Citizens of Heaven

Understanding one important job of Catholic school teachers

08/10/2023

Mt 25:1-13 Jesus told his disciples this parable: "The Kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones, when taking their lamps, brought no oil with them, but the wise brought flasks of oil with their lamps. Since the bridegroom was long delayed, they all became drowsy and fell sleep. At midnight, there was a cry, 'Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!' Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' But the wise ones replied, 'No, for there may not be enough for us and you. Go instead to the merchants and buy some for yourselves.' While they went off to buy it, the bridegroom came and those who were ready went into the wedding feast with him. Then the door was locked. Afterwards the other virgins came and said, 'Lord, Lord, open the door for us!' But he said in reply, 'Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.' Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour."

Do you know where I was before I came here to Immaculate Conception? The bishop let me take three months to live with the Carmelites and discern a religious vocation. A friend asked me: “So you’re thinking about becoming a Carmelite nun??” Actually, my uninformed friend did not know there are also Carmelite friars who are brothers and priests. Another friend asked, “Aren’t Carmelites supposed to keep silent most of the day? Are you going to be able to stop talking like that?” I answered: “You are right: being quiet would be much harder than becoming a Carmelite nun!”

But during those three months I learned a lot about the Carmelite order, and I also adopted some new patron saints. One of these heroic saints was Edith Stein, whose feast day we celebrate on August 9. She was raised Jewish but later became Catholic, and joined the Carmelites in 1934. Besides leading a life of prayer and penance, she was a brilliant philosopher and theologian. Her writings had a huge impact on Pope St. John Paul II, who canonized her a saint in 1998.

Because she was ethnically Jewish and living in Nazi Germany, she was rounded up by the Gestapo, and murdered in the Auschwitz concentration camp on August 9, 1942. And that is why we celebrate the feast of Edith Stein on August 9, because how saints die is the true sign of how much they loved Jesus. And, of course, their death day is really their birth-day in heaven. So it is a cause of joy, not sadness.

I mention Edith Stein to you today because I invite you to adopt a patron saint for yourself as a Catholic school teacher. Why? Well, for two reasons. First, because when we read the lives of the saints and hear of their heroic actions and courageous sacrifices, we are inspired to do the same. We emulate them because they emulate Christ. If Jesus had lived in Nazi Germany in 1942, he would have behaved a lot like Edith Stein. Saints are how we answer the question: what would Jesus do (WWJD)?

Second, remember that one of the hallmarks of a Catholic school is holiness. That is, Catholic morality does not aim for the minimum – what do I have to do to avoid going to hell? – but for the maximum: how do I become a saint? So, pick a patron saint for yourself – maybe St. Francis of Assisi if you are fond of creation and God’s creatures. Or, you might like St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, who started Catholic schools in the United States. Learn about their life, share their stories with your students, and celebrate their feast day with a Sonic drink. Encourage your students to pick their own patron saints.

I had a friend in the seminary, who had a huge devotion to St. Agnes, an early martyr for Christ. Every January 21, her feast day, he would buy a huge sheet cake for everyone in the seminary (there were over a hundred seminarians). The cake was red velvet inside, to represent that Agnes was a martyr who shed her blood for Jesus. And the frosting was white to symbolize her purity because she remained a virgin. That is a simple but beautiful example of how we can adopt a patron saint and try to live more like them.

Chew on this thought this coming school year: our school is supposed to make little saints, and not just good citizens. Why? Well, because saints are another name for the citizens of the kingdom of heaven.

Praised be Jesus Christ!

Dogs of the Lord

Appreciating the big and small Domini canis

08/08/2023

Mt 14:22-36 Jesus made the disciples get into a boat and precede him to the other side of the sea, while he dismissed the crowds. After doing so, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When it was evening he was there alone. Meanwhile the boat, already a few miles offshore, was being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it. During the fourth watch of the night, he came toward them, walking on the sea. When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified. "It is a ghost," they said, and they cried out in fear. At once Jesus spoke to them, "Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid." Peter said to him in reply, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water." He said, "Come." Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened; and, beginning to sink, he cried out, "Lord, save me!" Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" After they got into the boat, the wind died down. Those who were in the boat did him homage, saying, "Truly, you are the Son of God."

