Homily for Wednesday, 25 June 2014– Ferial

Wednesday of the 12th week in Ordinary Time 

Readings of the day: 2 Kings 22:8-13, 23:1-3; Psalm 119:34, 35, 36, 37, 40; Matthew 7:15-20

Do any of us remember a great teacher; someone who continues to have an influence in our lives? I can think of several excellent teachers I had growing up: Teachers who explained difficult concepts clearly; teachers who were stern or gentle with me when I needed sternness or gentleness; teachers I admired for their sense of humor; teachers with memorable catch phrases or rhetorical style…

The Gospel of Matthew, particularly our Gospel reading today, presents Jesus as a great teacher. Jesus is remembered for phrases still commonly used, even outside of Scripture, for instance “a wolf in sheep’s clothing.” Jesus uses contrasts like a “good tree” that always bears “good fruit” versus a “rotten tree” that “bears bad fruit” to clarify more complex concepts like discernment of true from false prophets. Jesus uses rhetorical questions that, I am sure, were originally humorous if not mildly sarcastic: “Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles”? Jesus’ hearers’ response to these questions would have been an emphatic “No,” perhaps with a few laughs added as if to say, “Of course not!”

Amid Jesus’ clear explanations, memorable phrases, rhetorical questions, and even humor, though, is a serious message: There are many true prophets who lead us toward God and, in Jesus’ time as in ours, there are a few false prophets, wolves in sheep’s clothing who behave as though they are gods and so lead us away from the truth; away from God. For the false prophet, the message they preach is not about God but about them.

Good fruit from bad fruit or wolves in sheep’s clothing are not always easy to discern, but this kind of discernment is possible with prayer and sometimes with experiences of failure; of our own naïveté.

In the national parks of the Rocky Mountains a few hours’ drive from my native city, Edmonton, there are repeated signs warning tourists not to feed the bears. One of my favorite t-shirts from this park’s tourist shops shows a bear standing beside a sign that reads, “Do not feed the bears.” The bear wears moose antlers on his head and holds a sign that says “I am not a bear. Trust me.”

Wolves in sheep’s clothing do not usually carry signs that read, “I am not a wolf. Trust me.” And yet Jesus teaches that we can know true prophets from false prophets; true sheep from wolves in sheep’s clothing “by their fruits.” We can know true prophets; shepherds; teachers by how authentically they speak for the Good Shepherd; Christ the Teacher instead of presenting personal whims, opinions, or social trends as truth.

For a true prophet or a great teacher of our faith, “it’s not about me” but ultimately about God. And so we pray to be able to discern true from false teachers and prophets; to discern the presence of the Teacher, Jesus Christ, among us, especially when this discernment is not easy.

Homilía para el martes, 24 de junio 2014‒ Solemnidad del nacimiento de San Juan Bautista

Di esta homilía, mi primera en español, durante una Misa en español en la capilla St. Michael’s de la parroquia St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, Rochester, NY. La traducción en inglés aparece luego del texto original en español.

This homily, my first-ever in Spanish, was given during a Spanish Mass at St. Michael’s Chapel of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Parish, Rochester, NY. The English translation is included after the original Spanish text.
 
Lecturas del día: Isaías 49:1-6; Salmo 139:1b-3, 13-14ab, 14c-15; Hechos de los Apóstoles 13:22-26; Lucas 1:57-66, 80

Readings of the day: Isaiah 49:1-6; Psalm 139:1b-3, 13-14ab, 14c-15; Acts 13:22-26; Luke 1:57-66, 80

¿Qué significa para nosotros ser “luz de las naciones”?

Es la misión que nos da Dios a través del profeta Isaías en nuestra primera lectura de hoy: “Te hago luz de las naciones, para que mi salvación alcance hasta el confín de la tierra.” ¡Que hermosa misión que nos da Dios, pero qué desafío!

Claro que Dios tiene confianza en nosotros como cristianos; Dios nos considera listos y dignos de esta misión. Entonces ¿cómo podemos cumplir nuestra misión de ser “luz de las naciones”; de difundir la salvación de Dios “hasta el confín de la tierra”?

