Image of St. Francis at St. Ann Church

      Today, I found this image of St. Francis in a closet on the 3rd floor of the rectory (now known as the Anchorage) at St. Ann's.

     Thirty-two years ago, I spent a summer living and working at St. Ann's as a "seminarian" with the College Candidate Program of the Archdiocese of Baltimore. I was guided that summer (and the during the following Christmas semester break when I returned) by a wonderful pastor, Joe Muth!

     This very framed image hung on a wall just outside of my bedroom back then. At the time, I was contemplating the possibility of becoming a Franciscan friar. One evening, during a time when I was very prayerfully doing some serious contemplation on the 58th Chapter of Isaiah, I found myself standing in the hallway, and gazing upon this image, and I became nearly entranced by it (St. Francis receiving the Stigmata by El Greco).

     It was just then, just at that moment, that I made the definitive decision to become a Conventual Franciscan friar! It was as if St. Francis himself had told me what to do! That was very definitely a "God Moment" in my life that I will never forget, and so I can't even explain how excited I was to find this image in the closet today!

     And little did I ever imagine back then that someday I would return to St. Ann as the Pastor (God certainly works in mysterious ways!).

     Interesting to note is that the original of this painting is on permanent display right here in Baltimore at the Walters Art Museum. Praise God!

 

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The Poor Widow, the Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time–Year B

My Sisters and Brothers: 

     In Biblical times, widows had far greater problems than simply losing their husbands to death. In those days, women in general had no “rights” apart from their husbands, and so they were basically property-less and disenfranchised people. As such, women were totally dependent on their fathers, their husbands or upon other male family members for their security and their livelihood. If a woman became a widow, and she was “fortunate” enough to have living parents, a caring brother-in-law, or an adult son, she could likely depend on them to provide for her needs in order to survive. Without such people, she was doomed to desolation and begging, or even worse.

     Throughout the Gospels, we find that Jesus champions many types of people who were as “unfortunate” as widows. Such people were the most humble within society, and within the religious culture of the time. It was for those very needy people that Jesus spent a lot of time and energy demonstrating God’s unconditional and eternal love!

     With this in mind, I don’t think it was a coincidence that just before Jesus pointed out the faith and generosity of a poor widow, he made a point of criticizing the “religiously righteous,” the scribes who were “those who went around in long robes and accepted greetings in the marketplaces, seats of honor in synagogues, and places of honor at banquets” (see Mark 12:38-39). We could say that many of the scribes, and other such people (such as the Pharisees and the Levites as well) enjoyed prestigious lifestyles, the likes of which were completely opposite of the experiences of struggling and poor widows. Unless they happened to be from unusually wealthy families, “Biblical widows” were certainly not able to wear fancy clothes, and they were not given great respect in public places; nor were they were given seats of honor at important gatherings. Unlike the scribes, the widows were people who could depend only on God, and upon the generosity of others, in order to survive.

     As I contemplated this, I found myself pondering the following question: In our own time, which types of people might we compare to the “Biblical widow?” My answer to this is to look to those people who by some might be considered to be “on the margins of society.” These people might be the homeless, the disabled, those addicted to drugs and alcohol, impoverished families, those overwhelmed with debts, forgotten elderly people left alone in nursing homes, gay, lesbian and transgender people, undocumented foreigners and migrants, beggars on the street and so on. Our faith teaches us that such people, like every human being, deserve to be respected and cherished as children of God.

     I believe we must never forget that people who are thought to be marginalized deserve as much human respect as doctors, lawyers, successful business people, politicians, priests and others who might be the social equivalent of the Biblical scribes in our own modern society. We must not be tempted to think otherwise; all men and women, no matter their social status, or the amount of wealth or power they have, are equal in the eyes of God.

     On the final day, there will be no distinction between men and women, the fortunate and the unfortunate, the rich and the poor, the strong and the weak, the educated and the uneducated, and so on.

     May we always have the attitude of Jesus as we consider the value and dignity of others, especially those for whom even basic human rights are often denied; may we never be pretentious about whom we ourselves are, and may we always reach out to those who need an understanding of God’s unconditional and eternal love!

