Christmas turned things upside down

Christmas Mass During the Night | Luke 2:1-14

When Jesus entered the world, he turned it upside down. Things on the top were brought to the bottom and things on the bottom were brought to the top.

The Gospel that we heard from Luke (Lk 2:1-16) shows how Jesus has turned the idea of kingship upside down. With the birth of Jesus, the ruler of the world is dethroned. The message of this Gospel is in fact very politically subversive. At the start of the Gospel, we hear about the census initiated by Caesar Augustus. This was the reason why Joseph and Mary made there way from Nazareth to Bethlehem, where Jesus was born. The reference to the census is a brutal reminder of the sovereignty that the Caesar and the Roman empire exercised over the Jewish people. The census was a way to enforce taxation, military service and allegiance to Rome. At the time of Jesus, the Caesar was so much more than a ruler. Coins and inscriptions refer to Caesar as Lord, Saviour and Son of God. The Caesar was seen as the guarantor of peace throughout the empire. The birth of a Caesar was heralded throughout the empire and called “Good News”, or, more literally, “Gospel”. In Luke, it is clear that who Jesus is is in direct conflict with Caesar. Notice the message of the angels to the shepherd. The birth of Jesus is called Good News. Jesus is called the Saviour and Lord. The birth of Jesus brings about peace on earth. This newborn baby dethroned Caesar, yet Jesus is nothing like the Roman ruler. Whereas Caesar demanded taxation from the people, Jesus is poor and humble and born in a manger. Whereas Caesar maintained “peace” through military might and the shedding of soldiers’ blood, Jesus created peace through the sacrifice of his own life. The swaddling clothes in which the baby Jesus is wrapped anticipates the linen in which the dead body of Jesus will be wrapped when he is placed in the tomb (Lk 23:53). Jesus dethrones Caesar yet is an entirely different kind of ruler. Jesus turns the idea of kingship upside down.

The birth of Jesus also turns social structures upside down and forces us to rethink who we imagine the “important” people in our world are. Recently a number of series and movies that describe the life of royalty have become popular (e.g. The Crown). Some of these shows depict the birth of a royal and its aftereffects. These births are a huge deal for the entire nation. After the birth of a royal person, this birth was announced to the important people in society: the aristocracy, the nobles, the law makers. The same practice would have held at Jesus’ time. When Jesus is born, however, something entirely different happens. The birth of Jesus is not announced to those on the highest levels of society, but to those on the bottom of the social spectrum, to the shepherds. The birth of Jesus redefines who important people are. Those with power are not the important people but rather the poor and the marginalized. These are the people to whom we should assign the greatest value. In various ways, Pope Francis has been putting this into practice. For example, he has a wonderful custom each year that usually happens on the day after Christmas. On December 26th, the Pope will usually invite a great number of the poor who live in Rome to the Vatican where they eat a meal together and celebrate the birth of Jesus. Some of the first people that the Pope celebrates Christmas with are not the rich and prestigious but he poor and marginalized. The birth of Jesus has turned social structures upside down.

Christmas invites us to imagine a world that is upside down and to live in this world. When I was a kid, I went to an exhibition at a museum in which you could walk into a room where everything was turned upside down. The tables and chairs were suspended from the ceiling. You walked on the floor. I remember being really interested by that room. There was something magical and joyful about imagining the room in a different way. The celebration of Christmas invites us to look at the world in a new way. The “normal way” that the world operates can at times get us down. Rulers are corrupt. Those with wealth exercise great power and seem uninterested in peace. The concerns of the poor and marginalized seem secondary. There can seem like no changing the status quo. Christmas reminds us that Jesus came to bring about a different world, one in which things are upside down. Jesus is the king of this world who gives us everything, including his very life. According to Jesus, it is the poor and needy who should come first. Christmas invites us to view this upside down world. More than this, it invites us to enter this world by living humble lives in which we try to help the needy and bring peace, joy and kindness to those we come in contact with.

Giotto di Bondone [Public domain]

According to tradition, the nativity scenes which we find in all our Churches was first invented by St. Francis of Assisi. This saint lived a life of simplicity and of service to the poor. He seems to have loved Christmas and is known for the great joy with which he lived. In a famous biography of St. Francis (by G. K. Chesterton), the author describes that Francis’ joy came from the fact that “he saw the world upside down, hanging from a thread of God’s mercy”. This Christmas, let us ask ourselves a simple question. What would change in our lives if we chose to see the world upside down?

