Christ Walks on Water, Eero Järnefelt, 1891, Pori Art Museum (Wikipedia)

Nineteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time
Romans 9:1-5
August 9, 2020

Last week we concluded our reading of Romans 8 with its ecstatic hymn to the power of God’s love to reach us: “(nothing) will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord .” (Rom. 8:39b). Paul had already assured us that by our Baptisms we were chosen by God. (Rom 8:29-30) and so the Romans, and we ourselves, should ask “What about the Jews?” Were they not chosen? Have they been abandoned by God?

This would have been particularly important to Paul’s original audience, the church at Rome. As we have seen repeatedly throughout this letter, that through their commercial interests many members of this community were closely connected to Jerusalem. Their Christianity would also have had a distinct Jewish flavor. Not all however had these same ties and some were not born Jews. Although all professed belief in Jesus there would have been tensions. These tensions were so great that the emperor Claudius around 45 AD expelled the Jews who followed “Chrestos” from the city of Rome. By the time Paul is writing to the Romans, “gentile Christians” were moving to Rome. Paul would need to explain himself and he did not have the best reputation on this issue. Continue reading “19th Sunday of Ordinary Time – Accepting the Need to Be Transformed” →

Milagro de los panes y los peces, Juan de Espinal, c. 1750, Despacho del Alcalde de la Casa consistorial de Sevilla (Wikipedia)

18th Sunday of Ordinary Time
Rom. 8:35, 37-39
August 2, 2020

Today’s reading is one of the most beautiful standalone passages in St. Paul. Whenever possible, I use it for funerals because it expresses the bedrock of Christian hope. Yet having examined the rest of Romans, we can see why it is such a fitting conclusion to it. It is also a pertinent exhortation to us at St. Charles.

The selection that will be used at Mass needs to be read with the passage immediately before it. Together, they form a powerful and haunting victory hymn: Continue reading “18th Sunday of Ordinary Time – Living in the Spirit, Sharing in His Victory” →

Photo by Cassiano Psomas on Unsplash

17th Sunday of Ordinary Time
Romans 8:28–30
July 26, 2020

Our readings from Romans for the last two weeks emphasized “groaning”. All of Creation, the Christian, and indeed the Holy Spirit, experienced frustration. In Paul’s terms, human beings lived “in the flesh;” our activities directed to “saving” ourselves. This is impossible and so we were never fulfilled. Jesus offers us the opportunity to “live in the Spirit,” living so that all our actions flow from our relationship with Him.

Thus Paul can say in today’s reading:

We know that all things work for good
for those who love God,
who are called according to his purpose
(Rom. 8:28)

Paul assures us that we were not created for frustration but fulfillment. Yet he goes further and shows us what that fulfillment is. Before looking at this, let us remember two things we mentioned at the very beginning of our study of Romans. Continue reading “17th Sunday of Ordinary Time – Living in the Glory of God” →

Photo by Mike Enerio on Unsplash

16th Sunday of Ordinary Time
Romans 8:26–27
July 19, 2020

Last week’s reading began with

I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth
comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us.

(Rom. 8:18)

This is a common theme in the New Testament. We saw when reading the 1^st Letter of Peter that his community suffered from the scorn of family and former friends. We will see in Matthew’s Gospel the suffering of internal divisions. Each of these authors use these experiences to relate the present situation of that particular community to Jesus’ ministry, death and resurrection. Paul does the same, but he broadens the perspective to the whole of creation and indeed God himself.

Jewish law was evidence-based. Testimony was always required. To prove that today’s sufferings are insignificant to the glory for which we are intended Paul gives us three witnesses:

Continue reading “16th Sunday of Ordinary Time – Everlasting Hope for Our Restless Hearts” →

Yoke of Oxen, Jean, 2010 (Flickr) Some rights reserved

14th Sunday of Ordinary Time
Romans 8:9, 11–13
July 5, 2020

My first course at the seminary in the Bible was impressively titled “Theological Anthropology in Scripture.” Unlike most portentously named academic course descriptions, this one actually reflected the material. It examined Genesis 1–11 and Romans 1–8. It was called theological anthropology because it explored how the Bible saw human beings. We explored how modern uses and assumptions did not always reflect what the Scriptures meant and were not necessarily superior. This is seen very clearly in today’s selection from Romans 8.

Look at the first lines of today’s reading: Continue reading “14th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Sinners Struggling to be Saints” →

In the post below, our Reopening Committee has provided an extensive section on returning to church. I’d like to add a few words as we welcome the faithful back to public Masses starting the week of June 29.

Bishop DiMarzio has given churches permission to open for Mass both on weekdays and on Sundays. Enough parishioners have volunteered to act as ushers that we will be able to have Mass this Wednesday (July 1) at 12:10 PM and next Sunday (July 5) at 11:15 AM. We barely have enough volunteers to maintain our current schedule, much less expand the number of Masses, we will need more helpers. If you can volunteer going forward, please contact the rectory, Joe Genova, or Jane Olson. Continue reading “Pastor’s Message on Church Reopening” →