Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time - The Prophetic Tradition_092919

Deacon Tom Writes,

The Prophetic Tradition

Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

The Prophet Amos who speaks to us in our first reading today was a shepherd of Tekoa in Judah during the prosperous reign of Jeroboam II from 786-746 B.C. For several weeks now we have heard him speak of the injustices against the poor and the complacency of the people of his day. Like all prophets, his messages were very unpopular. Amos told the people that there would be a day of reckoning for how they treated the poor. He foretold a time when God would destroy Jerusalem and send his people into exile. The fulfillment of this prophecy took place in 597 B.C., an event history records as the Babylonian Captivity.

Amos belonged to a very special group of Old Testament authors known as the Minor Prophets. Included in this genre of very irritating people are Hosea, Joel, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. Prophets were irritating because they delivered unpopular messages. The messages they delivered were not their own, but God’s. Prophets encouraged the people to return to God and be faithful to him. Not surprisingly, these individuals also foretold the dismal consequences that awaited the people of Israel for their prideful disobedience and unfaithfulness to God. Inherent in the prophetic message, however, was always a call to turn away from sin and return to the love of God.

It has been thousands of years since the Old Testament Prophets spoke out against the evils of their times. Yet, the passage of time has not silenced the need for the people today to hear and take seriously the prophetic messages being spoken to us. Fortunately, there are those among us today who continue to speak prophetically about the poor and suffering among us. They remind us that the poor are still being treated unjustly through limited access to quality education and health care; they point out that racism and discrimination still prevail in many facets of our society; they shed light where immigrants are being exploited. Prophetic voices today remind us that we, like the people of Amos’s day, or like Lazarus in today’s gospel, do not see the injustice and suffering of those around us. It seems that the real sin we all face today in our comfort and our abundance is that the poor and the needy have become invisible to us or worse yet, we have become indifferent to the “cries of the poor”. We have pushed the suffering souls to the fringes of our society so that our paths will seldom cross or our eyes will never meet.

Let us give thanks for the likes of St. Teresa of Calcutta, Nelson Mandela, Thomas Merton, Sr. Helen Prejean, Desmond Tutu, Henri Nouwen, Jean Vanier, St. John Paul II, Martin Luther King Jr., and Dorothy Day to name but a few faithful and courageous souls whose lives and witness have helped keep the embers of the prophetic tradition smoldering in our times. They have helped enlivened the spirits of so many others to continue to do the irritating work of the prophets who have gone before us.

May we listen to their words and respond faithfully to the "cry of the poor".

Enjoy the day!

Deacon Tom

Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time - I Will Never Forget_092219

Deacon Tom Writes,

“I Will Never Forget”

Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

We would be seriously mistaken to think that cheating the poor and stealing from the needy was a modern day phenomena. Sad to say that such behavior has been around for a long time. 750 years before Christ the Prophet Amos chastises those who tinkered with their scales in order to overcharge the poor and needy for their wheat and grain. The Lord has a few caustic words for them, “Never will I forget a thing they have done”!

Have you ever heard the expression, “keeping your thumb on the scale”? In whose favor does that work? In addition, those who engage in such a devious practice, as Amos writes, can’t wait for the Sabbath and the Festival of the New Moon to be over with so that they can take advantage of the poor of the land. Such behavior has gotten the Lord’s attention, says Amos, and the Lord, “will never forget a thing they have done”!

In the gospel, Jesus tells the story of a manager who has quite the way with numbers. Apparently, he was an unscrupulous steward whose deception was detected by his employer. What the steward lacked in integrity, however, he made up for with his imagination. Before he is fired, he cancels part of the debt that others owed his master. This way those whose debts he had forgiven would take care of him after he was discharged. What a fraud…. and cleverly done. That’s why Jesus points him out. As deceitful as this act was, Jesus recognizes that the dishonest steward was very successful in taking very good care of himself.    

Now, Jesus is not advocating deceitful means in our dealings with the world. Rather, he is suggesting that his disciples be as ingenious and imaginative in ways of building up the Kingdom of God as those who seek to acquire an inordinate share of the things of this world. If just a small token of our efforts were directed toward advancing the Kingdom of God in all our daily encounters at home, where we work or go to school, where we shop or play, a more just and peaceful world would unfold before our very eyes.

Today’s readings prompt us to reflect on how much imagination and energy we put into bringing about God’s Kingdom as we go about our daily affairs. Do we see the poor being abused and cheated in any way today and point it out, refuse to participate, seek to put an end to unfair and unjust practices that oppress them? This is an important question for disciples of Jesus to ask themselves today. Why?

You see, those words of the Prophet Amos also apply to those who help shoulder the burdens of the poor today... the Lord says,  “Never will I forget a thing they have done”.