Extending welcome at Christmas

On Boxing Day in the United Kingdom, there was a tradition where, for this one day, superiors would change places with their inferiors. Bosses would serve their underlings. This is, in fact, an ancient custom. A similar practice occurred in Ancient Rome on the feast of Saturnalia, which was celebrated on December 17th. It seems that early Christians borrowed this custom from the pagan feast since they thought that it well expressed what Jesus came to do. In the Gospel of Luke in particular, Jesus’ mission is portrayed as bringing about an inversion. Those who are seen as superior in society are brought down low and those who are seen as inferior are raised up. As Mary expresses in her Magnificat, “the Lord has brought down the mighty from their thrones and has lifted up the lowly”. Christianity is supposed to turn the world upside down.

Raphael [Public domain]

The Gospel today, which tells the story of Mary’s visitation to her cousin Elizabeth, is a clear example of how Jesus brings about an inversion of social, religious and political structures. We hear that Mary, after having heard from Gabriel that she would bear a child, went in haste to the hill country of Judea. According to the customs of the time, Elizabeth was clearly the superior and Mary the inferior. Not only was Elizabeth above Mary in age, but Elizabeth was from a rather important religious cast in society. She was a daughter of Aaron. She was married to a priest. Mary, on the other hand, is comparatively a nobody. In the Gospel of Luke, we hear very little about her background. Her place of inferiority is reinforced by the fact that it is she who goes to visit Elizabeth. The inferior visits the superior. By the end of the Gospel, however, a great inversion has occurred. Elizabeth, who is supposed to by above Mary, declares that it is Mary who is truly blessed. Elizabeth has raised Mary up on a pedestal. What has happened to bring about this inversion? Jesus has entered the picture. John the Baptist, who Elizabeth carries in her womb, alerts his mother to the presence of Jesus by leaping in utero. John’s entire mission is to point out to people that Jesus is the Messiah. He starts this mission before he is even born. Elizabeth is made aware by her son that the child Mary carries is greater than her own. Although Elizabeth has received a great gift from God to bear a child in her old age, she realizes that Mary had received an even greater gift. She is the mother of the Lord. Because of Jesus, Mary, who should have been inferior to Elizabeth, has been raised higher.

This Christmas we will have a very practical opportunity to participate in Jesus’ mission of inversion, of raising up the lowly. Can you remember the last time that you were in a group of people and you felt somewhat out of place? I know that when I am with a group of people I do not know, I usually feel nervous and uncomfortable. It is scary to go and speak to new people. I am often unsure of how I should behave. What is the most helpful thing when you find yourself in a situation where you feel out of place? For me, it is when someone from that group comes and speaks to me and makes me feel welcome. Every Christmas, many people come to Mass who do not regularly attend. Now, I know, this can be somewhat inconvenient for us “regulars”. Parking might be a little more difficult to come by. Someone might sit in our regular pew. At the same time, we have a great opportunity to welcome people who might be feeling somewhat out of place coming here at Christmas. A kind smile or simply saying hello to someone who looks a bit new is a wonderful way to make someone feel comfortable. Perhaps if those who come less regularly to Mass feel at home, then they might choose to come more regularly. When we who are perhaps more regular Mass-goers make those who do not come as often like honoured guests and truly welcome, then we are helping to carry out Jesus mission of inversion, of raising up the lowly.

Christmas Mass is just around this corner. What better way can we celebrate the birth of Jesus than by helping to carry out his mission of “raising up the lowly”? One simple and concrete way we can do this is by being welcoming to those who may be new to our Church or may come less frequently.

 

How to welcome Jesus at Christmas

3rd Sunday Advent | Luke 3:10-18

We’ve all probably seen a live action nativity play. Maybe we’ve been part of such a play. It seems that one of the least popular roles in a nativity play is that of the innkeeper. Afterall, who would want to have to close the door to Joseph, Mary and her unborn child Jesus? We all want to welcome Jesus. That is what we are trying to do during this season of Advent. We want to better prepare to welcome Jesus. What, however, is the best way of doing this? In the Gospel today (Luke 3:10-18), John the Baptist gives us some important pointers.

