Much More Than Endless Life (Lent V - Cycle A)

The famous Christian writer C.S. Lewis once suggested that Lazarus was the first Christian martyr. Why did he make this unusual claim? His contention was that Lazarus had already gone through the experience of death when Jesus called him back to life. Lazarus would then need to go through the process of dying again at a later time. By being brought back to life, Lazarus was, Lewis suggested, the first disciple who was called upon to commit to dying for Christ.

This take by Lewis might seem a bit strange, but it points to a deeper reality. Our physical life in this world is not our final end. It is not the ultimate life we hope for. As is often the case in The Gospel of John, there are layers of meaning in the passage for this Sunday.

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Photo Credit: First Century Jewish Tomb by Zoltan Abraham (c) 2016.

Are We Blind to God's Blessings? (Lent IV - Cycle A)

Today's Gospel passage reminds me of an ironic time. When acquaintances would ask about how things were going in my life and I would give them a brief overview, they would invariably tell me how happy they were that things were going so well for me. The irony was that I was feeling absolutely miserable about my life during this time. I was simply unable to see the blessings that had been given to me.

In the Gospel passage for this Sunday, the leaders do not see the blessing that is so plainly before them. Ironically, the blind person regains his sight, but the people who have been able to see physically are not able to see spiritually, and they disregard even the physical evidence before them.

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Photo Credit: Jerusalem Skyline by Zoltan Abraham (c) 2016.

Christianity Is a Proposal of Marriage (Lent III - Cycle A)

Back in the 90's, I saw a quote that has stayed with me over the years. The quote said: Christianity is not a religion. It is a proposal of marriage. In many ways, those few words capture the essence of our faith.

In the Old Testament, the relationship between God and Israel is often depicted as a marriage. Israel is the bride, many times unfaithful, and God is the aggrieved husband who keeps calling his beloved back to him. As Scripture scholar Brant Pitre expounds in his book Jesus the Bridegroom, the marriage metaphor continues in the New Testament.

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Photo Credit: Mary's Well in Nazereth by Zoltan Abraham (c) 2016.

The Glory That Awaits Us (Lent II - Cycle A)

Jesus is God Incarnate, who came among us as one of us. He lived like one of us and died like one of us to offer his sacrifice for our salvation. At the same time, a part of the reason for the incarnation was for God to reveal himself more fully to humanity. Jesus revealed himself through his teachings and through events we call theophanies, which are direct manifestation's of God's divinity.

We see such a moment in the Gospel passage for today, which describes the event knows as the Transfiguration. During the life and ministry of Jesus, theophanies happened at transitional moments or phases: At his conception; at his birth; at the Temple at the age of twelve, which was the time of coming of age in his culture; at his baptism, which was the start if his ministry; his miracles during the course of his ministry; the Transfiguration, marking the start of his journey to Jerusalem to be crucified; the Resurrection; his appearances after the Resurrection; his Ascension into Heaven; and the sending of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

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Photo Credit: The Church of the Transfiguration on Mt. Tabor by Zoltan Abraham (c) 2016.

The Dynamics of Temptation (Lent I - Cycle A)

40 is a number we find at several significant moments in the Bible. The reason for the use of 40 is its association with transformation. At least 40 days are needed for an individual to be transformed, as old habits are uprooted and are replaced with new ones. Similarly, 40 years are required for the large scale transformation of society, as one generation passes and another one rises up.

In the Book of Genesis, 40 days of rain bring about a global flood, which erases the evil social structures that had arisen. Later, after their liberation from Egypt, the Israelites spend 40 years wandering in the desert in order to be reshaped into a new people, who are ready to enter the Promised Land. During this time, Moses stays 40 days at the top of the mountain in God's presence as he prepares to be God's messenger, through whom the law will be communicated to the Israelites. When the Israelites fall into sin by worshipping the Golden Calf, they undergo 40 days of fasting to atone for their sin.

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Photo Credit: Mount Quarantania near Jericho, where, according to tradition, Jesus was tempted by Satan by Zoltan Abraham (c) 2016.

Three Things That Destroy Society (6th Sunday - Cycle A)

The Torah, the Israelite Law, was revealed by God through Moses in the Old Testament. In the passage for this Sunday, Jesus says about some aspects of the Law: You have heard said…, but I say to you. For a mere human, such a statement would be terrible presumption. For any one of us to speak in such a way about God's law would be nothing short of blasphemy. But Christ can speak that way because he is not a mere human. He is God Incarnate. He is the Lawgiver Himself. Since the Law comes from God, Christ, who is God Incarnate, can speak any way he wants about the Law.

