Tag: disciple

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Solemnity of All Saints

Picture from an outdoor mass with John Paul II in Victory Square, Poland, 1979

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Mass Readings

Reading 1: Revelation 7:2-4, 9-14
Responsorial: Psalm 24:1BC-4AB, 5-6
Reading 2: 1 John 3:1-3
Gospel: Matthew 5:1-12A

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/110120.cfm
https://www.deaconrudysnotes.org/

All Saints’ Day is an opportunity to reflect on what it means to live as children of God. But before we get to that, let’s just do a little housekeeping, okay?

We don’t worship saints. Period. We worship God who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

All believers are part of the community of saints. Why do we call some “saints?” Well, it’s definitely not for their benefit. As St. Paul tells us, the saints have already fought the good fight, they’ve run their race, and they kept the faith (2 Timothy 4:7). And St. Bernard preaching in the 12th century said, “The saints have no need of honor from us; neither does our devotion add the slightest thing to what is theirs. Clearly, if we venerate their memory, it serves us, not them.” <1>

So, calling someone a “saint” is really a church thing. Why? Well, in our society today, we honor all sorts of people, right? We might hold up athletes, or actors and actresses, or successful and innovative businesspeople. We lift them up as inspiration and maybe even role models. How many children have thought to themselves, “I want to be just like him or her when I grow up!”

The Church lifts of people and calls them “saints” as role models for all of us. Some are martyrs for the faith, probably not unlike the three believers brutally murdered outside the Notre-Dame Basilica in Nice, France. Other saints lived lives of heroic virtue. We are all called to be holy. Jesus tells us, “You are therefore to be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). And the Second Vatican Council document, Lumen Gentium, devotes an entire chapter to the “Universal Call to Holiness”. <3> These saints are people who we believe made use of God grace – the same grace available to all of us – to help them in their quest for holiness.

Take for example the mother-physician Gianna Beretta Molla who in 1962 refused a life-saving procedure during her pregnancy that would have resulted in the abortion of her fourth baby. The Church lifts her up as an example of extraordinary faith and love.

Or take Blessed Stanley Rother, a priest from Oklahoma, who was murdered in 1981 in Guatemala. He had been recalled home but asked for permission and in fact returned to Guatemala despite the risks. In a letter to the faithful in Oklahoma, he wrote, “This is one of the reasons I have for staying in the face of physical harm. The shepherd cannot run at the first sign of danger.” <2> He is not just a role model for priests. He is a role model for all of us who are trying to live lives of intentional discipleship or as Pope Francis would say, missionary discipleship.

The lives of the saints and their stories should inspire us and hopefully give us some ideas about how we can live our lives in pursuit of holiness. Okay, this is the background for today’s celebration.

Today’s reading from Revelation paints a picture of heaven and there are people from all over the world dressed in white robes. They are martyrs for the faith. “These are those who come from the great trouble. And they washed their clothes and whitened them in the Lamb’s blood” (Revelation 7:14). In our second reading from First John, we are called “God’s children” (1 John 3:2).

What does it mean to be children of God?

Our Gospel today comes from the Sermon on the Mount which instructs us as disciples, believers, children of God, about justice. But Jesus teaches that justice should not be restricted to a perfunctory level, but he goes to the heart of the matter. We strive to be holy as the Father is holy. <4> And the path of the disciple is not easy. Most of us will never be asked to make the ultimate sacrifice like those three believers murdered in Nice, France this week. But we may face ridicule from our friends and families. We might even lose friendships over our faith. Jesus tells us:

• In a highly polarized world, Jesus wants us to forgive and turn the other cheek.
• In a world that values the symbols of wealth and the latest new “toy”, Jesus wants us to live humbly and to give generously.
• In a world scarred by war and division, Jesus wants us to love our enemies and to work for peace. <5>

All of us disciples are caught in a balancing act between what we need to do in this world to provide for families and the call to holiness. Every saint ever named understands this tug-of-war. Maybe that’s one of the reasons the Church asks us to celebrate “All Saints” today, so that we are inspired by those who have already run the race and who were filled with God’s grace. You see, we are not alone in the struggles we face. Every generation of believers has faced their own time of trial. While we should never stop working for justice, it is reassuring to know that we are united in faith with our brothers and sisters in Christ throughout time.

Homework! Inspired by the Word of God and by the Eucharist, I encourage you to reflect on the following two questions. First, when have I put more trust in this world that in God? Second, how can I live a simpler and more generous life?

