July 19, 1998Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time |
THEME: HOSPITALITY: The art and grace of welcoming another into one's home runs deeply in Hebrew and Middle Eastern tradition. There are endless instances of this in the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures. In the second law - Deuteronomy - the Jews are advised to remember that once they were a wandering people and it is their obligation and honor to welcome the stranger and alien among them. Opening heart and hearth and room and board to another is truly a holy act, as we recall today.
Come, Holy Spirit,
fill the hearts of your faithful,
and kindle in them the fire of your love.
Send forth your Spirit
and they shall be created.
And you shall renew the face of the earth.
All powerful God,
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
by water and the Holy Spirit
you freed us from sin and gave us new life.
Send your Holy Spirit upon us
to be our helper and guide.
Give us the Spirit
of wisdom and understanding,
the Spirit of right judgment and courage,
the Spirit of knowledge and reverence.
Fill us with the Spirit
of wonder and awe in your presence.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen
1) Genesis 18, 1-10
2) Colossians 1, 24-28
3) Luke 10, 38-42
Abraham took the virtue of hospitality seriously. When he saw three men standing about in the hot sun he ran out to meet them and insisted that they come in and rest at his tent.(1) The opportunity to do good presents itself every once in a while, but not many of us tire ourselves by running after it too far or too fast. The best investors do not wait for an opportunity to invest to come down the roadÑthey run and seek out opportunities. The best stewards do not wait for God to provide opportunities to use time, talent and treasureÑthey seek out good investments in the currency of good deeds.
Next Sunday the readings will be: 1)Genesis 18, 20-32; 2)Colossians 2, 12-14; 3)Luke 11, 1-13.
The Catholic Church, is its long tradition, has encouraged and fostered the devotional life of the Christian faithful. Practices ranging from novenas, the rosary, Eucharistic Adoration, centering prayer, charismatic prayer, and such have hound themselves as apt ways of expressing one's love, adoration and petition to God. Consequently, one's devotional life should lead one closer in their relationship with God and His people. The practices must find themselves pointing to God, particularly to his son, Jesus Christ. This holds true whether we are speaking of devotions concerning the Blessed Virgin, devotions concerning the cult of the Saints, or any avenue of private devotion. The Blessed Virgin and the saints act as intercessors on our behalf before God, they can grant nothing of their own power. When we see things like "This saint grants everything, no matter how difficult, and within the (specified time frame)", we are seeing a claim that is out of line with the Church's teachings. St. Paul tells us to test all things. In what we choose to do within our devotional life, we should be in unity with the Church's teachings. In doing so we find ourselves moving beyond unworthy forms of prayer to forms of devotion which will lead us closer to Christ and His people.
Fr. Bill
The Gospel for this Sunday is the familiar and beautiful story of Martha and Mary. One can have the impression from the reading of this Gospel, and that of St. John, that Martha and Mary and their brother Lazarus were sort of an extended family to Jesus, where he went for rest and refuge. I would like to share with you some thoughts of Fr. Adrian Nocent, OSB in his book THE LITURGICAL YEAR. They summarize well the teaching of this Sunday:
The first reading (and translation) would seem to mean that Martha should not worry because only a few things are needed. Such a reading would render Jesus remark completely trivial, and as a matter of fact there are few manuscript witnesses to this reading. The second and third readings really mean the same thing, namely, one thing is necessary. What is that one thing? In the context of the proclamation of the Gospel, and given the attitude of Mary who listens to the Lord, the one thing needed is evidently God's word. Everything is secondary when compared to listening to God's word.
The good portion (or the better part) that will not be taken from Mary does not mean being at the service of others; it means only her listening to the word of God. This is doubtless why the reading used to be used on the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin, who, beyond all others, listened to the word and kept it in her heart. We must repeat once again -for the point is important - that Jesus was not reproaching Martha for her service to others, but only because she tended to overemphasize and give priority to what should be secondary in relation to listening to God's word.
Edward Bear, known to his friends as Winnie the Pooh, or Pooh for short, decided to visit Rabbit. As he drew near to Rabbit's home, Pooh began to hum. Aha, he said, Rabbit means Company and Company means Food and Listening-to-me-humming! When he called out, Is anybody home? he heard a scuffling noise and then silence. He called again, more loudly, Is anybody home? No! said a voice and then added, You needn't shout so loud. I heard you quite well the first time! Oh bother! said Pooh. Isn't there anybody home at all? The answer came back, Nobody!
There is, perhaps, at times, a little of Pooh and Rabbit in all of us. Pooh regarded hospitality as an opportunity for food, fun and attention. Rabbit saw it as a bothersome chore he'd rather forego. In the ancient world, however, hospitality was an art. In the world of Abraham and Jesus, hospitality meant that outsiders were received and transformed from strangers into guests. Given the harsh conditions of travel in the time of our early ancestors in the faith, hospitality was not only an art but also a necessary virtue. It really assured the survival of those who often found themselves alone in inhospitable environments.