Praise God! Friar Timothy

 

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All Saints Day and the "Celebration of Diversity"

My Sisters and Brothers:  

On this Solemnity of All Saints, I believe it is a good and very holy thing to proclaim that the Christian Church “celebrates diversity.”  Today, and in a special way, we rejoice with all of the saints, those faithful sisters and brothers who when on earth lived in every part of the world, spoke every possible language, and embraced every culture!  What they completed in whatever place they lived on earth, and what they have now become in heaven, is exactly what each one of us aspires to do and to be.  That is, no matter whom we have been, who we are now, or from where we have come, and/or are today, we too hope to be saints with them in our own future heavenly glory!  We have confidence that, when that time comes, we too will enjoy forever the fullness of life in the presence of our Loving God with them, that vast multi-cultural assembly!

In today’s first reading, and contemplating this heavenly reality, we heard in the words of the Apostle John that he “had a vision of a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue . . . and they stood before the throne and before the Lamb, wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands” (see Revelation 7:9).  These words give me both comfort and joy as they indeed and clearly proclaim the saints in heaven to be a very diverse and dynamic community.  Doesn’t this exactly describe the Church on Earth, the community of the faithful assembled in so many different and diverse places throughout the world?

Aren’t we too, the people of our parish, a wonderful example in miniature of the same kind of diversity found in the Universal Christian Church?  Can’t we then say that the community that meets right here in our own parish church is striving as best as it can to be an image of that diverse and dynamic community of saints in heaven?  That surely is what we are called to be!  We are people who come from different nations and states, we have different cultural and ethnic backgrounds, and some of us even speak different languages!  Although we are not yet perfected, we are indeed a smaller version of both the broader and still journeying Christian Church, and that very great and diverse, and now unblemished multitude of saints in heaven described by the Apostle John in the Book of Revelation!

Therefore, we can boldly proclaim that those of us who now form a very diverse and multi-cultural Church on Earth surely desire to attain that same holiness now enjoyed by that dynamic community of our sisters and brothers who are already saints in heaven!  They inspire and motivate us, because like us they represent every nation, race, people, and tongue!

My friends, may we celebrate the fullness our diversity and all of those things that make our community such a multi-patterned quilt of people!  Let us march onward together to our promised heavenly home, always respecting and celebrating that diversity that brings such variety to who we are as a community of people-striving-to-be-saints!

Praise God!  Friar Timothy

 

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The Blind Beggar Bartimaeus, the Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time–Year B

My Sisters and Brothers:

     In John’s Gospel, Jesus tells us that “the Good Shepard . . . calls his own sheep by name” (see John 10:1-21). With this in mind, today’s Gospel presents us with the story of the “blind beggar named Bartimaeus” (see Mark 10:46-52). The “name” given to this blind beggar is very interesting to me because the word really was not a bona fide name at all, but rather was a description of who he was. “Bartimaeus” simply meant “the son of Timaeus” (see verse 46).

     In Biblical times, many “people on the fringe” were thought to have had very little or no value at all as members of society, and like the blind beggar of today’s Gospel were essentially “nameless” to others. These would have included those who were sickened, crippled, blinded, possessed, impoverished, widowed and/or orphaned (just to mention a few). It was thought that many, if not all of those people, were stricken as such because of their sins, or because of the sins of their parents or relatives. It was believed as well that such “sinners” deserved little, if any, favor with God, and certainly why those who were in contrast regarded as “the righteous ones” deprived them of the dignity of being respectfully called “by name.” Those “sinners” therefore, the most marginalized of society, were completely shunned, discriminated against, and even treated with “holy contempt.” 

    Let’s not miss the subtle irony then presented by the blind man’s “name” given in today’s Gospel account! For those who actually witnessed this event, and for those who first heard about it in the earliest days of the church, even the “non-name” given to “Bartimaues” would have further underscored and highlighted his “worthlessness.” 

     According to Mark, “on hearing that it was Jesus of Nazareth, ‘Bartimaeus’ began to cry out and say, ‘Jesus, son of David, have pity on me’ . . . and many rebuked him, telling him to be silent . . . but he kept calling out all the more, ‘Son of David, have pity on me’” (see verses 47-48). The people in the crowd, undoubtedly many of them “religious people,” must have felt justified as they tried to silence this “sinner” who cried out to Jesus. But the radical Jesus introduced to faith filled people a whole new way of thinking about and affirming the dignity of every single human being, even those previously thought to be unworthy of God’s love. 

