Whatever He Tells You January 20, 2019 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time - C
by Dcn. Bob Bonomi
Did you ever wonder how Mary knew that Jesus could do something about the wine running out at the wedding? While there isn’t anything in the Bible about it, I had a priest-friend tell me that there is an old story about how, when Jesus was young, He and Mary went to another wedding party, this time with St. Joseph. It also was a typical Jewish wedding with a lot of celebrating, and the next day Joseph woke up with a very bad headache. Mary asked him if he would like a glass of water. Joseph replied, “Yes please, but don’t let the boy touch it.”
In any case, this is where in John’s Gospel we see the beginning of Jesus’ ministry – and the first of the seven “signs”, or miracles, that Jesus performed to reveal His divinity as the Christ. The seven are:
1. Changing water into wine at Cana in John 2:1-11
2. Healing the royal official's son in Capernaum in John 4:46-54
3. Healing the paralytic at Bethesda in John 5:1-15
4. Feeding the 5000 in John 6:5-14
5. Jesus walking on water in John 6:16-24
6. Healing the man blind from birth in John 9:1-7
7. The raising of Lazarus in John 11:1-45
I always wondered, why change water into wine as your first “miracle”? I mean, Jesus could have just as easily raised someone from the dead, like Lazarus, which would have really gotten people’s attention. This particular miracle of water into wine is also unique to the Gospel of John – you won’t find it mentioned anywhere else in the Gospels.
I would venture to guess that, as the bishops said in the introduction to the Gospel of John in the latest revision of the New American Bible, this first sign “symbolizes the entire creative and transforming work of Jesus.”
While John only emphasizing seven “signs” instead of the collection of miracles that other Gospel evangelists list, he used each one to help his community to understand a particular aspect of the divine nature of Jesus, and to set the stage for John’s version of the Passion of Jesus and his subsequent resurrection. It is important to note that scholars figure that John’s Gospel was written in the 90’s and so his need to portray the many “whats” of Jesus’ ministry – the many healing and other miracles which would have been fairly well known by Christian followers by then – would be of less importance to the people than the “whys” which revealed Jesus’ glory.
Let’s look at this story a little closer. It begins with Mary, Jesus and some of his friends being invited to this wedding in Cana. It’s about 4 miles from Nazareth to Cana, so the wedding must have been fairly important to Mary to travel that far to attend the wedding. It is also reasonable to assume that this would be a fairly large celebration,. Mary might have even been related to the couple.
As for Jesus and his disciples, in John’s Gospel they have recently begun traveling together – the previous chapter ends with the calling of Andrew, Simon Peter, Philip and Nathanial. So, while John the Baptist has identified Jesus as the Lamb of God and the Son of God, these new disciples have yet to fully experience the divinity of Jesus.
It also doesn’t say how long the party has been going on, but according to ancient Jewish wedding customs, a wedding celebration usually lasted for several days, so the fact that they ran out of wine isn’t necessarily surprising.
But we see some important symbolism in the conversion of water to wine.
• Wine was significant to Jews – we see that wine was meant to “gladden men’s hearts” as in the Psalms (104), and Sirach (40:20)
• Weddings were communal events meant for celebration
• Wine production was a major industry for the Jewish people – blessings from God often were referred to as coming as wine.
• At the Last Supper, Jesus uses wine to signify His Blood
Jesus’ creation of wine would have been seen by the Jews as a sign of the generosity of God and the amount would indicate the abundance of that gift.
Next in the story is Mary’s comment to the servers: "Do whatever He tells you... " The key points for this include:
• Mary must have an understanding of what Jesus is capable of.
• Her intercession on behalf of the wedding party without being asked is also a sign of her motherly concern for those around her. We recognize the same thing in her today, when we ask her for her intercession on our behalf.
• Mary’s comment is to us just as it was to the servers – if you want to be a disciple of Jesus and serve at the banquet table where He is present, you must do whatever He tells you.
And what is he telling us to do? In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says that he has come to fulfill the law, and then warns his followers with:
“Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
And then he tells us what to do with “But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you” and “Do to others as you would have them do to you” – the theme of the diocesan “Be Golden” campaign.
We receive many conflicting messages from our society today. Some are good; many are not. It is not easy to determine which are which.
We have to ask ourselves two questions:
- What is it that the world is saying to us?
- What is Jesus saying to us?
If we will just look to Jesus’ words in the Gospels, we can learn what it is that he is saying to us, today: Love God and love our neighbor. Our challenge: Do we have the faith and the courage to do whatever Jesus is telling us to do?
Sunday, January 20, 2019
Sunday, December 30, 2018
Members of the Family
Members of the Family
December 30, 2018 Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph
by Dcn. Bob Bonomi
Merry Christmas! We’re in the middle of the Octave of Christmas, still celebrating the miracle of the birth of Jesus, so it is OK to wish people a “Merry Christmas” – actually it is more appropriate now than during the days leading up to Christmas. In fact, the Christmas season continues until the Feast of the Epiphany, which is January 6th this year. So, Merry Christmas.
Today we celebrate the beauty and mystery surrounding the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. The Holy Family is a model of faith for all families. According to the Second Vatican Council’s Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, or Lumen Gentium, “The family is, so to speak, the domestic church.”
The Catechism of the Catholic Church goes further to state that “The Christian home is the place where children receive the first proclamation of the faith. For this reason the family home is rightly called "the domestic church," a community of grace and prayer, a school of human virtues and of Christian charity.” (CCC 1666)
All this means that it is in the context of family that we first learn who God is and to prayerfully seek His will for us.
But today’s readings and those during this last week also show us that, despite the fact that Joseph was a saint, and Mary was conceived without sin and Jesus was, well, God – the Holy Family had family problems too. For example:
• A man discovers that his betrothed has conceived and it’s not his?
• Their child is born in a rudimentary shelter along the side of the road and not at home?
• They are forced to flee and live in a foreign country as refugees?
• Their son vanishes from sight for three days and when told by his mother that she and his father have been looking all over for him he tells them, “Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house”, and he doesn’t mean Joseph’s?
• How about later when it appears that the young man rejects his family when they come to see him and he says to those around him, “Who is my family? You are.”
And all this is from a family that is “a model of faith”?
Even the best families can be messy, can’t they? I would say that the number one prayer request that I receive from people beyond the immediacy of health problems would be something to do with broken family relationships: children who have left the Church, parents who are estranged from their children; family disputes between in-laws and even among siblings. To me, one of the greatest tragedies in life is when a parent and his or her child cannot reconcile with each other before one or the other passes away. If the #1 illness in the world is loneliness (and it is), then the #1 contributor to that illness is probably the inability of family members to get along with each other.
And beyond our nuclear family, we are also part of a larger family.
Pope Francis tells us in “The Joy of Love” that: “… the family is a bigger network than we may imagine. It’s something our love builds, beyond our immediate blood relatives, to create larger societies of mutual support. Too many people seek security in small units, or even by focusing only on themselves: this narrow life must be broadened, and we must build our families to include our relatives, neighbors, and friends.”
The secret of a happy family, then, is to look beyond your own kin in the service of outsiders, says Pope Francis. Quoting Luke chapter 14, he says “You will be blessed!” when you look to “the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind.” He says that we find these people in our own relatives and friends – our “greater family” – and that it is precisely here, in this larger family, that we can find the true meaning of love of others. Loving those who are difficult may be challenging, but it can also be very rewarding.
