XXX Sunday of the Year

HOLINESS IS NOT WHAT I DO

Sirach 35:12-14, 16-18; 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18; Luke 18:9-14

Readings for the XXX Sunday of the Year

A man boasted to a sage that he had achieved quite a degree of holiness: “I rise early in the morning; I fast from food and drink; I work tirelessly, and I discipline myself with a whip.” The sage walked with him through a field and pointed to a donkey. He said: “That donkey rose early in the morning. It hasn’t been fed or given a drink. It has worked tirelessly and has been whipped.” He asked the man: “What makes you any different from that ass?”

We could assume that we can become “holy” primarily through our efforts – good deeds, sacrifice and penance, the sacraments – and become proud. Today’s gospel reminds us that holiness isn’t about self-actualization; there’s more to holiness than doing good deeds! 

The Pharisee in the parable did all the good practices he listed, which have their merit. The problem:  his “prayer” is an advertisement for himself, and the subject of his prayer is not God but himself; he has a “holier-than-thou” attitude; he thought his actions justified him and he didn’t need God’s mercy. The tax collector knew that he was a poor sinner and that he needed God’s grace/mercy and love to help him. 

Jesus speaks “this parable to those who were fully convinced of their righteousness”! Holiness or righteousness is not about what we do and achieve. It is about recognizing our need for God. It is what happens when we bring our emptiness before him and let him pour his love into us. It’s only then we – like the tax collector – are justified, that is, set right with God.

The first reading from Sirach reiterates this truth: “The prayer of the lowly pierces the clouds; it does not rest till it reaches its goal.” In the second reading, Paul boasts that he has finished the race and that the crown of righteousness awaits him. But he boasts in the Lord.

Do I tell God what I have done for him? Do I compare myself with others convinced of my righteousness? Or do I stand humbly before God, aware of my nothingness, and acknowledge his love and mercy to me?

XXIX Sunday of the Year

PRAY ALWAYS

Exodus 17:8-13; 2 Timothy 3:14-4:2; Luke 18:1-8

Readings for the XXIX Sunday of the Year

Perseverance is a trait that is admired in society. We have examples in daily life: Dipa Karmakar who, despite flat feet and flawed systems, came fourth at the Rio Olympics; APJ Abdul Kalam who overcame poverty to become India’s foremost scientist, missile man, and then our ninth President.

The first reading and the gospel seem to posit a link between perseverance and blessing: as long as Moses kept his hands raised up, Israel had the better of the fight with Amalek (first reading); the widow’s persistence finally pays off (gospel).

There are two problems with this link! 

First, we believe in a God who freely and unconditionally graces his people what they need. How can we assert that only when we pray hard enough, God will give us grace? 

Second, it could create guilt in some and pride in others. When we don’t get that for which we prayed, does it mean we haven’t prayed enough or our faith is not deep enough? How can we tell a person who is terminally ill or who has lost a child; those in financial difficulty or in abusive households; those affected by hurricanes and floods… that they haven’t prayed enough? 

Persevere and be blessed is not “good news”!

What is today’s good news? Read the first line of the gospel: “Jesus told his disciples a parable about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary.”

In the parable, Jesus contrasts God and the judge: if a corrupt judge renders justice because the plaintiff is persistent, how much more will our loving-caring God answer us? Jesus challenges us to pray always, trusting that God will act in his way and in his time to answer our petitions, not necessarily in the way we want.

In the first reading, we have the example of Moses who prayed always (despite becoming weary) while the Israelites battled the Amalekites. 

We have examples in our time: Mother Teresa “prayed always” despite enduring spiritual despair and loneliness for nearly fifty years; Pope John Paul II “prayed always” though he suffered greatly because of Parkinson’s disease.

In moments of trial and tribulation, do I still trust God and pray without losing heart? Or do I abandon God and prayer when things don’t happen as I think they should?

We pray not because we have to beat a path to God’s door before he will open it, but because until we beat the path, maybe there’s no way of getting to our door (cf. Frederick Buechner).

XXVIII Sunday of the Year

BE GRATEFUL… IT PAYS!

2 Kings 5:14-17; 2 Timothy 2:8-13; Luke 17:11-19

Readings for the XXVIII Sunday of the Year

I came across two studies on the effects of gratitude.