Jan Matsys [Public domain]

Above all, John teaches us that talk is cheap. Just saying that we want to welcome Jesus is not sufficient. Words are not enough. Here I am cheating a little bit because John makes this point in the verses immediately preceding the portion of Luke that we heard in the Gospel. There, John chastises those coming to receive his baptism of repentance, which is meant to prepare for the coming of Jesus, without making an attempt to change their lives. These people suggest that it is enough to merely say that “Abraham is our Father”. John explains that just saying these words is not enough to prepare to receive Jesus. “God can raise up sons of Abraham from these stones”, John explains. Just saying the right words are not enough to to prepare for Christmas. Every year around this time there is a recurring debate. Should people say “merry Christmas” or something more religiously neutral like “happy holidays”? Last year at a news conference, President Trump exclaimed that since he became president, “we’re saying merry Christmas again”. As John teaches us in Luke’s Gospel, talk is cheap. Though we say “merry Christmas”, our actions may shut Jesus out of our lives. Merely saying the right words does not mean that we are ready to welcome Jesus.

John the Baptist makes it clear that we prepare ourselves to welcome Jesus by producing “fruits of repentance”, that is, good deeds. After being rebuked by John for thinking that it is enough to simply say that they are the sons of Abraham, the people ask John what they must do in order prepare for the coming Messiah. In response, John gives a list of the “fruit of repentance” that they should produce in their lives. They must share with those in need. Whoever has two cloaks must give one to the one who has none. They should carry out their professions honestly and not cheat or treat anyone unfairly. Tax collectors should only take the stipulated amount. Soldiers should not practice extortion. By changing their actions and performing good works, the people will then be ready for the coming Messiah. We can hear John’s words ringing out in our word today. Do you want to welcome Jesus at Christmas? Share your possessions with those in need, those who cannot give you anything back in return. Saying “merry Christmas” is fine, but unless you give to the poor and help those in need, then these words may not ring true. If you don’t have money or possessions to share, then give of your time. Visit or call an elderly friend or relative who may be lonely at this time. By producing these “fruits of repentance”, we can prepare to welcome Jesus at Christmas.

By sharing what we have, whether it be time or possessions, with those in need, we can ensure that we experience joy at Christmas. Joy is something we all probably want to experience as we get ready for Christmas. Today’s liturgy is an important reminder of this. This Sunday, the 3rd Sunday of Advent, is traditionally called “Gaudete” Sunday, which means “Rejoice!” The first and second readings are both an invocation to rejoice. In the first reading we heard, ”Shout for joy, O daughter Zion! Sing joyfully, O Israel!” In the second reading, Paul instructs us to “rejoice in the Lord always”. We have all probably experienced the joy that comes with sharing what we have with those in need. A while back, I read a news article that struck this point home. This article told the story about a four year old boy who used his allowance money to buy food for the poor in Birmingham, Alabama. The boy distributed this food to those in need by hand. To add to the excellence of his actions, he gave the food out while wearing a superhero cape! You just need to look at a few pictures of this young boy in action to see how utterly joyful he is while performing these acts of kindness and service. Likewise, when we share what we have with others, we are filled with joy.

This Christmas, do you want to avoid playing in real life the part of the innkeeper who fails to welcome Jesus? Do you want to experience joy as Christmas approaches? Then, in addition to saying “merry Christmas”, let us produce works of repentance by sharing our possessions and time with those who are in need.

Rethinking Repentance

2nd Sunday of Advent | Luke 3:1-6

You might remember that one of the earliest trips that Pope Francis took after becoming Pope was to Lampedusa. There, he gave a powerful message about the need to care for migrants. Although what Pope Francis said was important, the context in which he said it was arguably more significant. First, he gave his talk in the midst of the migration crisis in which thousands were dying trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea and enter Europe. We should remember that these deaths continue. In 2018, over 2000 people died trying to cross the Mediterranean. Second, the place where he gave his talk was highly significant. Lampedusa, an island in the Mediterranean, is often the first stop for migrants. It is a place where many wait to enter Europe. The context in which Pope Francis gave his speech was as important as what he said. Today in the Gospel (Luke 3:1-6), the mission of John the Baptist in introduced: “he preached a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins” (v. 3). As was the case of Pope Francis in Lampedusa, the context in which John preached this repentance is highly significant and helps us better comprehend his message. In particular, the gospel helps us rethink the meaning of repentance.

Domenico Ghirlandaio [Public domain]

First of all, Luke carefully sets the scene of John’s preaching in order to impress upon us that the message of John the Baptist is of universal significance. In the very beginning of the Gospel (vv. 1-2), Luke give a list of the leaders, both secular and religious, who are active when John begins his preaching. With this list, Luke makes it clear that John’s message will be universal in two main ways. First, John’s message is meant to have universal significance in the geographic sense of the word. In addition to mentioning the local political leaders (Herod and Philip), Luke mentions the Caesar (Tiberius), the ruler of Roman Empire and, in a certain sense, of the entire world. John’s message is meant to affect people all over the world. Second, in mentioning the religious leaders of the time (Annas and Caiaphas), Luke makes it clear that John’s message will be universal in the sense that it will affect all realms of life whether is be religious, political or social. By listing these rulers, Luke is sending a simple message: what John the Baptist has to say is meant to apply to all people and it is meant to impact all areas of their lives.

