Deliverance

First Reading: Acts 12:1-11
Psalm: Ps 34:2-9 -- The angel of the Lord will rescue those who fear him
Second Reading: 2 Tm 4:6-8, 17-18
Gospel: Mt 16:13-19
Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles

The Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the proclamation might be completed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was rescued from the lion's mouth.
The Lord will rescue me from every evil threat and will bring me safe to his heavenly Kingdom. To him be glory forever and ever. Amen. - 2 Timothy 4:17-18

Friends,

In the readings today, we hear of two great leaders in the early church. First, St. Peter is in prison on the eve of his execution. Next, St. Paul, writing from his prison in Rome, near his execution under the emperor Nero. One is delivered, one is not.

We might ask what is going on here. After all, hadn't Paul done everything he could to live as a Christian and spread the gospel? Why didn't God free him from prison like He had done before (see Acts 16), or like he does for Peter in the first reading? Was his faith not strong enough? Had he done something to upset the Lord? Not at all. In fact, Paul does not expect to be freed from his imprisonment (on my reading, neither does Peter). He is content with his trust that the Lord would "bring me safe to his heavenly Kingdom."

Our own prayers are often for a deliverance from some harm, either for ourselves or for our loved ones. We ask to be freed from poverty, or for a relative to be cured from a horrible illness, or any of a thousand other requests. Christians find out very early that not all of these requests are granted. Sometimes, this drives people away from the faith. 'How could God refuse me this? I've done all He's asked, and He still wouldn't cure my mother/brother/son/niece/grandfather/friend.' Others try to use it to prove that prayer is useless, or that Christianity is a sham. 'After all, didn't Jesus promise that he would do whatever you asked?'

There are several things that we must recognize when praying for a deliverance. First, we are not in a position to bargain with, or threaten, God. We have nothing to use as a bargaining chip that does not already rightly belong to him. Second, we must remember that God has not promised us an easy ride, only that, in the long run, we will be okay if we put our trust in Him. Even Jesus asked to be delivered from the suffering he would endure, and that request was not granted. If the one who is most holy was not delivered from his deep suffering, we must not expect an automatic rescue from our own. Instead, we should learn to pray as Jesus did, "not as I will, but as you will," (Mt 26:39).

Heavenly Father, we thank you and praise you for the gift of this day. Thank you for the many blessings you have bestowed on us, and the many prayers you answer for us. Lord, give us the faith to put our trust in you. Grant that, even in our darkest hour, we might still have the strength to declare 'Thy will be done.' We ask these things in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

The Lord's Prayer

First Reading: 2 Cor 11:1-11
Psalm: Ps 111:1b-4, 7-8 -- Your works, O Lord, are justice and truth
Gospel: Mt 6:7-15

Friends,

I'm going to try something a little different today, as our reading is the best-known prayer in all of Christendom.

Our Father
- But go to my brothers and tell them, 'I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.' - John 20:17b

who art in Heaven,
- But I say to you, do not swear at all; not by heaven, for it is God's throne - Matthew 5:34

hallowed be thy name,
- The Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. - Luke 1:49

thy Kingdom come,
- From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." - Matthew 4:17

thy will be done,
- The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD! - Job 1:21b

on earth as it is in heaven.
- Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, everything in the universe, cry out: "To the one who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor, glory and might, forever and ever." - Revelation 5:13

Give us this day our daily bread,
- He said in reply, "It is written: 'One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.'" - Matthew 4:4

and forgive us our trespasses,
- He said to her, "Your sins are forgiven." - Luke 7:48

as we forgive those who trespass against us;
- When you stand to pray, forgive anyone against whom you have a grievance, so that your heavenly Father may in turn forgive you your transgressions. - Mark 11:25

and lead us not into temptation,
- No one experiencing temptation should say, "I am being tempted by God"; for God is not subject to temptation to evil, and he himself tempts no one. - James 1:7

but deliver us from evil.
- They will fight against you, but not prevail over you, for I am with you to deliver you, says the LORD. - Jeremiah 1:19

Heavenly Father, thank you for the gift of this day. We thank you for teaching us how we are to pray. May our lives be a prayer to you and give glory to your holy name. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Theatrics

First Reading: 2 Cor 9:6-11
Psalm: Ps 112:1bc-4, 9 -- Blessed the man who fears the Lord
Gospel: Mt 6:1-6, 16-18

Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father. - Matthew 6:1

Friends,

When you were young, did you ever wait until your parents were around before cleaning your room, or hint to them that they should notice you did the dishes? I can recall a good many instances when I would drop not-so-subtle hints to my parents that I had done my chores without even being asked. I might have done it a few weeks ago when installing a few things around the house.