     In response to “Bartimaeus,” and as with so many others who begged him for forgiveness, Jesus demonstrated a different way of treating “sinners.” Jesus was merciful, he was patient, he was loving and he was kind. Jesus looked into the eyes and into the hearts of those who were bowed down; Jesus lifted them up and called them by name, and he assured them they were loved by God! Jesus rejected attitudes that negated the value and dignity of other human beings, especially when those others were marginalized and essentially rendered as “nameless.” Instead, Jesus forgave those who were thought to have been “sinners,” he welcomed the outcasts, the marginalized and the scorned. 

     It’s no surprise to me then that when “Bartimaeus” called out to Jesus with faith and persistence, Jesus immediately cured him and gave him sight. Therefore, let us model our behavior towards others after Jesus who reached out those who were thought to be sinful and unworthy, and like Jesus may we value and cherish all of the people with whom we come into contact every day of our lives. Like “Bartimaeus,” may we also have faith and always believe that we are forgiven and precious in God’s eyes, and may we know that because of his great love for us, our God calls each one of us “by name.”

Praise God!  Friar Timothy

 

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Jesus, the Perfect Servant, the Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time–Year B

My Sisters and Brothers:

     Today’s Gospel reminds us that Jesus came “to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many” (see Mark 10:45).  As faithful followers of Jesus, we are therefore called to take upon ourselves the identities and attitudes of “servants.” The Gospel clearly tells us that if we want to be “great” then we must place our lives in the service of others.

     As we contemplate this, it may be helpful to think about the sacrifices and contributions to our society that “modern-day servants” make for all of us. Although an actual list of the jobs done by such people is probably nearly endless, I believe there are many types of work that can be regarded as contemporary examples of this, and I think those who very responsibly take on these jobs clearly exemplify lives of service. Let’s consider the great, and often thankless duties of nurses and hospital orderlies, maintenance personnel, housemaids, cooks, teachers and child care providers, parking attendants, commercial drivers, construction workers, sales associates and cashiers, secretaries, security guards and even firefighters and police officers (just to name a few). We might also ponder the way such people, especially those who remain forever dedicated and dutiful, are often denied the proper respect and admiration they ought to be rightly given!

     As I thought about this, a good friend who works for the New York City Department of Sanitation came to mind. When I was a youth, if I had aspired to be a “trash man” I might have been ridiculed by my family and friends; they might have told me that such work was undignified, or that it was only for those incapable of doing anything else. Certainly, the value of such work and service to society would have been negated by those who might have encouraged me to aspire to something “greater.” Now that I have a perspective on the dedicated life of public service done by my friend the sanitation worker, I know for sure that the possible advice my friends and family might have given would have been completely misdirected. Such work in service to others is in fact very dignified, not for the fainthearted, and certainly worthy of great respect and admiration. I now have no doubt that sanitation workers, and so many other types of “modern-day servants,” form a most critical and very necessary layer of the system we call “human society.” What they do is truly “great!” And where would we all be without them?  Because of the work my friend the sanitation worker tirelessly does for others, I believe he is truly a hero in our society, and this can also be said about so many others who are our “modern-day servants!”

      Not all of us may have the privilege of holding such service related jobs, but Jesus reminds us in today’s Gospel that our attitudes must be one with theirs. He says: “Whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant . . .whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all . . . for the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many” (see Mark 10:43-45).

     As Christians, may we always be grateful to those faithful “modern-day servants” who so clearly demonstrate the very mind and disposition of Jesus! May we follow the example of their humble attitudes, especially in the manner in which we share their desire to give complete and loving service toward others. Let us encourage each other with this goal, and may we always desire to serve rather than to be served. May Jesus, the perfect servant, continue to inspire and nourish all of us in our lives of faith.  

Praise God!  Friar Timothy

 

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The Rich Young Man, the Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time–Year B

My Sisters and Brothers:

 

     I wonder if today’s Gospel story simply challenges or criticizes wealthy people who value their riches more than spiritual things?  Perhaps.  It does present us with an account of a rich young man who, although asked to give up his possessions in order to follow Jesus, was unable to do so (see Mark 10:17-30).

 

   Even though the rich young man had strictly observed all of the Ten Commandments during the course of his life, Jesus told him there was still more he was called to do. I think Jesus challenged him to make a deeper faith commitment that involved the total surrender of not really just his possessions, but actually his heart and his will as well. The young man’s failure to do as Jesus asked might be symbolic of all of those struggles we too may have as we try to overcome our own selfish temptations.
 
