homilies

on the liturgy of the Sundays and feasts

by rawley myers

Wise before God

Presentation of the Lord-February 2

"B" Readings: Mal. 3:1-4 Heb. 2:14-18 Luke 2:22-40

n "Every first-born male shall be consecrated to the Lord," was the Jewish law, so Mary and Joseph took the Child to the temple for this prescribed ceremony, and they offered a pair of pigeons.

Most remarkably the old holy man Simeon recognized them. Mary and Joseph looked like all the other couples who came for the customary ritual, but Simeon saw that they were different. The Lord had promised him that he would not die before he had seen the Anointed of the Lord, the Messiah. Simeon came to them and took the Baby in his arms and proclaimed, "Now, Lord, you can dismiss your servant in peace, for you have fulfilled your word. For my eyes have seen your saving deed displayed for all the peoples to see: a revealing light to the Gentiles and the glory of your people Israel." Imagine his joy. Now he was content to die, for the Savior had come. Glory to God in the highest.

Simeon added the prophecy, "This Child is destined for the downfall and the rise of many in Israel, a sign that will be opposed." And to Mary he said, "You yourself shall be pierced with a sword-so that the thoughts of many hearts may be laid bare."

A mother's heart is with the heart of her child, and this was especially so with Mary. Pain to her Son would be pain to her. Their hearts were as one. The prophets had said the Savior would be a man of sorrow, and so she would be a mother of sorrow.

And yet we see the serenity with which the young Mary accepted these words. She did not panic, she did not become depressed. All her life she trusted God. As she said at the Annunciation, "Be it done unto me according to Thy word." Whatever God wishes she wished. And she knew that when sorrow came God would be with her to support her and help her. And so it was as she stood at the foot of the cross on Calvary. The pain for her there was all but overwhelming, but God sustained her. She did not collapse, she did not cry out in protest. She stood at the foot of the cross, in tears and suffering and confusion, but all the while trusting in God.

What a magnificent lesson for us. Mary is our Mother and a mother is the first teacher and the best teacher. Mary is our greatest teacher. And her calmness in time of trouble and her prayers show us all how we should follow her example. Even when we cannot understand, even in illness and sorrow, trust God. He will see us through.

At the Presentation in the temple there was also a prophetess, Anna. She spent her days in prayer. She too saw that this was the Holy One who would redeem mankind. She praised and thanked God that he had come. She talked about the Child and looked forward with joy to the deliverance of the people from their sins.

The Gospel concludes with the words, "They returned into Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. And the Child grew in grace and knowledge and wisdom before God and man."

This is the goal of every Christ-follower, to grow in grace and understanding and wisdom. We have so many people today who are highly knowledgeable, some are walking encyclopedias, but they do not have wisdom. Indeed some do not even have common sense. Some professors are the foremost experts in the world on the feeding habits of the tsetse fly but are unable to park their bicycles straight. We have in religion too many who say they are experts, and their knowledge is great, but they lack wisdom. They do not have the common sense of our parents who, because they had common sense, had great faith. The Blessed Mother was not a scholar, not a theologian, but because she prayed fervently and faithfully she had the wisdom of Heaven. Let us pray to be like her. A great deal of knowledge often brings pride and pride blinds a person. Learning is wonderful, but true learning comes from humility. Learning with humility makes us wise. Our prayer is to grow in grace and in understanding that we will be wise, like our heavenly Mother. We pray humbly to be like the youth Christ and grow in grace and knowledge and wisdom before God and man. We pray not to be called experts by the world but to be wise before God.

The Epistle for today tells us that we must seek to be freed from sin and slavery to the devil. Jesus will help because he is a brother to us and merciful and faithful in seeking blessings for us from God.

The first reading from the prophet Malachi speaks of the Holy One God is sending to rescue man from pride and sin. "Yes, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts." God says, "Suddenly there will be in the temple the Lord whom you seek." He will purify our souls.

God delights in loving us. His great joy is to give his love to us. His love is like a great river in which we are all caught up. That is why he sent his only Son to us. God's greatest disappointment is that many have no time for him. He wants to help them but they ignore him. This is the worst kind of folly. It is so very sad.

Because some people do not love God very much they think God does not love them very much. But God wishes to come to us with all his heart. He wishes to embrace us and shower us with love. If only we had the wisdom to know that there is no more peaceful place on earth than the pew in front of the tabernacle. There with Jesus we find wisdom.

Jesus wants to hold you close. He wants to take you in his arms. He tells us, "I love you more than words can say. Why are you afraid? How can you be sad, I am with you?"

Jesus rejoices when we pray, so that he, the healer, can help us. With him we find a serenity that this world cannot give.

Suggested readings: Catechism of the Catholic Church, 527-534.

