Build your house on rock through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Sermon of March 6th

9^th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A

March 6^th, 2011

Matthew 7:21-27

Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.

When a professor is teaching a class, it happens on occasion that the students may not be paying attention. There is, I am told, one thing which the teacher can do, one thing which works for students from around the 5^th grade all the way up through to graduate school – the teacher or professor can regain the students’ attention by saying these simple words, “This will be on the exam.”

All of a sudden, the students perk up and are paying attention. They are taking notes and even checking with their classmates to make sure that they didn’t miss anything. I teach the 7^th and 8^th graders at our Catholic grade school, and I have never had to threaten with an exam yet – but, I hear it is something worth considering…

On a much more profound level, something like this occurs in today’s Gospel. Christ our Savior has come to the end of the Sermon on the Mount, the longest and most complete discourse on Christian morality; and he wants to make sure that we are all paying attention. For this reason he tells us, “This will be on the exam, this makes a difference for the final judgment.”

The Good Lord directs our hearts and minds to the final days, to judgment, to Heaven and Hell. “On that day,” he says, many will come and will cry out; but I will reject them, for they did not follow my commands. The teachings of the Sermon on the Mount are necessary for our salvation.

Perhaps we are a bit afraid when we think of the final judgment and the second coming of our Savior. Indeed, there is something terrifying and great about the end of time – for on that day, each of us will answer for our doings, whether good or evil. Moreover, we recall that Fear of the Lord is a gift of the Holy Spirit – it is the beginning of wisdom. It is good to fear the Lord.

However, the fear that we have ought not to be the fear of a slave, terrified that his master will beat him. Nor, less, should it be the fear of a dog, expecting punishment from his owner. No, rather the fear we have is the fear of a child who wants only to please his father.

We fear lest we should disappoint the God who has so loved us. Recognizing the goodness and the love of God, we fear lest we may separate ourselves from that Love through sin. We fear lest we should be separated from him who has so loved us.

Christ’s words are challenging, and perhaps even a little bit scary; but remember that the Good Jesus only wants you to be happy! That is what this is all about: Beatitude, eternal happiness, and joy even in this life. Thus, even the challenging teachings of the Sermon on the Mount – that we must love our enemies, that we must not have lust or anger in our hearts, that we must be free from attachment to worldly possessions since we cannot serve God and mammon – even these challenging teachings have been given for our benefit. Christ challenges us because he wants us to be happy with him, both here on earth and forever in heaven.

It is for this reason that the Good Lord tells us to build our house on solid rock, not on sand. The house is the soul, and the rock is Christ, but the sand is the passing delights of the flesh. We build our house by seeking after either the delights of heaven or the momentary gratifications of earth. We build our house by either following the commands of Jesus, or ignoring our Lord’s words and seeking pleasure.

If we seek our consolation and delight in the things of earth, these things which are passing away, we build our house on sand. And it is fitting that we compare this to building on sand; for just as sand passes through the grip of the fingers, so too the pleasures of this life pass away swiftly and are gone. If we think rarely of heaven, if we focus all our energy on the duties and demands of this life, we are fools who build on sand – our house will not stand long.

How then do we build our house on solid rock? How do we found our soul upon Christ?

This is to find joy and consolation in the Lord and in the hope of heaven. Next week, we begin the season of Lent, a time to re-found ourselves on Christ as our true rock. We build our house upon Christ through these three Lenten practices: Prayer, fasting and almsgiving. All three are necessary, together they will give us supernatural joy in this life, and eternal happiness in the life to come.

First, we consider prayer. Lent is a time of prayer, focusing on the things of heaven. Do you want to go to heaven when you die? Then ask the Lord for this grace! Every day, ask the Lord to bring you to heaven! Ask also for the graces needed to get you through the next day in the state of grace.

But we must also meditation – for how can we ask anything from the Lord, if we do not have a solid relationship with him? We must meditate daily on the mysteries of Christ’s life, death and resurrection. Daily meditation is necessary for salvation. During Lent, we have the opportunity to focus particularly upon the mysteries surround our Savior’s passion and death. Think of how much Christ loved you – he loved you so much that he died for you! Will he not give you everything else besides?

Then there is fasting. This is most necessary, for fasting is the body’s way of participating in prayer. We often pretend like we do not have bodies, we forget about the importance of fasting and mortification. The body works for our salvation too! It is not enough simply to pray with our minds – we need also to fast.

Remember, fasting is easy when done out of love. Christ became hungry out of love for you, will you not hunger for love of him?

