10/8/2014 – Wednesday of the 27th week in Ordinary Time – Galatians 2:1-2, 7-14

       Today, we hear a reading from Paul’s letter to the Galatians.  In this letter, we hear Paul contrast himself to Peter, in which he calls himself the messenger of the Gospel to the uncircumcised – the Gentiles, while Peter brought the Gospel to the circumcised – the Jews.  It is interesting how theologians today see the contrast in what Peter and Paul brought to the early Church.  Peter, in many ways, represents the institutional Church: the Church that sets rules, governs its dioceses and attends to the doctrines and norms of the Church. Paul, in contrast, represents the missionary Church: the Church that goes out into the world and adapts itself to different cultures, proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ.  Just as in the Gospel yesterday, where we can see the importance of being both Mary and Martha in the way we approach our faith, both in becoming people of action and believers who reflect upon God’s word, so we can see the importance of both Peter and Paul to our faith.  Pope Francis, in his apostolic exhortation The Joy of the Gospel, reflects elements of both Peter and Paul.  Pope Francis reflects Peter in the way he sees the role of the parish in the community and in the world “The parish is the presence of the Church in a given territory, an environment for hearing God’s word, for growth in the Christian life, for dialogue, proclamation, charitable outreach, worship and celebration.”  Yet, he reflects the missionary fervor and spirit of Paul in the way he sees the purpose of the mass: “The Church evangelizes and is herself evangelized through the beauty of the liturgy, which is both a celebration of the task of evangelization and the source of her renewed self-giving.”  Pope Francis combines different elements of Peter and Paul. He is practical and missionary, pragmatic and philosophical, wise and resourceful. We ourselves would be wise and prudent to see both Peter and Paul as examples of faith that we can emulate on our own journey.

10/10/2012 – Wednesday of 27th week in ordinary time – Psalm 117

        “Go out into the world and tell the Good News.”  We are to do this in the psalm today, but exactly how do we do this in the reality of the world around us?  I was talking to the prisoners at the Central Mississippi Correctional Facility, telling them that it is essential to use the technology at our disposal in order to spread Christ’s Good News.  As a priest, I have a page on Facebook and also have a blog, and I have people from all over the world who read the homilies on my blog and who connect with me on Facebook and email.  Sometimes it is scary using this new technology, but I think if Jesus and St Paul and the apostles were around today, that is exactly what they would do. 

         For the Year of Faith that we initiate tomorrow, Pope Benedict uses the image of a door of faith that ushers us into communication with God, that beckons us to follow the Gospel and to become disciples of Christ.  We are called during this Year of Faith to experience a new conversion, and to deepen our relationship with our Lord.  This ties into the call to tell the world of Christ’s Good News – it starts with our own conversion and with the witness we will bring to the world.  This is the challenge that is before us today.