I pray our homework will help us live our discipleship with greater conviction. Do you got it? Do you get it? Good! Now go make disciples! May Almighty God bless you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit! +Amen!

Image Credit: Artist unknown. Pentecost Mass for 300,000 people celebrated by Pope John Paul II in Victory Square, Poland, 1979. JPG file.

Notes: Unless otherwise indicated, all Bible quotes are taken from The Bible: A Study Bible freshly translated by Nicholas King. Buxhall, Suffolk UK: Kevin Mayhew, 2013.

<1> Saint Bernard, abbot, sermon (Sermo 2: Opera omnia, Edit. Cisterc. 5 [1968], 364-368).
<2> Beecroft, Mason (December 16, 2014). “Making the Case for Martyrdom.” This Land. This Land Press. Accessed October 30, 2020. https://thislandpress.com/2014/12/16/making-the-case-for-martyrdom/
<3> See Lumen Gentium, Chapter V, beginning with paragraph 39: https://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19641121_lumen-gentium_en.html.
<4> O’Neil and Black, The Essential Moral Handbook, 127.
<5> “Sunday, November 1 All Saints” the Word Among Us. Web. https://wau.org/meditations/2020/11/01/176958/.

References:
1. Anderson, Kelly and Daniel Keating. James, First, Second, and Third John. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academics, 2017. Kindle.
2. Mitch, Curtis and Edward Sri. The Gospel of Matthew. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2010. Kindle.
4. O’Neil, Kevin J. C.Ss.R. and Peter Black, C.Ss.R. The Essential Moral Handbook: A guide to Catholic Living. Liguori, Missouri: Liguori, 2003.
5. Williamson, Peter S. Revelation. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academics, 2015. Kindle.

Catechism References http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm:
1. Seeing God in the beatific vision, 163, 1023, 1028, 2519
2. Heaven, 326
3. Poor in spirit, 544, 2546
4. Church as sacrament of unity of human race, 775
5. Heaven, 769, 1023-29
6. Celebrants of the heavenly liturgy, 1136-39, 2642
7. The new people of God, 1138
8. The seal, 1295-96
9. Revelation that we are children of God, 1692
10. Christian beatitude, 1716-24
11. Peace makers, 2305, 2330
12. Pure in heart, 2518
13. Confidence before God, 2633, 2777-78

Solemnity of All Saints https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/110120.cfm
Lectionary: 667

Reading 1
Revelation 7:2-4, 9-14
I, John, saw another angel come up from the East,
holding the seal of the living God.
He cried out in a loud voice to the four angels
who were given power to damage the land and the sea,
“Do not damage the land or the sea or the trees
until we put the seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.”
I heard the number of those who had been marked with the seal,
one hundred and forty-four thousand marked
from every tribe of the children of Israel.

After this I had a vision of a great multitude,
which no one could count,
from every nation, race, people, and tongue.
They stood before the throne and before the Lamb,
wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands.
They cried out in a loud voice:
“Salvation comes from our God, who is seated on the throne,
and from the Lamb.”

All the angels stood around the throne
and around the elders and the four living creatures.
They prostrated themselves before the throne,
worshiped God, and exclaimed:
“Amen. Blessing and glory, wisdom and thanksgiving,
honor, power, and might
be to our God forever and ever. Amen.”

Then one of the elders spoke up and said to me,
“Who are these wearing white robes, and where did they come from?”
I said to him, “My lord, you are the one who knows.”
He said to me,
“These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress;
they have washed their robes
and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb.”

Responsorial
Psalm 24:1BC-2, 3-4AB, 5-6
R. (see 6) Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
The LORD’s are the earth and its fullness;
the world and those who dwell in it.
For he founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD?
or who may stand in his holy place?
One whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean,
who desires not what is vain.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
He shall receive a blessing from the LORD,
a reward from God his savior.
Such is the race that seeks him,
that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.

Reading 2
1 John 3:1-3
Beloved:
See what love the Father has bestowed on us
that we may be called the children of God.
Yet so we are.
The reason the world does not know us
is that it did not know him.
Beloved, we are God’s children now;
what we shall be has not yet been revealed.
We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him,
for we shall see him as he is.
Everyone who has this hope based on him makes himself pure,
as he is pure.

Alleluia
Matthew 11:28
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest, says the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
Matthew 5:1-12A
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain,
and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him.
He began to teach them, saying:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you
and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.
Rejoice and be glad,
for your reward will be great in heaven.”