Every year on August 8 we celebrate the memorial of St. Dominic. He founded a religious order called the “Order of Preachers” whose specific task was preaching and teaching the Catholic faith. He was born in 1170 in Spain and died in 1221, at the age of 50. Undoubtedly the greatest member of his order was St. Thomas Aquinas. We studied the theology of Aquinas in seminary, and his teaching still shapes and systematizes the Catholic faith today. His influence cannot be overstated.

The followers of St. Dominic are called Dominicans and there is a beautiful tradition surrounding that name. Dominic’s mother was childless and made a pilgrimage to the Abby of Silos to pray for a pregnancy. While there, she dreamed of a dog leaping from her womb carrying a flaming torch in its mouth, and the torch seemed to set the world on fire. In Latin Dominicans is Dominicanus. A play on words renders it as two words in Latin, “Domini” and “canis” meaning dog of the Lord. And modern day Dominicans consider it a badge of honor to be called a dog of the Lord.

With the permission of St. Dominic and all those who proudly wear the title of Dominicans, I would like to give a shout-out to Apollo, whom I also consider to be a “dog of the Lord.” That is, I am beginning to learn that all dogs (our pets) are “dogs of the Lord.” And further, that like the Dominican order, dogs also teach and preach in their own way about the Lord and his love. Let me give you two examples of how Apollo has been a Domini canis for me and others.

First, Apollo has taught me to have a great deal of patience and understanding for people who come late for Mass on Sunday with their babies and toddlers. I used to think: why can’t you get up 15 minutes earlier and arrive on time? But there have been several Sundays when I thought I had prepared well in advance, giving Apollo his breakfast and going on a long walk.

But just as I was about to leave the rectory for church, he had an accident or threw up because he ate some grass. I rushed to clean everything up, and raced into the sacristy of the church a few minutes before Mass, barely starting on time. Suddenly, I had a huge heart of sympathy for those poor parents arriving a few minutes late. Now, I just smile and nod and think: “Yep, I get it. I’m just glad you made it. No judgement.”

In other words, without saying a word Apollo has preached and taught me that the notion of total control and everything flowing punctually and according to my agenda are illusions of personal power. He has helped me to simply do the best I can, and leave things in God’s control.

Another lesson Apollo has taught me is how to break through barriers and feel closer to people. One day a couple came for marriage preparation. The girl was Catholic and the boy was Protestant. I could immediately tell the young man looked at me with suspicion and caution, and did not say two words to me. Wearing all black with a white collar that could have come from Star Trek, he felt like I was stranger-danger, and he kept his distance physically and socially.

I led the couple into Dc. Greg’s office and apologized that my dog had confiscated my office. Suddenly, the young man’s eyes lit up and he asked, “Oh! You have a dog?!” A broad smile crossed his face and he became intensely curious about Apollo. He started to tell me about his own dogs. In a few seconds I went from being stranger-danger to his best friend.

When Apollo and I run at Creekmore Park, perfect strangers, who never would have looked twice at me, often compliment Apollo’s shiny coat and good behavior. Children love dogs, of course, but many adults become like little children around dogs. Dogs make us more human, and even make us priests look human to a suspicious world. This is how these Domini canis preach and teach us today.

Please join me today in thanking God for St. Dominic and the Order of Preachers he founded. May God call many young men and women to follow his path. Let us also praise God for the diminutive Domini canis, like Apollo, whom he has sent to preach and teach to us. They make us more human, and even a little more holy.

Praised be Jesus Christ!

Coherent or Incoherent

Making the Eucharist the center of our life

08/07/2023

Mt 14:13-21 When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, and he cured their sick. When it was evening, the disciples approached him and said, "This is a deserted place and it is already late; dismiss the crowds so that they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves." He said to them, "There is no need for them to go away; give them some food yourselves." But they said to him, "Five loaves and two fish are all we have here." Then he said, "Bring them here to me," and he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds. They all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up the fragments left over– twelve wicker baskets full. Those who ate were about five thousand men, not counting women and children.

Today I want to say a word about a fancy 25 cent word, namely, “Eucharistic coherence.” You may be thinking, “Uh. Wut?” It is the heart of the document on the Mass written by the U.S. bishops in November, 2021. Actually it was written by a friend of mine, Bishop Kevin Rhoades, who taught me canon law at Mt. St. Mary’s Seminary.

