If You Had One Wish... (17th Sunday, Year A)

Our first reading has always fascinated me. In it, God gives Solomon the opportunity of a lifetime; the chance to request anything. And because he is a king, I would have expected Solomon to ask for power and victory for him and his armies. I would have expected him to ask God for money and riches, so that his kingdom and legacy would be built into something legendary. If nothing else, I would have expected King Solomon to ask for the pleasure of enjoying himself during his time as king. Why wouldn’t he ask for plenty of food, drink, or whatever else his kingly heart desired? But look at what Solomon actually requests of God. It is not power, pleasure, or money. When God tells Solomon: “ask something of me and I will give it to you”, Solomon asks for knowledge and the gift of an understanding heart. 

This answer pleases God, in fact, it seems like he was almost caught off-guard by Solomon’s request. The Lord promises to give him wisdom and understanding in such abundance that never again will there be someone known to posses such an understanding heart. Even as a kid, I wondered what I would have said if God offered me anything I wanted. I suppose my answer to that question would have changed depending on my age and what was going on in my life. At different moments, I would have asked God for a bulldozer, the answers to my spelling test, and if he would would have appeared to me last night, probably the winning numbers for the Powerball or Megamillions lottery! It is humbling to admit but if I were in Solomon’s shoes, our first reading would probably have been much less inspiring!

What about you? If God spoke to you tonight and said, “ask something of me and I will give it to you” What would be on the top of your list? Would you request the wisdom to be a better husband or wife to your spouse, a better parent to your children, a better friend to your peers? Would you ask for an understanding heart to better live your Catholic faith? If God granted you one wish, would you ask for Godly wisdom and understanding or might you squander God’s generosity on something as transitory as power, pleasure, or money?

Real power, authentic riches, and lasting happiness all come to us if we acquire the Godly wisdom that Solomon asked for. This is not a luxury only for biblical characters; Christ offers us this same knowledge if we are willing to humble ourselves and learn from him, who is meek and humble of heart. And far from being an extravagance, an understanding heart, like the one given to Solomon, is absolutely essential for you and me if we hope to enjoy the kingdom of heaven when we die. So how do we “get” this gift? Is it even something ordinary people like us can hope for? 

This heavenly wisdom is the pearl of great price Jesus alludes to in our gospel. For you and me, we will likely receive this gift slowly, over time, little by little, through a consistent and quiet process of daily prayer. Probably not overnight like Solomon! Oftentimes, when we think of prayer, we imagine a list of wants and needs that we send up to God. Then, if He is in a good mood and we have behaved ourselves, perhaps some or most of those requests will come back granted the way we hoped. For many Christians, this is majority of their prayer. But in reality, there is so much more. Prayer is first and foremost, a relationship, a friendship with God. When we pray, we should be talking (AND LISTENING!) to Almighty God as we do with our best friend. We should be asking for things to be sure, but we should also be sharing our joys and sorrows, our hopes and fears, saying thank you for everything we have, apologizing for the times we have hurt Him, and also praising Him for his greatness. 

Prayer is a relationship that transforms us over time if we stick with it. What we realize is that the point of prayer is not so much to change God’s mind as it does ours. As we grow in our friendship with God, we begin to trust Him more and more. We ask Him for the things we think we need and trust that whatever He gives us, even if if is far different than what we requested, is exactly what is best for us. This trust, this hope, this confidence in God’s care for us is the foundation of the wisdom of Solomon, that understanding heart which knows how to properly order the rest of our life. This God-given gift is what gives us the clarity to find the Lord in the toughest of circumstances and always choose what is best for ourselves and others from the perspective of eternity. The wisdom of prayer enables us to look beyond the instant gratifications and flashiness of this world and set our heart on the pearl of great price, which is eternal union with God.

So let us ask God constantly for an understanding heart, just as King Solomon did in our first reading. May you and I look for that priceless treasure, which is the kingdom of God, each and every day of our lives. And let us not be afraid to let go of whatever we have, whether it is material, spiritual, or psychological, that might keep us from obtaining that priceless spiritual treasure. For in the kingdom of heaven we will obtain real power, authentic riches, and lasting happiness and we will rejoice in them for all eternity.