Whether you are married or single, each of us belongs to some sort of family – we have parents, neighbors, co-workers, and friends – all of which form our extended “family”. And it is through this extended family that we encounter God – and through which we share our own understanding of God with others.
But if being part of family is so important, and yet living as a family is so difficult even with those we like, then what are we to do? According to Pope St. John Paul II in his Apostolic Exhortation “The Role of the Christian Family in the Modern World”, there are four general tasks that we need to do as members of God’s family:
1. Form ourselves as members of the Christian community;
2. Be in service to a culture of life;
3. Participate in the development of society; and
4. Share in the life and mission of the Church.
How do we do this? First and foremost, we can work at accepting our family members as they are, warts and all, while living our lives as Christian examples for them. That can be quite challenging, especially when they do not want to be with us or listen to us – or we, them. But as we form ourselves as Christians, they may see in us the beauty that is God, and God in turn will strengthen us in our love for them.
Second, we should work on orienting our own lives toward Christ and our spiritual journey toward heaven. This may include spending more time in prayer, or participating in opportunities to study God’s Word. The closer we come to God, the better model we can be for the rest of society.
Third, we should seek opportunities to be involved with our family. Church is not a place where we go once a week to be entertained (and many would say that it isn’t very entertaining anyway), but Church is our family that we serve. While attending Sunday Mass may keep us in touch with God, sort of, if we are not involved in the life and mission of the Church, we may miss the purpose that God has for us. God calls us to mission every day of our life.
Finally, are we ready and willing to serve our family? Our family needs us, and the Church offers us so many opportunities to serve. It doesn’t have to be something radical; just take that first step. Volunteer for one of our many liturgical ministries – we are always in need of ushers, of EMs, of proclaimers of God’s Word. And we have many ministries that serve others, such as the Knights of Columbus, the Men’s Club, Catholic Daughters, the Women’s Guild, or St Vincent de Paul to mention just a few. Or, attend one of the many faith formation opportunities such as the monthly Sunday movies or one of our many bible studies. And, if you want to get to know your family better, attend one of the upcoming ACTS retreats. Now is the time to register for either the Men’s retreat or the Women’s retreat which are both coming up next month – they are an ideal way to get to know your fellow parishioners at St. Paul’s. See one of the team members as you leave today.
We will celebrate the beginning of a new calendar year next week. People often make New Year’s resolutions in order to better their lives during the coming year. It is an ideal time to make a resolution for change. It is an ideal time to show your love for your family.
Remember, no matter how messy our families may be, we are all members of God’s family. We are all brothers and sisters in Christ. Let us remember to always Love God and Love our Neighbor as ourselves. And may God bless you in the upcoming New Year. Merry Christmas.
December 30, 2018 Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph
by Dcn. Bob Bonomi
Merry Christmas! We’re in the middle of the Octave of Christmas, still celebrating the miracle of the birth of Jesus, so it is OK to wish people a “Merry Christmas” – actually it is more appropriate now than during the days leading up to Christmas. In fact, the Christmas season continues until the Feast of the Epiphany, which is January 6th this year. So, Merry Christmas.
Today we celebrate the beauty and mystery surrounding the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. The Holy Family is a model of faith for all families. According to the Second Vatican Council’s Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, or Lumen Gentium, “The family is, so to speak, the domestic church.”
The Catechism of the Catholic Church goes further to state that “The Christian home is the place where children receive the first proclamation of the faith. For this reason the family home is rightly called "the domestic church," a community of grace and prayer, a school of human virtues and of Christian charity.” (CCC 1666)
All this means that it is in the context of family that we first learn who God is and to prayerfully seek His will for us.
But today’s readings and those during this last week also show us that, despite the fact that Joseph was a saint, and Mary was conceived without sin and Jesus was, well, God – the Holy Family had family problems too. For example:
• A man discovers that his betrothed has conceived and it’s not his?
• Their child is born in a rudimentary shelter along the side of the road and not at home?
• They are forced to flee and live in a foreign country as refugees?
• Their son vanishes from sight for three days and when told by his mother that she and his father have been looking all over for him he tells them, “Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house”, and he doesn’t mean Joseph’s?
• How about later when it appears that the young man rejects his family when they come to see him and he says to those around him, “Who is my family? You are.”
And all this is from a family that is “a model of faith”?
Even the best families can be messy, can’t they? I would say that the number one prayer request that I receive from people beyond the immediacy of health problems would be something to do with broken family relationships: children who have left the Church, parents who are estranged from their children; family disputes between in-laws and even among siblings. To me, one of the greatest tragedies in life is when a parent and his or her child cannot reconcile with each other before one or the other passes away. If the #1 illness in the world is loneliness (and it is), then the #1 contributor to that illness is probably the inability of family members to get along with each other.
And beyond our nuclear family, we are also part of a larger family.
Pope Francis tells us in “The Joy of Love” that: “… the family is a bigger network than we may imagine. It’s something our love builds, beyond our immediate blood relatives, to create larger societies of mutual support. Too many people seek security in small units, or even by focusing only on themselves: this narrow life must be broadened, and we must build our families to include our relatives, neighbors, and friends.”
The secret of a happy family, then, is to look beyond your own kin in the service of outsiders, says Pope Francis. Quoting Luke chapter 14, he says “You will be blessed!” when you look to “the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind.” He says that we find these people in our own relatives and friends – our “greater family” – and that it is precisely here, in this larger family, that we can find the true meaning of love of others. Loving those who are difficult may be challenging, but it can also be very rewarding.
Whether you are married or single, each of us belongs to some sort of family – we have parents, neighbors, co-workers, and friends – all of which form our extended “family”. And it is through this extended family that we encounter God – and through which we share our own understanding of God with others.
But if being part of family is so important, and yet living as a family is so difficult even with those we like, then what are we to do? According to Pope St. John Paul II in his Apostolic Exhortation “The Role of the Christian Family in the Modern World”, there are four general tasks that we need to do as members of God’s family:
1. Form ourselves as members of the Christian community;
2. Be in service to a culture of life;
3. Participate in the development of society; and
4. Share in the life and mission of the Church.
How do we do this? First and foremost, we can work at accepting our family members as they are, warts and all, while living our lives as Christian examples for them. That can be quite challenging, especially when they do not want to be with us or listen to us – or we, them. But as we form ourselves as Christians, they may see in us the beauty that is God, and God in turn will strengthen us in our love for them.
Second, we should work on orienting our own lives toward Christ and our spiritual journey toward heaven. This may include spending more time in prayer, or participating in opportunities to study God’s Word. The closer we come to God, the better model we can be for the rest of society.
Third, we should seek opportunities to be involved with our family. Church is not a place where we go once a week to be entertained (and many would say that it isn’t very entertaining anyway), but Church is our family that we serve. While attending Sunday Mass may keep us in touch with God, sort of, if we are not involved in the life and mission of the Church, we may miss the purpose that God has for us. God calls us to mission every day of our life.
Finally, are we ready and willing to serve our family? Our family needs us, and the Church offers us so many opportunities to serve. It doesn’t have to be something radical; just take that first step. Volunteer for one of our many liturgical ministries – we are always in need of ushers, of EMs, of proclaimers of God’s Word. And we have many ministries that serve others, such as the Knights of Columbus, the Men’s Club, Catholic Daughters, the Women’s Guild, or St Vincent de Paul to mention just a few. Or, attend one of the many faith formation opportunities such as the monthly Sunday movies or one of our many bible studies. And, if you want to get to know your family better, attend one of the upcoming ACTS retreats. Now is the time to register for either the Men’s retreat or the Women’s retreat which are both coming up next month – they are an ideal way to get to know your fellow parishioners at St. Paul’s. See one of the team members as you leave today.