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25th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Two one-way street signs pointing in different directions. One says my way and the other says God's way

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Mass Readings

First Reading: Isaiah 55:6-9
Responsorial: Psalm 145:2-3, 8-9, 17-18
Second Reading: Philippians 1:20C-24, 27A
Gospel: Matthew 20:1-16A

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/092020.cfm
www.deaconrudysnotes.org

The picture I selected for today is a set of one-way signs which I think reflect our first reading from Isaiah, “…nor like your ways are my ways,” (Isaiah 55:8). One sign points in a direction and reads, “God’s Way,” and the other points in a different direction and reads, “My Way.” This picture is interesting to me for many reasons, but what strikes me most is that the road leading up to this point had room enough for both God’s way and my way. But at this particular intersection, the path splits.

This tells me that people of faith inspired by the Word of God evident in Scriptures and Tradition can very often set out on the correct path. Our work and efforts seem to coincide with God’s will. But at some point on our journey, we take a left turn. Our path splits off from God’s path. But here’s the kicker: we may not realize we took a wrong turn.

How can that be? How can we veer off and not even realize it? While we mean well, somehow our self-righteousness blinds us. What we see God doing doesn’t compute. Take for example when Jesus allows the woman to anoint his feet with precious oil, (John 12:3). Or the time Jesus decided to eat with Zacchaeus – a tax collector and traitor to his people, (Luke 19:1-10). Or the time Jesus said to the crowd, “Let the Sinless One of you be the first to throw a stone at her,” (John 8:7). Or in today’s Gospel passage when the landowner pays a full wage to those who only worked one hour (Matthew 20:10).

The mercy and compassion God reveals to us through Jesus’ actions don’t match the way we might handle the situation. Let’s say we de-identified these Scripture passages and you read them, how would you react then? Would you think the merciful and generous person was a fool?

Even though we might mean well, our path veers away from God’s path because sin enters our thoughts and actions. Much like the laborers in today’s Gospel passage, we might think to ourselves, “it’s not fair!” Or worse yet, inspired by our self-righteousness, we might advocate for laws that discriminate or harm not because we want to be evil, but because we genuinely think we are right.

What are some examples of this today?

Well, take for example law breakers. We as a society have a right to enforce our laws. But how we do that as a Christian people is important. Our faith teaches that we should respect the dignity of the human person. So, we advocate for life over and against a culture of death. Yet, some people think it was a good idea in the United States to separate the children of illegal immigrants from their parents and to place them in what amounts to cages.

Should illegal immigrants be detained? Look, every nation has the right to define and to defend its borders and to implement policies to managing illegal immigrants. But to treat people inhumanly – that’s where our path veers off from God’s path.

Or take for example a government sponsored program to help senior citizens, like social security. For some, the scant money set aside from wages during the working years can mean the difference as a retiree between filling a prescription or buying meat for the week. But some people never miss an opportunity to speak out against programs like social security. Somewhere along the way, we veered off God’s most generous path.

Or take the subject of abortion. Rooted in the dignity of the human person, the Church will always advocate for life. But the Church will never turn it’s back on the person who had an abortion or the person who supports politicians who might support abortion. The Church stands not with a ruler, but outstretched arms ready to welcome, not to punish. No priest or bishop would interrupt someone in the confessional and say, “wait, you voted how? You’re not Catholic! Get out of here!” Yet, some people think they have the authority to excommunicate people and to post messages on social media platforms that those who cast “wrong” ballots can’t call themselves Catholic. Really? Who died and made them pope? Somewhere along the way, we took a wrong turn.

I know all these examples can be difficult to consider, but God reminds us in Isaiah, “…nor like your ways are my ways,” (Isaiah 55:8). Our task as disciples is not to beat people over their heads, but to reach out with God’s love and mercy and generosity. We are called not to spread fear and hatred, but to bring the Good News of Christ into a dark world that desperately needs to hear a message of hope!

Homework! Nourished by the Word and the Eucharist, the bishops of the United States offer us these questions:

  1. Because no one has hired us. Who in my community is ignored or forgotten? How can I take notice of those too easily disregarded?
  2. Are you envious because I am generous? When do I measure myself against others? How can I be more generous with my time and resources?

Do you got it? Do you get it? Good! Now go make disciples! May Almighty God bless you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit! +Amen!

Image Credit: Artist unknown. PNG file.