We see in the passage that Jesus comes not to abolish the Law, but to fulfill it. He shows the fuller, deeper meaning of the Law and the relationship with God that the Law is pointing toward. In the process, he will set aside certain precepts that prepared the way for Christ but are no longer needed now that the grace of Christ has been given to us. In doing so, Jesus is not abolishing parts of the Law, but is allowing the deeper meaning of the Law to flourish. In interpreting the Mosaic Law, we can say that the Old Testament precepts are to be followed by Christians only to the extent that Christ restated or reaffirmed them.

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Photo Credit: Storm by Francesco Gamba from Wikimedia Commons.

Faith Is Not Enough (5th Sunday - Cycle A)

Salt was an essential ingredient for food processing in the ancient world. Without modern refrigeration, salt was used to preserve meat, fish, and other types of food, which was especially important in the hot desert climate of the Middle East. Salt was also used as a basic spice to make various foods more tasty.

Given its importance, salt was an expensive commodity in the ancient world. So valuable was salt that soldiers were often paid in salt for their military service. In fact, the English word "salary" comes from the Latin word for salt. Even today, we might say that someone is "worth his salt," meaning that they have truly earned their wages.

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Photo Credit: Via Dolorosa, First Station, in Jerusalem by Zoltan Abraham (c) 2016.

Understanding the Beatitudes (4th Sunday - Cycle A)

In the Gospel of Matthew, the Sermon on the Mount, recounted in the Gospel passage for this Sunday, can be seen as the opening statement of the ministry of Jesus. In this speech, Jesus expounds on key concepts that he will build on in his preaching and actions throughout the rest of his public ministry. The principles outlined in the Sermon on the Mount have come to be known as the Beatitudes, from the Latin word for blessed. The Beatitudes are among the most commented on statements from the Bible, and therefore I cannot possibly provide and exhaustive interpretation of this pivotal text in a brief article. But let us look at some key thoughts regarding these teachings.

At their core, the Beatitudes are characterized by the inversion of the values of the world. Historically, the world values temporal satisfaction obtained through temporal things and experiences. The quest for such fleeting satisfaction often leads to disordered behaviors, which bring about an ever-spiraling sense of disorder in the world.

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Photo Credit: Mount of Beatitudes by Zoltan Abraham (c) 2016.

Leaving All for Christ (3rd Sunday - Cycle A)

According to biblical chronology, the Israelites conquered the Holy Land in the 15th century BC. Each of the tribes received a large territory for its own, except for the tribe of Levi, which was designated as the priestly tribe. The Levites would tend to the spiritual needs of the other tribes and, in return, their reward wouldn't be land, but the Lord Himself, who would be their inheritance. The territories belonging to the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali, mentioned both in the First Reading and the Gospel Reading for this Sunday, were located in the northern part of the Holy Land.

In the 11th century BC, the tribal lands started to be forged into a single monarchy under King Saul, the first king of the Israelites. The kingdom reached its peak in the 10th century BC under King David and his son King Solomon. However, after Solomon's reign, still in the 10th century BC, the kingdom was split in two, the Kingdom of Israel in the north and the Kingdom of Judah in the south. Roughly 200 years later, the Kingdom of Israel was conquered by the Assyrians, who removed the local population and resettled the tribes in other lands. They started the dismantling of the Kingdom of Israel in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali.

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Photo Credit: The Sea of Galilee by Zoltan Abraham (c) 2016.

What Is Ordinary Time? (2nd Sunday - Cycle A)

The Feast of the Baptism of Lord, which we celebrated last Sunday, marks the beginning of Ordinary Time in the liturgical cycle of the Catholic Church. Ordinary Time has two parts: 1) the shorter stretch between the end of the Christmas season and Ash Wednesday and 2) the much longer period between Pentecost and the first Sunday of Advent. The phrase "Ordinary Time" has an unfortunate connotation in the English language, suggesting that this period is plain old ordinary and that nothing special is happening during this time. But nothing could be further from the truth.

At the heart of Catholic liturgical practice is the concept that every Mass, regardless of how grand or simple it is, expresses the fullness of our faith. In that sense, no Mass is ordinary, since the Mass is the most intimate union we can have with God on this side of Heaven. The various feasts and seasons of the liturgical year do not add new concepts to the Mass but serve to highlight different aspects of our faith, helping us to reflect on them more deeply and to enter into them more fully.

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Photo Credit: The Sea of Galilee by Zoltan Abraham (c) 2016.

