Easter Vigil Mass at St. Charles Borromeo, 2019

You are the light of the world.
A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden.
Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket;
it is set on a lampstand,
where it gives light to all in the house.
Just so, your light must shine before others,
that they may see your good deeds
and glorify your heavenly Father
(Matthew 5:14–16)

Fr. Smith’s Commentary on the Second Reading
Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
1 Corinthians 2:1–5
February 5, 2023

When introducing Plato’s idea of the “Noble Lie” my professor told a class of 18-year-olds that one day we would understand it not just in our heads but in our hearts as well. It took over 50 years but now I get it.

Plato’s insight was that a nation required a founding myth to maintain peace and order. The common folk needed to believe it but the “Philosopher Kings” who governed the society would know that this was man-made and devised as means of social control. This ruling class would do almost anything to maintain this myth. We have seen it at work in our own day with debates on curriculum in general and history in particular. By defining the past, we can determine the future. (The Republic, Book 3, 414)

Christianity pulled back the veil on these myths. They depend on a power structure which allows some to be strong and the expense of the weak. Its symbols reflect that division. The basic reality for Christianity is that Jesus died on the cross at the command of the empire but then rose from the dead in defiance of it. “Death has no power over him.” (Rom. 6:9) The Roman Empire is long gone but societies still have myths and histories to justify why some have to the right to rule and others the duty to submit. It is the genius of St. Paul that he not only recognizes that the Gospel unmasks these myths but that the good news of the cross must be presented clearly and simply without distractions or flourishes to be effective.

Continue reading “5th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Embracing the Cross” →

The Beatitudes Sermon, James Tissot
c. 1890, Brooklyn Museum

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain,
and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him.
He began to teach them, saying:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
(Matthew 5:1–3)

Fr. Smith’s Commentary on the Second Reading
Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
1 Corinthians 1:26–31
January 29, 2023

Last week’s reading ended with Paul saying that he did not preach the gospel with the wisdom of human eloquence “so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its meaning”. (1 Co 1:17) By human eloquence he meant the techniques of classical rhetoric that were considered the marks of education, breeding and intelligence. He thought that these bells and whistles might distract from the meaning. We see that today with preachers who are better versed in marketing conventions than scripture. Paul sees that the cross destroys all pretense and continues with:

Continue reading “4th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Boasting in the Lord” →

Calling of Saints Peter and Andrew, Caravaggio
c. 1603 – 1606, Hampton Court Palace

He said to them,
“Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
At once they left their nets and followed him.
(Matthew 4:19–20)

Fr. Smith’s Commentary on the Second Reading
Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
1 Corinthians 1:10–13, 17
January 21, 2023

In a previous assignment, I sent a group of parishioners to a leaders’ meeting to organize for a neighborhood initiative. When the time came to energy where they were from, they called out “Father Smith’s Church.” A Baptist minister who was present, a wise man and good friend, called me that night. He said that in his experience this was a sign of admiration and affection but also presented grave dangers. When a church becomes overidentified with any human being, it is in danger of losing sight of both Jesus and neighbor and is an invitation to factionalism. I addressed it with several homilies at Mass but not, alas, with the reading today. Human beings need affirmation and recognition, but Paul is reminding both leaders and followers that for Christians that can only come by putting Jesus first. Everything and everyone else are secondary.

Continue reading “3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time – Becoming Closer to Christ and Each Other” →

The Baptism of Christ, Guido Reni, 1622-1623,
Kunsthistorisches Museum (Vienna)

John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said,
“Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.”
(John 1:29)

Fr. Smith’s Commentary on the Second Reading
Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
1 Corinthians 1:1–3
January 15, 2023

What a difference a half century makes. I was first taught the conventions of letter writing in the time of St. Paul about 1973. I admired that the structure was clear but allowed for considerable creativity. We will see this week and next how Paul accepts the techniques for a formal opening but adapts them for his needs. The importance of letters, however, eluded me. They held that a well-written letter made the person present. They would even use the word “/Parousia/” which we use for the return of Jesus for the presence of the author. This seemed extreme.