Why Does God Leave the Weeds? (16th Sunday, Year A)

Last Sunday, we heard the parable of the sower and the seed and discovered that God has some unusual farming techniques. This week, with the parable of the weeds in the garden, we see once again God's method of farming is different than most. Last week's "parable of the sower and the seed" and today’s"parable of the weeds" are parables about the church, about the field that God plants in the hope of gaining a rich harvest of blessing for himself and for the world he has made. The farmer's parables are parables about us as much as they are about God and what he does.  As I mentioned last week, we are the field of God, the soil where he plants.

Not everyone thinks Christianity and Catholicism are worth the effort. The two main reasons modern people give for not being Christian and for not associating with or attending church are the following:

One: People in the church are just as lousy as everyone else in the world. In general they are hypocrites and in particular there are thieves, liars, gossips, cheats, snobs, and adulterers among them.

Two: The whole idea of a good God is clearly ridiculous because if he was so good why would he allow so much evil to exist in the world.

Do these two reasons sound familiar to you? It's true. That's where many people are.They are upset, understandably so, that not everything is perfect. Like the farmer's servants in today's parable they are concerned: concerned that there are weeds among the wheat, concerned that the harvest might not happen, concerned that the effort of their master might come to nothing.

It is easy to be intimidated by what we might call the weeds in the church. It is easy to focus on the sins and imperfections that exist in the world and in the members of the Church. We can become so preoccupied with the flaws, the weeds that we forget the vast bouquet of flowers that makes up the rest of the church.

It is hard to understand why God allows the devil to cast his seed in his garden. The darnel, the weed referred to, looks like wheat. It even has a head similar to wheat. When the plant is young, it is almost impossible to distinguish it. Only when it is fully grown, without any grain, can it be separated from the wheat and burned. The word that God gives his servants is very clear: do not remove them, ”if you pull up the weeds, you might uproot the wheat along with them.” In other words, leave it to me. Wait for the time I have set.

It's hard to wait. It's hard to understand, especially when you see terrible things happening. But when it comes to dealing with other people, both in the Church and in the world, God calls us to plant not to weed; that job is his. We are to resist evil, of course, in ourselves and in others through his grace. We are called to recognize evil, to name it, and to pray to God that he will take care of it, much as the farmer told his servants in the parable that he would take of it. BUT most of all, we are told to do good instead of evil 

   - to bless instead of curse

   - to praise instead of criticize

   - to help instead of walk away

   - to love instead of hate

   - to forgive instead of resent

   - to tell truth instead of lies.

God indeed has a plan but when we look at it with only the dim light of human wisdom, or the closed eyes of doubt and pride, there is almost no explaining why God allows the devil to cast his destructive seed in his garden.

I want to conclude by saying that I am glad of one thing in this whole mystery. In this strange system of divine agriculture, in this field that is so mixed and cluttered with weeds (and some of them are real whoppers), I am glad that God waits a while and tells his servants to hold back. Because, at some point, and maybe even for long periods of time, each of us has been a weed in God’s garden. Some of the things we have done or failed to do were more of the devil than of the Lord. Knowing this, realizing what God has done and can do for us when we let him, I’m grateful to have the weeding put off to the end!

God is aware of the evil in our world. Evil is the price of freedom. If mankind did not have the ability to choose between good and bad, he wouldn't be free. Evil choices affect all people, but it is the price of having the ability to choose good. The farmer does not refuse to plant because he might find weeds among the wheat. He plants knowing that the result might not be perfect, but there will be wheat. 

God created us with the ability to bear fruit. That also gave us the ability not to bear fruit. We call out to God in times of tragedy, in times of evil. We want to be vindicated for doing good and suffering evil. The Lord recognizes our suffering and suffers with us, but he gives others time to choose him also, to be numbered among his wheat. God sees the weeds among the wheat. They are the price of freedom. But without freedom there would be no wheat. 

Today, we pray that we might withstand the onslaught of evil against us and we also pray we might fight to eliminate evil in our own lives. With confidence, with hope, we realize the Lord who sees all will, in the wisdom of his time, remove the weed from the wheat and bring forth an abundant harvest.

You Provide the Soil, God Does the Rest (15th Sunday, Year A)

Growing up, we were blessed to have wonderful neighbors. An elderly couple lived next door to us, and since their children were grown and gone, they adopted us as their honorary grandchildren. They shared much of the wisdom they had learned throughout their lives. For example, this gentleman taught me woodworking, how to work on small engines, and even tinker around with computers and other electronics. One of the most formative activities they shared with us was gardening. Each spring, they surrendered a portion of their yard to us kids so we could have a garden. For several months, my siblings and I would climb eagerly over the fence to plant, water, weed, and eventually harvest the garden for that year. There's something spiritual about plowing the earth, planting, weeding, and cultivating a seedling into a food-bearing source of nourishment. This hands-on activity was crucial in teaching foundational virtues like patience, hard work, and persistence. 

