Homily for Saturday, 6 June 2015– Ferial

Saturday of the 9th week in Ordinary Time

Optional Memorial: Our Lady's Saturday

Readings of the day: Tobit 12:1, 12-15, 20;  Responsorial Canticle: Tobit 13:2, 6efgh, 7, 8; Mark 12:38-44

Have you ever been helped or served by somebody and only after the fact found out who acted toward you with kindness? Have you ever done a hidden act of kindness for another person?

To act with kindness toward somebody without revealing to this person (at least not immediately) that you have done something kind toward her or him is difficult. I am not speaking primarily of those who boast to another that they have acted with kindness, as if to say, “Look at me! I was a great help to another person!”

Jesus cautions us in our Gospel reading against this kind of boasting. He condemns “the scribes who like to go around in long robes and accept greetings in the marketplaces, seats of honor in synagogues, and places of honor at banquets”; who “devour the houses of widows and, as a pretext, recite lengthy prayers.” Short of boasting of our kindness and seeking “greetings” and “places of honor,” are not the best acts of kindness those that are hidden? This is not to say that to keep our acts of kindness hidden is easy!

But our readings today give us examples of works of kindness in which the identity of the person acting with kindness is hidden, or at least not recognized at first. Today we near the end of the Old Testament story of Tobit and his family. Tobit’s son, Tobias, is happily married to Sarah. The angel Raphael, in disguise as a man, Azariah, sets up this wedding of Tobias and Sarah by accompanying Tobias to the home of Sarah’s parents Raguel and Edna to ask them to marry Sarah.

But Raphael does not take credit for his gift of company; friendship; even some instances of healing from illness on the journey. Until late in today’s reading; late in the Book of Tobit, Raphael does not even reveal who he is. Instead, when Tobias pays Raphael a handsome “bonus” for traveling with him, Raphael asks Tobias to thank not him but God. “Give [God] the praise and the glory. Before all the living, acknowledge the many good things [God] has done for you.”

And are not most if not all of us familiar with Jesus’ observation of the people contributing to “the temple treasury”? The “many rich people” who “put in large sums” to the temple treasury are not doing anything wrong. Yet, Jesus says, the “poor widow” who puts “in two small coins” makes the greatest contribution of all, because her contribution is hidden.

It is hidden beneath the large sums contributed by the rich who are able to give more. The widow’s contribution is hidden beneath even her poverty. “Poor” is not her true identity; “blessed by God” is. Her true identity is hidden beneath many layers: Her poverty; the wealth of the “many rich people”; cultural and religious expectations of both social classes.

Likewise, for us to be seen doing acts of kindness is not wrong. Sometimes to keep our kindness entirely hidden is difficult if impossible. So what does God ask of us? At least (after the example today of Raphael), give thanks to God for the opportunities we have to act kindly. And, if we have the opportunity to act kindly toward somebody in a hidden way, take this opportunity.

Homily for Wednesday, 18 June 2014– Ferial

Wednesday of the 11th week in Ordinary Time 

Readings of the day: 2 Kings 2:1, 6-14; Psalm 31:20, 21, 24; Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

Has anyone here, in moments of excitement over our accomplishments, ever listed off these accomplishments to another person in conversation? Then, has anyone here stopped momentarily and then added a phrase like (one of my favorites I admit), “I don’t mean to boast, but…”?

To be aware of and even to speak with joy about our accomplishments and our talents to other people and in prayer to God are not necessarily bad things. There is no shame in taking some pride in our accomplishments and talents, even aloud, as long as we first give thanks to God who gives us these talents; who gives the ability to accomplish sometimes extraordinary deeds.

And yet how often do we reflect that we live in a competitive social environment that encourages us to take credit for our accomplishments; our talents, often without giving due credit and glory to God, the source of these gifts; accomplishments; talents; of everything that is good?

“I don’t mean to boast, but I give alms, I pray regularly, and I fast.” Can we not imagine the early followers of Jesus addressed in Matthew speaking these words? Have we ever spoken similar words? Jesus’ response to them and to us is, “Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them… Your Father who sees in secret”; “who sees what is hidden will repay you.”

We have and we will have opportunities “to perform righteous deeds” in public, where other “people may see them.” I imagine that we have and we will have opportunities in which it is appropriate to be proud of our righteous actions and even to give voice to this pride when speaking with other people. This, in and of itself, is not wrong.

But Jesus reminds us in our Gospel reading today of the great grace in doing quietly, “in secret,” what is right; what is God-like. We are encouraged perhaps to perform a so-called “random act of kindness” toward another; a deed that the other person to whom we are intentionally kind does not expect; cannot repay, or does not even know who did it. We are encouraged by Jesus to run counter to our culture that puts pride for accomplishments and talents; that puts competitiveness on display, even to excess. We are encouraged to give glory to God by the witness of our lives; our quiet acts of kindness and mercy especially.

I don’t mean to boast, but I think that, in light of today’s Gospel, Jesus would allow us to boast with quiet gratitude in our God who is good to us, who repays our acts of kindness toward one another in due time, and who makes possible all that we do that is good.