At the time of my formal introduction to the Bible in the seminary, letters were the most popular means of communication. There were only two public phones for over 100 people and a phone call was expensive. So, we wrote letters usually by hand. Except for thank you and condolence letters I stopped writing them with the introduction of email, texting, and WhatsApp. An incident during the COVID lockdown, however, taught me the power of a well-constructed letter. I didn’t have the digital contact information for one of our young professionals, so I sent her a letter asking how she was. She called me and told me it was the first personal letter she had ever received and how much it meant to her. Something is conveyed in a letter that cannot be emailed, texted, or certainly tweeted.

Continue reading “2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time – The Source of Rejoicing and Harmony” →

The Magi Journeying (Les rois mages en voyage),
James Tissot, 1886-1894 (Brooklyn Museum)

Fr. Smith’s Commentary on the Second Reading
Epiphany of the Lord
Letter to the Ephesians 3:2–6
January 8, 2023

The readings for the feast of the Epiphany are the same every year. This reasoning is obvious for the Gospel of the Magi, but the other readings are perceptively chosen as well. The Letter to the Ephesians speaks of how the light of Jesus can be with us today as much as when he was in the manger in Bethlehem. We will repeat the commentary from last year but with a different conclusion. The word of God is alive and can illuminate every time and place.

Continue reading “Epiphany – How God Has Chosen to be Present” →

Virgin and Child mosaic, 9^th century, Hagia Sophia
(About this Image)

And Mary kept all these things,
reflecting on them in her heart.
(Luke 2:19)

Fr. Smith’s Commentary on the Second Reading
Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God
Galatians 4:4–7
January 1, 2023

Today, we celebrate the feast of Mary, the Mother of God with the second reading from Paul’s letter to the Galatians. It includes the phrase “born of a woman” but this is not the primary reason for choosing this passage. As we will discover that this entire chapter from Galatians is best understood with Mary, even more than Paul, as our model.

We will need provide only a brief background. Galatia is not a city but an area in Asia Minor (near Ankura in modern Turkey). Paul had lived there and was treated quite well. He taught the people and thought they were well prepared when he left. He discovered however afterwards that other missionaries, perhaps claiming to have been sent by the apostles in Jerusalem, had come to Galatia and told the people that Paul’s teaching was incomplete because he did not require circumcision and other signs of being fully Jewish. Paul feels betrayed and hurt for himself but more concerned for the salvation of his flock and in this letter blasts his opponents personally and demolishes their arguments intellectually.

Continue reading “Mary, Mother of God – Embracing the Freedom Given by Her Son” →

Fr. Smith’s Commentary on the Second Reading
The Nativity of Our Lord
Titus 3:4–7
December 25, 2022

Christmas provides four Masses with many choices of readings. Most communities choose the readings for Midnight Mass for all the Masses to hear the story of the birth of Jesus in Luke. This is time honored and eagerly awaited but means that we do not hear this section from the “Letter to Titus,” which is read as the Second Reading during the Mass at Dawn. It is always powerful and particularly relevant this year.

This is one of the pastoral letters written in the name of St. Paul but most likely composed years after his death by a disciple. They reflect the situation of the church which the apostles left behind. The first generation of witnesses had died and the leaders who were left needed to establish not only how they would govern but why they could govern. This did not arise abstractly but in concrete situations. These letters addressed them and are thus “pastoral” in that the new leaders prove their worth by the wisdom of their responses. Their use of Paul’s name would not have been seen as dishonest; everyone knew he was dead. They allowed the readers to look at what Paul had said and done in other situations and see if what his successors wrote “fits.” Titus’ letter fits very well not in the original situation but also for our Christmas.

Continue reading “Christmas – Reborn in the Spirit” →