Unfortunately, the document was hijacked for political purposes and weaponized against Catholic politicians. While that was part of its purpose, that part was overblown and thus it overshadowed its true purpose, namely, how our whole life should revolve around the Eucharist. The Mass should be the central event and highest expression of our Catholic faith. And that goes for all Catholics, not just Catholic politicians.

The best way to understand the word coherence, for me at least, is to think of its opposite, incoherent. For example, you might say, “Fr. John’s homily this morning was incoherent.” Or, you may have said to your toddler when they threw a temper tantrum and started screaming, “Honey, your words are incoherent.” That is, to be coherent means your words are clear and cogent, they fit together well, and make good sense, and are easy to understand.

So, too, our life should reflect a “Eucharistic coherence” – our belief in Jesus’ real presence in the Bread and Wine should be clear and cogent. The Mass and the rest of our day should fit well together, seamlessly. And other people should see how a Eucharistic life makes perfect sense and want to join us. In short, is your Catholic life coherent or incoherent? Does your Catholic life sound like a toddler throwing a tantrum?

Let me give you some examples of how a Catholic can make his or her life more Eucharistically coherent. First, you should fast for an hour before Mass. The physical hunger should remind us that only Jesus can satisfy our deepest hunger, namely, for himself. You need the Eucharist more than food. Ordinary food helps us survive for 80, 90, 100 years; the Eucharist is food for eternity.

Second, go to confession if you have committed a mortal sin before you come forward for Holy Communion. This is the part that got political but it was meant for all Catholics. But it is always easier to point out other people’s faults, especially politicians of the other party, than look in the mirror and humbly confess our own sins. And if you can’t think of any sins, just ask your husband or wife, and they will be happy to help you.

Third, when you come into church, before you plop down into your pew, genuflect on one knee toward the Tabernacle. The Tabernacle is the elaborately decorated gold container housing Jesus, with the red vigil light always burning next to it. When you walk into someone’s home, you should always greet and acknowledge the Host before you sit on their couch.

Fourth, when you come up for Communion, receive on the tongue, or on your hands. If you receive on your hands, place the right hand below the left to make a throne for Jesus, the King. When the minister declares: “The Body of Christ,” you should reply, “Amen,” meaning, “I believe it!” And consume Jesus immediately, and do not carry him back to your pew.

Sometimes I have seen people walk away with Jesus in their hands, maybe because they were never taught what to do, and so are innocent. On several occasions, I have actually stopped distributing Communion, followed them back to their pew, and said sternly, “You must eat that.”

Notice that I keep my words simple and straight-forward and don’t say, “You should consume the Sacred Host.” Why not? Well, because that may sound incoherent to them. And by the way, if you see someone else do that, you can also gently remind them that Catholics must eat the Eucharist immediately.

And fifth, some people are taking Communion after Mass to family and friends, who are home-bound or sick. And that is a beautiful ministry, and I am glad people do that. But please keep two things in mind. (1) You should go immediately after Mass to take Communion to the sick. You should not run errands and go later in the day. You cannot carry Jesus around with you all day in your car or in your pocket, like I take my dog Apollo with me where I go.

And (2) you should purify (meaning clean) the small gold pix with a little water and drink the water. That way, no small particles of the Sacred Host is left in the pix. Have you noticed how we priests carefully clean the chalice and ciborium right after Communion? Do the same. These are some examples of Eucharistic coherence.

By the way, did you notice the subtle Eucharistic coherence in the gospel today from Mt 14? Right before Jesus multiples the loaves, he uses the same four words and gestures that he will at the Last Supper, the first Mass. He takes, he blesses, he breaks, and he gives. Those are Eucharistic words.

Matthew is trying to help us see this miracle of multiplication is a foretaste of the Mass when Jesus feeds the world. In other words, there is a Eucharistic coherence ringing in the whole Bible, and you can hear it from Genesis to Revelation. That same Eucharistic coherence should echo in our lives, from beginning to end.

Praised be Jesus Christ!

Little Christs

Becoming like Jesus in joy, sorrow, light, and glory

08/06/2023

Mt 17:1-9 Jesus took Peter, James, and his brother, John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, conversing with him. Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, "Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud cast a shadow over them, then from the cloud came a voice that said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him." When the disciples heard this, they fell prostrate and were very much afraid. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, "Rise, and do not be afraid." And when the disciples raised their eyes, they saw no one else but Jesus alone. As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, "Do not tell the vision to anyone until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead."