Within this universal context, the message of repentance that John proclaims is supposed to apply not only to the moral lives of individuals, but also to the social and political institutions of the time. In calling for repentance, John says that the status quo of both people’s personal lives as well as the socio-political order is wanting. In both areas they are called to cling closer to what God wants. This is an important message for us as we can tend to compartmentalize our faith life, making it quite individualistic. When we talk about repentance, we can focus merely on reforming our personal failings. Repentance means stopping to lie, cheat, use bad language etc. This kind of repentance is of course necessary. It is not, however, enough. John’s preaching is meant to have a universal impact that affects all realms of life. Repentance, therefore, also means changing political and social structures in order to make them more just. The Church has always been clear on this point and has a rich tradition of social teaching. In addition to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, we also have a Compendium of Social Doctrine of the Church. Although most Catholics have probably heard of, and perhaps own, the first document, I suspect that fewer are aware of, or have even seen, the second document. This is a problem. Because of the context in which Luke places John’s mission, his message of repentance should be understood as calling for change in the social and political order as well as in the personal morality of individuals.

More than this, the context in which Luke places John’s preaching helps us understand that the repentance that John calls for is closely connected to liberation. With his citation of Isaiah 40:3-5 in vv. 4-6, Luke explains that what John the Baptist is now doing is just like what the prophet Isaiah did. The passage that Luke quotes from Isaiah was uttered in the Exile in Babylon. At this time, the ruling class of Israel had been deported to Babylon after the Babylonian empire had utterly destroyed Jerusalem in 586 BC. The people to whom Isaiah (more specifically Deutero-Isaiah here) spoke in Exile were dejected and losing hope that they would ever return back to their land. Isaiah’s message was one of hope. He predicted that God would soon free them from Babylon. He preached that this act of liberation would be a kind of second Exodus. Just as God freed the people from slavery in Egypt, so he would liberate them now from Babylon. Isaiah tried to prepare the people for this great act of salvation. In like manner, John the Baptist’s call to repentance was preparation for and connected to the new act of liberation that God would work through Jesus. Jesus mission is a new Exodus and a new return of Exile. John the Baptist is preparing people for a new act of liberation.

As the Pope illustrated in Lampedusa, the context in which someone says something is as important as what that person says. In the Gospel today, Luke puts the preaching of John the Baptist in its proper context in order to better understand what what kind of repentance we are called to. In this way, the Gospel challenges us to broaden our idea of what repentance is. Repentance is not merely individualistic. Repentance is not something that applies to us when we are in Church or doing “Catholic stuff”. Quite simply, repentance is meant to liberate all people in all areas of life. Repentance applies to how we prayer and how often we go to Church as well as how we vote in local elections and what we think the minimum wage should be. On this second week of Advent, we are reminded that what Jesus does for us is meant to affect everything.

Advent: Preparing for Jesus' Three Arrivals

1st Sunday of Advent, year C | Lk 21:25-28, 34-36

Most Wednesday mornings in Rome the Pope gives an audience in St. Peter’s square. It is a highly anticipated event! People line up hours before access to the square is even possible in the hopes of securing a good seat. After they are seated, people wait in expectation for the Pope to appear on the raised platform at the head of the square. As they wait, the expectation of the people is palpable. They cannot wait for the Pope to arrive. Would you wait with this kind of expectation to meet the Pope? I certainly would! Now, consider this. Call to mind the great expectation of those people waiting to meet the Pope. Now, ask yourself, “am I waiting with the same attention and and excitement to meet Jesus?”

Source

The Gospel today speaks to us about the need to be ready to meet Jesus. At the start of the Gospel, Jesus uses apocalyptic, symbolic language in order to describe his future coming. Jesus identifies himself as the Son of Man, an enigmatic saviour-type figure that is described in the book of Daniel (c. 7). Jesus’ description of his coming is meant to evoke wonder and impress upon us the great importance of his coming. After his arrival, nothing will ever be the same again. Jesus predicts that some will respond to his coming with fear. For those who are ready and waiting for Jesus, however, their response will be quite different. They will hold their heads high. Jesus’ coming will be a moment of joy because he is their saviour. What is important, Jesus says, is that we are ready to meet him. We need to pray and stay sober and alert. We do not know when Jesus will come, but we want to be among those who meet Jesus with heads held high. We want to be ready to meet Jesus with joy.