Finally, there is almsgiving. Almsgiving covers a multitude of sins, and therefore is central to the mystery of Lent. Almsgiving can be part of an expression of sorrow for sin, especially during this time of repentance.

Moreover, almsgiving helps us to grow in charity. It frees us from mammon and opens us to the Lord. Simply put, without almsgiving we cannot be saved. Unless we love our neighbor and, especially, the poor; how can we ever hope to have a true love for Christ Jesus?

Liberal Catholicism is slavery to mammon, Sermon of February 27th

And he saith to him: Follow me. And he rose up and followed him.

8^th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A

February 20^th, 2011

Matthew 6:24-34

You cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear.

It is not uncommon to hear people today – both those who are outside the Church and even, most regrettably, some of those who are within the Church – it is not uncommon to hear people today say something like this: “Why doesn’t the Church allow married priests?”, or “When is the Church going to get with the times and allow priests to have a wife and kids and a more normal life?” Such persons will likewise often be baffled at the thought of traditional religious life: “How can anyone be happy as a monk or nun?”, “Why does the Church still require monks and nuns to live such austere lives of poverty, chastity, and obedience?”, “Wouldn’t they be much happier if they lived more like the rest of society?”, “Didn’t the Church do away with the habits for monks and nuns after Vatican II?”

To persons such as these, it seems impossible that a man could be happy living the life of a celibate. They cannot believe that a life, separated from the world and from worldly pursuits, could be fulfilling. They are shocked – or even saddened – at the thought that some young men and women today still are willing to leave the world and enter religious life.

And what shall we say to such persons? There are, of course, many things we could say, but this alone will suffice: Persons who think such things have not yet begun to live in the freedom of the children of God, but are yet slaves of mammon. Such persons cannot believe that a man or woman could ever be happy without mammon, that is, without worldly possessions and secular pursuits. These people approach the Church from an incredibly worldly and secular perspective – they judge things according to the ways of human beings, not the ways of God.

When they desire that priests and religious should be more like ordinary people, what they really are asking is that those consecrated to the Lord should find their consolation not so much in the hope of heaven, but in the vanities of the world.

Christ tells us, “You cannot serve both God and mammon. You cannot both love God and love money, honors, and luxuries.” Therefore, our Savior commands us, “Do not worry.” How challenging this teaching is! How radically contrary to the mentality of the secular world.

The Lord does not merely say, “Do not worry about luxuries – that is, do not worry about special vacations or fancy cars and homes.” Rather, Christ tells us not to worry even about the necessities of life! We are not to be anxious about even what we will eat or what we will wear.

But the Good Jesus does not want us to be discouraged. He does not want us to despair. Therefore, he gives us three reasons why we ought not to worry, why we ought not to be anxious.

First, he points out that our worrying doesn’t do any good anyways – We cannot add a single moment to our lives through worrying. Why then should we worry? It leads only to evil.

Second, the Savior gives us an example – He directs our thoughts to the birds of the air and the lilies of the field, which do not worry and are not anxious but are yet well provided for by the Almighty. And here we point out that Christ did not say, “Do not work.” He said, “Do not worry.” For, of course we are to work! The birds of the air work, and even St. Paul worked as a tentmaker during his apostolic missions. We most certainly must work, but we ought not to be anxious about our work. We ought to entrust our work to the Lord, knowing that he will make it profitable in his good time. After all, God takes care of the sparrows, and you are worth more than many sparrows.

This, then, brings our Lord to his third point – Your Father in heaven knows what you need. Why then do you worry? For God is all-powerful, and he loves you very much. Don’t you know what that means? It means that you win! If God so loves you as to give you eternal life, will he not provide you with all your necessities – but persevere, seek first his kingdom and all the rest will be given you besides.

And here I recall the words of Mother Teresa: “God is so good. If only we remembered that more often, we would be much more joyful!”

Love your enemies and you will conquer, Sermon of February 20th

St. Thomas More died
the King's good servant, but God's first.

7^th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A

February 20^th, 2011

Matthew 5:38-48

You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one as well. […] Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.

In the Sermon on the Mount our Savior speaks with such clarity and precision as to cut through all our personal issues and excuses, piercing us to the heart and convicting us in his Love. In the words of today’s Gospel, Christ offers a teaching at once utterly simple and yet also extremely challenging: Love your enemies. This is at the center of the Christian life, this is the one necessary thing – supernatural Charity, Divine Love.

