The Good Word

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Thursday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time IJuly 20, 2023Hello and welcome to the Word, bringing you the Good News of Jesus Christ every day from the Redemptorists of the Baltimore Province. I am Fr. Karl Esker from the Basilica of our Lady of Perpetual Help in Brooklyn, NY. Today is Thursday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time. Our reading is taken from the holy gospel according to Matthew.Jesus said: "Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. 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."The gospel of the Lord.The gospel, as well as the first reading today, ask us to reflect on how we see our God. The ancients thought they had to perform extended rituals to get their gods’ attention. The moderns think that, if there is a God, God created the world and then wandered off to do something else, leaving mankind to its own designs. We Christians believe in a God who cares about us human beings. We see that in both readings today. Jesus, in the gospel we just heard, calls us to himself: "Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.” And in the first reading, God says to Moses: “I am concerned about you and about the way you are being treated in Egypt; so I have decided to lead you up out of the misery of Egypt into ... a land flowing with milk and honey.” The one thing God did not tell Moses, was how long it would take to get to the land flowing with milk and honey. The Bible tells us that it took forty years; and through it all, God accompanied the people. God gave them the Passover as a memorial and the ten commandments as a code of conduct that would identify them as God’s people. They would pass through times of doubt and conflict and their faith would have its ups and downs, but God remained faithful to the Promise, and always accompanied and protected the People.There is a similar journey to Jesus’ offer of rest. As Jesus gathered his disciples into the new People of God, he asked them to take his yoke upon them and learn from him. Jesus had already given them the Beatitudes as the code of conduct for his disciples and later would declare the great commandments of loving God with one’s whole heart and loving one’s neighbor as oneself. The disciples did not fully understand, but were willing to follow Jesus. Then just before his death on the cross, he gave them the Eucharist as a memorial of his saving actions. It was only after Jesus’ death and resurrection that they understood that taking his yoke upon themselves and picking up their cross and following him were the same thing.I am sure the disciples wondered, as we do today, how all of this is an easy yoke and a light burden. The secret is in learning with Jesus to do God’s will. He is the fulfillment of God’s promise and just as God promised to be with the people always, Jesus promises to always be with his disciples.Once they received the gift of the Holy Spirit, they discovered their identity as God’s children, and began to live Jesus’ example. And there was a joy in their living because they were united with Jesus. The yoke is easy and the burden light because Jesus carried it with them.And the same is true for us. When we can place our cares and worries with the Lord, our problems don’t go away, but we find a clearness of mind and heart that allows us to deal with them and still find peace. I am sure you have met and admired people who have found that peace. I know I have. It is the effect of love, love for Jesus who first loved us and gave his life for us.May God bless you.Fr. Karl E. Esker, C.Ss.R.Basilica of our Lady of Perpetual HelpBrooklyn, NY

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FastingThere are three things by which faith stands firm, devotion remains constant, and virtue endures. They are prayer, fasting, and mercy. Prayer knocks at the door, fasting obtains, mercy receives. Prayer, mercy, and fasting: these 3 are 1 and they give life to each other.Fasting is the soul of prayer, mercy is the lifeblood of fasting. Let no one try to separate them: they cannot be separated. If you have only one of them or not all together, you have nothing. So if you pray, fast; if you fast, show mercy; if you want your petition to be heard, hear the petition of others. From a sermon by St. Pteter Chrysologus, BishopTime and time again, the evangelists speak about fasting. Jesus recommended fasting to make progress in the spiritual life. What Jesus has said about fasting can be summed up in the this way: Fasting is as necessary as prayer (cf. Mt. 6:16).When Jesus explained to his disciples why they were unable to deliver a man from demonic possession, he ascribed a special power to fasting. On that occasion he stated that certain demons cannot be expelled except by prayer...and by fasting.According to Luke, Jesus did not eat for the 40 days he was int the desert. In other words, Jesus fasted before proclaiming the Gospel. Luke 4:2 says: “During this time he ate nothing, and at the end of it he was hungry.”The resolution to fast ought to be a pure intention, free from all self-righteousness or pride. Consider the case of the Pharisee who used his prayer to show off his piety and express his contempt for the publican, a truly humble man (cf. Lk. 18:9-14).So, why do we fast? From a theological point of view, fasting would no longer be necessary after the coming of Christ, for wedding guests do not have any reason to fast as long as the bridegroom is with them (Mt. 9:15). But since Jesus is still to return in his glory, fasting remains a necessary sign of our expectation. It gives us a focus on the Lord who is still to come. By prayer we attach ourselves to God and by fasting we detach our heart from good things that tie us to the affairs of this world. Fasting will lead us to a new freedom of heart and mind. For example, not having to cook will free up time that can be spent other ways.Fasting is not an end in itself, but it moves us toward greater conversion. The physical emptiness brought on by fasting helps us to realize our spiritual emptiness and need. In fasting we come out of our impurities and become pure. Fasting also prepares us for Eucharist. By being too attached to the food on our plates, we run the risk of losing sight of the Bread of Life. In order to become aware of the tiny particle of bread in our body, we must be willing to suffer physical hunger. Otherwise, we risk contempt for the crumbs. Perhaps the poor, who know the importance and the value of daily bread, have best realized the value of the Bread from Heaven. Many times, the heart of the rich has not been open to that “little” gift, which conceals a gift of infinite value. In conclusion, rich and poor are called to fast. The poor must fast in order that they do not become embittered, for fasting will help them to free their hearts and maintain their dignity. The rich should fast so that they will not withdraw themselves and help them to connect to a world where many people go to bed hungry.Fasting can only work in unison with prayer and mercy - the three are one and the one is three.Blessings,Fr. Kevin MacDonald, C.Ss.R.

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