, he was the one with the blade at his enemies throat. But he chooses not to strike, he breaks the cycle, he foreshadows the love of one’s enemy which Jesus teaches.

And Jesus’ admonition to love our enemies is central to his teaching. It is the great test. And when he says love, he’s not talking about an emotion or a feeling. Love is not a sentiment. Love is an act of the will, a choice to will the good of another, to work for the good of another. A parent loves their child when they work and sacrifice so that the child may grow and learn and become the person they are meant to be. Spouses love each other when they make sacrifices for the good of each other. A priest or religious loves the church when we sacrifice ourselves for the good.

To love one’s enemy is to will their good, and that is not easy.  Why? Why is that hard? Sacrifice is hard, forgiveness is hard. Lending to those who cannot or will not pay you back is hard. Love makes one vulnerable and that is dangerous, that is scary.

Sometimes we find our enemies so threatening because they reveal truths about ourselves that are uncomfortable to face: that we’ve been hurt and want vengeance for our suffering. Or we see in them some hardness that exists also in ourselves. Why did the Pharisees hate Jesus? He revealed their hardness of heart. They sought to put to death the innocent one because his innocence exposed their corruption. He revealed their need to control, their addiction to fame.  Our hatred of an enemy sometimes comes from our fear of having our own hypocrisy exposed. Our enemy is not fooled by our acting.

But if that’s the case, but if they reveal something unholy in us, learning to love one’s enemy is essential for becoming the people God made us to be. God wants to heal our brokenness and liberate us from our hardness of heart by teaching us to love our enemies. If someone, anyone exposes a lie that we tell ourselves, thanks be to God for them.

Another reason why love of enemies is central to the Christian way of life is that through love and patience and understanding and empathy we might win them back. By lending to someone who has no ability to pay us back we teach them something about God—we reflect the love of Jesus who died for sinners. Through our own act of mercy, we show that that mercy and love are possible—we show them the mercy of the Father.

For, as Christians, our task is to draw people in to the mystical body of Christ, to lead them to God. And if we write someone off, we judge them as irredeemable, if we say, they are too far gone, they are my enemy, and unworthy of my effort, then we are unfaithful to the mission of drawing all men to Christ.

It’s difficult to resist that tendency to become irrational with the irrational, to fight fire with fire, to meet short tempers with even shorter tempers, to write people off. But Christians are to break the cycle of hostility through patience, gentleness, and understanding. Our patience and generosity will often be the road on which God wishes to meet souls, to help them to know His goodness and love.
In just a week and a half we will begin the great season of Lent, the season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Consider offering up your Lenten penances for someone who you consider an enemy: perhaps someone who has hurt you, or someone who you think is bringing ruin to the Church or to the world, and pray for them daily, fast for their conversion, beseech God for the ability to forgive them. Pray for the ability to love them with the gentle and patient heart of Jesus, that when you speak to them, you may do so with the utmost understanding, and that you may learn from them what God wants to teach you through them. Every day bring them to God. I guarantee, to do so will change you for the better.

Jesus deliver us from the unwillingness to love. Help us to pray, to fast, to do penance, to will the good in everyone, to do good to those who hate us, to bless those who curse us, to pray for those who mistreat us, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.