Rev. James A. Wallace, C.Ss.R.

Dec 16 2024

Grant to Us, O Lord, a Heart Renewed

Nathan’s message to King David could not have been any more pointed: God says, “I have given you all that you have, and you have taken away all that your devoted soldier Uriah had: his wife and his life.’” David acknowledges his sin, confessing his guilt, and God shows mercy, forgiving him.

After hearing Jesus preach, a woman responds with repentance to his message announcing the coming of God’s reign. She comes to the house of Simon the Pharisee to express her grateful heart for all to see. Simon, however, is a harder nut to crack. As Nathan did with David, Jesus tells a story, hoping to penetrate Simon’s judgmental heart. Simon gets the point, but we don’t know whether it stays in his head without reaching his heart.

God sent Jesus to liberate people, to bring them to a fuller life. We see Jesus trying to free both men and women from what imprisons them, and to bring them out of the darkness and into the light of communion with God and with each other. We see how quickly God responds to David’s confession and how appreciatively Jesus speaks of the woman to Simon.

One hopes that Simon came to himself at some point and was able to receive the good news of God’s kingdom so near to his grasp. One hopes he came to know God’s generous forgiveness for his sins, whether many or few, great or small. One hopes he came to recognize Jesus as truly God’s prophet and Son.

Consider/Discuss

Do our “little” sins lead us to be judgmental of others?
Do we know that no sin is beyond God’s forgiveness?

Responding to the Word

You are our forgiving Father who desires to lift any burden caused by sin. Give us the courage to confess honestly what we have done and what we have failed to do. When we sin, save us from despair and keep our eyes on your merciful love, revealed to us by your Son, Jesus.

Dec 16 2024

God’s Eye Is on the Widow

Widows were not merry in the Bible. They were not high on Israel’s scale of social importance, nor on that of other countries in biblical times. A widow was in trouble if she did not have a son or another male in the family to care for her. God’s compassion for widows shines through here.

There is no faith in evidence on the part of either widow. Neither asks Elijah or Jesus to do anything. If anything, the widow of Zarephath blames the prophet for the death of her son: “Why have you done this to me, O man of God?” This could be the grief speaking or an assumption that a foreign prophet’s presence attracted divine attention in some punishing way. But the prophet’s prayer has God restore the child’s life.

Compassion for the widow moves Jesus: “When the Lord saw her, he was moved with pity for her and said to her, ‘Do not weep.’ ” Jesus does nothing more than speak to the young man, “Young man, I tell you, arise!” And the dead man sits up, speaking—a nice touch by Luke. The young man returns to life speaking. What were his first words?

One wonders what God makes of our age, when the precarious condition of widows in the past has become the ongoing plight of so many women, young and old, across all cultures in the world. How many see their children die before them, the cost of diseases that could be averted, even cured, or needless wars between genocidal factions?

Consider/Discuss

How would you describe the condition of women in today’s world?
Where and how is Jesus calling us to act today to relieve the plight of women?

Responding to the Word

Jesus, Son of Mary, you befriended the Samaritan woman as well as Martha and Mary. You heard the plea of the Syro-Phoenician woman and raised the widow’s son. You liberated Mary Magdalene from her demons and spoke out for the woman at the house of Simon the Pharisee. Bless our efforts to serve women in our world.

Dec 16 2024

A Meal Rich in Blessing

While the first reading sounds like an ancient forerunner of the Mass, even including a collection, what it really presents is a post-battle victory dinner, hosted by Melchizedek, with Abram giving the king and priest some of the spoils won in battle. Even so, the heart of this reading is Melchizedek blessing God over bread and wine and asking a blessing for Abram.

We then hear Paul speak about his handing on the tradition he received, recounting the meal Jesus shared at the Last Supper before he was handed over to suffer and die. Bread was broken and named his body; the cup of wine was shared as a sign of the new covenant to be enacted through the shedding of his blood. In doing this throughout future generations, the community would pro

claim Christ’s saving death until his return.