Practically, I learned that four things are necessary for a good harvest. The essential elements, whether it be a small garden in a backyard or a hundred-acre farm are these: Sun, water, good seed, and rich soil. Abundant sunlight is the engine for plant life. It fuels growth and development, it prevents moldy soil, and without it, nothing happens. Water is the life blood of every living thing. Water enables the plant to be rooted in the soil and draw nutrients from the earth. Most of the fruits and vegetables we eat have water as their main ingredient. It seems less important now because we can go to a nursery or hardware store and buy packs of good seed or even seedlings that are ready to plant. But in the ancient world, good, fresh seed was a treasure. You would not waste a single one and hopefully it would be the plant you wanted and not mixed with troublesome weeds and other worthless plants. Finally, there was the soil. The ground that was used for planting would need to be fertile and receptive to life. It would need to be turned and free of large trees, roots, rocks and other obstacles. Sandy or rocky soil, clay and many other types of earth would be undesirable because they would not provide the proper environment for strong, healthy plants. Without one or more of these four elements, the crops would not produce an abundant harvest.

Jesus uses this image of seed and soil, weeds and harvest to describe the kingdom of God. In this parable, Our Lord helps his listeners imagine what it takes to produce good fruit and enjoy the fruits of heaven. What are the practical implications for us, 2000 years later?

This parable reveals the generosity of God in regards to our salvation. When it comes to preparing an abundant harvest, Jesus shows us that God is willing to cover three of the four variables. God is the one who provides the seed for the sowing. The seed is the saving gospel, that Good news that has been handed down through the teaching of Church and the witness of the Apostles in Scripture and Sacred Tradition. Notice how freely God sows the seed! He is not cheap, he does not cut corners, he does not withhold it from some areas or peoples. He scatters it extravagantly, without counting the cost, in the hopes that while many will ignore him or burn out, as a result of his efforts, many will be saved.

God also provides the necessary warmth and light that is needed for life and growth. He gives us this in his Son, S-O-N, which is even greater and more essential than the sun, S-U-N. Jesus Christ is the engine of all spiritual life and dynamo for any growth towards God. With him all things are possible and without him, nothing will happen.

Finally, God pours out the rain needed for any good harvest. This is his grace, showered on us through prayer, works of charity, and the seven sacraments, most especially the Eucharist and Confession. God knows exactly what we need and how much we need to get through good times and bad, through dry spells and times of abundance and he is always willing to release these graces into our lives so we can receive nourishment and deepen the roots of our spiritual life.

The only factor that God does not control, the only element he leaves to us is that of the soil. God relies on us to provide the place for the seed of his gospel to grow and develop. He wants us to take an active role in bearing an abundant harvest for the kingdom of God. He wants to share the joy and and satisfaction that come from watching something life-giving and wonderful spring from the smallest of beginnings. 

So where does he sow the gospel? In the human heart, mind, and soul. As we reflect on this parable today, we might ask ourselves how suitable are our hearts, our minds, and our souls. Are they fertile places, ready to receive the Good News of Christ? Are they open to the ways we need to be challenged in order that we might grow and bear fruit? Are we doing everything in our power to be that rich soil that provides a safe, nourishing place for God’s life? Do we have a habit of daily, quiet prayer where our spiritual soil is turned over and refreshed? Or is it full of the weeds of greed, envy, laziness, lust, anger, pride and gluttony? Are we the packed ground that causes the faith to die away in times of trial and difficulty. Have we allowed the routine of daily life and our desire for comfort and control harden us so the seed of the Gospel has nowhere to sink its roots?

Let us resolve today to cultivate a rich place in our lives for God. No matter who we are, no matter what mistakes we have made in the past, God is here to help and get us ready to bring forth a wonderful harvest. May we be the ones who ‘who hear the word and understand it,the ones who bear fruit and yield a harvest of a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.’