Last week I was re-reading one of my favorite books, C. S. Lewis’ classic Mere Christianity. If you have never read it, please do. I came across a line I had read before but this time it hit me with a new force. Lewis wrote: “Every Christian is to become a little Christ. The whole purpose of becoming a Christian is simply nothing else.” When I thought of the phrase “little Christs” that Liberty Mutual Commercial suddenly jumped to mind. Limu Emu…and Doug.

In it, the older Doug, with his hair parted on the right and his not-so-subtle mustache, is talking to his little son, who looks about 5 years old. The little Doug is a miniature replica of his dad: he parts his hair on the right, wears a mustache, sporting a banana yellow shirt, tie and blue pants. Doug says: "What do we always say, son, Liberty Mutual always customizes your car insurance.”

And mini-Doug immediately chimes in with “So you only pay for what you need.” Doug smiles proudly, and says: “That’s my boy!” He hands mini Doug the keys to his little car identical to his dad's, who quickly swipes them from his dad’s hands, and big Doug adds: “You get out there and make us proud!” The art of good marketing is to make commercial so ridiculous that we remember them.

That commercial captures in a sense what C. S. Lewis was getting at. Obviously, we do not need to dress like Jesus did, or have long hair and a beard, mini-Doug was the smitten image of his dad. But we do need to learn our Lord’s lessons, be able to repeat them from memory, and to carry on his own mission, just like little Doug continued his father’s business. Jesus wants to be able to say to us just like Doug said to his son: “That’s my boy! You get out there and make us proud!”

In the gospel today, Peter, James, and John are starting to learn how they too must become little Christs, miniature versions of Jesus. They have climbed up Mt. Tabor with Jesus, who is gloriously transfigured before they stunned eyes. Peter blurts out in incredulous joy: “Lord, it is good that we are here!” And then he just wants to stay and bask in that glorious glow and soak it up for himself.

But then Jesus begins to lead them down the mountain (both literally and spiritually) and soberly says: “Do not tell the vision to anyone until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.” Wow, what a buzz-kill! They were literally on top of the mountain experiencing inexpressible joy and glory, and suddenly, Jesus spoils the mood by talking about dying. Jesus’ point, though, was that becoming little Christs is not all glory and fame. It also involves suffering and sacrifice, set-backs and loneliness, misunderstandings and facing our own frailties. In other words, becoming a mini-me of Jesus would not be easy.

Besides the seven sacraments, my favorite form of prayer is the Holy Rosary. In fact, I have started praying the rosary while I walk my dog, Apollo. He’s so smart that I can say the first half of the Hail Mary, and he replies with the second half! When we meditate on the joyful, luminous, sorrowful, and glorious mysteries, we avoid the pitfall that Peter made: thinking that being a little Christ would always a mountain-top experience. The rosary reminds us that we will have joyful moments, like pregnancies and babies. But it also teaches us there will be sorrowful times, like being abandoned by friends, or even God, carrying our cross, and death.

The rosary also tells us to seek the light of Christ in our baptism, marriages, at Mass, and in mountain-top experiences like the Transfiguration today, the fourth luminous mystery. And finally, the rosary raises our minds from earth to heaven, as we contemplate Jesus, enthroned in glory, with Mary, the Queen-Mother seated at his right, as it says in Ps 45:10, “The queen sits at your right hand arrayed in gold.” That is, when I meditate on the rosary, I pray God will make me into a little Christ, in all my joys, sorrows, light, and finally in glory.

Our parish is very blessed to have one parishioner who wants to take becoming a little Christ to another level. Ben Keating, the son of Janice and Bill Keating, will enter the seminary and study to become a priest for our Diocese. Some of you will remember Ben while he attended I.C. School. After graduating from Southside, Ben studied music at the prestigious Juilliard School in New York. Later, he completed officer training for the Marines. Lastly he successfully completed the MCAT and was accepted to several medical schools. Poor Ben just can’t make up his mind! Actually, he is so talented, he could do anything. I had no trouble deciding what to do.