Nothing to fear

5th Sunday of the Year-February 9

"B" Readings: Job 7:1-4, 6-7 1 Cor. 9:16-19. 22-23 Mark 1:29-39

Title: The Sacrament of the Sick

Purpose: to show (1) the need for this sacrament in danger of death, either remotely or proximately; (2) how and when to celebrate this sacrament oneself and help others receive it.

The true Christian dies surrounded by angels. St. Ambrose said, "Death is gain." We are leaving this world, this valley of tears, and are going home to Heaven to be with God. Death, Jesus has told us, is a fulfillment. We were not made for this world alone, there is another world. In this life we strive to be Christlike and grow in love so that we will enjoy Heaven, the home of God. God is Love and Heaven is a place of love.

C.S. Lewis tells us that selfish souls would never be happy in Heaven. They walk out, and outside of Heaven is hell.

In death we wake up. Cardinal Newman had on his tombstone, "From shadows to light." When we are in Heaven we will realize that this world is like living in a cave and at death we leave the cave and walk out into a beautiful sunny Spring morning full of flowers and lovely trees and birds singing. We leave the wilderness and come to a most beautiful garden. And so for the Christ-follower death is full of life. A holy man said, "If I die I will be with God. And if I live he will be with me." So we trust God, we place everything in his hands. He will take care of us. He has his arms around us. He will guide us home. Monsignor Ronald Knox said, "Do not worry. He who has brought you this far will take you the rest of the way." Jesus said, "Do not be afraid. I am with you."

Death is a door through which we pass from this life to the next life. And who will be on the other side of the door of death? It will be Jesus, our dearest friend. His arms will be outstretched to embrace us and he will call us by name and thank us for all that we have tried to do for him, and he will take us home with him.

It is the pagans who should fear death. For them it is the end of life, but for one who strives to be faithful to Jesus, it is the beginning of life. A priest once asked in catechism class, "What is death?" And a boy said, "This is when we really begin to live."

The reading from the Book of Job speaks of the difficulties of this life. "Is not man's life on earth a drudgery? He is a slave who longs for the shade, a hireling who waits for his wages." We are filled with restlessness, we have little hope. "I shall not see happiness again."

In Paul's letter he tells how he preaches, trying to help others. "To the weak I became weak." Man has many trials and troubles; the purpose of preaching is to tell him of the love of Jesus for him, to lighten his load.

And the Gospel speaks of all the sick and afflicted who came to Jesus and there found healing. The ill, those troubled and weary of the world, the disturbed, all must look to Jesus. This is the secret to living life well: begging the Lord for his blessings and help. Then amidst our pain and suffering and sorrow we will have peace within, and, even more, the bright promise of glory after death. It is Jesus who gives us hope, no one or nothing else can.

To assist us at the time of death the Church blesses us, through Christ, with the Sacrament of the Sick. At every junction in life there is a sacrament-how thoughtful and generous Jesus is-and so there is one at the end of life. He knew well how we would need him then. And his Mother. As we pray constantly in the Hail Mary, "Pray for us sinners now and at the hour of death." And we remember to pray to St. Joseph as well. He died in the arms of Jesus and Mary. And this is the way we too wish to die. If the Holy Family is at our deathbed, all will be well and we will not be anxious.

An old parish priest said that in all his lifetime he had never seen a faithful Catholic die in anxiety. Because they had received the Sacrament of the Sick, they were at peace. He said he recalls one elderly man who on his deathbed told him, "I may live or I may die, God's will be done."

The family should see to it that their loved one in dying has the great graces of the Sacrament of the Sick. This is their duty. So that the family member might die well, in the arms of Jesus.

The old pastor mentioned how often when he is at the deathbed of a friend of Jesus, he feels the presence of Jesus there. Jesus is with his faithful ones when they need him most. To those who have been loyal to him, he is even more loyal.

The friend of Jesus accepts death and so aligns himself with God. It is not a time of thrashing and rebellion-that is for the pagan. It is a time of peace and joy-yes, of joy, for the loved one is going home, the place his heart has always longed for, going home to warmth and goodness and contentment and happiness.

Plato said, "The noblest purpose of philosophy is to prepare a person for death." But philosophy and the wisdom of this world is not enough. The noblest death is to die with Christ at your side, blessing you, guarding you, comforting you. The Sacrament of the Sick gives us the wonderful, beautiful graces we need, the courage, the resignation, the understanding to say that, if I live or if I die, I do all for Jesus.

And for those who love Mary, not only will Jesus greet us heartily on the other side of the door of death, but our dear, dear Blessed Mother will be there too. And with our Mother and with Jesus we will have nothing to fear.