Baptism Is the Foundation (Baptism of the Lord - Cycle A)

At the time of Jesus, baptism was already a custom showing repentance and a sense of recommitment to the spiritual life. Culturally, ritual bathing could be the sign of inner spiritual cleansing. Of course, Jesus himself had no need of cleansing. Being God Incarnate, he was free of all sin. So why did he need go through baptism? In fact, in the Gospel of Matthew, John the Baptist himself wonders why Jesus would want to be baptized by him, given that Jesus is the Lord.

Two reasons come to the fore as to why Jesus had John baptize him. One was to set an example for his future followers. Jesus made baptism the foundational sacrament of the Church, the entryway into the new life of salvation he offers to all of humanity. Even though Jesus did not need to get baptized, he underwent baptism to show the way.

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Photo Credit: The Baptism Site of Jesus in Jordan (c) 2016 by Zoltan Abraham.

The Magi Knew the Answer (Epiphany - Cycle A)

The Feast of the Epiphany commemorates the arrival of the Three Wise Men, also known as the Three Kings or the Magi, who traveled a long distance, most likely from Persia, to see the child Jesus. The visit of the Magi has deep theological significance. Jesus was born among the Jewish people and was the fulfillment of the ancient Hebrew prophecies of the coming of the Messiah. However, the Magi recognized that his mission was not just to the people of Israel, but to the whole world. His work of redemption was to be for all of humanity.

When they find the child Jesus, the Magi prostrate themselves before him, which is a sign of worship. Thereby, they recognize Jesus as the true power in the world. They do not reverence Herod, who is the local king, installed by the Roman Empire, which controlled the area. Nor to do the Magi show worship to the Roman Emperor, who was regarded as a divine figure. Persia was outside the control of Roman Empire and the Magi show no sign of bowing before the power and majesty of mighty Rome. Instead, they single out the child Jesus for their obeisance. The true power in the world is not the emperor controlling formidable armies but the child Jesus, who is God Incarnate.

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Photo Credit: The Adoration of the Magi by Edward Burne-Jones from Wikimedia Commons.

All Happy Families Are Like the Holy Trinity (Holy Family - Cycle A)

One of the most controversial topics in New Testament interpretation today is St. Paul's statement, found in the long form of this Sunday's Second Reading, "Wives, be subordinate to your husbands, as is proper in the Lord" (Colossians 3:18). Many would prefer not to discuss the passage at all. Oftentimes the short from of the reading is used at Mass to exclude this line. But precisely because the passage is so controversial, we should talk about it.

Discussions of the passage often neglect the context. The next line reads, "Husbands, love your wives" (Colossians 3:19). In our contemporary culture, the word "love" has been greatly weakened and has often been reduced to little more than being nice. But the New Testament concept of love is much more substantial. To love means to act in a Christ-like manner. Christ showed love by giving himself fully, even at the cost if his own life.

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Photo Credit: Igreja São João em Porto Alegre, Brasil : Vitral Sagrada Família from Wikimedia Commons.

Every Mass Is Like Christmas (Christmas - Cycle A)

The celebration of Christmas in the Catholic Church has four distinct Masses - the Vigil, the Mass during night, the Mass at dawn, and the Mass during the day, each with its own set of readings. The Gospel for the Vigil Mass starts with the genealogy of Jesus. Some might want to skip over those lines, not wanting to bother with the difficult biblical names.

But we can learn a great deal already from the genealogy. The people of Israel had waited many years for the coming of the Messiah. Indeed, the entire Old Testament period was a time of preparation for Christ. The Israelites were waiting for a great king, a powerful military conqueror, who would subdue their enemies and usher in a new age of glory for Israel. But when he arrived, the Messiah was much more than what they had hoped for, beyond, in fact, their wildest expectations, as we shall see below.

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Photo Credit: The Nativity with Donors and Saints Jerome and Leonard from Wikimedia Commons.

Our Lady Always Points to Christ (Advent IV - Cycle A)

The dogmas of the Catholic Church are teachings that the Church has declared definitively. These teachings are to be held by all the faithful as a part of being Catholic. Most dogmas have been declared by Ecumenical Councils, which are the gathering of all bishops, with the approval of the Pope, but some dogmas have been declared by the Pope himself directly.

Over the centuries, the Church has established four dogmas about the Virgin Mary: 1) Mary's Divine Motherhood, which makes her the Mother of God, 2) Mary's Immaculate Conception, meaning that she was conceived without original sin, 3) Mary's Perpetual Virginity, having remained a virgin before, during, and after the birth of Christ, and 4) Mary's Assumption into Heaven body and soul at the completion of her earthly life.

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Photo Credit: Overview of advent wreath in 2023 at Masarykovo náměstí street in Třebíč, Třebíč District from Wikimedia Commons.