What Yoke Are You Wearing? (14th Sunday, Year A)

One of the places I love to visit most on vacation is the mountains. I find them inspiring, humbling, and truly awesome. Even though it is strenuous to hike and camp in the wilderness, the rewards of reflecting on God’s beauty are well-worth it. In fact, in just a few weeks, I will be heading to Glacier National Park to camp and hike for 10 days. A few years ago I was in Yosemite National Park and the highlight of that trip was to climb Half-Dome, a 16-mile hike to the top of a massive rock formation carved out by glaciers ages ago. Leading up to this adventure, I was exploring some of the shorter trails in the park. But there was a major problem. I had bought some new boots in St. Louis that didn’t fit quite right. They were quality footwear but they were just a little too small. Even after a short hike of 4 or 5 miles, I would be unable to go any further because of how badly my feet hurt. There was no way I could make it to Half-Dome using them. Even though I had trained and was fit enough in terms of cardio and leg strength, the ill-fitting shoes made it impossible. Fortunately, I was able to borrow a pair of boots for the rest of my time in the park which enabled me to enjoy the remaining hikes, including Half-Dome.

The importance of a good fit is present in our gospel today. Jesus tells us: “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”

What is this talk about yokes and burdens? Jesus is using an image that would have been immediately familiar to the people of his time and anyone who worked with beasts of burden. Throughout human history, even in poorer countries today, much of the power and muscle needed for farming and logging came from oxen. These animals are capable of hauling huge loads and they can budge heavy objects that seem unmovable. The secret to the power of these magnificent animals is in the way they are harnessed to the load. For oxen, they are most often tied to their load by something called a yoke. A yoke is a curved object carved from hardwood that fits over the neck and head of the animals. It allows the weight of the load to be distributed evenly over the shoulders of one or two animals so it can be pulled safely and quickly. 

But yokes are not one-size-fits-all, just like there is no one boot type or size that fits every hiker. As a matter of fact, each yoke would address the needs and unique qualities of the animal that was going to use it. The carpenter would come and take general measurements. Then he would carve a yoke that was roughly the right size and shape. After this, the ox would be brought in and the yoke set on its shoulders. From here, the carpenter would fine-tune the yoke until it fit the animal perfectly. Because of this, oxen could carry incredible loads over many years. 

Christ sees the heavy loads people carry and he has compassion on them. He knows the weight of human suffering and he offers relief and rest. Christ lightens the load of the heavy burdens this world imposes and he gives us hope in the midst of our suffering. The heaviness of the world weighs us down; its yoke never fits us correctly. But how often we allow this weight to be hung around our own necks!!! Often we give in to sin, we do our own will instead of God’s and we become weary and heavily burdened. Worldly concern, suffering, and the effects of sin can discourage and overwhelm us; they seem like a load too heavy to budge. 

In today’s gospel, Jesus promises us relief when he says, “Come unto me - all you who are tired - all you who are feeling drained -all you who are feeling empty - all you who are burdened by a sense of disappointment - all you who are exhausted by the struggles of life and weighed down by your sense of duty, of what is right and wrong- and I will give you rest.  I will cleanse you - I will fill you with new joy - and establish you in a relationship with God that will give you new life - now and in the world to come.

That is the first part of what Jesus had to say. The second part is this: "take my yoke upon you and learn from me." This seems like a contradiction! We might be thinking, “How can I rest with a yoke on my shoulders?”  After all a burden is still a burden - a yoke is still a yoke. However, Jesus is telling us that there is no such thing as a burden-free life; life on earth always has its difficulties; the question is what KIND of burden will we choose to carry.

Jesus has no interest in unburdening us completely from the cares and concern of life; that is simply impossible. Rather, he is interested in lifting the burdens off our backs that suck the life out of us, so he can replace them with something better fitting. He is interested in removing the harness that we forge for ourselves and that the world forges for us, so he can place around our necks his own yoke which ironically brings new life, new energy, and new joy.

His yoke fits perfectly; it enables us to carry loads that we thought were impossible to move. Christ promises rest from the constant worrying and struggle this world imposes. If we seek his forgiveness in the sacrament of reconciliation, if we are wiling to come and place our trust in him, our burdens of mind and spirit are healed and we are given rest from our anger, guilt, and shame.  

So what are we waiting for??? If you feel weary and burdened with the concerns of this world, if you feel heavy in mind and in spirit, if the challenges of life seem more than you can bear, then run to Christ who promises to make them lighter. Allow him to remove that worldly yoke and replace it with one of his own. He assures us that it is light, easy, and we know that it is fashioned out of love and compassion.