Cierto que individuamente es casi imposible ser “luz de las naciones.” Por eso Dios nos ha fundado en Iglesia y fortalece esta Iglesia, esta comunidad de creyentes en Jesucristo, con su gracia y su amor para que el cumplimiento de nuestra misión de difundir la salvación de Dios “hasta el confín de la tierra” sea posible.

También Dios nos da luces brillantes, los santos, para guiarnos en nuestra misión como Iglesia de ser “luz de las naciones.” Celebramos hoy la solemnidad del nacimiento de uno de los santos más brillantes, mensajero por excelencia de la salvación de Dios “hasta el confín de la tierra,” San Juan Bautista.

Escuchamos al principio de nuestro evangelio de hoy que Isabel “dio a luz un hijo,” a quien le dio el nombre sin precedentes en su familia: Juan. Dar a luz es una hermosa frase en español (no existe una frase equivalente en inglés) para describir el parto; el nacimiento de un bebé.

Isabel “dio a luz un hijo,” Juan Bautista. De manera parecida, Dios nos ha dado a luz; nos ha creado como Iglesia; un pueblo capaz de amar a Dios, amar los unos a los otros, y así difundir la salvación de Dios “hasta el confín de la tierra.” Dios nos ha dado a luz para ser “luz de las naciones.” Así Dios da a luz la Iglesia y su misión.

Estamos todos llamados, empezando ahora y aquí en nuestra celebración de la Misa en esta capilla St. Michael’s de la Parroquia St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, a ser mensajeros de la salvación y el amor de nuestro Dios, desde nuestros corazones; en nuestras casas; en nuestra ciudad de Rochester (sobre todo a los más necesitados); en donde trabajamos; juntos como Iglesia en todo el mundo. 

Siguiendo el ejemplo de San Juan Bautista, primer mensajero de Jesucristo, y de innumerables santos quienes reflejan también la luz, el poder, el amor, y la gracia de Dios en nuestro mundo, difundamos la salvación de Dios “hasta el confín de la tierra.”

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What does it mean for us to be “a light to the nations”?

This is the mission that God gives us through the prophet Isaiah in today’s first reading: “I will make you a light to the nations, so that my salvation will reach to the ends of the earth.” What a beautiful mission God gives us, but what a challenge!

Clearly God has confidence in us as Christians; God considers us ready and worthy of this mission. And so how can we accomplish our mission to be “a light to the nations”; to bring God’s salvation “to the ends of the earth”?

Surely it is almost impossible as individuals to be a “light to the nations.” For this reason God has founded us as a Church and strengthens this Church, this community of believers in Jesus Christ, with his grace and his love so that the accomplishment of our mission to bring God’s salvation “to the ends of the earth” may be made possible.

God also gives us brilliant lights, the saints, to guide us in our mission to be “a light to the nations.” We celebrate today the solemnity of the birth of one of the most brilliant of saints, the most excellent of heralds of God’s salvation “to the ends of the earth,” St. John the Baptist.

We hear at the beginning of our Gospel reading today that Elizabeth “gave birth to a son” to whom she gave a name unprecedented in her family: John. In Spanish there is a beautiful phrase (of which there is no equivalent in English) to describe the birth of a child, “dar a luz,” which literally means to give unto the light.

Elizabeth “gave birth” (dio a luz) “to a son,” John the Baptist. In a similar way, God has given us birth “unto the light.” God has created us as a Church; as a people capable of loving God and of loving one another, and so of bringing the salvation of God “to the ends of the earth.” God has given us unto the light to be “a light to the nations.” In this way God gives unto the light (gives birth to) the Church and her mission.

We are all called, beginning here and now, in the celebration of our Mass in this, St. Michael’s Chapel of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Parish, to be heralds of the salvation and the love of our God: From our hearts; in our homes; in our city of Rochester (especially to those most in need); in our workplaces; together as Church to the whole world.

Following the example of St. John the Baptist, first herald of Jesus Christ, and of innumerable saints who also reflect the light, the power, the love, and the grace of God in our world, may we bring the salvation of God “to the ends of the earth.”