First Sunday of Advent

 There is a real sense of urgency in the gospel today. The expression "Stay awake" is dominant. Why do we need to stay awake? I think the key is found in our Second Reading where St Paul writes: "... so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ.." (1 Cor 1: 7) The deployment of our spiritual gifts is incumbent on us as we wait for the Lord to return. To lapse into a state of negativity or passivity would be to "fall asleep." The parables that we have just heard as we concluded year A of the Lectionary, from the Gospel of Matthew, all warned against complacency and entitlement. If we have our spiritual life numbed by the commercialism of pagan Christmas, likewise, we will have fallen asleep to our obligations as missionary disciples. Let us, therefore, look to make the most of the Advent season both to prepare ourselves for the Second Coming of the Lord and to celebrate his birth in time as Emmanuel - God with us. After all, we do not journey on our own. St Paul reminds us: "He (God the Father) will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful; by him you were called into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord." (1 Cor 1: 8-9)

Feast of Christ the King

 Today's gospel speaks of the "judgement of the nations." In Jewish tradition the nations were the Gentiles, in other words, people who were not Jewish and therefore not under the Law. Matthew's community is composed of both Jews and Gentiles. How would they have understood the term "nations"? As the new Israel, united as one through the blood of the Cross, it is easy to imagine that they would understand the "nations" as referring to non-Christians. The new Law for followers of "the Way" has already been given earlier in the gospel. That law is a higher Law because it asks a higher standard of disciples: "For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." (Mtt 5: 23) Thus, the non-Christians of the world will be judged by one standard while Christians will be judged by another since: "From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from whom the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded." (Lk 12: 48) The recent gospel readings from the Lectionary have all warned against complacency, entitlement and apathy. Let us all strive to become better and more faithful disciples who never lose heart and are faithful to the Lord until the end.

33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

 The parable of the talents yields the stark lesson: "For to those who have, more will be given, and they will have in abundance, but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away." (Mtt 25: 29) This begs the question as to have what? Following the parable the "what" is something given by the master. The talent is a share of the property that is given to the slaves for investment and ultimately intended as  returning to the master. This brings to mind the maxim "grace builds on nature." All I am is gift. I did not ask to exist and my being is all dependent on God's grace. He is the ground of being. Since "God is light and in him there is no darkness at all" (1 Jn 1: 5), if all I am is darkness, I will have worse than nothing should I be found to live a lie: "If we say that we have fellowship with him while we are walking in darkness, we lie and we do not do what is true; but if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son, cleanses us from all sin." (1 Jn 1: 6-7). Anything I do "have" will be destroyed in God's presence when the Universe is consummated at the end of time. St Paul tells us: "The last enemy to be destroyed is death." (1 Cor 15: 26) Let us therefore be open to life and to putting that life to good use so that when our master calls us into his presence we may rejoice in his generosity, mercy and love.

32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

 The parable of the ten bridesmaids is another that occurs only in the gospel of Matthew. It speaks of people who are already believers but, like us, are awaiting the fulfilment of the kingdom of heaven represented by the return of the Bridegroom. What draws my attention is that the wise bridesmaids so to the foolish who ask them for oil: "No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go the dealers and buy some for yourselves." (Mtt 25: 9) This reminds me of a maxim I heard a long time ago from Jan Heath, a lay evangelist, who said: "God does not have grandchildren, he only has children." So often I see grandparents doing their best to inculcate the Catholic faith in their grandchildren while their own children are apathetic if not worse. Certainly, we can support others and encourage them to accept the gift of faith or the obligations that they have subscribed to however the decisions of faith remain theirs. It is not possible for us to make up for the lack in another's faith. We, who practice our faith, cannot supply for those who do not nor should we be co-dependent on them. The challenge is for us, as missionary disciples, to walk alongside them and communicate the joy of the gospel to those who struggle to have a relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ that transforms our lives. At the same time we need to make sure that our own lamps do not go out for lack of the oil of faith such that we, at the end of time, will be counted among the foolish who hear from the Bridegroom: "Truly I tell you, I do not know you." (Mtt 25: 13)