And what is the difference between a natural human love and a supernatural Divine Love? Both are good, but that Charity and Love which is supernatural so far surpasses that love which is natural, that it is the difference between eternal life and eternal death. For this is natural and human love: that we should love our friends and neighbors, that we should do good to those who do good for us. This love is good, but since it is natural it cannot suffice unto life everlasting.

Salvation in Christ requires supernatural Charity: a Love which expands beyond our friends even to our enemies. If we do not love our enemies, we cannot be saved – for we have not the Love of Christ within us.

Now, when we are confronted with such a radical teaching as that which is given in the Sermon on the Mount, we may be tempted to come up with hundreds of little objections and qualifications. We hear Christ say, Offer no resistance to one who is evil, and Turn the other cheek. To this we may be tempted to respond that such an attitude just won’t work in the real world. In the world we live in today, we can’t just turn the other cheek, we need to defend ourselves – Jesus’ teaching just doesn’t match up with contemporary life.

To this objection, Christ might well respond, “Indeed, you are right. The commands I give you will not accord with the world – that is because the world is passing away. I have come to make all things new.” The wisdom of the world is utter foolishness compared to the Divine Wisdom, and the power of the world is weakness before the Divine Strength.

Certainly, we must admit that the ethic which Christ here gives to us is primarily a personal ethical code. There are times when nations have the right and the duty to defend themselves, there are times when a war can be just; and even individuals may legitimately defend their lives and their families.

Nevertheless, the teaching of Christ applies even to war and self-defense: For we are never to kill another out of hatred, but even in war we are commanded to love our enemy. How radical is the teaching of Christ!

Lest any should think that this teaching is impossible, or that such humility would result in our utter defeat; we ought briefly to consider several examples from history which prove Christ’s teaching. Here we will take on something even of a scientific method: showing, from real historical experience, that turning the other cheek and loving one’s enemies will bring about the final victory of truth.

Consider the deacon St. Stephen, the first martyr. Only a few years after Christ’s Resurrection, the leaders of the Jews arrested Stephen and condemned him to death – for they hated Christianity. But Stephen did not resist those evil men, he did not cry out against them, he did not curse them; rather, his final breath was spent in interceding in their behalf. Stephen prayed, “Father forgive them.” Through it all, St. Stephen loved his enemies, even as they murdered him.

And it would seem that this was the end, that nothing else would come of Stephen’s death – the wisdom of the world could see no further. However, there at the martyrdom, Saul of Tarsus stood by, complicit in the murder. Saul too persecuted the Church, but by the merits of Stephen’s prayers, he was converted on the road to Damascus and became the greatest preacher of the early Church – St. Paul the Apostle.

How wonderful is the Divine Wisdom. Stephen turned the other cheek and won the conversion of Paul. Paul, in his turn, spread the Gospel to the Gentiles and won the conversion of the whole world. Loving one’s enemies does accomplish great things indeed!

Take another example, one closer to modern times: That of St. Thomas More. Thomas More was a laymen, a lawyer, and a politician in England during the time of the English Reformation under King Henry VIII. For his part, Thomas was a good friend of the King; but as far as the King was concerned, Thomas was an enemy – since St. Thomas More would not abandon the Catholic faith for the heretical church of England.

King Henry persecuted Thomas terribly. He took away his titles, impoverished his family, and ultimately had him imprisoned and sentenced to death. But, through all of this, St. Thomas More harbored no hatred against the King. Indeed, so true was he to Christ’s words, that St. Thomas would not only not speak evil of the King himself, but he would not suffer any to criticize the King in his presence. If any wanted to speak ill of the King, Thomas More would silence them and even threaten to throw them out of his house – for he loved the King and was concerned for his honor and well-being. Indeed, in all of England the King had no more loyal a servant than Thomas More.

Yet, for all this, St. Thomas was beheaded and, just before his execution, he said, “I die the King’s good servant, but God’s first.” Then, turning to the executioner, St. Thomas pulled a coin from his pocket and himself paid the man his daily wages – he even encouraged the man (who felt guilty and was very disturbed at the thought of killing the Saint) and he said to him, “Do not be sad, for you send me heaven.” This is the supernatural Charity which wins salvation!

Even in our own lives, we can think of persons who are always defending themselves and who refuse to suffer even the least slight against themselves. They constantly feel wronged and always desire recompense and justice to be meted out against their enemies. How unbearable such persons are! They will soon have no friends.