    I believe the message of today’s Gospel can challenge us to think about those things in our own lives that might occupy too much of our attention, our hopes and our desires. We might ask: Are there things upon which we might be tempted to place more value than for God or for his people? And does being distracted by these things indeed cause us to be insufficiently dedicated to the very noble and the many responsibilities and attitudes that our faith places upon us?

 

     And so, what are those things in our lives that possibly control us and upon which we might place too much value? Using the “seven deadly sins” as a guide, a few things on this list perhaps might be as follows: uncontrolled and selfish desire for physical pleasure, inability to maintain a healthy diet of food and nutrition, constant craving for power, money and/or prestige, lethargic and/or lazy approaches to responsibilities at work or school, over-exaggerated feelings of anger when struggling with the challenges of life or when dealing with perceived faults of others, extreme envy and/or jealousy towards others who have been blessed with success and good fortune, and lastly (and perhaps most “deadly”), bloated pride in our own accomplishments that leads us to a self-perceived sense of superiority over others.
 
     Unlike the rich young man presented in today’s Gospel, can we in contrast truly give up those things in our own lives that might “possess” us? And then, in contrast to these things, might we instead strive to be unselfish and genuinely loving towards others, good stewards of our personal health, joyfully generous with our resources, enthusiastic about our work and responsibilities, mercifully patient with and towards others, always full of kindness, and authentically humble about who we truly are?

 

     We may not have so many riches like the young man in today’s Gospel, but there may be things in our lives that prevent us from serving the Lord with our whole heart, mind and soul. To paraphrase today’s Gospel message then, I believe Jesus tells us: “Turn away from those things that possess you, place yourselves in service to others, and then you will have treasure in heaven and will be able to follow me with all that you are!”

 

     My friends, may we do this well!

 

     Praise God!  Friar Timothy

 

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Do Not Work for Food that Perishes, the Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time–Year B

My Sisters and Brothers:

     Beginning today, and for next two Sundays, we will hear nearly all of the “Bread of Life Discourse” as recorded and found only in the Gospel of St. John (see chapter 6:22-59).

     As we contemplate the message contained in today’s passage, we might simply ask ourselves: “At the present time, and in this life, what are those things that matter to us the most as we attempt to remain faithful to Jesus?”  I believe we can ask this question in light of how we relate to others, the desires and needs we have as we live today, and as we contemplate our hope for the fullness of grace, and for eternal life.

     In last week’s Gospel, we heard the story of the multiplication of the loaves and the fishes.  We saw that Jesus had performed a very “temporal” miracle in order to satisfy the hunger of a crowd of people for whom he had so much compassion (i.e., he had pitied them, and then he satisfied their need to eat at that moment).  Those very same people are featured once more in today’s Gospel; it seems they continued to follow him, and were captivated by him, because they wanted even more “temporal” satisfaction.  Because they did not yet understand the heavenly and eternal purpose of Jesus’ mission, and they likely hoped Jesus would become a type of earthly king, Jesus needed to instruct them about the imperishable nature of his mission and purpose.

     In the teaching contained in today’s Gospel, the people were challenged to understand a greater reality; they were taught about what really mattered for those who understood the meaning of life from an eternal perspective.  Jesus said to them: “You are looking for me not because you saw signs but because you ate the loaves and were filled . . . do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life . . . I am the bread of life and whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst” (see John 6:24-35).

     We cannot interpret this teaching aside from our understanding of who and what Jesus is for us as we come together to celebrate the Eucharist.  For us, Jesus himself is the “bread from heaven given for us to eat” (cf.,  John 6:51), and in the sharing of this heavenly food, we are given a glimpse into heaven, and are allowed an understanding of those things that really matter the most–in both the present and in the next life.

     Jesus fed the multitudes with the loaves and the fishes in order to satisfy their temporal needs, and he calls us to do the same in the way that we reach out and serve the less fortunate, but there is something much greater that we must never forget: Jesus himself is the Bread of Life, and he gives himself to us completely and eternally!  He does this so that we might be nourished today, and so that we might also experience the fullness of life and live forever!

     May the faith we have, how we live it in this life, and the manner in which we associate and place ourselves in service to others, be like the imperishable, eternal and sanctifying Eucharist we receive and share–may these things matter to us the most, and may they foreshadow that future glory of ours where Jesus already reigns forever!  Today, let us confidently hope for the fullness of grace, for the promise of life eternal, and for that day when all will be satisfied, and no one will ever hunger or thirst again!

Praise God!  Friar Timothy

 

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