We will celebrate the beginning of a new calendar year next week. People often make New Year’s resolutions in order to better their lives during the coming year. It is an ideal time to make a resolution for change. It is an ideal time to show your love for your family.
Remember, no matter how messy our families may be, we are all members of God’s family. We are all brothers and sisters in Christ. Let us remember to always Love God and Love our Neighbor as ourselves. And may God bless you in the upcoming New Year. Merry Christmas.
Tuesday, December 11, 2018
God's Plan
God's Plan
December 8, 2018 Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception
by Dcn. Bob Bonomi
Have you ever had a time in your life when everything that you had planned for your life had to be radically changed?
Woody Allen is supposed to have said, “If you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans” which probably comes from the old Yiddish proverb, “We plan, God laughs.” Isn’t that the truth!
When I was very young, I had big plans for my life. I wanted to be an astronaut. Then, when I was about 8, I had to get glasses and I discovered that you had to have perfect eyesight (at that time) in order to qualify to become an astronaut. So, since I couldn’t become an astronaut, I decided to be an astronomer. I bought my first telescope when I was 13 and physics was my declared major my first year in college. Then I discovered that I didn’t have enough money to continue in college at that time and, by the time I decided to return to college three years later, I had decided that engineering paid better. Now I’m a deacon that works for a church who also works on computers. I planned; God laughed.
I wonder: Did Mary feel the same way?
Today we celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. Here’s a trivia question for you: is today’s Gospel about an Immaculate Conception? That’s meant to be a trick question.
What do we mean by “immaculate conception”? There are those who mistakenly think that this has to do with the perpetual virginity of Mary, but it doesn’t. While it is commonly confused with the Virgin Birth of Jesus, the Immaculate Conception is the belief that Mary was sinless, or conceived without the stain of original sin. While most Christians believe in the Virgin Birth of Jesus, it is principally Roman Catholics, along with a few other Christian denominations, who believe in the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception.
This belief has been widely held in the Church as early as the 2nd century and is alluded to in the Protoevangelium, or Gospel, of James which is believed to have been written somewhere around 145AD. While it is not a canonical book, or one which is held to be divinely-inspired like the other books of the Bible, it is from the Gospel of James that we often get the legends of the early days of Mary and the life of Jesus, including the names of Mary’s parents: Joachim and Anne. And St. Gregory Nazianzen designated Mary as “prepurified’ as early as mid-4th century. But the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception itself wasn’t dogmatically defined in the Catholic Church until 1854 when Pope Pius IX, declared it so “ex cathedra”.
This can help us understand the line: “Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?"” We might get a clearer picture of this if we look at how others have translated it:
• How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? – King James Version
• "How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?" - New International Version
• Mary asked the angel, "But how can this happen? I am a virgin." - New Living Translation
Why would the statement from the angel raise a question in Mary’s mind, if she was to be married? It wasn’t as if the angel had said to her, “Mary, you have already conceived a child” but “You will conceive and have a son”. You would think that since she was going to be married, she would expect to have children.
One explanation I’ve heard from Fr. Mitch Pacwa on EWTN was that possibly Mary had expected to remain a virgin even after marriage. This would be consistent with the stories that we see in the Gospel of James and other references, that she would be married to an older widower (Joseph) and would be expected to care for his household, and he in turn would respect her virginal consecration from service to the temple.
In any case, today’s Gospel reminds us that no matter how we think our lives should go or what we plan for our future, God has plans for us. As the prophet Jeremiah said, “For I know well the plans I have in mind for you – plans for your welfare and not for woe, so as to give you a future of hope.”
We must be open to seeing the work of God in the changes we face in our lives. They are a challenge at times, and not always without pain or suffering. But they can be spectacular in their results, “for nothing will be impossible for God.”
So, whenever we face challenges that appear daunting, we must listen to hear what God is calling us to do. And when God calls us, our response needs to be Mary’s response: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your Word.”
December 8, 2018 Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception
by Dcn. Bob Bonomi
Have you ever had a time in your life when everything that you had planned for your life had to be radically changed?
Woody Allen is supposed to have said, “If you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans” which probably comes from the old Yiddish proverb, “We plan, God laughs.” Isn’t that the truth!
When I was very young, I had big plans for my life. I wanted to be an astronaut. Then, when I was about 8, I had to get glasses and I discovered that you had to have perfect eyesight (at that time) in order to qualify to become an astronaut. So, since I couldn’t become an astronaut, I decided to be an astronomer. I bought my first telescope when I was 13 and physics was my declared major my first year in college. Then I discovered that I didn’t have enough money to continue in college at that time and, by the time I decided to return to college three years later, I had decided that engineering paid better. Now I’m a deacon that works for a church who also works on computers. I planned; God laughed.
I wonder: Did Mary feel the same way?
Today we celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. Here’s a trivia question for you: is today’s Gospel about an Immaculate Conception? That’s meant to be a trick question.
What do we mean by “immaculate conception”? There are those who mistakenly think that this has to do with the perpetual virginity of Mary, but it doesn’t. While it is commonly confused with the Virgin Birth of Jesus, the Immaculate Conception is the belief that Mary was sinless, or conceived without the stain of original sin. While most Christians believe in the Virgin Birth of Jesus, it is principally Roman Catholics, along with a few other Christian denominations, who believe in the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception.
This belief has been widely held in the Church as early as the 2nd century and is alluded to in the Protoevangelium, or Gospel, of James which is believed to have been written somewhere around 145AD. While it is not a canonical book, or one which is held to be divinely-inspired like the other books of the Bible, it is from the Gospel of James that we often get the legends of the early days of Mary and the life of Jesus, including the names of Mary’s parents: Joachim and Anne. And St. Gregory Nazianzen designated Mary as “prepurified’ as early as mid-4th century. But the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception itself wasn’t dogmatically defined in the Catholic Church until 1854 when Pope Pius IX, declared it so “ex cathedra”.
This can help us understand the line: “Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?"” We might get a clearer picture of this if we look at how others have translated it:
• How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? – King James Version
• "How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?" - New International Version
• Mary asked the angel, "But how can this happen? I am a virgin." - New Living Translation
Why would the statement from the angel raise a question in Mary’s mind, if she was to be married? It wasn’t as if the angel had said to her, “Mary, you have already conceived a child” but “You will conceive and have a son”. You would think that since she was going to be married, she would expect to have children.
One explanation I’ve heard from Fr. Mitch Pacwa on EWTN was that possibly Mary had expected to remain a virgin even after marriage. This would be consistent with the stories that we see in the Gospel of James and other references, that she would be married to an older widower (Joseph) and would be expected to care for his household, and he in turn would respect her virginal consecration from service to the temple.
In any case, today’s Gospel reminds us that no matter how we think our lives should go or what we plan for our future, God has plans for us. As the prophet Jeremiah said, “For I know well the plans I have in mind for you – plans for your welfare and not for woe, so as to give you a future of hope.”
We must be open to seeing the work of God in the changes we face in our lives. They are a challenge at times, and not always without pain or suffering. But they can be spectacular in their results, “for nothing will be impossible for God.”