As is reflected in today's first reading from Genesis, it was believed that God's will could come to light through an act of hospitality. Abraham's generosity as host to three travelers was matched by a promise that he and Sarah would become the parents of a son.
In the gospels, we see Jesus reflecting in His life the very hospitality of God as He welcomed and tended to the needs of all. The first Christians were schooled in this practice. We, too, continue to be nourished by Jesus' hospitality as we accept the responsibility to continue His ministry of hospitality. Something of the quality of this ministry is offered to us today in Luke's gospel. This narrative has often been interpreted simply as a contrast between the active Martha and the contemplative Mary. Jesus was not favoring one over the other; nor was He critiquing the different styles of hospitality offered Him by the two sisters. Through His conversations with them, Jesus is teaching His disciples that those who serve others in hospitality must be nourished and supported themselves by the hospitality of Jesus-actively listening to His words. Before we can become disciples, we must first learn to be hospitable hosts and hostesses, welcoming into our hearts and attending to the good news of salvation. We are not called to be either Martha or Mary; we, who have been offered the very hospitality of Jesus at the table of the Eucharist are called to be both Mary and Martha.
Father James Tobin, S.M.
Pastor
Summer is a time for visitors. We friars have guests who come to visit us and to see the sights of St. Louis. I guess we have all heard people knock St. Louis and say how bad it looks and how uninteresting it is, especially when the Cardinals are losing. But that's not true at all.
Among many things to see are the extraordinary churches in this area. There are many beautiful churches that are outstanding examples of church architecture. And they are rich in history.
We show them such places as the College Church, the new cathedral, the old cathedral, St. Anthony of Padua's, and then we bring them to our own Immaculate Conception.
It's always nice to hear how impressed people are with our church. They say it is so devotional and clean, and very beautiful in its simplicity. You hear over and over, It's a church that looks like a church.
This is a tribute to our ancestors who originally built the church. A century ago those folks knew what they were doing. And they really cared; the church was important to them. But it's also a tribute to those parishioners over the years and to our people today who have preserved and taken such good care of what they had. That spirit has always been present here.
May it continue for years to come!
Frs. Earl and Gilmary
There are three types of Christians. One type is the Christian who does the will of God because he is afraid of going to hell. We call this person a slave because he does everything out of fear of what the Master will do to him.
The second kind of Christian is called the hireling. He works for hire as workers who work for pay. If he does any good, he does it only because he expects God to reward him. He wants to be paid for all he does. This is the person who tries to bargain with God: I'll do this for you, Lord, if you do this for me. Jesus spoke of the hireling when He said of those who do good that they may receive glory from men: Amen I say to you, they have received their reward.
The third and highest kind of Christian is he who loves his fellow man spontaneously without ever thinking of hell or getting a reward for anything. As we read in The Way of the Pilgrim, God wills us to come to Him neither as slaves or mercenaries but in the manner of sons and daughters who lead honorable lives for the love of Him and from the eagerness to serve Him.
The time, attention, and care we devote to our worship reveals how much we really love our God.
As we enter the Church, there are certain actions which we can perform to remind us of the significance of what we are doing. One of these is to sign ourselves with Holy Water making the sign of the Cross. This water reminds us of our Baptism and the commitment to a lived faith which this involves. Likewise, when we reach our pew or chair, we can genuflect if the Eucharist is reserved in the main body of the Church or, if not, bow our heads to the Cross. Again, these are signs which remind us of what we are about to do.
Then, when we take our place, it is usually good to dedicate a short period of time to silent prayer so that we can prepare our minds and hearts.
Our reverence is also expressed in the way we participate in the ritual acts of the Mass. We want to give God our total selves during the Mass. To participate with all our senses and to give our full attention reveals our respect and devotion. When we respond enthusiastically to the prayers, when we listen attentively to the readings, and when we sing with all our hearts, we tell God how much we really love Him. Do we fully participate during the Mass or do we simply sit there uninvolved and maybe even bored because of the routine?
We honor St. Anne on July 26. Tradition at St. Anne's is to have the Rite of Anointing of the Sick. The Rite will be celebrated Sunday, July 26, at the 12:30 PM Mass. Guidelines for recipients of the Anointing of the Sick are as follows:
The Letter of James states that the sick are to be anointed in order to raise them up and save them. Great care and concern should be taken to see that those of the faithful whose health is seriously impaired by sickness or old age receive this sacrament.
The sacrament may be repeated if the sick person recovers after being anointed and then again falls ill or if during the same illness the person's condition becomes more serious.
