QUESTIONS ABOUT DEATH

Painting over a tomb in Tarouca Parish's Church

In the evening of last Thursday, after concelebrating mass with my Parish Priest in Esporões, a village from the Parish of Tarouca, we entered the cemetery just behind the small church. The city council has built there a monument honouring the fire brigade. Looking at it and at most of the tomb stones in the cemetery, we commented that there are no references to the resurrection and no symbols of the Christian hope in the eternal life. That is surprising, because in the Parish Church there is a tomb with a painting of the resurrection over it, and the door of the tabernacle has also the risen Christ on it. Indeed, a Christian cannot speak of death without talking about the resurrection, and if he faces death without the hope in the resurrection, his faith was but a a waste of time.

Many cemeteries in Portugal show an exaggerated care that seems to present more a cult of the dead than a real expression of Christian faith. A lot of money is spent in elaborated and luxurious tombs that give a false sense of permanence; and one gets the impression that even in death some are more equal that others.

The risen Christ on the tabernacle, Tarouca

As I write this, I remember the parable of the rich man and the poor Lazarus, which is read in this Sunday’s liturgy. After death, the rich man found himself in despair and alone, without anybody  with whom he could share his pain, as he had not shared Lazarus' pain here on earth. And he would like Lazarus to come here on earth to warn his brothers, so that they change their ways, and avoid the same fate. However, that was not possible and it would not happen. If we have a listening heart, the word of God is enough to challenge us and  lead us to conversion. However, there are people who waste their time looking for communications from the dead or from all kinds of spirits. Such attempts are useless and they will not help us to change our lives for the better; in fact, they separate us from the faith in Jesus Christ and keep us away from the only one who can give us life and salvation.

THE ABUSE OF RICHES

XXVI SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME: Lk 16:19-31; Amos 6:1,4-7

The economic crisis

In the present situation of crisis in many European countries, this Sunday's readings leaves a very clear message: the luxury of the rich lived in complete ignorance of the suffering of the poor i sinful, and God will pass judgement on all those who abandon the poor to their suffering.

The luxurious life of the rich

The parable of the rich man and the poor Lazarus is an example of such situation. The rich man lived in great comfort and extravagance. He was so wealthy that he did not need to work, and could spend his days "feasting magnificently" (Lk 16:19). He was living on the work of others, and keeping the fruits of their work for himself. Leading a happy life, he could not imagine that his merriment would come to an end. He did not experience suffering, and so he could not sympathise with the suffering of others and feel compassion for their plight.

Amos’ diatribe against the rich

This kind of good life is described in Amos 6:4-7, which is given to us in the first reading of this Sunday’s liturgy:

"Alas for those who lie on beds of ivory,

and lounge on their couches,

and eat lambs from the flock,

and calves from the stall;

 who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp,

and like David improvise on instruments of music;

 who drink wine from bowls,

and anoint themselves with the finest oils,

but are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph!

Therefore they shall now be the first 

to go into exile,

and the revelry of the loungers shall pass away."

The day of reckoning

Amos indicts the rich for their lack of compassion and sharing, totally oblivious of the the ruin and the suffering of the poor. However, the day of reckoning will come and they will "be the first to go into exile, and the revelry of the loungers shall pass away". 

In the parable, the rich man's good life came to an end, and for the first time he experienced suffering as an unquenchable thirst for peace, joy and life. In that suffering he was alone, without anybody to minor his pain, as he had been alone in his revelry.

The wealth is to be shared

In times of deep economic crisis, the poor are the ones who suffer most. In a country in debt, the masses are the ones who lose jobs, while the rich manage to escape the painful measures that promise to restore the economy; and many times, they use the opportunity to increase their profits and their control of the economy.

We understand that investment is needed to create wealth, and investment is not possible without big capital, but many societies suffer from the greed of the rich, who own big assets, get huge salaries and receive handsome benefits, without the slightest concern for the poor. The burden is not shared, and the rewards are enjoyed by a few. There is a Bemba proverb that says: Umutembo ufinine konse konse, meaning the rod (for the carrying of a heavy load by two people) weighs equally. In a time of crises, the shoulders of the rich can and should carry heavier burdens than the poor.