So, whenever we face challenges that appear daunting, we must listen to hear what God is calling us to do. And when God calls us, our response needs to be Mary’s response: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your Word.”
Sunday, November 18, 2018
It's the End of the World - As We Know It
It's the End of the World - As We Know It
November 18, 2018 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time - B
by Dcn. Bob Bonomi
We are fast approaching the end of our liturgical year. Next Sunday, we will celebrate the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, or more commonly known as Christ the King Sunday, and after that we will begin a new liturgical year with Advent.
But as with each liturgical year we begin anew the study the birth, life and mission of Jesus during His time on Earth, during the last couple of weeks of the liturgical year we take time to look toward what OUR final destination will be like, in preparation for the End Times which will come with Jesus’ Second Coming. And in our readings today we listen to the stories which give us an idea of what to expect when the world as we know it comes to an end.
Our first reading from the Book of Daniel and our Gospel reading from St. Mark are examples of a type of literature known as apocalyptic, or eschatological, literature.
The word “Apocalypse” is from the Ancient Greek: apokálypsis, literally meaning "an uncovering", and is a disclosure of knowledge or revelation, which is why you sometimes see the Book of Revelation called the Book of the Apocalypse. As applied to Scriptures, apocalyptic writing refers to Jewish and Christian writings from 200 BC to 150 AD that contains poetic prophetic visions and symbolic imagery of the end of the world, and they often reflect the expectation of an imminent cosmic cataclysm in which God destroys the ruling powers of evil and raises the righteous to life in a messianic kingdom.
The Book of the prophet Daniel is considered one of the earliest forms of apocalyptic literature, as is the Book of Revelation, which reveals what seems to be the complete and final destruction of the world.
On the other hand, “Eschatology” is concerned with "the part of theology concerned with death, judgment, and the final destiny of the soul and of humankind". So while the Apocalypse is often thought of as the destruction of the world, Eschatology is more about what happens to us after that – when we meet Jesus face to face.
Now, whether one believes in God or not, it seems that we humans are fascinated with the concept of the End of the World – at least those of us who go to movies or watch television – and it is a recurring theme in Scripture for those who are people of faith. But our approach to it can be very, very different.
For movie goers, the apocalypse is often something that we, through our heroic efforts, can overcome – we humans are tough enough and smart enough to save the day. Even if most of the world has been destroyed by alien invaders or zombies, we, through our own efforts, will be victorious and able to rebuild to our former glory.
Or, if we fail in our efforts, we are left alone to struggle forever against the evil which seemed to have won the day. Those who remain face a future of hopelessness and despair. It’s no wonder that suicides are on the rise and that those who are suffering from mental illness increasingly resort to violence against others, that we live our lives in fear. We live with an apocalyptic viewpoint, and not an eschatological one.
But life isn’t meant to be that way. The study of the End Times should bring us hope, for it is through the promise of Jesus in his death and resurrection that we see that, for Christians, there is nothing to fear from the End of Time, for it signals the coming of the Messianic Kingdom of Christ and the joy of being united with God for all eternity.
So let’s start with a look at today’s reading from the Book of Daniel. Now, while all last week our first reading for daily Mass came from a variety of sources, for those who pray the Liturgy of the Hours Office of Readings, the daily readings have been the story of Daniel and his time of prophetic service to the various Babylonian kings during Israel’s exile.
In today’s reading he is receiving visions for the future of Israel that will occur after they return from exile. The passage begins with a prediction of dark times ahead, with “it shall be a time unsurpassed in distress”. Remember, this will be AFTER Israel returns from exile.
But the passage ends on a note of hope: "The wise shall shine brightly like the splendor of the firmament, and those who lead the many to justice shall be like the stars forever." That sounds like something worth living for. And it contains instructions on how to achieve it.
And in today’s Gospel passage, Jesus also begins with a prediction of dark times: "In those days after that tribulation the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.” In a way, it sounds like what the people in southern California, especially in Pleasant Valley, experienced – the thick smoke darkened the sun and hid the sky, the glowing embers from the flames falling like stars in the night.
But He too ends on a high note: "And then they will see 'the Son of Man coming in the clouds' with great power and glory, and then He will send out the angels and gather His elect from the four winds, from the end of the earth to the end of the sky.” He will gather His elect. That’s more than just hope. That’s His Promise.
It seems as if we are always facing the end of the world, whether it’s because of our health or from the elements of nature. And if you were to believe what we see in the media and our venues of entertainment, we believe the grand destruction of everything will be because of man’s own destructive tendencies through wars or our abuse of the environment. Or alien invaders or zombies, of course. They’re high on the list. There’s no mention of God in any of this, it’s only caused by us. Or aliens or zombies..
But we humans have been trying to predict the end of the world for a long time, and unsuccessfully trying to make it happen. Some of these predictions include: early 1st century Jews who assumed that the world would end with the fall of the Temple in Jerusalem; early saints who expressed specific dates in good faith; Pope Sylvester II who predicted it would be at the end of the first millennium, in the year 1000; Christopher Columbus who thought it would be in 1658; and the list goes on. There have been hundreds of predictions by people of all faiths and in every age, including our own, and there are dozens more still waiting to occur.
They seem to fail to understand Jesus’ own words: "But of that day or hour, no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."
It reminds me of the song by R.E.M. that was in the animated movie “Chicken Little”, an animated feature in which Chicken Little thinks he was hit in the head by a piece of the sky (which turns out to be a piece of an alien spaceship, of course.) The song, by the way, has been used in many other apocalyptic movies. The lyrics go something like, “It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)”
For us, the life-changing events that we experience often seem like the end of the world – and they ARE, at least the end of the world as we know it. When Jesus says, “Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place”, he’s telling us that we will indeed experience the end of our individual worlds, in one fashion or another.
But the world itself, and our place in it, will continue until such time as God determines that we, as a people, are ready to join with Him for all eternity. And whether we realize it or not, we acknowledge this every time that we pray:
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit / as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
November 18, 2018 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time - B
by Dcn. Bob Bonomi
We are fast approaching the end of our liturgical year. Next Sunday, we will celebrate the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, or more commonly known as Christ the King Sunday, and after that we will begin a new liturgical year with Advent.
But as with each liturgical year we begin anew the study the birth, life and mission of Jesus during His time on Earth, during the last couple of weeks of the liturgical year we take time to look toward what OUR final destination will be like, in preparation for the End Times which will come with Jesus’ Second Coming. And in our readings today we listen to the stories which give us an idea of what to expect when the world as we know it comes to an end.
Our first reading from the Book of Daniel and our Gospel reading from St. Mark are examples of a type of literature known as apocalyptic, or eschatological, literature.
The word “Apocalypse” is from the Ancient Greek: apokálypsis, literally meaning "an uncovering", and is a disclosure of knowledge or revelation, which is why you sometimes see the Book of Revelation called the Book of the Apocalypse. As applied to Scriptures, apocalyptic writing refers to Jewish and Christian writings from 200 BC to 150 AD that contains poetic prophetic visions and symbolic imagery of the end of the world, and they often reflect the expectation of an imminent cosmic cataclysm in which God destroys the ruling powers of evil and raises the righteous to life in a messianic kingdom.
The Book of the prophet Daniel is considered one of the earliest forms of apocalyptic literature, as is the Book of Revelation, which reveals what seems to be the complete and final destruction of the world.