The multitude Jesus once fed with a few blessed loaves and fish now has become the people of God, a people of faith, also having suffered through the centuries, ever hungry for the living bread and thirsty for the saving cup, anticipating the banquet we shall share in the kingdom.

This meal continues to make Christ present as priest, as sacrificial offering, and as food that nourishes his body, the Church. Whenever we participate, we join with Christ, our head, and with all who have preceded us, giving praise and thanks for all blessings to the Father in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Consider/Discuss

What does the presence of Christ in the Eucharist mean for community life?
How does this meal that nourishes us relate to the hunger in today’s world?

Responding to the Word

We give you thanks, loving God, for the nourishment and strength we continue to receive in this sacrament of the Eucharist. Keep us aware that we live in a world hungry for food that strengthens the body and food that nourishes the spirit. Impel us to respond to the needs of your hungry children.

Dec 16 2024

A God Who Delights

We begin and conclude most of our efforts to pray with the simple words “In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Many times a hurried gesture accompanies these words, touching forehead, chest, and each shoulder. But think for a moment about that gesture that makes a cross on our bodies, as it moves from mind to heart to the width of our bodies. Reflect on those words. How often our familiarity with this action can become a rote gesture and a hurriedly mumbled phrase.

The mystery of the Trinity is central to our faith. Our God is one yet three, three yet one. No matter which way you say it, the mystery doesn’t become any more comprehensible or less baffling. At the heart of this mystery is the reality of our loving God who created our world and all the worlds beyond ours, who has given us generous access by the gift of faith in Jesus Christ, and who has poured divine love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, the first gift to us at Baptism.

What can possibly make sense of this? I would hold up one phrase from today’s readings for meditation. Divine Wisdom speaks of herself as being the Lord’s delight while creation was taking place, playing before the Lord day by day. Then there is that beautiful conclusion when Wisdom says, “And I found delight in the human race.” God’s Wisdom delights in us! Can we return the favor?

Consider/Discuss

Do you think of God as taking delight in the works of creation, salvation, and sanctification?
How does having “God’s love poured into your heart” lead you to take delight in God?

Responding to the Word

God of creation, you sent your Son, Jesus, to bring us fullness of life, leading us into communion with you through the Holy Spirit. May we be a source of delight for you, and be worthy of the creation you have entrusted to our care. We thank you for all that has been, is, and will be.

Dec 16 2024

Holy Spirit, Mega-Gift

I heard a noted theologian quip that we might possibly think of the Holy Spirit as the Cinderella of the Trinity because the Holy Spirit does the work while the Father and the Son get the attention. Everyone laughed—but our readings today highlight the many ways the Holy Spirit enters our lives and gets to work.

Begin with the images of the Spirit found in today’s scripture: a strong, driving wind; hovering tongues of fire; the lavisher of languages; the giver of spiritual gifts; the breath of the risen Lord; the power of forgiveness—and these are only a few of the names given to the Holy Spirit. Turn to the Gospel of John, in which Jesus refers to the Spirit as the Paraclete or Advocate, the Teacher, the Witness.

Find the Sequence for the feast of Pentecost in a worship aid and you will discover even more insights into the role of the Spirit cast in a poetic form: father of the poor, the comforter, sweet refreshment, grateful coolness, healer of wounds, renewer of our strength. And my two favorite lines: “Bend the stubborn heart and will;/Melt the frozen, warm the chill.”

The work of the Holy Spirit is to bring us to life and then to make us life-givers for others. Paul reminds us that all the gifts of the Spirit are given for the common good.

The church was born after this mega-gift was given to a small group of disciples who were disciples of a crucified Galilean. The Spirit is truly the Gift That Keeps On Giving.

Consider/Discuss

Which name for the Holy Spirit best describes the role the Spirit has played in your life?
What gift of the Spirit would you ask for, not only for yourself, but for the good of those you love?

Responding to the Word

Come, Holy Spirit; bring peace, mercy, forgiveness, justice, and wisdom to our world and its leaders. Come, Holy Spirit; fill the hearts of your faithful and enkindle in them the fire of your love. Come, Holy Spirit; make your home in me that I might bring your light into the world.