The season of Advent, which we start this Sunday, reminds us that there are different ways that Jesus comes into the world. The words Advent comes from the Latin adventus and means “coming” or “arrival”. In one of his homilies, St. Bernard of Clairvaux says that there are three “arrivals” or “comings” of Jesus that Advent is meant to call our attention to. The first coming of Jesus was when he was born in Bethlehem. The third coming of Jesus is when he will come again at the end of time, bringing to completion his work of salvation and creating a new heaven and a new earth (Rev 21). This is the coming of Jesus that the Gospel describes. The second and intermediate arrival - or more accurately arrivals - of Jesus is between this first and third coming. This second coming of Jesus is all the different ways that Jesus enters our life here and now: 1) in our hearts in prayer; 2) in the sacraments; and 3) in those who suffer and are in need (Matthew 25).

Advent is a time to train ourselves to be attentive to the different ways Jesus comes into our life. Some of you have probably watched the show “Undercover Boss”. In this show, a high-level executive leaves the comfort of his or her cushy office, puts on a disguise and goes to work in a low-level job. There, the executive tries to learn what things are really like in the company and what the rank and file think of him or her. Usually, the rest of the employees do not recognize their undercover boss. Jesus often comes into our lives as an undercover boss. Often we can miss him because the disguise that he wears is not what we expect. Perhaps we expect that Jesus will come in a glorious, wonderful and pleasing disguise. In describing her experience of working with the poor, Mother Teresa would often remark that Jesus is present in the poor in a “distressing disguise”. In the poor and suffering, Mother Teresa was able to see Jesus. She understood that the love and service she showed them, she was also showing to Jesus. Jesus can come to us in various distressing disguises: a coworker who is arrogant and difficult to get along with; the poor person we meet who asks us for some change; an acquaintance who constantly asks for one favour or another;  a family member or friend who is struggling with an addiction. Jesus often meets us in a distressing disguise. In showing patience, kindness and care to these individuals, we show love to Jesus.

As we start the season of Advent today, we prepare ourselves to welcome Jesus. Not only do we want to get ready for Christmas, but we also want to become more attentive and capable of welcoming Jesus in the various ways that he comes into our life each and every day. Can you think of one individual in your life who may be Jesus in a distressing disguise?

An apocalypse of hope

33rd Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year B | Daniel 12:1-3; Mark 13:24-32

I really like to watch “apocalyptic” movies (e.g. Mad Max, the Matrix, World War Z, Snowpiercer etc.). These movies describe a not too distant future in which the world as we know it has been destroyed by some plague, cataclysmic war, environmental destruction or zombie uprising . Although these movies often show a small group of people battling for survival in their new reality, overall these movies are rather grim and fear-inducing. Perhaps I need to reflect on why I like them so much! In the Bible, we find a significant number of apocalyptic texts. The first reading and Gospel today are two examples. Although these apocalyptic texts share some similarities with the movies I have mentioned, there are important differences with respect to 1) who is the main audience of the texts and 2) the emotional response that the works are meant to evoke.

Significantly, apocalyptic texts in the Bible are intended to inspire downtrodden people with a sense of hope. The purpose of apocalyptic movies seem to be quite different. These movies are aimed at a society that is relatively comfortable. The stories are meant to be cautionary tales or inspire fear by pointing out what could happen if suddenly all the things we have are taken away. The first reading today was from the book of Daniel. This text was written in response to persecution of the Jewish people by the Greek King Antiochus IV around the year 165 BC. At this time, Antiochus IV tried to impose Greek culture and religion upon the Jews. He forbade circumcision and Jewish worship. Many Jews were violently persecuted and killed. The book of Daniel was meant give hope to the suffering. Through the use of imaginative and figurative language, the text inspires readers to believe that God is in control. Texts describe battles in heaven which mirror the conflicts on earth. The first reading describes that Michael is a leader in these battles. Just as God triumphs in these heavenly battles, so will God ultimately liberate his people on earth. Elsewhere in the book of Daniel (e.g. chapter 7), an enigmatic figure called the Son of Man is presented. The Son of Man is described as coming on clouds. He receives the power from God - called the “Ancient of Days” - to conquer and rule on behalf of God’s people. The message that God will eventually triumph over all that oppresses his people is meant to fill the downtrodden with a sense of hope.

