Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ The King

1 Corinthians 15:20-26, 28; Matthew 25:31-46

We eagerly bow down today before the King of Judgment. But is this king truly our Parent or our Brother, or is it a fantasy of our own creation? It is understandable why we would desire such a king. Life here is cruel, unfair, and unjust much of the time. When faced with this reality on a daily basis, who wouldn't long for a savior to make it all better, if not in this life then surely in the next. But again, is this the reality of our Parent's Creation or is it the fantasy to help us get through one more day of suffering? The easy answer is that Jesus said it, so it must be true. But he also said, "Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place." Why do we take him at his word for some things, but not others? Perhaps Jesus told us what we wanted to hear. Maybe we only listened to what we wanted to hear. It's even possible that Jesus just got it wrong; he was human after all. Whatever the case, eternal life is not a reward or punishment, but a birthright given to us by our Parent. It is given to all, for we are all our Parent's beloved children. It is our immaturity that drives us to believe that only some of our brothers and sisters are worthy of such a gift, and that conditions must be attached to it to ensure that people behave properly. Enough of this! It is time for us to grow up.

Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Matthew 25:14-30

Again with the angry god of righteous judgment. He seems like a ruthless business manager: get results or get fired. Is this really our Parent as she is, or how we wish him to be? We see our desire clearly in the ending of this chapter. The good child is rewarded and the naughty child is punished. Is this not the fantasy of every self-righteous brat? Our Parent sees into our hearts and sees the truth that we cannot be so neatly divided. Whatever mercy she chooses to show us is not based on the merits of our actions, but rather on the nature of his love. But this love should inspire us to love all just as equally. They are our brothers and sisters and we should desire each of them to be rewarded with our Parent's love. Anything less is not worthy of who we are.

Thirty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Wisdom 6:12-16

Truth is not owned by anyone. It is a creation of that which created us. The authorities of our world, secular and religious, possess nothing that is not freely available to all. Some of them just pay greater attention than most; others are deaf and hear only what they want to hear. Either way, do not be blinded by stature or power. Look to them as examples of how you should listen to your own soul in seeking the Truth. For she is within you, eager to be found.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Matthew 25:1-13

Why are we so eager to meet our end, and at the same time so fearful of it? Why are we so mistrustful of our Parent? She created us, so surely he has a plan for our full existence. Be careful however: that plan may not go according to our desires. Our reason is not hers; our justice is not his. Tales of an exclusive salvation may help us feel special, particularly in times of distress, but are they truly the Wisdom of our Creator? Does our Parent love some of his children, or all of them? Listen to your soul for the Truth. For she is within you, eager to be found.

Solemnity of All Saints

Matthew 5:1-12a

The Communion of Saints is the most authentic image of what it means to be Catholic. When Jesus shared the Beatitudes, he indicated what he truly desired to give birth to: the family of the blessed ones, not the institutional monstrosity we have today. The best depiction of that family I know is the tapestries of the cathedral in Los Angeles. They also represent one of the many paradoxes of the Church: the tapestries probably wouldn't exist without the institution, but if you really observe them, they are indicators of something going on that is far greater than an organization with its rulebooks. The corporate impulse will always be with us; we just shouldn't take it so seriously.

Thirty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time

Malachi 1:14b-2:2b, 8-10; Matthew 23:1-12

We have but one Master: they who created us. And she is the creator of all, not just one particular tribe. Stop wasting time fighting over whose definition of the Undefinable One is less ridiculous. You are all brothers and sisters. Stop placing your clerics on a pedestal. They are not holier than you. Authority exists to share God's joy, not to earn a living. No institution has the power to declare someone an expert on our Creator's love. Such an honor can only earned, through service to the family.

Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Exodus 22: 20-26

"You shall not molest or oppress an alien, for you were once aliens yourselves in the land of Egypt." Listen to these words fellow Americans! Almost all of us were once aliens in these lands. We have taken our fill from them, and now we do not want to share. We are happy to have the labor of the alien, and to benefit from the products that he produces, as long as he stays in his place. He may have the scraps from our table, but we refuse to allow him to dine with us. Be careful, for surely God will hear his cries, and our Creator is fair and just. What goes around, comes around; or more crudely "Karma's a bitch!"

1 Thessalonians 1: 5c-10; Matthew 22: 34-40

"You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Perhaps we have such a hard time loving our neighbor, because we really don't love ourselves very much. Our culture may be incredibly narcissistic, but at our core we believe that we are fundamentally evil, sinful, flawed, corrupted by original sin. Even those who claim that humans are essentially good don't really believe it; they may want to, but they look over their shoulder just in case. Why else would be believe that we need "Jesus, who delivers us from the coming wrath." We act like we are some pathetic, miserable child, begging our parent not to give us the beating that we deserve. What bullshit! Our Brother did not come to save us; his life is a testament that salvation is already ours. This universe is our paradise, a part of our Creator's plan. It tells us over and over again that God loves us and that we are good. If you truly believe this, then you will not be able to help but treat your neighbor in the same way.

Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Matthew 22: 15-21

"Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God." So Jesus meant that religion is supposed to stay out of government? Or is it the other way around? How many times will we hear this said over the next year? How many times will the words be twisted by politicians and clerics to justify their personal endorsements? The Kingdom of God is not of this earth: poverty, war, disease, and all manner of suffering will be with us always. They are part of what it means to be human. But that does not mean we should just accept the status quo. What is unjust should be fought, not because we can save the world, but simply because it is what is right and good. We MUST do something to alleviate suffering, even if it is less that what we would like. Failure to do so, whether in the name of tolerance or righteousness, is the true evil.

Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Numbers 11: 25-29; Psalm 19: 8-9a, 10, 11-14

The guardians of authority do not control the Holy Spirit. She speaks through whomever she chooses. Do not judge Truth based upon some official seal of approval. Rather listen closely and observe, for "the precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart."

Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

James 2: 14-18; Mark 8: 27-35

Pretty simple today: faith is lived, not just contemplated. We must act on what we believe, or we are as good as dead. Yes, this will most likely require sacrifice, but this plane of existence we occupy is only a temporary pit stop on our way to something more wonderful than we can imagine. So what do we have to lose?

Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time

James 2: 1-5

Is God the parent of all, or only some? If we have but one creator, then are we not all brothers and sisters? So why do we treat some as if they are more equal than the rest? Why do we only listen to the rich and beautiful? Why do we tolerate a culture that makes us "judges with evil designs"?