One study examined the effects of writing letters of gratitude. The results indicated that writing such letters increased participants’ happiness and life satisfaction; it decreased depressive symptoms.

In another study, participants were assigned to one of three groups: problem-listing, gratitude-listing, and neutral life events. They kept records of their moods, health, and life appraisals. The gratitude-outlook group exhibited heightened well-being across several outcome measures.

The bottom-line: being grateful has emotional benefits; gratitude pays. 

This evidence from experimental psychology confirms evidence from scripture! The first reading and the gospel are stories of the healing and gratitude of two lepers.

Acting on the word of Elisha, Naaman is cured of leprosy. He returns to give Elisha thanks and takes back some earth to build a shrine to the Lord. He recognises not only the healing but also the healer. 

Acting on the word of Jesus, ten lepers are cured. Only one, a Samaritan, returns “glorifying God in a loud voice” to thank Jesus. 

The gratitude of both “foreigners” is more than an act of politeness; it is a deep profession of faith in the saving power of God. 

Giving thanks is far more important than we think! Grateful people are well equipped to face the disappointments of life: they can (like the healed Samaritan) “stand up and go their way” with enthusiasm and energy. Ungrateful people or those who take everything for granted progressively journey to loneliness, isolation, and bitterness. Perhaps there is a connection between the words “miser” and “miserable”!

The anecdote at the end! A man stumbled upon a barn. He discovered that this was the devil’s seed storehouse. Curious, he began exploring. Most of the bins were labelled “discouragement seeds”. Just then one of the devil’s helpers arrived to pick up a bin. The man asked him the reason for the abundance of discouragement seeds. The helper laughed and replied: “They are very effective and they take root quickly.” The man asked: “Do they grow everywhere?” The helper said in sullen disgust: “No! They never grow in the heart of a grateful person.”

This is just a story, but it points to a pay-off: grateful people are seldom discouraged.

Am I grateful to God (and to his mediators) for his numerous blessings and graces? How do I manifest gratitude to God and others? For whom and for what am I grateful today?

XXVII Sunday of the Year

FAITH IS A GIFT AND A TASK

Habakkuk 1:2-3, 2:2-4; 2 Timothy 1:6-8, 13-14; Luke 17:5-10

Readings for the XXVII Sunday of the Year

A lady lost her uncle to cancer. Her Christian friend, who had been praying for him, called to condole with her. After offering her sympathies, she said: “But had he converted to Christianity or believed in Jesus, he would not have died. God would have cured him.” 

A family was going through difficult times with one tragedy after another. The “good Catholics” around them said: “If their faith were stronger, they wouldn’t have these troubles”! 

Experiences like this make one question: What is faith? A mantra to recite or a magic wand to wave… and whoosh… problems solved?! I wish it were, but it is not!

This Sunday’s readings help us to understand what faith is.

Habakkuk (first reading), writing in a time of turmoil, dares to question God about his apparent silence at the injustice he and his people are suffering from foreign conquerors. God persuades him to wait patiently for deliverance for “it will surely come”. The attitude required of his people is “faith”: steadfast loyalty and holding on in obedience to God’s law even when it apparently pays no dividends.

St Paul reminds Timothy (second reading) that God has gifted us “a spirit of… power and love and self-control” and invites him to bear hardships “with the strength that comes from God.”

Jesus instructs his disciples (gospel) that it is the quality (and not quantity) of their faith that matters. The size of faith doesn’t matter because God is the one doing the moving! He urges them to do their duty, that is, to serve God unconditionally without counting the cost. He cautions the disciples against supposing that faith (and the service of the Lord) establishes a claim for reward.

Faith is a gift of the Spirit – that moves us to wait patiently and humbly – while steadfastly doing our tasks – in the knowledge and hope that God’s will and word will be fulfilled. 

The Catechism of the Catholic Church affirms: “to obey in faith is to submit freely to the word that has been heard… Abraham is the model of such obedience… the Virgin Mary is its most perfect embodiment” (144). Didn’t they have problems and difficulties? Through all their ordeals, their faith never wavered. 

What kind of faith do I have: a mantra to recite or a magic wand to wave or steadfast loyalty to God and fidelity to duty through (and despite) difficulties? 

Lord, increase my faith!