Enjoy the day,

Deacon Tom

Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Amazing Grace_091519

Deacon Tom Writes,

“Amazing Grace”

Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
That sav’d a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

John Newton wrote these words after he experienced God's unmerited favor to lost souls. They flow from a heart cleansed of its own sordid past and immersed in God’s healing graces.

Grace is part of the mystery of God’s relationship with us, the high point of his creation. God is gracious (as in God is grace), and so he bestows grace upon us and indeed all his creation. It is freely given and nothing we do can earn it. This is so because before we can even think of doing a good act, God’s grace must first stir within us the desire to do that good act. God’s grace moves us into action; that action then draws us ever deeper into a profound relationship with God.

The 20^th century theologian, Karl Rahner, defined grace as “God’s personal self-communication to humankind generally and to each individual”. In other words, grace is God communicating his own personal self to us. This is an amazing reality in itself: God is always seeking to communicate with each and every one of us!

Our human existence is marked by mortality and experiences sin and guilt. Grace operates in our lives to help us desire our salvation, to help us seek out a deeper and more personal relationship with our creator, and indeed, to be in communion with him so we can be healed and forgiven. Grace is the operative principle that enables us to, “work out your salvation with fear and trembling” as St. Paul instructed the Philippians. 

Most of us today are desperate for God’s healing, compassionate, sustaining, yes, amazing grace in many aspects of our lives… for physical or emotional healing, to mend broken or hurting relationships, to calm our worries, fears, and anxieties about so many things. It seems that we have found ourselves in a world where injustice, ignorance, intolerance, and apathy surround us and we feel helpless to respond. Now, perhaps more than ever before, we need God’s grace to enlighten our consciences and guide us on our journey so that we may be instruments of his love, mercy, and compassion. 

Today’s gospel is a reminder that we all can get lost along the way. We can easily turn our backs on God’s amazing grace to do things “My Way” in the words of Frank Sinatra. We have lost something precious and need to get busy trying to find it. We have all lost the original state of grace we had when God made us. By living in the light of Christ and cooperating with the many graces that are given to us in our lifetime, we can be confident that grace will guide us every day of our life and when life’s journey ends, “Grace will lead us home”.

Enjoy the day!

Deacon Tom

Image Credit: commons.wikimedia.org

Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time - The Cost of Discipleship_090819

Deacon Tom Writes,

The Cost of Discipleship

Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

Take up thy cross, the Savior Said

If thou wouldst my disciple be;

Deny thyself, the world forsake,

And humbly follow after me.

These words from an old hymn capture the essence of our Gospel today. For in today’s Gospel Christ tells us that in order to be a true disciple, we will have to put some “skin in the game” so to speak. Being a disciple of Christ will cost us some relationships, some status, some sleepless nights. For Jesus did not take on our human nature to sit around the fire and sing Kumbaya. Quite the opposite as we heard Christ say several weeks ago "I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!”

We have been listening to Luke’s gospels for a number of weeks now. He has been leading us into a deeper relationship with Jesus by telling us to separate ourselves from the things of this world and to work for treasures that will last. Indeed, Luke urges us to set ourselves apart from all that would separate us from God.

I know that this is difficult to do. We live in the physical world and we work hard to gain the pleasures and comforts that it offers. Yet, we cannot lose focus on the spiritual realities that guide and govern our lives and give them their due. We cannot forget those who lack the basic necessities of life just because we are well fed and have a roof over our family.  We cannot be insensitive to those who are refugees just because we are safe and sound here in our country. We cannot forget the lonely, the suffering, the addicted, and discouraged just because we are healthy, healthy, befriended, and living the good life.

Taking up our crosses daily requires our willingness to surrender some of our creature comforts, some of our leisure time, and some of our self-centered way of thinking.  We need to place an emphasis on our spiritual life and well being so that we may be sensitive to the needs of those who are less fortunate than we are. This death to self by loving and serving others as Christ did is the one sure way to begin a life in the spirit in order to grow in the awareness of the needs of those we are called to love and serve. Again, growing our spiritual lives is not an easy task but one that will have its own reward in this life and in the world to come.

Enjoy the day!

Deacon Tom

Image Credit: Palamas Institute

Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time - Musical Chairs_090119

Deacon Tom Writes,

Musical Chairs

Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

The image Jesus often uses to describe the Kingdom of God is that of a banquet.  Today is a good example.  Jesus is invited to a dinner party by one of the leading Pharisees.  The Gospel opens by saying that … “people were observing him”.    That’s an interesting use of words since what it really means is that “everybody” was watching Him.  That’s because Jesus is the outsider.  He is the one that is not one of them.  These other guests make up the power elite that keeps the system working …for them and to suit their purposes.   Jesus is well aware of this and in turn He is observing them as well. 