On the other hand, “Eschatology” is concerned with "the part of theology concerned with death, judgment, and the final destiny of the soul and of humankind". So while the Apocalypse is often thought of as the destruction of the world, Eschatology is more about what happens to us after that – when we meet Jesus face to face.
Now, whether one believes in God or not, it seems that we humans are fascinated with the concept of the End of the World – at least those of us who go to movies or watch television – and it is a recurring theme in Scripture for those who are people of faith. But our approach to it can be very, very different.
For movie goers, the apocalypse is often something that we, through our heroic efforts, can overcome – we humans are tough enough and smart enough to save the day. Even if most of the world has been destroyed by alien invaders or zombies, we, through our own efforts, will be victorious and able to rebuild to our former glory.
Or, if we fail in our efforts, we are left alone to struggle forever against the evil which seemed to have won the day. Those who remain face a future of hopelessness and despair. It’s no wonder that suicides are on the rise and that those who are suffering from mental illness increasingly resort to violence against others, that we live our lives in fear. We live with an apocalyptic viewpoint, and not an eschatological one.
But life isn’t meant to be that way. The study of the End Times should bring us hope, for it is through the promise of Jesus in his death and resurrection that we see that, for Christians, there is nothing to fear from the End of Time, for it signals the coming of the Messianic Kingdom of Christ and the joy of being united with God for all eternity.
So let’s start with a look at today’s reading from the Book of Daniel. Now, while all last week our first reading for daily Mass came from a variety of sources, for those who pray the Liturgy of the Hours Office of Readings, the daily readings have been the story of Daniel and his time of prophetic service to the various Babylonian kings during Israel’s exile.
In today’s reading he is receiving visions for the future of Israel that will occur after they return from exile. The passage begins with a prediction of dark times ahead, with “it shall be a time unsurpassed in distress”. Remember, this will be AFTER Israel returns from exile.
But the passage ends on a note of hope: "The wise shall shine brightly like the splendor of the firmament, and those who lead the many to justice shall be like the stars forever." That sounds like something worth living for. And it contains instructions on how to achieve it.
And in today’s Gospel passage, Jesus also begins with a prediction of dark times: "In those days after that tribulation the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.” In a way, it sounds like what the people in southern California, especially in Pleasant Valley, experienced – the thick smoke darkened the sun and hid the sky, the glowing embers from the flames falling like stars in the night.
But He too ends on a high note: "And then they will see 'the Son of Man coming in the clouds' with great power and glory, and then He will send out the angels and gather His elect from the four winds, from the end of the earth to the end of the sky.” He will gather His elect. That’s more than just hope. That’s His Promise.
It seems as if we are always facing the end of the world, whether it’s because of our health or from the elements of nature. And if you were to believe what we see in the media and our venues of entertainment, we believe the grand destruction of everything will be because of man’s own destructive tendencies through wars or our abuse of the environment. Or alien invaders or zombies, of course. They’re high on the list. There’s no mention of God in any of this, it’s only caused by us. Or aliens or zombies..
But we humans have been trying to predict the end of the world for a long time, and unsuccessfully trying to make it happen. Some of these predictions include: early 1st century Jews who assumed that the world would end with the fall of the Temple in Jerusalem; early saints who expressed specific dates in good faith; Pope Sylvester II who predicted it would be at the end of the first millennium, in the year 1000; Christopher Columbus who thought it would be in 1658; and the list goes on. There have been hundreds of predictions by people of all faiths and in every age, including our own, and there are dozens more still waiting to occur.
They seem to fail to understand Jesus’ own words: "But of that day or hour, no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."
It reminds me of the song by R.E.M. that was in the animated movie “Chicken Little”, an animated feature in which Chicken Little thinks he was hit in the head by a piece of the sky (which turns out to be a piece of an alien spaceship, of course.) The song, by the way, has been used in many other apocalyptic movies. The lyrics go something like, “It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)”
For us, the life-changing events that we experience often seem like the end of the world – and they ARE, at least the end of the world as we know it. When Jesus says, “Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place”, he’s telling us that we will indeed experience the end of our individual worlds, in one fashion or another.
But the world itself, and our place in it, will continue until such time as God determines that we, as a people, are ready to join with Him for all eternity. And whether we realize it or not, we acknowledge this every time that we pray:
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit / as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Sunday, October 28, 2018
I Want to See
I Want to See
October 28, 2018 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time - B
by Dcn. Bob Bonomi
As many of you know, one of my many vices is watching movies. And among my favorite ones are children’s animated feature films – yes, cartoons, more or less, only longer. Recently, the second film in “The Incredibles” franchise was released to video, which encouraged me to go back and watch the original. (For those of you not familiar with The Incredibles, it is about a family of superheroes in a world which doesn’t think it needs superheroes anymore and so has made the use of their powers illegal – kind of like what’s happening to Christians. By the way, I’m particularly fond of the show because the star was named after me: “Bob Incredible”. He’s obviously my favorite superhero.)
There’s a scene in the movie where Bob, who was just fired from yet another job for being super, comes home really depressed. As he pulls into his driveway and gets out of his car, he sees a little kid sitting on a tricycle - staring at him. The day before, the same kid saw Bob hoist his car above his head.
This time, Bob says to him: “Well, what are *you* waiting for?”
The kid replies, “I don't know. Something amazing, I guess.”
Then Bob sighs and says to him, “Me too, kid.” Me too.
Which leads me to ask the question: What are we waiting for from God?
Do we see the amazing things that happen around us every day? Are we so busy looking for those nature-defying miracles that we miss seeing the real miracles that God gives us? Are we blind to Jesus and the amazing things He does in our lives just because it appears that He’s not doing something amazingly super?
I’d like to share with you a couple of brief stories that occurred recently.
The first one has to do with a friend of mine who participates in a weekly prayer group with me. Last week he told the group of us about a dream he had about his mother a week earlier. He didn’t remember the details from the dream, but only that he had awoke with a strong sense of peace. But his wife told him that he had been calling out his mother’s name in his sleep and that he appeared to be carrying on a conversation with her. Later that morning he found out from one of his siblings that his mother, who I think lived in California and who suffered from dementia, had just passed away. My friend said that there was no question in his mind that his mother had been telling him “good-bye” that evening.
About the same time the daughter of another friend of mine passed away. She had been battling ovarian cancer and was on hospice, so he and the rest of his children knew that she only had a short time left. Sadly, she passed away a bit more suddenly that they expected. But my friend took consolation in the fact that, amazingly, the day she died just happened to be the feast day of her patron saint, Hedwig. The very next day, my friend was with his son-in-law and his grandson when a rainbow suddenly appeared in the sky and he was able to get a picture of them with the rainbow behind them. By the way, this was in Tucson, which normally doesn’t get much rain. What was more amazing, though, was that often whenever someone close to him passed away, a rainbow managed to appear in the sky. Coincidences? I don’t believe in coincidences.
Are we blind to the amazing signs that God sends our way?
In today’s Gospel, we hear the story of the blind Bartimaeus. We see this story in both Matthew’s and Luke’s Gospels as well, although Mark is the only one who names him. Just another blind beggar, one of many one assumes, sitting on the edge of the road near Jericho, waiting.
But, in this passage, who is really blind? Not just physically, but spiritually as well?
