Abbey-Roads2

Faithful, farsighted stewards. 

Perhaps one of the most admirable qualities of those folks whose faith is enlivened by the apparitions of Garabandal and Medjugorje is the depth of their spiritual preparedness and obvious devotion.  They have a renewed zeal for the Catholic faith, the liturgy, prayer and fasting, as well as works of charity.  Many vocations to priesthood and religious life have been realized in those who have been influenced by the events and messages of Medjugorje.

Today’s Gospel  speaks to us of the need for vigilance and preparedness for the Master’s return - something people who are touched by reports of apparitions are well aware of.  In many parish Churches, the shorter form of the Gospel will be read, missing the first paragraph of the reading destined for today.  (In a way it is too bad the entire chapter isn’t read - but it would be too much to digest in one reading.)

Fulfilling obligations.

In the part of the Gospel many people may not hear, Jesus begins by saying, “Do not live in fear, little flock.  It has pleased your Father to give you the kingdom.  Sell what you have and give alms.  Get purses for yourselves that do not wear out… wherever your treasure lies, there your heart will be.” - Like 12: 32-34  The rest of the Gospel continues to instruct us to be prepared for the Master’s return.

With all the commotion in church when Mass is over, after people have just received the Master in Holy Communion, I have to wonder if many even realized they just received the Lord’s Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity; the same Master whose return we are expected to be prepared for.  Sometimes I question if most people really believe any longer, if their attendance at Sunday Mass is anything more than a feel-good-about-doing-the-right-thing experience of fulfilling an obligation.

A ‘Passover’ mentality. 

It seems to me our faith and practice of the spiritual life should have the character of the Jewish observance of Passover.  Jesus says, “Let your belts be fastened around your waists and your lamps be burning ready.”  This images for me the Israelites on the eve of the Passover, while darkness surrounded their dwellings, and the world about them mocked their faith with jeering reproofs. 

The first reading from Wisdom reminds us of the faith and courage of our fathers in the first Passover, which foreshadowed the Lord’s Passover, memorialized in the Mass, as well as being an example for our own preparedness for Our Lord’s return - our final sharing in His Passover.  But I don’t think the average Sunday Catholic believes in all of that - much less understands it.

Spiritual sloth.

Most of us can become complacent in our faith.  We maybe say our daily prayers - when we have time, take an hour out of our week for Sunday Mass, and maybe give alms to the United Way or Catholic Charities, and we think we have done a great deal.  To be sure, being a Catholic isn’t that difficult when you consider all one has to do is keep the Commandments, attend Sunday and Holy Day Masses, perform one’s “Easter duty”, make a weekly donation in the collection plate, do something penitential on Fridys and during Lent, and so on.

Even the more devout who “do more”, can become complacent in their accomplishments.  Daily Mass and communion can become a habit.  We can receive Our Lord daily in communion  almost without realizing what a tremendous grace it is.  Unconscious that the Word we just listened to in the Gospel is “new” each day - the Spirit speaking to the Church, instructing, indeed warning us.  Leaving Mass, we go back to our daily lives that are filled with a variety of activities, comforts, luxuries, diversions and entertainments.  In other words, like the separation of Church and State, some of us segregate our religious life from our daily life.

Penance.

I think the life of the Christian is meant to be more than a perfunctory fulfillment of duties and obligations.  It seems to me, at least for myself, it really should have the character of a Passover; vigilance, seasoned with the bitter herbs of penance, guarded by a deep poverty of spirit, detached from all that distracts us from our heavenly goal.

But it requires a living faith - our loins girt and our hearts burning ready.  A faith like Abraham’s faith.  May the Blessed Virgin, Queen of prophets, obtain for all of us this holy faith, and the grace to be prepared for the Master’s return.

(Art: Jewish Passover.)