When we are in Heaven it will be so wonderful, so beautiful, we will wonder why we ever dreaded death, for this is the door to happiness eternal.

Suggested readings: Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1499-1532.

Spiritual joggers

1st Sunday of Lent-February 16

"B" Readings: Gen. 9:8-15 1 Pet. 3:18-22 Mark 1:12-15

Title: Lent and Self-Discipline

Purpose: to show that we also are (1) strengthened by overcoming temptation; (2) strengthened by self-imposed hardships.

Jesus preached prayer and penance, but comfortable people do not like an uncomfortable religion. They go running after so-called reformers who make everything easier. However, there has never been a true reform of religion in the history of the world that has made things easier. Following modern gurus who tell people what they want to hear is folly. It is not following Christ. Did St. Francis of Assisi in his great reform of religion make things easier? Did St. Vincent de Paul or any of the saints? Today Mother Teresa of Calcutta shows us that prayer and penance are essential for the real Christ-follower. But as one of her Sisters says, "Everyone admires Mother Teresa but few follow her example." Yet teens love her, because Mother Teresa practices what she preaches. How different this is in most of our parishes today where they talk religion at great length but few truly practice it. And the clergy follow along. How often have you heard a homily about the need for penance?

It is penance that purifies the mind and heart, penance that makes us less earthbound and clears the mind so that it can think about spiritual things.

In our society athletes almost alone show us that self-denial is the way to victory. They work hard and long in practice to win the contest on game day. Too many now are couch potatoes. They watch sports on TV and little more. Too many in the spiritual life as well are couch potatoes, watching and not doing.

Self-denial makes the soul strong, regenerating the mind and heart: it turns us to God.

Part of self-denial is to bear patiently the sufferings we are sent. This leads us to Calvary. But St. Augustine said, "He has placed by the side of our cross the strength necessary to carry it." If Jesus is with me I can endure this cross.

We have trials so that we can learn a higher love, a mature love. The nondescript seed dies for the sake of the beautiful flower; the bush is pruned so it will be more fruitful.

One reason God sends us trials is to keep us humble. Then we know we need God and we pray. The proud, like the Pharisees, think they know everything and are so wonderful they can do everything. And, of course, they end up falling flat on their faces.

In sickness we find new strength we never knew we had and we discover unguessed depths of kindness in others. And it makes us kinder individuals. People are immeasurably kinder when struggling than when prosperous. We in suffering become more understanding and more compassionate.

To some individuals God sends suffering to get their attention. Only when their adult toys break down do they look to God to fix them; only when they are flat on their back do they take time to think about life and its true meaning. Wisdom comes from suffering.

There can be no love without suffering. Christ, our light in the darkness, by his suffering showed us that it has purpose. It is one of the highest forms of prayer. Some say there is no reason we should suffer-but the innocent Christ, the Son of God, wore a crown of thorns. It is precisely those whom he loves that God chastises.

As hunger drives the runaway child home, troubles turn us to God. The materialists of our day, often Christians with pagan hearts, believe that suffering and happiness are mutually exclusive. But it is just the opposite. Sickness did not ruin St. Francis of Assisi's life, it helped him to see clearly for the first time. Through illness he descended into the dark ravine and was made humble, and humility is the beginning of wisdom. No wonder Mother Teresa of Calcutta said to a seriously sick woman, "Our Lord is drawing you closer to himself."

In trials we grow in faith. Faith does not turn storms out to sea. It provides us with a sound foundation to ride them out. The Christian is not set aside from suffering, but he learns from it and he grows in soul.

Jesus preached prayer and penance. To embrace Christ truly is not easy. Beware of those who preach an easy religion. His ways are difficult, his words are paradoxical, but he said, "I am the Way." He is our teacher, our guide in life. There is no other. We accept suffering for the sake of the suffering Christ. He did not take away suffering, he suffered himself. Suffering, if accepted, safeguards love against selfishness. And one who suffers, as Christ did, helps countless souls.

To truly love means self-denial. The faithful follower of Jesus says with him, "Not my will but thy will be done." As Mary said at the Annunciation, "Be it done unto me according to thy word." This is the perfect prayer. To deny oneself for love of Jesus. And, as with the athlete, this makes us grow stronger. Because we are used to saying No to the ways of the world, we can say No to temptations. Comfortable, self-centered, self-indulging people almost always give in. They are too weak to resist.

We see joggers all around us, out running daily, for the sake of their bodies. Would that we had more spiritual joggers, people engaged in spiritual exercises, to build up their souls. Many who are fit physically are a mess spiritually. Outwardly they are healthy but within they are sick. Jesus told us often that the soul is far more important than the body. "What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his own immortal soul?

Suggested readings: Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1430-1439.