Those, on the other hand, who are humble and meek, who don’t count any injustices against themselves, but are quick to forgive; these people are always most welcome. Such persons are happy and have many friends. Their lives are successful and filled with joy. Even in this life, we can see that supernatural Charity, which must be expressed in loving one’s enemies, brings greater success than hatred and anger.

Ultimately, we recall the Love with which God has loved us. For we have many times set ourselves against God – conceived with original sin, we have added to this countless actual sins throughout tour lives. How many times we have strayed from God and made ourselves to be his enemies! And yet his Love is greater than our wickedness. As we wondered far from him, he came in search of us, and brought us back into communion through his Son. When we have received such immense Love, how can we fail to Love others?

May the Love of God, dwelling within us, bring us all to life everlasting.

The happiness which you desire, Sermon of January 30th

So great is the Love of Christ, that he taught his disciples...

 4^th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A

January 30^th, 2011

Matthew 5:1-12a

Jesus began to teach them saying, “Blessed are they…”

When we think of morality and Christian ethics, we probably think of one of two ideas – either we consider law or the conscience. If we think of the law as the foundation of ethics, we emphasize the importance of objective principles: the natural law, divine positive law, and even civil law. If, on the other hand, we think of the moral conscience of the individual as the foundation of ethics, we emphasize the particular circumstances of the individual and the importance of having a well-formed conscience.

Nevertheless, for the Catholic tradition, the foundation of Christian ethics is neither the law nor the personal conscience, but the human desire for happiness. The pursuit of happiness is the starting point for all moral doctrine.

The Sermon on the Mount is the summation of the Christian life. In the Sermon on the Mount, Christ our Savior outlines the whole of Christian ethics and morality – but he does not begin with law or with the personal conscience, rather he begins with the Beatitudes.

Beatitude is nothing other than perfect happiness. When the Lord says “blessed are the poor” or “blessed are the merciful”, this could also be translated as “happy are the poor” and “happy are the merciful”. The blessedness of which Christ speaks in the beatitudes is the happiness of the Christian life, the happiness and joy of the life of grace.

It is happiness and the pursuit of happiness which is the foundation of Christian ethics. The whole goal of morality and of all the laws of the Church is our happiness. Christ knows what will make us happy, for he created us – he has given us the New Law of the Gospel so that we might attain to this perfect happiness.

Most certainly, the perfection of all happiness can only be attained in heaven. Nevertheless, there is something of a participation in this total joy already in this life – this is why our Savior says, “Blessed ARE they…” He does not say, “Blessed will they be”, but “Blessed ARE they”. Already, even in this life, there is a happiness and a blessedness which those who follow God enjoy.

Nothing brings more joy than the possession of God – and, without this participation in the divine life, no other creature can bring any true joy. We have been created for happiness; if we do not find this happiness in the enjoyment of God, we will begin to seek it in all the most inappropriate places in this life. Unless we find happiness in God, especially through the intimate union with God attained only through prayer, we will look for joy in the basest realities of this life.

But this is the great paradox of Christian joy – the soul in the state of grace, united to God, is able to rejoice even in the midst of great suffering and persecution! For this reason Jesus said that the poor and hungry and persecuted are blessed – if we find our consolation in God alone, no suffering or hardship in this life will deprive us of that deepest joy and happiness.

Here, we think of the many martyrs of the early Church. In particular, we consider St. Lawrence, the early roman deacon.

Lawrence was a deacon of the Church of Rome in the early centuries. He was known for his joy and love of the poor, and for his good humor. The emperor, because he hated Christianity and wished to destroy the true faith, persecuted the Christians of Rome greatly. St. Lawrence also was persecuted and even arrested and sentenced to death. He was to be cooked alive over a fire, but he went courageously to his death – so great was his faith, for he found all his happiness in God alone!

When he was being cooked alive over the fire, Lawrence (in his characteristic spirit of good humor) cried out, “I am done on this side, turn me over!” So filled was he with the enjoyment of God and the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, that he was able to laugh and be of good cheer even in the midst of terrible physical torments.

You too, as often as you are in the state of grace, are filled with the same Holy Spirit which so inspired St. Lawrence! The great challenge for us is to live more fully from the joy of God and the Gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Rather than seeking consolation in the things of this life, Jesus our Savoir is asking you and I to give ourselves over to his Sacred Heart. Apart from God, there is no joy in this life; but with God, all things fall into place and become a means of attaining the perfect joy which God has reserved for us in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Shunning the false joys and consolations of this world, we turn with confidence to the Heart of our Savior – in his Most Sacred Heart, we will find the fullness of beatitude: the beginning of life everlasting.