A sick person may be anointed before surgery whenever a serious illness is the reason for the surgery.
Elderly people may be anointed if they have become notably weakened even though no serious illness is present.
Sick children may be anointed if they have sufficient use of reason to be strengthened by this sacrament.
The sacrament may and should be given to anyone whose health is seriously impaired; on the other hand, it may not be given indiscriminately or to a person whose health is not seriously impaired.
Many of us can identify with the activism of Martha. She was busy with all the details of hospitality and felt overwhelmed by everything she had to do. Yet Our Lord reminded her: Martha Martha you are anxious about many things; one thing only is required. Mary has chosen the better portion and she shall not be deprived of it. What is the one thing required? I believe it is spending some quiet time with the Lord in prayer. We put aside everything else to seat ourselves at the Lord's feet and listen to His words. Without a regular, consistent life of prayer we cannot grow in our intimacy with God. How we actually pray may differ widely from one person to the next. As we pray we open ourselves to God's love and grace which heals us from sin and re-fashions us to grow in the image of Christ Himself. While we cannot neglect the duties of our vocation we need to make a conscious and faithful effort to be people of prayer. The activism of Martha is balanced by the prayerfulness of her sister, Mary.
Two meals are served in today's readings. Abraham and Sarah host strangers; Martha and Mary host Jesus. Whenever the Gospels describe a meal, we need to think Eucharist. The authors and editors of the meal narratives are writing in post-Easter faith communities and Eucharist was the precious reality around which they lived. Eucharist as we celebrate it today only offers us a morsel and a sip? This is hardly a banquet! It does, though, contain all life and hope and love as we enter the reality of the death and rising of Jesus. It attunes us to the hungers of the world. It asks us to face those hungers and to say with Jesus: Here I am, given, poured out for you. If you do not receive the Precious Blood of Jesus at Mass, you may want to reconsider. Come to the full banquet, for your sake and for ours too.
As the number of priests declines, their appearance in groups becomes eventful. When priests participate in a Mass at which they do not preside, they may concelebrate. A group of vested priests in the sanctuary can lend solemnity, but in some cases they bring distraction instead.
Concelebration became popular after Vatican Council II. Prior to that time, whenever a priest celebrated Mass, he presided, sometimes without anyone else. Churches contained several altars, usually along the side walls, so that multiple Masses could take place simultaneously. If the priest participated in another Mass, he wore a cassock and surplice but did not concelebrate. When Vatican II permitted concelebration, it reduced the need for private Masses and emphasized the communal gathering in which all present exercised some ministry. Centuries ago, concelebration originally gathered priests around their bishop. The annual Mass of Chrism at the cathedral still expresses that original idea of union. The oils blessed by the bishop pass on to the priests, who share them with the faithful throughout the year.
However, the concelebration of priests apart from the bishop is fairly new. Predictably, not all the bugs have been worked out. Some priests who already preside at several weekend Masses may find it tiresome to concelebrate at another, they may prefer to join the faithful in the assembly. Too many priests in the sanctuary can also offset the gender balance of the worshiping assembly. Although women frequently outnumber men in the pews, men can easily outnumber women in the sanctuary. Furthermore, although concelebration honors the liturgical role of priests, it blurs the role of the presider. For similar concerns, deacons do not serve at the altar in numbers when more than one attends Mass.
Consequently, in many circumstances concelebration still needs clarity. When thoughtfully planning a special event, worshipers ask their parish leaders politely if concelebration is expected, preferred, or ill-advised.
The letter of publication directed episcopal conferences to prepare vernacular editions of the Ordo Lectionum Missae in accordance with the Consilium's 1969 instruction on vernacular translations.
The National Conference of Catholic Bishops published such an edition and decreed its mandatory use in the dioceses of the United States of America beginning with the first Sunday of Advent, November 29, 1971. The biblical text used for this edition was that of the New American Bible, a translation first commissioned by the Bishops' Committee for the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine in 1944. For the next two decades, some fifty scholars of the Catholic Biblical Association labored to produce a translation of the Bible from its original languages and the oldest extant texts. Over the first two decades of its use in the liturgy and in private devotion the 1970 edition of the New American Bible has provided immeasurable spiritual benefit.
In 1981, the Holy See issued a second typical edition of the Ordo Lectionum Missae (editio typica altera). This edition was approved by Pope John Paul II and published by a decree from James Cardinal Knox, Prefect of the Sacred Congregation for the Sacraments and Divine Worship on January 21, 1981.
-- "An Introduction to the Second Edition of the Lectionary for Mass," Newsletter: Committee on the Liturgy, National Conference of Catholic Bishops, Vol. XXXIV, February-March 1998.