Coin depicting Antiochus IV

Similarly, the Gospel today is meant to inspire those who suffer with the truth that Jesus is in control and will ultimately save them from their tribulations. Like the book of Daniel, the Gospel of Mark was probably written for a community that was suffering persecution or a severe setback. In the portion of Mark we heard today, Jesus uses apocalyptic language. First, he paints a vision of the “times after the tribulation” in which the sun and moon are darkened and the heavens quake. This suggests an undoing of the creation of the sun and the moon that God accomplished on the fourth day of creation recounted in the first chapter of Genesis. The message here is that the current state of the world will come to an end. This does not refer merely to the end of the world, but also to the end of the suffering that the people are enduring now. God will overcome the circumstances that are pressing down on the people and create something better for them. This vindication will come through Jesus. In the Gospel, Jesus identifies himself as the Son of Man, the mysterious figure presented in Daniel. Jesus, like the Son of Man, will come on clouds. Since clouds are often associated in the Old Testament with manifestations of God (e.g. Exod 24:16), with this imagery, Jesus seems to be highlighting his own divinity. At the same time, just at the Son of Man received authority and a mission from the Ancient of Days in Daniel, so Jesus was sent by his Father to save humanity from their sorrow. Through the use of rich, biblical imagery, Jesus communicates a clear message. “I know you are suffering now but have hope! I am with you. The time is coming soon when I will overcome what is troubling you and create a new and better situation for you.”

Above all, this message from the Gospel should encourage us when we are in the midst of our own tribulations. Jesus’ apocalyptic language is meant to give hope. Jesus, the Son of Man, has been given power and authority over all things. He will tear down the situations that oppress us and create something new and better for us. He loves us and cares for us. Perhaps we are currently overcome with desolation or depression. The Gospel is an opportunity to remind ourselves that God will eventually bring some consolation into our life as He has done in the past. Maybe current events, whether in politics or within the Church, fill us with anxiety. Jesus’ words remind us that he is in control. He has the power to overcome discord and unjust structures. Perhaps you or someone you love is battling illness. The Gospel is a reminder that Jesus is close to you and that there is hope that he can bring healing. Finally, when we come face to face with the reality of death, Jesus words are meant to encourage. Even after death he creates for a new and better life.

Unlike apocalyptic movies which communicate fear, the apocalyptic language in the first reading and Gospel is meant to encourage us. What area is your life is causing you difficulty? Let us invite Jesus into our lives, confident that he can and will overcome our sufferings and bring about something better.

Which is the first of all the commandments?

31 Sunday of OT | Deut 6:2-6; Mark 12:28-34

Imagine for a moment that a mother is dropping off her child for their first day at a new school. The mother and her child are close by one another speaking. The mother is giving her child some last minute advice for how the child should behave in the new school they are entering for the first time. What advice do you think that the mother would give the child in this situation?

In the first reading, Moses is in much the same situation as this mother as he is giving the people of Israel some important final instructions before they enter the land God promised them. The context of the book of Deuteronomy, from which today’s first reading is taken, is interesting. The last four books of the Pentateuch - Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy - all cover the span of Moses life. These books tell the story of how God liberated the people of Israel from slavery in Egypt and led them to the promised land. The entire book of Deuteronomy occurs on one day: the final day of Moses’ life. On this day, Moses and the people of Israel are gathered on the plains of Moab, on the verge of entering the promised land. Deuteronomy is composed largely the last words of Moses to Israel. Just as the mother will not enter the new school with her child, Moses will not enter the land with Israel. Like the mother, Moses is giving final instructions to Israel about how they should best live in the new land land that they will soon enter.

Moses’ most important advice, which we find in the first reading, is that the people love God in a wholehearted fashion. The passage from Deuteronomy 6:4 onwards is often called the “schema”, which is the Hebrew imperative “listen!”, which begins Moses’ exhortation. Just as it was at the time of Jesus, the schema is a fundamental prayer for the Jewish people today. In fact, we find the schema on the lips of Jesus in the Gospel today. In one beautiful custom, Jewish people will place a copy of the schema in an object called a mezuzah and fix the mezuzah to their doorposts. This practice serves as a powerful reminder to those passing through the door about how they should live in whatever room or building that they are entering. The schema has a simple yet profound logic. There is only one God. God is meant to be loved. If there were many gods, then we would be bound to love each of these gods with a divided heart. There is, however, only one God. For this reason, we need to love God with all our hearts, souls and mind. This is an important reminder for us. We can easily give our love to other “gods” in our lives like money or reputation. As a result, our focus from God is divided. The schema challenges us to be honest about the different false gods we love. It is a reminder to redirect our hearts back to God.

