Pastor's Desk Archive (January 2007)

Why Does God Allow Cruel Things? (1/7/2007)
Covenant Marriages (1/14/2007)
Sunday: The Day of the Lord (1/21/2007)
Love Endures All Things (1/28/2007)

Why Does God Allow Cruel Things? (1/7/2007)

The Feast of the Epiphany focuses on the visit of the “Wise Men” to Bethlehem. We are reminded that after they presented their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, that they decided to return to their country by an alternative route rather than return to King Herod. Some time after this incident, Herod sent soldiers to Bethlehem to kill all the male children under two years of age in an effort to put an early end to the one whom the astrologers called the new born King of the Jews. Surely, this is an act of cruelty that makes many people wonder why God “allows” such things. It’s an important question that deserves a thoughtful answer.

This question is really about the nature of God and the creatures he made in his own image and likeness. Many of us would prefer a God who can make His creatures do good and avoid evil. The stories of Creation suggest that this is exactly what God had in mind when He gave the man and woman dominion over all the earth. They were provided with the wonderful Garden of Eden in which they could do anything except to eat of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge. The Book of Genesis tells us that God had previously created spiritual beings—angels—some of whom had used their freedom to rebel against God. One of these angels approaches Eve in the form of a serpent to persuade her that she could use her God given free will to eat the forbidden fruit so she and her husband could possess the knowledge of good and evil and become like gods in the process.

And there’s the rub! In order to be truly free to choose what is good we apparently have to have the option of choosing evil. Were this not true, we would be like slaves of God rather than creatures made in His image and likeness. And so, sin entered the world and with it the possibility of untold cruelty and evil. God offers us the grace and the power to live by His light. It’s up to us.

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Covenant Marriages (1/14/2007)

Today’s Gospel told us the story of the wedding feast at Cana where Jesus performed the first of His miracles. In all likelihood either the bride or groom was a member of Jesus’ extended family. He and His Mother were present because a wedding feast was a big event in the life of a family—just as it is today. We know from other Gospel texts that Jesus gave a new teaching on marriage, one which called both husbands and wives to love and honor one another all the days of their lives. He stated clearly that when God joins a couple together it is for life. We call this kind of relationship a "Covenant Marriage".

This kind of marriage draws on the imagery of both Old and New Testaments in which God is depicted as Israel’s or the Church’s Spouse. As human beings we need the example of faithful marriages to boost our confidence in The Spouse who has promised to be with us always. Think of how happy people are when we celebrate anniversaries on the third Sunday of each month. Everyone wants marriages to thrive and be successful because there’s a whole lot riding on that success not just for the couple but for everyone. A couple and their family form the very foundation of social living. Sound marriages lead to sound families.

So what does someone do if they are experiencing struggles in their marriage? Should they feel ashamed that they are doing as well as the others? Certainly not! Rather, they should pray fervently and persistently for the willingness to cooperate with the grace of the Sacrament of Matrimony; grace that was not simply for “the big day” but for each and every day. Couples having difficulties should can their pride and seek counseling. How sad it is when husbands or wives fail to look for help until being served divorce papers. The Lord worked a miracle for the wedding couple of Cana. Have confidence that He will work a miracle for you. It’s a miracle that in our culture there are so many successful marriages. Let’s pray for all spouses that they will turn to the Lord each day for help.

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Sunday: The Day of the Lord (1/21/2007)

Beginning with the day that Christ rose from the tomb, Sunday has come to be regarded by faithful Christians as the most important day of the week. Within the first forty years following the Resurrection, Sunday took on the same significance for Christians as the Sabbath for the Jews. The commandment to keep Holy the Sabbath Day became keep Holy the Lord’s Day for those who followed Christ.

Have you given much thought lately to the importance of Sunday in your life and the life of your family? For many Christians it has become largely just another day. If it is distinguished at all, it is because it is part of the all important Weekend. Many Catholics don’t even attend church on Sunday, preferring the convenience of a Saturday evening service. While this practice can be part of Keeping the Lord’s Day Holy when we consider that, following the Jewish custom, this Day begins on the evening before (even if Saturday Masses often begin long before Sunset).

If we haven’t been giving much thought to the significance of Sunday, then surely it is high time that we do so. Otherwise, our Sunday Eucharist is likely to be perceived as routine and ordinary so that it fails to achieve its intended effects. The worship of God in spirit and truth is our highest obligation, for God is the very source and summit of our lives—whether we feel that or not. We place much too much emphasis on how we feel as if these feelings were more important than giving thanks and praise to God. Overvaluing personal feelings has led many churches to organize their worship services around entertaining music, visual effects, and feel good sermons. I’m beginning to think that this approach is something we can fall into without even intending to do so. I’m going to ask our staff and parish leaders to reflect more about this. I have the deepest conviction that there is nothing more important that we do as a community of faith than Sunday worship.

How does Sunday differ at your house from any other day of the week? Does everyone attend Mass as a family? Is there a special meal at which everyone gathers? Are there any devotions like the Rosary that family members pray together? Is it a day devoted in part to doing works of charity? If it looks like any other day, might this have something to do with whatever problems you and other family members may be experiencing?

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Love Endures All Things (1/28/2007)

These words come from today’s reading from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians. These folks had come over to Christianity from various pagan cults that placed a high premium on possessing spiritual gifts. In last Sunday’s reading, Paul went to great lengths to explain the important role that the various and many gifts of the Holy play in the Church—the Body of Christ. But in today’s continuation of that teaching, Paul urges them to set their hearts on the most important gift. He then speaks eloquently about the gift of the Holy Spirit who has been revealed to all as the fire of God’s Love.

This love which is patient, kind, and never rude is a love which endures all things. Paul is not singing the praises here of erotic love, nor romantic love, nor even brotherly love. While each of those loves has a role to play in our human lives, none of them has the capacity to endure all things. If we want to be able to endure all things then the first thing we must do is to accept as the most important fact of life: that God loves us with a love beyond all telling.

Accepting God’s love for us just as we are is the first and essential step to becoming all that God created us to be. This becomes the only valid reason for truly loving ourselves. Self-love based on anything else such as work, appearance, achievements, or economic status will fail us. When we begin to love ourselves based strictly on the belief that God loves us, then we can begin to take on the work of loving God and our neighbor.

Perhaps this seems too idealistic or unattainable for ordinary human beings like us. In fact, it would be impossible without the help of the Holy Spirit—God living within us to lead and guide us and to show us the way to all truth. Why not take a moment right now to be quiet in prayer. Let us simply thank God for loving us so much and then let us ask Him to keep us free from sin today and to protect us from all fear and anxiety as we wait in joyful hope for the coming of Our Savior, Jesus Christ.

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