The ability to share and to be compassionate is human and divine at the same time. "Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful" (Lk 6:36)

GET FRIENDS IN HEAVEN

XXV SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME: Lk 16:1-13

With the parable of the dishonest steward (Lk 16:1-8), Jesus speaks about responsible management, leadership of service and the use or abuse of riches. A quick reading of the parable may leave us with the idea that corruption and dishonesty are acceptable, since the steward is praised for his astuteness. However, it is made very clear that he  was a thief who added abuse of authority to his evil actions.

The crooked ways of our world

The parable serves as an example of the saying that "the children of this world are more astute in dealing with their own kind than are the children of light." (Lk 16:8). Once discovered, the steward was called to account; and like him, we will be called to account, since we have been entrusted with responsibility. Once in charge of something, we must do our duties responsibly, being faithful to them. 

The crooked steward showed how clever and bold he could be for the sake of his self-preservation: dismissed from his job, he realised how precarious his future would be and wasted no time in finding a solution that would guarantee his survival.

The parable shows the pattern of behaviour that goes on in our corrupt world. In fact, we can find endless cases of highly corrupt people who emptied the coffers of the State or of the companies which they administered, and go scot free, still managing to get a handsome pack for their retirement.

Read and interpret the situation

In the parable, the steward was praised only for his ability to read the situation and to take quick action in order to get the best out of it. Jesus uses the parable to tell his disciples that they should show similar ability to read the signs of the times in order to discover God's will, doing what is right and guaranteeing their future. 

Put riches at the service of others

The crooked steward used what did not belong to him to get friends that would protect him and give him a place to stay. Like him, being evil stewards, we misuse what does not belong to us. But at least we should use it to get friends in heaven, those who will accompany us and receive us at the gates of heaven. 

The parable is also about the use or abuse of riches. We must use our position, our influence, our power and our money to get friends in heaven. Jesus explained this aspect of the parable by saying: "use money, tainted as it is, to win you friends, and thus make sure that when it fails you, they will welcome you into the tents of eternity" (Lk 16:9). This is only possible when we put ourselves and everything that we have at the service of others.

Money can’t be our god

Wealth is only of great value, when it is used as a tool for the service of others. Alone, it becomes a god that oppresses those who put their hearts and mind on it.

"No servant can be the slave of two masters: he will either hate the first and love the second, or treat the first with respect and the second with scorn. You cannot be the slave both of God and of money." (Lk 16:13)

OUR GOD IS FULL OF LOVE AND COMPASSION

XXIV SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME: Ex 32:7-11,13-14; Lk 15:1-32

The long journey of faith

As we read the Bible, we must be aware that the long journey of faith from Abraham to Jesus Christ becomes alive through its pages, and we may discover the great landmarks of that journey with its ups and downs. Everything that was written was written for us and speaks for us today; however, we must understand that it does not speak in the same manner, due to our own present situation and due specially to the time and place where the different texts where written. That's why we need to pay attention to the timeline of the events to which the texts refer. As we listen to God speaking to us in the Holy Scriptures, we need to see the different perspectives from which the texts were written. and we must remember that God revealed himself progressively along that journey of faith that started with Abraham, the journey that we joined in, walking on the footsteps of Jesus Christ.

God is a liberator

If we compare this Sunday's first reading with the gospel, we find quite a big difference in God's approach to people. The book of Exodus sings the glory of God who is the Liberator. He is a God who takes good care of his people, listening to their cry of anguish, being touched by their suffering and standing up to take action against their oppressors. He presented himself as "I am!" (Yahweh), meaning that he is always on the side of the poor, the suffering and the oppressed, and that he calls his people to freedom, life and salvation. 

A demanding God

However, this God is a very demanding God. Nothing can be compared with him; he is different, always different from whatever we may expect. He is holy, and he wants his people to be holy. He is a God who will not tolerate disobedience and infidelity. He is a jealous God, who reacts angrily to betrayal. When people made the image of a bull in bronze, claiming to be the image of Yahweh, he felt disgusted with their lack of understanding, the shallowness of their faith and their lack of commitment.