But Ben felt unsatisfied with all these noble pursuits until he felt God’s call to priesthood, to be another Christ in the sacramental sense. That is, not just to be Jesus’ mini-me in a generic sense, like all Christians must be, but to become Jesus in an ontological sense, so that Ben’s very soul would be shaped by Christ. You see, all Christians receive an indelible mark of grace at Baptism, and again at Confirmation, which is why those two sacraments are never repeated.

But Ben hopes to receive a third indelible mark of grace in Holy Orders and be completely conformed to Christ. You know, through music, and the Marines, and medicine, Ben hoped to heal a broken world. But nothing will bring healing and wholeness to humanity like saying the words of consecration at Mass and changing bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ. Why? Because receiving Holy Communion is preeminently how mere mortals become little Christs. You are what you eat.

This Sunday Bishop Taylor will celebrate the 5 p.m. Mass and Ben will officially sign up as a diocesan seminarian. Our whole parish will share the pride of Bill and Janice Keating. And we will all feel like saying what big Doug said to mini-Doug: “That’s our boy! You get out there and make us proud!”

Praised be Jesus Christ!

 

Treasure in the Field

Learning to give all for kingdom and each other

07/30/2023

Mt 13:44-52 Jesus said to his disciples: "The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea, which collects fish of every kind. When it is full they haul it ashore and sit down to put what is good into buckets. What is bad they throw away. Thus it will be at the end of the age. The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth. "Do you understand all these things?" They answered, "Yes." And he replied, "Then every scribe who has been instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom both the new and the old."

Do you like to go shopping and try to find really good deals? I remember once Msgr. Scott Friend said he loves to go shopping for deals and ends up buying things he will never use or ever wear. But because it was such a good deal, he convinced himself that he saved a lot of money! One news show suggested that some people are so adept at using rebates, coupons, and money-back offers that they actually make money on certain deals. You can earn a living by shopping.

By the way, I hate going shopping, deals or no deals. I will never forget many years ago my mom asked me to take her shopping at Walmart. I was disgusted at the thought and rolled my eyes. But because I am a priest and she is my mother, I replied like Jesus at the wedding at Cana, “Woman, what does your concern have to do with me???”

No, not really. Instead, I begrudgingly said, “Okay, mom, I’ll take you. What do you need from Walmart?” And she smiled and said sweetly, “How do I know until I get there?” You know, that is one of those moments when the male brain sort of implodes with incomprehension. “How do I know what I need until I get there?”

In the gospel today, Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven to going shopping and finding the best deal ever. Listen to what he says, “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” In other words, whenever we go to Mass it is like going shopping for the kingdom of God. What do I mean?

Well, some people come to Mass to get a really good deal. They like to receive Holy Communion but they put nothing in the collection plate. Buying God for nothing is a pretty good deal. Some people come begrudgingly to church, like I hate to go to Walmart. Why do they go? They go only because their parents make them, like my mom made me go shopping.

And yet others are like my mom when she goes shopping. They don’t know exactly what they need till they get here to church. That is, our spiritual needs are always far greater than we can imagine, and the kingdom of God always far surpasses our needs, our wants, or even our imaginations. That is why Jesus says we should be willing to sacrifice everything to gain the kingdom. This is clearly Jesus’ primary and principal point in the parable.

Nonetheless, I would suggest to you another layer of meaning, namely, that we are not the only ones who are going shopping in Jesus’ parable. In a sense, Jesus is describing himself as the one who find the buried treasure and sells all he has to buy it. Now, what is that priceless treasure Jesus finds? You and I are. And how did Jesus sell all he had to buy it? He relinquished his heavenly glory and infinite power and became like us, a weak, mortal human being.

St. Paul makes precisely this point in 1 Co 6:20, “For you have been purchased at a price. Therefore, glorify God in your body.” That steep price, of course, was Jesus’ Precious Blood poured out on the Cross. In other words, Jesus gave up everything – sold everything he had, even his human life – to buy the field of this creation wherein is hidden a treasure, namely, me and you. What a great deal Jesus got, right?! Well, at least he thought so.

My friends, the take-home message for us today is that we are not only shopping for the Kingdom when we go to church. We are also like Jesus sort of shopping for one another as a priceless treasure. And have you noticed how we keep getting glimpses of how priceless each and every human being is, and then we lose sight of that infinite value of each person? I have noticed how this happens three times in the course of our life.

