St. Norbert's Church - Sunday Reflections

These are strong readings this week and we have to listen to them attentively. At first hearing, it can sound like the Lord will condemn all those who have money, those who have food, all who laugh and those about whom we speak well. On the other side we hear blessings for all who are poor, all who do not have food, those who mourn and those who are spoken badly about (but only for the sake of the name of Jesus). This is from the Gospel of Saint Luke.

The Prophet Jeremiah is not much better in the first reading today. His preaching can sound even a bit softer than today's Gospel. For him, anyone who trusts in human beings, anyone who trusts in flesh (in human power, not divine) and who turns his heart away from God. These actions described by Jeremiah are all internal actions: trusting humans and human power and turning one's heart away from the Lord.

So do we have to believe that anyone who has more than sufficient money or even just enough money will not enter the kingdom? Do we have to believe that anyone who has sufficient food cannot enter the kingdom? Do we have to believe that all those who laugh are not going to enter the Kingdom? Probably not! What our Lord is getting at is the inner attitudes that all of us have within us.

The temptation - and it is a temptation for all of us - is to get what we need and forget about others. This seems to be why so very often the poor are very generous and those who have enough are uneasy to give what they have lest they end up without enough. This is an inner attitude that is against the Gospel. There is a tendency to think about me having enough food before thinking about those who don't. Quite often, those who don't have enough food are more willing to share the little they have than those who have enough but are worried that they won't.

Laughter? This passage inspired lots of writers and even philosophers to think that laughing is not good. Instead it is an inner attitude that only laughs and pays no attention to the mourning that is all around us. Laughter is good for body and soul, but never at the expense of forgetting entirely those who suffer and mourn. Just as some cities have built walls to hide the poor neighborhoods, so laughter can be used to hide from reality.

Christ is truly risen! Saint Paul tells us this so very strongly. If Christ has been raised so will we be raised. If we hope only for this life, we are to be pitied. It is when we begin to hope for eternal life and we can accept giving to others and helping others. It is in hope that we can fast so that others might have food. It is faith that we can cry when we see the misery of our sisters and brothers and finally find the compassion and mercy to help them.

May God lead us all into His kingdom and keep us on His path.