Jesus has by now gathered quite a following in his ministry. In all three gospels, he has already revealed to his disciples three times that he’s going to Jerusalem to die, but they can’t see it. The multitude that are following Him, for the most part, appear to be only concerned for themselves as they try to silence Bartimaeus. They’ve seen the many miracles that Jesus has done, but they cannot see Jesus for who He is.
And yet Bartimaeus, who cannot see physically, is one of the few who does recognize Jesus for who He is – a descendant of King David, a king and savior of his people, the Messiah. He initially sees Jesus through the eyes of faith. And when Jesus calls him, Bartimaeus leaves his cloak – his security, probably the most valuable of his meager possessions – behind. Once his eyes are fully opened physically, Bartimaeus then leaves the rest of his existing life behind to follow Jesus.
So, which of the characters in this gospel are we, today? Are we one of his disciples whose primary concern is our own place in an earthly kingdom granted to us by God? Are we one of the multitude of followers of Jesus who seek from him some sort of special favor because we have seen what He has done for others and want him to do the same for us?
Or are we like Bartimaeus, seeking Jesus through the eyes of faith, knowing that to answer the call of Jesus means leaving our security behind and following Him wherever He goes?
To truly see Jesus as He is demands a change in us. Every day that we walk in blindness to the Kingdom of God around us, He is passing by, waiting for us to call out to Him. He is asking us “What do you want for me to do for you?” Let us call out to Him. Let us sing out, “Open the eyes of my heart, Lord. I want to see You.” Just be ready to leave your old life behind, for Jesus asks for nothing less.
October 28, 2018 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time - B
by Dcn. Bob Bonomi
As many of you know, one of my many vices is watching movies. And among my favorite ones are children’s animated feature films – yes, cartoons, more or less, only longer. Recently, the second film in “The Incredibles” franchise was released to video, which encouraged me to go back and watch the original. (For those of you not familiar with The Incredibles, it is about a family of superheroes in a world which doesn’t think it needs superheroes anymore and so has made the use of their powers illegal – kind of like what’s happening to Christians. By the way, I’m particularly fond of the show because the star was named after me: “Bob Incredible”. He’s obviously my favorite superhero.)
There’s a scene in the movie where Bob, who was just fired from yet another job for being super, comes home really depressed. As he pulls into his driveway and gets out of his car, he sees a little kid sitting on a tricycle - staring at him. The day before, the same kid saw Bob hoist his car above his head.
This time, Bob says to him: “Well, what are *you* waiting for?”
The kid replies, “I don't know. Something amazing, I guess.”
Then Bob sighs and says to him, “Me too, kid.” Me too.
Which leads me to ask the question: What are we waiting for from God?
Do we see the amazing things that happen around us every day? Are we so busy looking for those nature-defying miracles that we miss seeing the real miracles that God gives us? Are we blind to Jesus and the amazing things He does in our lives just because it appears that He’s not doing something amazingly super?
I’d like to share with you a couple of brief stories that occurred recently.
The first one has to do with a friend of mine who participates in a weekly prayer group with me. Last week he told the group of us about a dream he had about his mother a week earlier. He didn’t remember the details from the dream, but only that he had awoke with a strong sense of peace. But his wife told him that he had been calling out his mother’s name in his sleep and that he appeared to be carrying on a conversation with her. Later that morning he found out from one of his siblings that his mother, who I think lived in California and who suffered from dementia, had just passed away. My friend said that there was no question in his mind that his mother had been telling him “good-bye” that evening.
About the same time the daughter of another friend of mine passed away. She had been battling ovarian cancer and was on hospice, so he and the rest of his children knew that she only had a short time left. Sadly, she passed away a bit more suddenly that they expected. But my friend took consolation in the fact that, amazingly, the day she died just happened to be the feast day of her patron saint, Hedwig. The very next day, my friend was with his son-in-law and his grandson when a rainbow suddenly appeared in the sky and he was able to get a picture of them with the rainbow behind them. By the way, this was in Tucson, which normally doesn’t get much rain. What was more amazing, though, was that often whenever someone close to him passed away, a rainbow managed to appear in the sky. Coincidences? I don’t believe in coincidences.
Are we blind to the amazing signs that God sends our way?
In today’s Gospel, we hear the story of the blind Bartimaeus. We see this story in both Matthew’s and Luke’s Gospels as well, although Mark is the only one who names him. Just another blind beggar, one of many one assumes, sitting on the edge of the road near Jericho, waiting.
But, in this passage, who is really blind? Not just physically, but spiritually as well?
Jesus has by now gathered quite a following in his ministry. In all three gospels, he has already revealed to his disciples three times that he’s going to Jerusalem to die, but they can’t see it. The multitude that are following Him, for the most part, appear to be only concerned for themselves as they try to silence Bartimaeus. They’ve seen the many miracles that Jesus has done, but they cannot see Jesus for who He is.
And yet Bartimaeus, who cannot see physically, is one of the few who does recognize Jesus for who He is – a descendant of King David, a king and savior of his people, the Messiah. He initially sees Jesus through the eyes of faith. And when Jesus calls him, Bartimaeus leaves his cloak – his security, probably the most valuable of his meager possessions – behind. Once his eyes are fully opened physically, Bartimaeus then leaves the rest of his existing life behind to follow Jesus.
So, which of the characters in this gospel are we, today? Are we one of his disciples whose primary concern is our own place in an earthly kingdom granted to us by God? Are we one of the multitude of followers of Jesus who seek from him some sort of special favor because we have seen what He has done for others and want him to do the same for us?
Or are we like Bartimaeus, seeking Jesus through the eyes of faith, knowing that to answer the call of Jesus means leaving our security behind and following Him wherever He goes?
To truly see Jesus as He is demands a change in us. Every day that we walk in blindness to the Kingdom of God around us, He is passing by, waiting for us to call out to Him. He is asking us “What do you want for me to do for you?” Let us call out to Him. Let us sing out, “Open the eyes of my heart, Lord. I want to see You.” Just be ready to leave your old life behind, for Jesus asks for nothing less.
Sunday, September 23, 2018
At War with the World
At War with the World September 23, 2018 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time - B
by Dcn. Bob Bonomi
Who or what are you at war with today? Hardly a day goes by that we aren’t in conflict with something or someone – it may be within our family, our job or our communities. It may be with a single person or with a group. It may be that we’re battling financial issues, job issues, health issues or addictions. It may be that we’re just at war with ourselves – our worries, our anxieties, our fears. Or maybe it’s just our frustration that we are not the person we want to be. Any one of these things show that we are at constant war with the world in one form or another, even when it seems that there is a “truce” or uneasy peace at a particular moment in our lives.
We spend much of our time battling these conflicts in our lives, to the point that it seems that conflict is inevitable. Why is that? According to St. James, it’s because we allow ourselves to be controlled by our earthly desires instead of staying focused on God. “Is it not from your passions that make war within your members?”
We place ourselves in conflict with ourselves and those around us when we want what we don’t have, and it disturbs us when others have something – health, wealth, power – that we don’t. We’re frustrated when we think we’re doing everything right and we still don’t get what we think we deserve.
Even when we ask that God take away the trials we face, to intervene and take our side in our daily conflicts – we usually do so from a self-centered viewpoint. We can’t help it. We are raised and indoctrinated by society to seek “the good life” here on earth, and like the Jews of Jesus’ day, we think that any evil that befalls us, any time our prayers appear to go unanswered, it’s because we’ve done something wrong or we aren’t trying hard enough.