First, we feel we have found the pearl of great price when we fall in love and marry our sweetheart. And then we discover he is not the knight-in-shining-armor and we want our money back. This happens a second time when we have children and they are our greatest treasure. All parents feel they could die for their children, that is, until their children become teenagers and live in the basement until they’re forty. Then parents want to kill their children.

And finally, a third time we find the priceless pearl when we have grandchildren, and we would do anything for them. In fact, there is a growing cadre of grandparents literally raising their grandchildren. In a real and true sense, grandparents have sold everything (including their retirement plans!) to purchase that field with the buried treasure, namely, their grandchildren. The infinite value of a human being is a lesson we learn, and then forget, and then must relearn. This was also part of Jesus' parable today.

When I prepare couples for marriage, I give them two pieces of advice. First, I tell them the worst thing that can happen to you on your wedding day is that you marry a stranger, someone you do not really know. And secondly, I tell them the best thing that could happen on your wedding day is that you look at each other and say, “I know you’re not the knight-in-shining-armor. But I still want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

And that is exactly what Jesus says to us when he sells all his heavenly glory and purchases us at the price of his Precious Blood, by dying for us. And here we reach the deepest meaning of the love of neighbor: to see the imperfections and flaws in others, and love each other anyway, indeed, to lay down our life for others. Why? Because you and I are also the treasure in the field.

Praised be Jesus Christ!

 

Lighten the Load

Learning to appreciate those who love us tenderly

07/29/2023

Jn 11:19-27 Many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them about their brother [Lazarus, who had died]. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him; but Mary sat at home. Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you." Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise." Martha said to him, "I know he will rise, in the resurrection on the last day." Jesus told her, "I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and anyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" She said to him, "Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world."

Can priests have close friends among his own parishioners? That is, can there be some people in the congregation that he is closer to and spends more time with than others? I used to think that was not possible or prudent. Why not? Well, if the priest is the father of the spiritual family of the church, and the people are his spiritual children, then he should not play favorites. Just like parents should love all their children equally and not have favorites. Do parents have favorites among their children? I don’t know about other people, but I am sure that I am my parents’ favorite child.

While as a general rule parents (and also pastors) should not have favorites among their children, they also realize not all children come with the same gifts and talents, or are strapped with the same struggles and short-comings. As a consequence, parents tend to gravitate toward those children whom they can rely on for help, leadership, and even to catch a break occasionally.

For example, parents might leave an older child in charge of his younger siblings while they go on a date night, or get away for a weekend. Other parents might see one child would be better suited to run the family business, and the other children feel uninterested or seem unprepared.

Even though parents love all their children equally, and with all their hearts, they find some children actually lighten the load of being a mom or dad. So, too, with us priests. We love you all equally, but some parishioners lighten our load with their kindness, generosity, and care.

Today, July 29, is the feast of the saintly siblings Martha, Mary, and Lazarus of Bethany. And if we read the gospel accounts carefully, we see that Jesus had a special affection for them, perhaps more than everyone else in his orbit of acquaintances. We are all familiar with how Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead; how he wept at his tomb; how Martha remonstrates with Jesus telling him he should have come earlier, how Mary loved to sit at Jesus’ feet and listen to him speaking, and how Jesus spent the last week of his life in Bethany at their home.

Why did Jesus enjoy spending so much time in Bethany with Martha, Mary, and Lazarus? Didn’t Jesus know that he should love all his people equally, and not play favorites among his sheep? Didn’t Jesus think some people would feel jealous that he spent more time with these siblings than with them? Yes, all that may be true, and I believe Jesus was aware of all those concerns.

Nonetheless, Jesus was also fully human, as well as being fully divine, and perhaps he felt in Bethany those three siblings lightened his load in being the Messiah and Savior. And perhaps Jesus also did that so I would not feel guilty or inadequate as a priest when I lean on some parishioners for love and support more than others.

Folks, this is a lesson we can all apply to our Christians vocations, even if we are not a priest or a parent. In other words, it is imperative that we love everyone equally, and without exception. Indeed, the second commandment is to love your neighbor as yourself. Still, there will be some neighbors who lighten our load as Christians.

There will be some with whom we can sort of let down our hair, and around whom we can relax and be ourselves. This is the best sense in which women like to have a girls’ night out, or men go and play golf together. Not only to get away from it all, but to be able to return to it all with renewed vigor. When we can relax for a while, like Jesus did in Bethany, we can return to our regular vocation of father, mother, husband, wife, and priest with new energy and enthusiasm.