In today's gospel, Jesus gives us three examples of the "hypocrites", doing works in order to be seen. He is not criticizing them for doing the works, but that they waited to do them until someone was watching. In fact, in each of the cases, the hypocrites are drawing attention to themselves. They want to be congratulated, to be seen as people who give large sums, or are very pious. The important thing to them is to get the attention and approval of those around them, not the care of the poor or the state of their relationship with God.

It is not wrong to want recognition for our hard work. On the contrary, Jesus tells us that the Father sees all that we do, and will reward us accordingly. However, when we are seeking the recognition of our neighbors when we do our work, we lose sight of the reason the work is good. In other words, we need to do our work for the work's sake, because it needs to be done, and not because we seek to gain from it. When we volunteer for the soup kitchen, do we do it so that we may boast of our generosity, or so that the poor might be fed? When we do a small task for a family member, are we doing it out of our love for them, or for a mere material reward? If we do not get the reward we want, are we likely to help out again?

It is only when we humbly put away our theatrics designed to garner us praises that we can truly focus on what we are doing and why we are doing it. If we are always busy acting out a part, it will be very difficult to give our attention to the task at hand. Then, in one of the great ironies of the world, we will receive recognition for our work from our fellows. History shows us that our saints and great leaders are men and women who put all of their efforts into devotion or good works, but cared very little about the recognition of their peers. Do not seek recognition for your work; be content with doing work that is worthy of being recognized.

Each must do as already determined, without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. - 2 Corinthians 9:7

Heavenly Father, we thank you and praise you for the gift of this day. Thank you for the teachings that you have given us. Help us to more frequently understand the wisdom of it. Lord, grant that we might be freed from our pride; that we let go of our selfish desire for the admiration of our neighbor and give us a heart that longs only for you. We ask all of this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Generosity

First Reading: 2 Cor 8:1-9
Psalm: Ps 146:2, 5-9a -- Praise the Lord, my soul!
Gospel: Mt 5:43-48

I say this not by way of command, but to test the genuineness of your love by your concern for others. - 2 Corinthians 8:8

Friends,

In today's reading, we hear Paul sharing the deeds of those in Macedonia (modern-day Greece). Specifically, he is telling the Corinthians of the donations made to the community in the holy lands. He speaks of how they, even though ill-equipped to give at the time, insisted on sharing what they had with those in Jerusalem.

We are often tempted to push donations onto others, especially when finances seem difficult. Recently, we've seen a great upheaval in the economic world and, unfortunately, the first thing to go is usually charitable donations. We feel that we don't need to give, or give as much, because we are now in hard times. This causes a one-two punch on the charities themselves, as more people request help, but fewer offer help to keep the charities going.

We must learn a lesson from the Macedonians in this instance, and not only from them, but from Paul's use of their example. C. S. Lewis put the crux of the issue nicely, (read the whole section here):

I do not believe one can settle how much we ought to give. I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare. - C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

When Paul is recalling this event to the Corinthians, he is using it as an encouragement, almost daring them to do better. "Now as you excel in every respect, ... may you excel in this gracious act also," (2 Cor 8:7). He also stresses that this is not an order, but a test of their own generosity. In our communities today, we should also be encouraging other in our giving. It is a form of competition where there are far more winners than losers. This can be a tall order for us, as some want to receive awards for their donations, while others want to keep it a secret. Granted, it is a difficult balance between humility and encouragement, but one that we must become more comfortable with. We must cease to see ourselves as the afflicted and instead see ourselves as the greatly blessed.