References:
1. Hamm, Dennis, SJ. Philippians, Colossians, Philemon. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academics, 2013. Kindle.
2. Mitch, Curtis and Edward Sri. The Gospel of Matthew. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2010. Kindle.
3. The Bible: A Study Bible freshly translated by Nicholas King. Buxhall, Suffolk UK: Kevin Mayhew, 2013.
4. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Lectio Divina of the Gospels: For the Liturgical Year 2019-2020. Washington, D.C.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2019.

Catechism References http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm:
1. God’s people: Jews and Gentiles, 62-64, 781
2. God of mercy and piety, 210-211
3. Jesus identifies his compassion to sinners with God’s, 588-589
4. Christian death, 1010-14
5. Life in Christ, 1691-98
6. Justice, 1807
7. Fair wages, 2434

Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/092020.cfm
Lectionary: 133

Reading 1
Isaiah 55:6-9
Seek the LORD while he may be found,
call him while he is near.
Let the scoundrel forsake his way,
and the wicked his thoughts;
let him turn to the LORD for mercy;
to our God, who is generous in forgiving.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
nor are your ways my ways, says the LORD.
As high as the heavens are above the earth,
so high are my ways above your ways
and my thoughts above your thoughts.

Responsorial
Psalm 145:2-3, 8-9, 17-18
R. (18a) The Lord is near to all who call upon him.
Every day will I bless you,
and I will praise your name forever and ever.
Great is the LORD and highly to be praised;
his greatness is unsearchable.
R. The Lord is near to all who call upon him.
The LORD is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and of great kindness.
The LORD is good to all
and compassionate toward all his works.
R. The Lord is near to all who call upon him.
The LORD is just in all his ways
and holy in all his works.
The LORD is near to all who call upon him,
to all who call upon him in truth.
R. The Lord is near to all who call upon him.

Reading 2
Philippians 1:20C-24, 27A
Brothers and sisters:
Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.
For to me life is Christ, and death is gain.
If I go on living in the flesh,
that means fruitful labor for me.
And I do not know which I shall choose.
I am caught between the two.
I long to depart this life and be with Christ,
for that is far better.
Yet that I remain in the flesh
is more necessary for your benefit.
Only, conduct yourselves in a way worthy of the gospel of Christ.

Alleluia
Acts 16:14B
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Open our hearts, O Lord,
to listen to the words of your Son.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
Matthew 20:1-16A
Jesus told his disciples this parable:
“The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner
who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard.
After agreeing with them for the usual daily wage,
he sent them into his vineyard.
Going out about nine o’clock,
the landowner saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
and he said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard,
and I will give you what is just.’
So they went off.
And he went out again around noon,
and around three o’clock, and did likewise.
Going out about five o’clock,
the landowner found others standing around, and said to them,
‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’
They answered, ‘Because no one has hired us.’
He said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard.’
When it was evening the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman,
‘Summon the laborers and give them their pay,
beginning with the last and ending with the first.’
When those who had started about five o’clock came,
each received the usual daily wage.
So when the first came, they thought that they would receive more,
but each of them also got the usual wage.
And on receiving it they grumbled against the landowner, saying,
‘These last ones worked only one hour,
and you have made them equal to us,
who bore the day’s burden and the heat.’
He said to one of them in reply,
‘My friend, I am not cheating you.
Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage?
Take what is yours and go.
What if I wish to give this last one the same as you?
Or am I not free to do as I wish with my own money?
Are you envious because I am generous?’
Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

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ATC 19 Being a Christian Today

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Hola and welcome to another edition of All Things Catholic. I’m your host, Deacon Rudy Villarreal, and together we are going to explore what it means to be Catholic. If you have a question that you’d like me to address, send it to me. You may use the comment form on the website or by email to rudy@deaconrudysnotes.org. I invite you to share this podcast with everyone you know!

In today’s episode, we’re going to talk about being a Christian today. I think being a Christian today, or more specifically, being a Catholic today, can be rather tricky. There are so many voices out there all vying for our attention. Some of those voices tell us frightful things like how wrong Vatican II was, or how the “signs of the times” should reshape our entire understanding of the faith and the Church’s teachings.

As an ordained clergy with a graduate degree in theology and currently working on a doctorate in ministry, I’ve got to tell you that it’s often challenging for me to determine which voices are authentic and which are not. I realize that I too am one of those voices, but, paraphrasing Horace Slughorn, myself, I always try to walk within the light of faith in Christ shining through His church on earth.