It is hard to see the big picture from God’s perspective. We often can’t understand His will for us, or we don’t want to. And how often do we just ignore something that we don’t understand?
Today’s Gospel opens with Jesus continuing to teach his disciples about the Kingdom of God and trying to prepare them for the days ahead that they were going to face. They’ve been witnesses to many wonderful signs and miracles over the last several weeks and from an earthly perspective, who could blame them for feeling excitement that comes from the many displays of power and wisdom which Jesus has shown? Now Jesus is again throwing a wet blanket on all of their dreams, just like he did after the Transfiguration. For the second time, Jesus is teaching them that he had to die and be raised from the dead.
We might say that he was trying to “bring them down to earth”. Actually, he’s trying to break them of their earthly thoughts – to raise them to a greater awareness of God’s plans and just how different they are from what others think.
And they don’t get it. They probably don’t want to. All of the classic Jewish literature of their time – their scriptures – always talked about the glory and majesty of God’s Kingdom and the earthly rewards that awaited those who are His followers. The death of Jesus would be totally contradictory to what they’ve been taught to believe, and so it would be easier to ignore the dire predictions or to think of them as remote possibilities at best, not likely to come true. After all, Jesus was the Messiah, the Savior, and the Savior had to be one who wielded great power and authority, right? And as his chosen ones, they would share in that power and authority. No wonder they were arguing about who would be in charge of what.
Jesus is blunt. He tells them that in order to be in charge they would have to be servants, and the one who would be the greatest would have to be the servant of all the rest. To reinforce that thought, he takes a small child and places it in the middle of the group.
Now in Jewish society, a child was pretty much to be seen and not heard – definitely not a sign of authority. Yet a child represents something far more important than earthly greatness – a child represents future hope and is a sign of love, a sign of innocence and trust.
That is God’s message to us as well. In the midst of the conflicts of our lives, we are called to be Children of God. That doesn’t mean that the conflict will leave us, only that our response to it should be to entrust it to God Himself.
We too need to change how we think. Instead of going to war with those around us over those things that we disagree on, those things that threaten our health or well-being, we need to seek the Wisdom that brings us peace. We do not have to hide from or ignore those conflicts that we face in our lives. We need to bring them to Jesus, and let Him fight the battle with us.
In Ecclesiastes we hear: There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the heavens. … A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace. … God has made everything appropriate to its time, but has put the timeless into their hearts so they cannot find out, from beginning to end, the work which God has done. I recognized that there is nothing better than to rejoice and to do well during life.”
There will be wars in the world and conflict within our hearts; there will be battles with those we encounter and there will be struggles within ourselves. Yet as St. Paul said in his letter to the Romans: “What will separate us from the love of Christ? Will anguish, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or the sword? … No, in all these things we conquer overwhelmingly through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Even in our pettiness and struggles, God still loves us. Let us go forth in our mission to serve others.
by Dcn. Bob Bonomi
Who or what are you at war with today? Hardly a day goes by that we aren’t in conflict with something or someone – it may be within our family, our job or our communities. It may be with a single person or with a group. It may be that we’re battling financial issues, job issues, health issues or addictions. It may be that we’re just at war with ourselves – our worries, our anxieties, our fears. Or maybe it’s just our frustration that we are not the person we want to be. Any one of these things show that we are at constant war with the world in one form or another, even when it seems that there is a “truce” or uneasy peace at a particular moment in our lives.
We spend much of our time battling these conflicts in our lives, to the point that it seems that conflict is inevitable. Why is that? According to St. James, it’s because we allow ourselves to be controlled by our earthly desires instead of staying focused on God. “Is it not from your passions that make war within your members?”
We place ourselves in conflict with ourselves and those around us when we want what we don’t have, and it disturbs us when others have something – health, wealth, power – that we don’t. We’re frustrated when we think we’re doing everything right and we still don’t get what we think we deserve.
Even when we ask that God take away the trials we face, to intervene and take our side in our daily conflicts – we usually do so from a self-centered viewpoint. We can’t help it. We are raised and indoctrinated by society to seek “the good life” here on earth, and like the Jews of Jesus’ day, we think that any evil that befalls us, any time our prayers appear to go unanswered, it’s because we’ve done something wrong or we aren’t trying hard enough.
It is hard to see the big picture from God’s perspective. We often can’t understand His will for us, or we don’t want to. And how often do we just ignore something that we don’t understand?
Today’s Gospel opens with Jesus continuing to teach his disciples about the Kingdom of God and trying to prepare them for the days ahead that they were going to face. They’ve been witnesses to many wonderful signs and miracles over the last several weeks and from an earthly perspective, who could blame them for feeling excitement that comes from the many displays of power and wisdom which Jesus has shown? Now Jesus is again throwing a wet blanket on all of their dreams, just like he did after the Transfiguration. For the second time, Jesus is teaching them that he had to die and be raised from the dead.
We might say that he was trying to “bring them down to earth”. Actually, he’s trying to break them of their earthly thoughts – to raise them to a greater awareness of God’s plans and just how different they are from what others think.
And they don’t get it. They probably don’t want to. All of the classic Jewish literature of their time – their scriptures – always talked about the glory and majesty of God’s Kingdom and the earthly rewards that awaited those who are His followers. The death of Jesus would be totally contradictory to what they’ve been taught to believe, and so it would be easier to ignore the dire predictions or to think of them as remote possibilities at best, not likely to come true. After all, Jesus was the Messiah, the Savior, and the Savior had to be one who wielded great power and authority, right? And as his chosen ones, they would share in that power and authority. No wonder they were arguing about who would be in charge of what.
Jesus is blunt. He tells them that in order to be in charge they would have to be servants, and the one who would be the greatest would have to be the servant of all the rest. To reinforce that thought, he takes a small child and places it in the middle of the group.
Now in Jewish society, a child was pretty much to be seen and not heard – definitely not a sign of authority. Yet a child represents something far more important than earthly greatness – a child represents future hope and is a sign of love, a sign of innocence and trust.
That is God’s message to us as well. In the midst of the conflicts of our lives, we are called to be Children of God. That doesn’t mean that the conflict will leave us, only that our response to it should be to entrust it to God Himself.
We too need to change how we think. Instead of going to war with those around us over those things that we disagree on, those things that threaten our health or well-being, we need to seek the Wisdom that brings us peace. We do not have to hide from or ignore those conflicts that we face in our lives. We need to bring them to Jesus, and let Him fight the battle with us.
In Ecclesiastes we hear: There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the heavens. … A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace. … God has made everything appropriate to its time, but has put the timeless into their hearts so they cannot find out, from beginning to end, the work which God has done. I recognized that there is nothing better than to rejoice and to do well during life.”
There will be wars in the world and conflict within our hearts; there will be battles with those we encounter and there will be struggles within ourselves. Yet as St. Paul said in his letter to the Romans: “What will separate us from the love of Christ? Will anguish, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or the sword? … No, in all these things we conquer overwhelmingly through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Even in our pettiness and struggles, God still loves us. Let us go forth in our mission to serve others.
Sunday, September 9, 2018
Hard of Hearing
Hard of Hearing
September 9, 2018 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time - B
by Dcn. Bob Bonomi
Do you know someone that is deaf? We all know someone. Oh, I don’t mean someone who is hard of hearing, although we all know people like that, too. I’m referring to those who haven’t heard or understood the Word of God and who either don’t think they need God or are afraid to admit that they do. It may be a co-worker, a neighbor, a friend or the parent of one of your children’s friends. It may even be your own child. Your spouse. Maybe it is – you.