"I can see how headstrong these people are! Leave me, now, my wrath shall blaze out against them and devour them" (Ex 32:9-10)

And Moses had to intervene and plead for his people. Finally, "the Lord relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened." (Ex 32:14) However, in God's name, Moses inflicted heavy punishment on the ringleaders and their close followers.

God never rejects us

In the Gospel, with the parable of the father who had two sons, Jesus presents a quite different image of God. He is full of mercy and compassion, never getting tired of waiting for us to come back. We are always his beloved children. He can never forget us and he will never dump us. As Pope Francis said, God never gets tired of forgiving us; we are the ones who get tired of asking for forgiveness. All of us have a place in our Father’s house, and his door is always open. If we do not go in, then it is because we choose to remain outside. We are the ones who may reject him, since he never rejects us.

PRAY FOR PEACE

Fasting for peace

Nowadays, fasting has been discovered as good for our health, because it gives the body the opportunity to cleanse itself of many toxins. 

However, for centuries, fasting had a religious dimension, cleansing the mind and the heart and creating space for God. Fasting goes together with prayer, as an offering of ourselves to God. It is a way of recognising that we are in God's hands.

Pope Francis asked for a day of prayer and fasting, to plead with God that people and their leaders may change their hearts and spare the people of Syria even greater suffering.

Vengeance belongs to God alone

The use of chemical weapons killing civilians, many of them women and children, was a horrendous crime which deserves punishment. However, who is going to do it? Is it the United States, France or England?  Are they going to punish the criminals who did it, or are they going to kill more innocent people? Are they going to protect the weak and the oppressed or are they going to bring much more suffering? That 's why we should leave revenge to God: "Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord" (Ro 12:19). 

In the vigil of prayer for peace, Pope spoke words of wisdom: 

"Brothers and Sisters, forgiveness, dialogue, reconciliation –  these are the words of peace, in beloved Syria, in the Middle East, in all the world!  Let us pray this evening for reconciliation and peace, let us work for reconciliation and peace, and let us all become, in every place, men and women of reconciliation and peace! So may it be." (Pope Francis)

You can find the whole homily: http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/francesco/homilies/2013/documents/papa-francesco_20130907_veglia-pace_en.html

PAUL’S LETTER TO PHILEMON

XXIII SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Philemon 1:9-10,12-17

Paul's letter to Philemon is a pearl of great value. Similar to the letters written  nowadays, this is a letter written by Paul to his friend Philemon, dealing with a very difficult situation, the situation of the runaway slave Onesimus.

Paul’s attitude on social issues

Many people do not feel at easy with Paul, because of his teaching or lack of teaching about social issues, like the position of the women in society and the plight of the slaves. The ones who do so, transpose the present day mentality to the first century and expect to find the same behaviour then as we have now. Paul was very far  from the centres of power, and he had no political power, not even political influence; in fact, he belonged to the people who lived in the fringe of society. Paul was no more than an ambulant preacher, proclaiming a new doctrine.

A revolution brought about by love

The revolution that Paul was bringing about was a peaceful revolution made effective by the change of hearts, which take place when we believe in Jesus Christ.

Paul had some very clear ideas: slave and free man are one in Jesus Christ. "There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus" (Gal 3:28). However, Paul could not take on the Roman Empire and Roman society single handed. In spite of that, this letter shows what Paul expected from the believers in Jesus Christ a new way of thinking.

Not a slave, but a brother

Onesimus had run away. If caught, he could be sentenced to death or even killed on the spot. He took refuge with Paul. By accepting him, Paul put his own life in danger. With Paul, Onesimus, felling accepted and loved, became a Christian and was baptised. Having become a Christian, he was ready to go back to his master. Then Paul wrote a letter pleading with Philemon and ordering him  with polite words to receive Onesimus as his "dear brother; especially dear to me, but how much more to you, as a blood-brother as well as a brother in the Lord. So if all that we have in common means anything to you, welcome him as you would me." (Philemon 16-17).

We must always remember that to be a Christian has practical implications with social and political repercussions.