Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time [A]

Readings
Malachi 1:14b-2:2b, 8-10
1 Thessalonians 2:7b-9, 13
Matthew 23:1-12

Calendar
October 30: daylight savings time ends in most parts of the US
October 31: Halloween
November 1: All Saints
November 2: All Souls
November 3: Id al Fitr (End of Ramadan)
November 8: Election Day in the US

Quotes
Poverty is a scourge against which humanity must struggle ceaselessly. We are called to an ever greater solidarity so that no one will be excluded from society.
Pope Benedict XVI, October 16, 2005

The one gift of salvation coming from God through Jesus-Sophia in the Spirit upends power relationships, transforming all teachers, fathers, masters, great ones into servants of the little ones. . . Jesus' Abba signifies a compassionate, liberating God . . .
Elizabeth Johnson CSJ, She Who Is, 82

The solidarity which binds all people together as members of a common family makes it impossible for wealthy nations to look with indifference upon the hunger, misery and poverty of other nations whose citizens are unable to enjoy even elementary human rights. The nations of the world are becoming more and more dependent on one another and it will not be possible to preserve a lasting peace so long as glaring economic and social imbalances persist.
John XXIII, Mater et Magistra, #157

There is a Zen story about a man riding a house which is galloping every quickly. Another man, standing alongside the road, yells at him, "where are you going?" and the man on the horse yells back, "I don't know. Ask the horse." I think that is our situation. We are riding many horses that we cannot control. The proliferation of armaments, for instance is a horse. We have tried our best, but we cannot control these horses. Our lives are so busy.
Thich Nhat Hanh, Being Peace, 65

Thoughts for Your Consideration
Catholic Social Teaching affirms the principle of solidarity or to put it simply, we believe that we are all brothers and sisters. In the words of today's first reading we were all created by the same God. We have one common parent. We are called not to rule over or dominate one another, but rather to be of service to one another and to live in loving solidarity with each other. Jesus was upset with those in authority who sought honors or prestige or control over others. Jesus was about service.

We can apply this perspective to some of the important issues of our day.

War and peace: Human beings and their governments work to control others and dominate. They resort to war and violence in order to gain or preserve a place of power, wealth or control. This is not the way of Jesus.

Economic injustice: Human beings and their corporations and institutions work to gain wealth and economic domination. In the process people are sometimes left out. Wages are sometimes inadequate and unjust. Capital is sometimes misallocated. Billions of people remain very poor. Some have too much and some have too little. Children and the poor are not taken care of. This is not the way of Jesus.

Racism and xenophobia: Human beings sometimes dominate and stereotype others. Sometimes whole groups of people are "left out." This discrimination can be reflected in our laws and policies. It can be reflected in our trade policy or in our economic policies or in the way we deal with refugees and immigrants. We forget that we are all brothers and sisters with one common parent. God's covenant is forgotten. This too is not the way of Jesus.

Divisions come about when people are looking for power or control rather than God and wisdom and solidarity. The way of Jesus is wonderfully imagined in the maternal image of the second reading: "We were gentle among you, as a nursing mother cares for her children."

Questions for Reflection in your Faith Sharing Group
Jesus says: "The greatest among you must be your servant."

Who are the people who have given you good examples of this type of greatness?

When have you seen this attitude exhibited in the policies of an institution or government?

Actions í¢â‚¬" Links
The Peace Pulpit, Homilies by Bishop Thomas J. Gumbleton: The National Catholic Reporter Publishing Company is able to make available Bishop Thomas J. Gumbleton's weekly Sunday homilies given at Saint Leo Church, Detroit, MI. Go to: http://nationalcatholicreporter.org/peace/

Saint Alberto Hurtado Cruchaga was canonized last week on October 23. The direction of the life of this Chilean Jesuit was changed by an encounter with a sick bigger in 1944. Alberto then devoted much of this life to the care of the poor and to the application of Catholic Social Principles to the lives of those in need. Read more about him at: http://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/saints/ns_lit_doc_20051023_cruchaga_en.html
or http://www.jesuit.org/sections/default.asp?SECTION_ID=192&SUBSECTION_ID=628 or http://www.canonizacion.cl/ingles.html

Prayer - Meditation

Prayer for Peace

Eternal God, in whose perfect kingdom no sword is drawn but the sword of righteousness, no strength known but the strength of love: So mightily spread abroad your spirit, that all peoples may be gathered under the banner of the Prince of Peace, as children of one creator; to whom be dominion and glory, now and for ever. Amen.

From http://www.beliefnet.com/prayeroftheday/prayer_one.asp?pid=3375

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Philippians, Chapter 2, contains a wonderful hymn of praise to the humble spirit of Jesus:

If there is any encouragement in Christ, any solace in love, any participation in the Spirit, any compassion and mercy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, with the same love, united in heart, thinking one thing. Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves, each looking out not for his own interests, but (also) everyone for those of others. Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus, Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.