Friends, adding to the tension, are the painful things I’ve witnessed so far during this election cycle on social media. I’ve seen Catholics using social media to tell other Catholics that they’re not Catholic if they vote a particular way or if they hold to certain beliefs. I’ve even seen and heard priests say similar things, which is shocking, to say the very least.

Painful as it is to admit, I think we need to acknowledge that we live in a post-Christian world, and to my way of thinking, that changes many things (Dreher, 4, et al). First and foremost, we cannot assume the people around us are believers, nor can we believe they are tolerant of believers. We can’t even accept that the people standing beside us in the pews at mass, at an appropriate distance, of course, are true believers. But that doesn’t mean we need to adopt a defensive posture, nor does it mean that we need to insult or berate them.

No, I think the task of the Christian in the world today needs to be that of a missionary disciple. I say missionary because the task of evangelization needs to begin much closer to home. To do that, we need to get back to the fundamentals.

Ok, what does it mean to be a disciple? At a minimum, discipleship means three things: accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, deepening our relationship with Jesus through prayer and study, and sharing the Good News with other people.

First, when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, that means we not only accept Jesus, but we believe in all of it: that God created this world and created us in His image and likeness; that He sent His only son born of the Virgin Mary, to suffer and to die for us; that Jesus rose from the dead and is now seated at the right hand of the Father; that the Holy Spirit animates Christ’s church on earth, in the one, holy, universal church founded on Peter and the apostles; that we are forgiven, that the dead shall rise again and that the saved will have eternal life. Sound familiar? When we accept Jesus, then the Creed becomes the foundation of our lives.

Second, what does it mean to grow our relationship with Jesus through prayer and study? Well, have you ever fallen in love with someone? If you never tried to learn more about them and their life story, then you might be in for quite a surprise one day. Right? So, we try to get to know the people we love. The same is true with Jesus. We approach Him in prayer, and we try to learn more about Him through study. Between you and me, I think we overcomplicate the study part. Look, the key to understanding the Ten Commandments and the 613 Jewish commandments is this: they are not merely a list of things to do or to avoid. At their core, the commandments teach us about loving God (Hahn, 235). Once we understand that love is the key, then all the technical stuff is so much easier to understand.

What is love? Well, that’s an uber topic that we can’t possibly address today, but I know this: love has to be shared. If you don’t share love, if you never tell someone you love them, then your relationships will be stunted. That’s the third aspect of discipleship. We are called to share the love of Jesus Christ – the love that is God – with everyone around us. How do I know that? Because Jesus gave us the rubric of judgment.

Read Matthew 25:31-46. I think the sainted Mother Teresa sums it up quite nicely: At the end of our lives, we will not be judged by how many diplomas we have received, how much money we have made or how many great things we have done. We will be judged by “I was hungry, and you gave me to eat. I was naked, and you clothed me. I was homeless, and you took me in.”

It’s quite clear that the proof of our conversion is our willingness to dedicate ourselves in service to others. That’s what being a missionary is all about – going out and in love, serve those around us. And by our service, they will know we are Christians, and they will be drawn to the source of our joy. They will be drawn to Christ Jesus.

Being a Christian in the world today means that we need to return to the fundamentals. We need to dedicate ourselves to prayer, study, and service to others, all through the lens of love. That means that if we don’t understand the Church’s teachings, or even if we disagree with the Church’s teachings, we are called to prayer and study so that one day – perhaps years from now – we come to understand. We don’t beat up our fellow Christians on social media. We journey with them. And while we journey, we share Christ’s love in humble service to a world that desperately needs a message of hope.

Do you got it? Do you get it? Good! Now go make disciples! May Almighty God bless you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit! +Amen!

You’re listening to All Things Catholic. What are your thoughts? Leave a comment – I’d love to consider what you’re thinking. If you’re on the webpage, just click the title of the podcast, then scroll to the bottom and you should be able to post a comment. Do you have a question that you’d like me to address? Please send it to me using the comment form on the website, or send me an email to rudy@deaconrudysnotes.org.

This episode was produced by deacon rudy’s notes. Our theme music was composed by Silent Partner. You can find all sorts of helpful information on the website at www.deaconrudysnotes.org. I’m your host, Deacon Rudy Villarreal. All Things Catholic will be back next month, and don’t forget to tune in for the weekend edition where we break open the Word. Peace!

References:
1. Dreher, Rod. The Benedict Option: A Strategy for Christians in a Post-Christian Nation. New York, NY: Penguin Random House, 2017. Kindle.
2. Hahn, Scott W. and Curtis Mitch. Romans. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academics, 2017. Kindle.