You know, I like to use that well-worn adage, “there is no vacation from a vocation.” This is especially true when people go on vacation and try to skip Mass on Sunday. But perhaps we all need a little vacation from a vocation when we spend time with close friends, who lighten our load.

Praised be Jesus Christ!

 

Doing the Difficult Thing

Showing our love for Jesus and for our neighbor

07/25/2023

Mt 20:20-28 The mother of the sons of Zebedee approached Jesus with her sons and did him homage, wishing to ask him for something. He said to her, "What do you wish?" She answered him, "Command that these two sons of mine sit, one at your right and the other at your left, in your Kingdom." Jesus said in reply, "You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?" They said to him, "We can." He replied, "My chalice you will indeed drink, but to sit at my right and at my left, this is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father." When the ten heard this, they became indignant at the two brothers. But Jesus summoned them and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and the great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave. Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many."

One of the greatest challenges in raising young people in Christian virtues today is explaining the virtue of chastity. That is, why they should save sex for marriage. I sometimes use this approach. I ask young people: which shows you love someone more: by doing something easy for them, or by doing something hard for them?

Imagine one boy who wants to prove his love for his girlfriend and pulls out a toy ring from the bottom of a Crackerjacks box and says proudly, “I love you!” Now imagine another boy who works two jobs, saves all his money for two years, and buys his girlfriend a beautiful ring with a precious stone, and declares: “I love you!” Which boy demonstrated true love? Clearly, the one who did something hard, not the one who took the easy path.

And then I ask the young couple: which is easier, to engage in sex, or to abstain from sex until marriage? Even a celibate priest knows the difference between those two things. As a matter of fact, precisely that difference, and catching which is harder, inspired me to become a priest. In other words, the life-long chastity called celibacy was a way of doing something hard out of love for Jesus. The best way to tell someone you love them is by doing something difficult, not something easy.

In the gospel today, Jesus is also trying to teach his apostles that true love is proven by doing the difficult thing not the easy task. The mother of Zebedee’s sons, Mrs. Zebedee, asks that her sons, James and John, sit at Jesus’ right and left in his kingdom. But Jesus replies in effect: “No, that is too easy! Real discipleship, real Christian love, is shown by doing what’s difficult.” And so he asks them, “Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?” And they answer, “We can.”

And by the way, what was the chalice and what did it contain? It was the chalice of suffering and death, and it contained the Precious Blood of Jesus shed on the cross. In other words, Jesus is the great Teacher, who instructs first by his own example. He helps them understand that love is best shown by doing the difficult thing (drinking the chalice of suffering) rather than by doing the easy thing (sitting on seats of glory). Thus Jesus concludes his lesson saying: “Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served (easy stuff), but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many (hard stuff).”

Today, July 25, is the feast of St. James, one of the two sons of Zebedee. And he obviously paid very close attention that day when his mom asked Jesus for that favor and how Jesus replied. How so? Well, he was the first of the apostles to drink from Jesus’ chalice of suffering and die for the Lord. According to Acts 12:1-2, he was martyred by King Herod Agrippa in 44 AD.

And remember that was just eleven short years after Jesus’ own death and resurrection in 33 AD. In other words, St. James knew the best way to show someone you love them is by doing something hard for them, not by doing something easy for them. And so he was the first apostle to win the crown of martyrdom.

My friends, we are not all called to be celibate priests, or martyrs for Jesus like St. James. But we can all still show our love for the Lord by doing some difficult thing rather than the easy thing. Besides young people saving sex for marriage, people who suffer some illness or physical malady (especially in old age) can drink from the Lord’s chalice of suffering.

Last Sunday while I was in Pocahontas a lady asked to be anointed after Mass. She was suffering immensely with intense back pain, and there was no simple remedy for her ailment. After the anointing, I invited her to offer up her suffering in union with Jesus on the Cross. She knew that lesson much better than I did, of course.

I suggested she offer her suffering for her children, or friends, or people she knew. I explained that the prayers of those who suffer are extremely powerful. After all, it was Jesus’ agonized prayers on the Cross that saved the world. In other words, her suffering was proof positive she loved Jesus and her neighbor. Why? Because when you love someone, you prove it by doing something hard, not something easy.

Praised be Jesus Christ!