It is easy for Jesus to recognize the dynamics at work as the guest begin to be seated.  Everyone wants the best seat in the house… at the head table.  We can imagine many people lunging for few seats, an ancient version of “musical chairs”…. with or without the music. Jesus completely understands that getting some form of recognition, even if it is only a better seat than someone else, is an absolute necessity for an immature and self-absorbed ego.  And so, perhaps as the dinner guests are working their way to the head table, Jesus gives them a lesson on humility, on what it means to have a healthy, mature and appropriate understanding of who we are. 

When we have this understanding about ourselves, Jesus teaches, only then are we are able to enjoy genuine guest parties, where we invite our friends regardless of their ability reciprocate. We are able to enjoy one another’s company because we no longer have to put ourselves above them or compete with them to satisfy our egos.

The table fellowship that Jesus envisioned He has passed on to us in the gift of the Eucharist. Here at the table of the Lord we share in the Body and Blood of Christ and we become one in Him, putting aside all that divides us… race, color, economic status, everything, even our pride and our egos.  We come to the table of the Lord as we are… broken, sorrowful, hungry and longing to be nourished, healed and forgiven; and, we are humbled to discover that at God’s table…… there are plenty of seats for everyone!

Enjoy the day!

Deacon Tom

Twenty first Sunday in Ordinary Time_C - On the Outside Looking In_082519

Deacon Tom Writes,

“On the Outside Looking In”

Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

Today we find the Lord busy gathering people from all the nations, bringing them from east and west, north and south to recline at his table. All are invited to the feast. All are welcomed to the celebration; no reservations are required! Jesus, however, indicates that we have to do a little more than show up ready to eat. We need to acknowledge the invitation we receive to participate in God’s kingdom by sending back the R.S.V.P. Yes, it seems that we have to act on our desire to participate in this wonderful banquet the Lord has prepared for us by living good and wholesome lives.

It is so easy to say to ourselves that God loves us “Unconditionally” and then go on living lives unworthy of that love. Today’s gospel gives us cause to rethink that behavior. Jesus makes it clear that following him is difficult, therefore, the reference to the “narrow gate”. Those who are not “strong enough” to walk the narrow path, that is, those who live morally shallow or self-absorbed lives, find themselves “on the outside looking in” when it’s time to enjoy this great celebration the Master has prepared.

We all make choices in life, and all of the choices we make have consequences. We are so blessed to have the freedom to engage in virtually unlimited activity and to do pretty much as we please. With such great freedom, we run the risk of making the wrong choices and there can be dire consequences. Making bad choices that complicate our lives and create problems for ourselves and those we love is tragic enough. What about the choices we make that threaten our eternal life? The image Jesus presents today drives home that point effectively.

We don’t want to miss out on eternal life, as hard as that is for us to imagine living, as we do, in a physical, material world. But we do know that St. Paul tries to describe it for us when he says, “What eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, and what has not entered the human heart, what God has prepared for those who love him."     (1 Cor. 2:9)

If we could only live each moment of our lives as if the banquet of eternal life was to begin tonight, we would never have to worry about being on the outside looking in!

Enjoy the day!

Deacon Tom

Image Credit: Becky Johnson - - On The Outside Looking In - steel and glass

Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time_C - Between A Rock and a Hard Spot!_081819

Deacon Tom Writes,

“Between a Rock and a Hard Spot”

Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

Jeremiah finds himself in a tight spot. He is accused of “demoralizing the soldiers who are left in the city”. The princes want to put him to death. The charges are correct: Jeremiah has been demoralizing the soldiers and all who remained in Jerusalem. Jeremiah disheartened the inhabitants of the city because he told them the Truth…He spoke the words that God wanted them to hear… that everyone who remained in the city would die. It seems that the false prophets, i.e. the liars, were telling the people that there was no need to worry, that everything would be fine; Jerusalem would be safe because their enemy would break off their siege and withdraw from the city. The false prophets were convincing because… the people wanted to believe them. They wanted to be lied to in order to keep the status quo and life as usual. The people wanted to continue on their evil ways and shun the prophet Jeremiah who spoke the Truth.

Well, as we read today, those who were unwilling to listen to the truth, i.e. God’s Word, toss Jeremiah into a dry cistern so that he would die. But, God comes to his aid and Jeremiah is rescued and continues as God’s messenger to a reluctant people.

Today the Word of God remains unfashionable. We turn our backs on him in order to pay homage to the false prophets of our day who say all the right words that keep us snug and comfortable in the cozy world we have fashioned around us. God’s Word calls us out from our comfort zone so we can find “life in the fullest” just as Jeremiah struggled to encourage the people of his day to be faithful to God’s ways.

God’s Word is always relevant. It speaks to us today as it has to the people throughout the millennia. The challenge for us is to discern what God is saying and then to live life that way. That’s how we will find true happiness in our troubled and chaotic world and dispense with the false prophets who would lead us astray from all that God has in store for those who love him.

Enjoy the day!

Deacon Tom