A New Level of Being (Advent III - Cycle A)

In the Gospel Reading for this Sunday, John the Baptist sends his disciples to Jesus to ask him if he is truly the Messiah. Why, we might wonder, is John doubting? Is he wavering in his faith? Given all that we know about John, the answer is undoubtedly no.

John the Baptist was the sightly older cousin of Jesus, who recognized and greeted our Lord while they were still in their mothers' wombs, when the Virgin Mary visited Elizabeth. As an adult, John dedicated his life to preparing the way for the public ministry of Jesus, leading a rigorous ascetic life in the desert. As he preached repentance, John was imprisoned by King Herod for challenging his unlawful marriage. But John did not waver. He paid the ultimate price when he was beheaded by the king for preaching God's word. Therefore, John is not likely to have doubted Christ.

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Photo Credit: Adventskranz mit drei brennenden Kerzen from Wikimedia Commons.

The Warning Against Complacency (Advent II - Cycle A)

The Old Testament period was a long and elaborate preparation for the coming of Christ, who is God Incarnate. John the Baptist was a transitional figure between the Old and the New Testaments. He spoke with the language and style of the prophets of old, preparing the way for Jesus, just before Jesus would start his ministry. What is more, the synoptic Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke depict John the Baptist as Elijah, one of the greatest of the Old Testament prophets, who was prophesied to return before the coming of the Messiah. By connecting John with the role of Elijah, the Gospel writers indicate that the prophecy has been fulfilled and everything is ready for the arrival of the Messiah.

As we see from the Gospel reading for this Sunday, John the Baptist was preaching repentance, warning of dire consequences for those who do not do so. Sometimes commentators draw a contrast between the preaching of John and the teachings of Christ, suggesting that Christ was much softer and more conciliatory. However, Christ too used strong words at times when he spoke about sin and our need to repent.

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Photo Credit: Advent wreath, 2. Advent, Ehrenbach from Wikimedia Commons.

What is Advent? (Advent I - Cycle A)

This Sunday is the First Sunday of Advent, the beginning of a new liturgical year. Our society has different ways of calculating the timespan of a year. The civic calendar goes from January 1 to December 31. Schools follow the academic calendar, which begins late summer or early autumn and lasts until the spring. The fiscal year starts on July 1 and ends on June 30. A number of ethnic groups also maintain their own traditional calendars.

In the Catholic Church, our calendar is the liturgical year. We start on the First Sunday of Advent, which is the Sunday closest to the Feast of St. Andrew, observed on November 30. We then follow a sequence of seasons and feasts throughout the year, until the Feast of Christ the King, the last Sunday of the liturgical year.

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Photo Credit: Advent wreath: Week #1 by Eugenio Hansen, OFS from Wikimedia Commons.

Welcoming Christ to Be the King of Our Lives (Christ the King - Cycle C)

This Sunday, we celebrate the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, which is more popularly known as the Feast of Christ the King. While the feast has biblical roots, its observance was instituted one hundred years ago by Pope Pius XI. He did so in response to the increasing secularization of Western Civilization, whereby Christ was being pushed more and more out of the public sphere. The pope sought to remind the faithful and the world at large that Christ is King of all the world, now and always.

Before the coming of Christ, the Israelites expected the Messiah to be a great military conqueror, who would overthrow the Roman Empire, which was occupying the Holy Land at the time. In place of Roman rule, the Messiah would set up a new, glorious Israelite kingdom with Jerusalem as its capital. The new kingdom would be the strongest in the world and all the nations of the world would bow down to Jerusalem.

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Photo Credit: Roof fresco of Pantokrator, Nativity of the Theotokos Church, Bitola, North Macedonia from Wikimedia Commons.

Is the End Near? (33rd Sunday - Cycle C)

The Catholic liturgical year runs from the First Sunday of Advent to the Feast of Christ the King, which we will celebrate next Sunday. As we get close to the end of the liturgical year, the readings at Mass focus on the end of the world. Predicting when the world will end is something of a pastime in some parts of American culture. However, the Catholic Church has never tried to predict the time of the end of the world, since Christ has clearly told us that it is not for human beings to know when the world will end.

Instead, we are to live with the expectation that the world might end at any time, while still being focused on our day-to-day responsibilities. A good way to approach the question is with the Benedictine Latin motto "ora et labora," which means to pray and to work. We should pray as if we were about to die in any moment, as if Christ were to return right now. At the same time, we should work as if we were to live in this world indefinitely.

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Photo Credit: The Last Judgement by Fra Angelico from Wikimedia Commons.