A mezuzah (source)

In the Gospel, Jesus specifies that loving God necessitates loving our neighbour. Jesus, when asked by a scribe “which is the greatest of the commandments”, bends the question a bit. He does not just give one commandment. First, he responds with the schema. Jesus then adds another commandment, this time from Leviticus (19:18), which has the effect of clarifying what it means to love God wholeheartedly: love your neighbour as yourself. As is often mentioned, this command to love your neighbour implicitly contains a third commandment: you need to love yourself. Here, we are not talking about self absorption or inordinate pride. We need to recognize that we are good. We have been created by God and God does not make junk! If we don’t love ourselves, it is hard to love others. Often, people who treat others badly, do so out of a deep self-loathing. Jesus’ response regarding what is the greatest commandment is an expression of the practical significance of the incarnation. In Jesus, we believe that God has become a human being, thereby linking God and humanity forever. If we really believe this, then loving God means loving those around us. If we do not, we cannot claim to love God.

What advice did you think that the mother would say to the child who is about to enter a new school? Perhaps you answered with some form of the commandments found in today’s readings: 1) love God; 2) have a proper love for yourself; and 3) love your neighbour. This is not just great advice for a child, but for each one of us. After Israel heard Moses' instructions at the threshold of the promised land, they had a choice: they could follow his advice or not. Jesus has told us what it takes to live in the kingdom of God. Let us choose to follow his advice!

Antisemitism is an offence against God

30th Sunday of OT | Jer 31:7-9; Mk 10:46-52

This Sunday I was going to preach a more general message about how the blind Bartimaeus in today’s Gospel is a model for each of us, teaching us how to cry out to Jesus at the hour of our need. When I woke up and read the news Saturday morning, however, I became convinced that there is some more specific need for which we need to cry out to God today.

Like many of you, I was horrified to read the news this Saturday morning about the mass shooting that occured at the Tree of Life Congregation synagogue in Pittsburgh. In this terrible act of anti-semitism, a gunman opened fire on a Jewish community gathered for prayer on the Shabbat, killing eleven people and wounding many others. As we condemn this evil action and offer our prayers and solidarity to the families affected and the larger Jewish community, we should recognize that this crime is part of an incredibly unsettling trend of increased anti-semitism in recent years. Recently, we have seen very public displays of anti-semitism, such as in Charlottesville last year. In Canada too anti-semitism has become more and more prevalent.  For example, according to the Toronto Police Service, the Jewish population is the most common group targeted by hate-crimes. This should deeply trouble us as Catholics. It is something to which we must respond.

In response, we need to clearly denounce anti-semitism for the evil that it is. Nostra Aetate, the document from the Second Vatican Council on the relationship of the Church to non-Christian religions, clearly denounced anti-semitism and called us as Catholics to speak out against it. As recent Popes, especially St. John Paul II, have noted, tragically Catholics in the past did not always do enough to combat anti-semitism and at times even fueled it. John Paul II, for example, recognized the actions and often inactions of Catholics that contributed to the Shoah (in his preface to, We Remember: A Reflection on the Shoah, 1998). Although Nostra Aetate clearly condemned the ideas that Jews are collectively guilty for the death of Jesus, this idea was permitted to exist among Catholics for too long, allowing anti-semitism to fester among Christians. This way of thinking was often the root of Jewish persecution in the past (for more, see here). Especially because anti-semitism has in the past found a place among Catholics, in light of recent events, we must clearly denounce it as evil. Anti-semitism is, as John Paul II said, an “offense against God” (here).

Michelangelo [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

In addition to condemning anti-semitism, we need to be aware that, because of God’s covenant with Israel, the Jewish people have a unique and special place in the heart and plans of God. God’s covenant with the Jewish people is still in effect and is in fact irrevocable. Nostra Aetate clearly teaches this. In the first reading from today (Jer 31:7-9), the prophet Jeremiah beautifully speaks about God’s covenant with Israel. Jeremiah lived at a time of great crisis for the people of Israel, namely, the destruction of Jerusalem at the hands of the Babylonians in the year 587 BC. This event and the later crisis of the deportation provoked Jeremiah’s outpouring of grief and mourning. The message of Jeremiah, however, was also one of hope. In the passage we heard today, the prophet envisages a new action of God. Jeremiah was convinced that God would restore Israel to well being. As the prophet explains, on account of the covenant, the Jewish people are in a permanent and unique relationship with God who loves and cares for them.