For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had, her whole livelihood. - Matthew 12:44

And the king will say to them in reply, 'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.' - Matthew 25:40

Heavenly Father, thank you for the gift of this day. We thank you for all of the great gifts that you have showered down upon us. Help us to share these gifts with others; gifts of time, talent and treasure. Lead us in a spirit of generosity, that we might spread the greatness of your bounty to all of our brothers and sisters. Give us the spirit of wisdom to balance generosity and humility to recognize that all blessings flow from you and not from ourselves. We ask all of this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

The Christian Lot

First Reading: 2 Cor 6:1-10
Psalm: Ps 98:1, 2b, 3-4 -- The Lord has made known his salvation
Gospel: Mt 5:38-42

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 to him as well. - Matthew 5:39

We are treated as deceivers and yet are truthful; as unrecognized and yet acknowledged; as dying and behold we live; as chastised and yet not put to death; as sorrowful yet always rejoicing; as poor yet enriching many; as having nothing and yet possessing all things. - 2 Corinthians 6:8b-10

Friends,

In today's reading, Paul is speaking to the community of faith in Corinth about endurance in the faith. He is encouraging them to hold fast, despite the many hardships and unfairness that will come their way.

Paul begins by telling the Corinthians "not to receive the grace of God in vain" (2 Cor 6:1). He then moves on to giving lists of challenges that they will face and the ways in which they must stand against them. But why? Why must the Christian face so many attacks from all sides, and why must we respond to those unjust attacks with kindness?

It isn't like we weren't warned. Jesus tells us in the beatitudes: "Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you (falsely) because of me," (Mt 5:11). Again, in John 15:19: "If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world, the world hates you." Again and again Jesus tells us that we will not see the day when the world will treat his followers fairly. Anyone who takes the title of Christian must accept that it will be so.

But be not afraid of the difficult times. If we accept that, as Christians, we will be persecuted in this life, so too, we accept the promises of Christ. "Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven," (Mt 5:12a). Do not accept the gifts of the Spirit in vain, refusing to share them with others. Be prepared to give of them freely and to demonstrate what it means to truly be a Christian.

This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. - John 13:35

Heavenly Father, we thank you for the gift of this day. We are grateful for your ever-abundant love for us. Grant that we might share the gifts of the Spirit that we have been given with our brothers and sisters here on earth, so as to glorify your holy name. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Battling with Lust

First Reading: 2 Cor 4:7-15
Psalm: Ps 116:10-11, 15-18 -- To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise
Gospel: Mt 5:27-32

But I say to you, everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. - Matthew 5:27

Friends,

In today's gospel reading, we hear Jesus' second and third clarifications on the Mosaic law. I hear from many people (especially from Christians) that this is among the hardest of Jesus' teachings. Some claim that it is impossible, and forgive themselves on that account. Others take it without question and do their best to impose that understanding on those around them.

The Puritans sought to weed out the problem of lust from their society. Anyone caught in a sexual sin was punished severely, including death for adulterers (no doubt they believed that it was better to lose one's head than to have one's entire body thrown into Gehenna). They attempted to use law and fear as a means to prevent sin. Despite their best efforts, they could not stamp out sexual sins.

In our culture, it is nearly impossible to go a day without being encouraged to look lustfully at another person. Television is packed with shows and commercials that sell themselves using the easiest attention-drawing technique available. Yet, even in the time of Christ, this must have been something very difficult, or Jesus would not emphasize on it. It is not simply a problem within our culture, it is a problem within our fallen human nature. Hence, we cannot fight it with laws; we must fight it with the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

As Christians, we must remember not to be too light on ourselves, but not too hard either. When a co-worker asked about Mt 5:27, I commented that he was being a little too hard on himself. Together, we looked up approved interpretations. After about 45 minutes of research, we concluded that the most common interpretation, including for Catholics, is that we are not guilty of lust for noticing the beauty of a woman. God created beautiful things, including beautiful people and also gave us the ability to appreciate that beauty. However, we are guilty of lust if we are anticipating our reaction to that beauty, treating people as a means for our own pleasure. In other words, if we are deliberately "noticing" their appearance, then lust is beginning in us. Or, if you prefer Billy Graham's view: "the first look is free; after that we're accountable."

Finally, Jesus tells us: "If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna" (Mt 5:29). We are tempted to think this somewhat extreme, but it is important to recognize the lesson in it. Our eyes do not (generally) cause us to sin, but the things we see with them might. Our television, for example. Are we really prepared to give up TV, or the internet, if we cannot keep ourselves from using them to sin? Let us pray that we are.

Heavenly Father, we thank you for the gift of this day. Thank you for your promise to never give us more than we can endure. Help us, Lord; save us from temptation. Send your angels to guide us as we continue our walk to your glorious presence. Grant us also the wisdom to know when to flee in order to protect ourselves from sin. We ask all of this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.