"I am with you"

2nd Sunday of Lent-February 23

"B" Readings: Gen. 22:1-2. 9. 10-13 Rom. 8:31-34 Mark 9:2-10

Title: Transfiguration: How to Understand Jesus

Purpose: (1) to show Jesus in the Gospels as human but also divine; (2) to explain the Church's definition of Jesus as possessing a divine and human nature (Creed).

At the Transfiguration in today's Gospel Peter says, "It is good for us to be here." How good it is to be with Jesus. Yes, in his glory as on this beautiful occasion, but also just to be with him at anytime, anywhere. As Monsignor Ronald Knox said, "The Apostles could not understand Jesus, but they could not leave him." This too we say. We just want to be with him. What a wonderful thing it is to kneel before the tabernacle and be with Jesus. All the saints had a great devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. Mother Seton said it was the Blessed Sacrament and the Blessed Mother that brought her into the Church. Can you imagine the muddled thinking of those Catholics who leave the Church, the Blessed Sacrament and the Blessed Mother, to go to some other Church where there are long sermons and little else? When Mother Seton built the new convent at Emmitsburg she so arranged it that her room would be across from the chapel. Then she left both doors open so she could be with Jesus and speak to him while she worked. He was her strength and courage amid her many worries and troubles.

A blade of grass praises God more than many human beings who have no time to pray and no time to go to Jesus and be with him and visit him in the tabernacle, as all the saints delighted in doing. He helps us, if we but turn to him, to overcome our inflated egos and be humble. He overcomes our restlessness. With Jesus we go from restlessness and running about to repose. Prayer at the feet of Christ lifts us up when we are down, when we are confused, when we are anxious.

Many individuals seek relief for their discontentedness everywhere else but in prayer. They do not seem to comprehend that God's immense love for us is without limits. He is more than we can conceive and his love is more than we can comprehend. Only a fool subscribes limits to God's love. God pours his love into our hearts, if we pray.

Proust said, "We would like to have God give us answers, but often all God does is give us love." Martin Buber wrote, "The guiding counsel of God seems to be simply the divine Presence." When a person is at a crossroad and asks God to show him the way, Buber states, the response we seem to get from God is simply, "I am with you." God walks with us in the dark night protecting us from the nightmares of a loveless life.

Sometimes in life things happen that seem contrary to God's love. We have then to continue to pray, as Mary did on Good Friday, and believe that his love is present even when it seems absent. Hold your little ship on the stormy sea in the right direction even if you feel like giving up.

When the Apostles saw a figure walking on the water at night they were very frightened. Jesus said, "It is I, do not be afraid." So he says to us in our difficulties when we are anxious. "Let not your heart be troubled." I am with you, he tells us always and everywhere.

We believe in Jesus because he was a divine person. He had two natures but one person. He had a human nature and a divine nature but was a divine person, as the Creed tells us. We do not understand all these things, but we do not have to. With faith we pray. And as we pray we find an illumination of the mind and a kindling of the heart. And our mind tells us God is a mystery to us. We will never understand. And we should not waste our time trying to. There is the story told about the great St. Augustine, one of the most brilliant men who ever lived. He was walking along the beach trying to better comprehend the relationships in the Holy Trinity, One God, Three Persons. He saw a little child had dug a hole in the sand and with his tiny sand bucket was going down to the water, bringing pail after pail back and pouring it in the hole. St. Augustine smiled and asked the little child what he was doing. He told the saint he was putting the sea in his hole. "But," said Augustine "you will never be able to do that." "And," said the child, "you will never be able to figure out the mystery of the Trinity." And, according to the story, the child disappeared, for he was an angel.

We need the wisdom of Heaven that comes from prayer. We need to know that to pray and beg for blessings for ourselves, our loved ones, for all who are needy, for those dying today, and for all in this sick, old world is far more vital than trying to understand mysteries, which of their very nature cannot be understood. Prayer is our task. This all the saints realized. Most of them were unlearned people, but all were people of prayer.

Intimacy with Jesus is beyond words. He is the secret desire of our hearts. Jesus comes to us in prayer.

Today's Gospel shows Jesus in glory. But that was very rare in his life. It is very rare in our lives. We meet him not in glory but as a friend. As did the two on the road to Emmaus. It is dusty and hot, but he walks with us. He tells us what no books can relate, how the Scriptures guide us. He teaches us to look to him in time of troubles.

In the first reading today Abraham is told by God to sacrifice his son. It does not make sense, but he starts to obey. All that happened on Calvary did not make sense to the Blessed Mother but she continued to pray. And in all instances God, our heavenly Father, works all things out. Our minds are too small to understand. We can only say, "God's will be done." And as the Epistle states, "If God is for us, who can be against us?"

Suggested readings: Catechism of the Catholic Church, 554-556.