Hearing this message of Jeremiah today compels us to stand in close solidarity with our Jewish brothers and sisters at a time when this evil has been committed against them. We pray especially for those who have died and for their families. We pray for our Jewish brothers and sisters, whether they be in Pittsburgh or closer to home, that the words of the prophet Jeremiah may be realized in in their midst. With Jeremiah we pray that they may experience the restoration of God the father, that he might bind the lame among them and console them.

Solving Money Troubles

28th Sunday OT, year B | Mark 10:17-27

We have all probably heard someone speak about their “money troubles”. This usually refers to the fact that they do not have enough money. In the story of the rich young man that we heard in the Gospel today, Jesus completely inverts our normal understanding of how money can cause trouble in our lives. Instead of too little wealth being an issue, Jesus teaches us that having too much money is the problem.

Jesus explains to his disciples that having too much wealth can be a barrier to entering the kingdom of heaven. “It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle

than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God”. Jesus’ disciples were “exceedingly astonished” when they heard this teaching. Why? One possible reason is that they thought that having wealth was considered a sign that you have God’s favour. In other words, if you were rich, then you were already in the kingdom of heaven. This idea is conveyed in certain passages in the Old Testament (e.g. Job 1:1). Just like us, the disciples probably thought that not having wealth was the problem. Jesus, however, says that the opposite is true. Having wealth makes it difficult, maybe even impossible, to enter the kingdom of heaven. If we stop and think about it, we can come up with some reasons why this makes a lot of sense. First, when we have many things, then it is too easy to think that we don’t need God. Second, when we have wealth, we tend to want more of it. The pursuit of material possessions can easily make us lose sight of what is most important in life. Third, the more things that we have, the more strictly we will be judged. “To whom much is given, much will be required” (Luke 12:48). If God has blessed us with material wealth it is probably so that we can help others with it. While we may think that not having enough wealth is a problem, Jesus reminds us that the real problem is having too much.

James Tissot [No restrictions or Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

If having too much wealth is a serious problem that can prevent us from entering the kingdom of heaven, is the solution to give it all away? In the Gospel, Jesus tells the rich young man to sell all that he has and give it to the poor. Are we required to take this admonition literally? For some Christians, the answer was yes. A famous example is St. Anthony. He lived around the year 300, and was born into a relatively wealthy family in Egypt. When he was 18, Anthony’s parents died. Soon afterwards, he happened to enter a Church while Jesus’ teaching that we heard in the Gospel today was being proclaimed. Anthony understood the invitation to “go, sell what you have and give it to the poor” to be literally addressed to him. Leaving the Church, he sold his wealth, gave it to the poor and went to live as a monk in the desert. For some, the way of dealing with the problem that wealth poses to entering the kingdom of heaven is to give it all away like St. Anthony. Most of us, however, are probably not called to make such a radical renunciation of material goods.

While we may not be able to give literally everything we have to the poor, in order to overcome the barrier that wealth creates to entering the kingdom, we are required to give to the poor. A major message of today’s Gospel is that following Jesus needs to come before the pursuit of wealth. We are called to put our material goods at the service of following Christ. Because Jesus calls us to give to the poor, Christians have always viewed almsgiving as a serious obligation and not just some optional spiritual practice. Consider, for example, these words from St. Basil the Great:

The bread you do not use is the bread of the hungry. The garment hanging in your wardrobe is the garment of the person who is naked. The shoes you do not wear are the shoes of the one who is barefoot. The money you keep locked away is the money of the poor. The acts of charity you do not perform are the injustices you commit.

Now, you may be wondering, if I need to give to the poor but cannot give everything, how much should I give? C. S. Lewis, the Christian scholar and author of the Narnia series gives a good answer:

I do not believe one can settle how much we ought to give. I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare. In other words, if our expenditure on comforts, luxuries, amusements, etc., is up to the standard common among those with the same income as our own, we are probably giving away too little. If our charities do not at all pinch or hamper us, I should say they are too small. There ought to be things we should like to do and cannot do because our charitable expenditure excludes them.

The Gospel today invites us to rethink what we consider to be “money troubles”. Having too much rather than too little wealth is an obstacle to entering the kingdom of heaven. The way to overcome this problem is by giving to the poor. Although how much we give is between us and God, we can be sure that this is something we will have to account for in the end.