I think that we all are hard of hearing at times. There are even times that we could hear if we wanted to, but we choose not to listen. I like to tell the story of my dad, who punctured an ear drum when he was young. As he grew older he had more and more trouble hearing what people were saying unless they were directly in front of him, and it led to an increasing tendency to argue with others – or to shut them out. Especially my mom.
I remember once when Rene’ and I were visiting my parents. They were having a fairly heated argument over something that had happened years earlier and I realized that they were arguing about two entirely different things – my dad misunderstood what my mom was saying and she in turn thought he was talking about something entirely different. It was a weird conversation.
So my siblings and I tried to get him to try hearing aids, but we were unsuccessful until my mom had a stroke. After that, my dad became her round-the-clock caregiver and I guess it made him reconsider and get a set. To my surprise, the arguments decreased dramatically. One day I asked him if he liked his hearing aids and he said, “Oh yes, they’re a big help. Now, when I don’t want to listen to someone, I just smile at them and turn them off.”
I think we’re like that with our faith sometimes. When someone says something to us that we don’t want to hear, we just turn them off or tune them out. Maybe it’s because we’re comfortable where we are and don’t want to change. Maybe it’s because what we’re hearing challenges our status quo. Maybe it’s because that, despite our knowing that our lives would be better in the long run, we’re afraid to face the unknown that change would bring. So, what do we do when we or those we love are afraid to come to Jesus?
In today’s Gospel, once again we see that it is a person’s friends who bring him to Jesus. Just like the paralytic that was lowered through the roof of the house where Jesus was staying. Just like the blind man at Bethsaida. Why?
They recognize that Jesus has the power to perform miracles. The poetic language used in the first reading from Isaiah – how the eyes of the blind will be opened, the ears of the deaf will be cleared; the tongue of the mute will sing – is a recurring theme used in the Old Testament to describe the power of God and how He will always have mercy on those who seek Him. Jesus’ actions with the deaf-mute confirms that He indeed has the power and authority of God, that He possesses the attributes of God as described in the Old Testament of He who will come to save His people.
So if the man’s friends recognize who Jesus is, why doesn’t the man come by himself?
• Maybe it’s because they know something he doesn’t – they’ve heard about Jesus or heard Him themselves and believe in Him.
• Maybe it’s because he’s embarrassed by his speech impediment and didn’t want to be ridiculed. Think of how many times people have made fun of those who spoke funny.
• Maybe it’s because he’s afraid to come forward since deafness was thought to be a punishment from God for sin.
In any case, he needs to be persuaded to come to Jesus. Unlike the blind man or the paralytic, the deaf-mute can see Jesus – he can see the way to come to him, but still he won’t come by himself. He needs help, and the help comes from his friends. The man doesn’t ask for help; again, it is his friends that begged Jesus to heal him. They obviously see past whatever faults he might have and think that he is important enough to help.
Which brings us to the Letter of St. James. Do you want to go to heaven? James is cautioning his community to be careful when choosing who we help, who we show preference to. I think it becomes a question of priorities. It isn’t that we shouldn’t have friends, for as we just heard it is their friends that brought those in need to Jesus. But we must be seeking those who are in need of Jesus and then work at bringing them to Him, even when they are reluctant to come themselves. I don’t mean to force them, but we must be persuasive enough to convince them how much they need Jesus in their lives. James points out that God chooses those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he promised to all of us who love Him. Shouldn’t we be looking for those who are the ones we will be spending eternity with?
Are we?
September 9, 2018 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time - B
by Dcn. Bob Bonomi
Do you know someone that is deaf? We all know someone. Oh, I don’t mean someone who is hard of hearing, although we all know people like that, too. I’m referring to those who haven’t heard or understood the Word of God and who either don’t think they need God or are afraid to admit that they do. It may be a co-worker, a neighbor, a friend or the parent of one of your children’s friends. It may even be your own child. Your spouse. Maybe it is – you.
I think that we all are hard of hearing at times. There are even times that we could hear if we wanted to, but we choose not to listen. I like to tell the story of my dad, who punctured an ear drum when he was young. As he grew older he had more and more trouble hearing what people were saying unless they were directly in front of him, and it led to an increasing tendency to argue with others – or to shut them out. Especially my mom.
I remember once when Rene’ and I were visiting my parents. They were having a fairly heated argument over something that had happened years earlier and I realized that they were arguing about two entirely different things – my dad misunderstood what my mom was saying and she in turn thought he was talking about something entirely different. It was a weird conversation.
So my siblings and I tried to get him to try hearing aids, but we were unsuccessful until my mom had a stroke. After that, my dad became her round-the-clock caregiver and I guess it made him reconsider and get a set. To my surprise, the arguments decreased dramatically. One day I asked him if he liked his hearing aids and he said, “Oh yes, they’re a big help. Now, when I don’t want to listen to someone, I just smile at them and turn them off.”
I think we’re like that with our faith sometimes. When someone says something to us that we don’t want to hear, we just turn them off or tune them out. Maybe it’s because we’re comfortable where we are and don’t want to change. Maybe it’s because what we’re hearing challenges our status quo. Maybe it’s because that, despite our knowing that our lives would be better in the long run, we’re afraid to face the unknown that change would bring. So, what do we do when we or those we love are afraid to come to Jesus?
In today’s Gospel, once again we see that it is a person’s friends who bring him to Jesus. Just like the paralytic that was lowered through the roof of the house where Jesus was staying. Just like the blind man at Bethsaida. Why?
They recognize that Jesus has the power to perform miracles. The poetic language used in the first reading from Isaiah – how the eyes of the blind will be opened, the ears of the deaf will be cleared; the tongue of the mute will sing – is a recurring theme used in the Old Testament to describe the power of God and how He will always have mercy on those who seek Him. Jesus’ actions with the deaf-mute confirms that He indeed has the power and authority of God, that He possesses the attributes of God as described in the Old Testament of He who will come to save His people.
So if the man’s friends recognize who Jesus is, why doesn’t the man come by himself?
• Maybe it’s because they know something he doesn’t – they’ve heard about Jesus or heard Him themselves and believe in Him.
• Maybe it’s because he’s embarrassed by his speech impediment and didn’t want to be ridiculed. Think of how many times people have made fun of those who spoke funny.
• Maybe it’s because he’s afraid to come forward since deafness was thought to be a punishment from God for sin.
In any case, he needs to be persuaded to come to Jesus. Unlike the blind man or the paralytic, the deaf-mute can see Jesus – he can see the way to come to him, but still he won’t come by himself. He needs help, and the help comes from his friends. The man doesn’t ask for help; again, it is his friends that begged Jesus to heal him. They obviously see past whatever faults he might have and think that he is important enough to help.
Which brings us to the Letter of St. James. Do you want to go to heaven? James is cautioning his community to be careful when choosing who we help, who we show preference to. I think it becomes a question of priorities. It isn’t that we shouldn’t have friends, for as we just heard it is their friends that brought those in need to Jesus. But we must be seeking those who are in need of Jesus and then work at bringing them to Him, even when they are reluctant to come themselves. I don’t mean to force them, but we must be persuasive enough to convince them how much they need Jesus in their lives. James points out that God chooses those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he promised to all of us who love Him. Shouldn’t we be looking for those who are the ones we will be spending eternity with?
Are we?
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