Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 02-23-04, Memorial, St. Polycarp, bishop & martyr

Reading I
Jas 3:13-18

Beloved:
Who among you is wise and understanding?
Let him show his works by a good life
in the humility that comes from wisdom.
But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts,
do not boast and be false to the truth.
Wisdom of this kind does not come down from above
but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.
For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist,
there is disorder and every foul practice.
But the wisdom from above is first of all pure,
then peaceable, gentle, compliant,
full of mercy and good fruits,
without inconstancy or insincerity.
And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace
for those who cultivate peace.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 15

R (9a) The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul;
The decree of the LORD is trustworthy,
giving wisdom to the simple.
R The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
The precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
The command of the LORD is clear,
enlightening the eye.
R The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever;
The ordinances of the LORD are true,
all of them just.
R The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
Let the words of my mouth and the thought of my heart
find favor before you,
O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.
R The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.

Gospel
Mk 9:14-29

As Jesus came down from the mountain with Peter, James, John
and approached the other disciples,
they saw a large crowd around them and scribes arguing with them.
Immediately on seeing him,
the whole crowd was utterly amazed.
They ran up to him and greeted him.
He asked them, "What are you arguing about with them?"
Someone from the crowd answered him,
"Teacher, I have brought to you my son possessed by a mute spirit.
Wherever it seizes him, it throws him down;
he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes rigid.
I asked your disciples to drive it out, but they were unable to do so."
He said to them in reply,
"O faithless generation, how long will I be with you?
How long will I endure you? Bring him to me."
They brought the boy to him.
And when he saw him,
the spirit immediately threw the boy into convulsions.
As he fell to the ground, he began to roll around
and foam at the mouth.
Then he questioned his father,
"How long has this been happening to him?"
He replied, "Since childhood.
It has often thrown him into fire and into water to kill him.
But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us."
Jesus said to him,
"‘If you can!' Everything is possible to one who has faith."
Then the boy's father cried out, "I do believe, help my unbelief!"
Jesus, on seeing a crowd rapidly gathering,
rebuked the unclean spirit and said to it,
"Mute and deaf spirit, I command you:
come out of him and never enter him again!"
Shouting and throwing the boy into convulsions, it came out.
He became like a corpse, which caused many to say, "He is dead!"
But Jesus took him by the hand, raised him, and he stood up.
When he entered the house, his disciples asked him in private,
"Why could we not drive the spirit out?"
He said to them, "This kind can only come out through prayer."

From: James 3:13-18

True and False Wisdom

[13] Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good life let him
show works in the meekness of wisdom. [14] But if you have bitter
jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false
to the truth. [15] This wisdom is not such as comes down from above,
but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish. [16] For where jealousy and
selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile
practice. [17] But the wisdom from above is first pure, then
peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits,
without uncertainty or insincerity. [18] And the harvest of
righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Commentary:

13-18. These verses point out the qualities of Christian wisdom (cf.
1:5). After exhorting his readers to manifest their wisdom by their
actions (verse 13), he attacks the signs of false wisdom (verses 14-16)
and explains the qualities of the true (verses 17-18).

St. Paul also makes a distinction between worldly wisdom--the wisdom of
man when he veers away from his correct goal--and the wisdom of God,
which reaches its highest _expression on the Cross (cf. 1 Corinthians
1:18-3:3). St. James pays particular attention to the practical
effects of godly wisdom--meekness, mercy and peace.

False wisdom, on the contrary, leads to bitter zeal, rivalry and
resentment: it is "earthly" because it rejects things transcendental
and supernatural; "unspiritual" (merely natural, "psychi" in the
original Greek), as befits people who follow their nature as wounded by
Original Sin, deprived of the help of the Spirit (cf. notes on 1
Corinthians 2:14-16; Jude 19-20); "devilish", in the sense that such
people are inspired by the devil, who is envious (cf. Wisdom 2:24), "a
liar and the father of lies" (John 8:44).

18. What this verse means is that the "peacemakers" of the Beatitudes
(cf. Matthew 5:6 and note) create around themselves an environment
making for righteousness (holiness), and they themselves benefit from
the peace they sow. "There can be no peace," [Pope] John XXIII says,
"between men unless there is peace within each of them: unless, that
is, each one builds up within himself the order wished by God" ("Pacem
In Terris", 165).

The "harvest of righteousness" is the equivalent of righteousness
itself: it is keeping the law of the Gospel, doing good works, which
show true wisdom. The passage is reminiscent of Isaiah 32:17-18: "and
the effects of righteousness will be peace, and the result of
righteousness, quietness and trust for ever. My people will abide in a
peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings and in quiet resting places."

Every Christian who strives to live in accordance with his vocation is
a sower of holiness and justice-with-peace: "Through your work, through
the whole network of human relations," (St) Monsignor Escriva
says, "you ought to show the charity of Christ and its concrete
_expression in friendship, understanding, human affection and peace.
Just as Christ `went about doing good' (Acts 10:38) throughout
Palestine, so much you also spread peace in your family circle, in
civil society, at work, and in your cultural and leisure activities"
("Christ Is Passing By", 166).

Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text
taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries
made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of
Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock,
Co. Dublin, Ireland.

From: Mark 9:14-29

The Curing of an Epileptic Boy

[14] And when they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd about
them, and scribes arguing with them. [15] And immediately all the crowd
when they saw Him (Jesus), were greatly amazed, and ran up to Him and
greeting Him. [16] And He asked them, "What are you discussing with
them?" [17] And one of the crowd answered Him, "Teacher, I brought my
son to you, for he has a dumb spirit; [18] and wherever it seizes him,
it dashes him down; and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes
rigid; and I asked Your disciples to cast it out, and they were not
able." [19] And He answered them, "Oh faithless generation, how long am
I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to Me."
[20] And they brought the boy to Him; and when the spirit saw Him,
immediately it convulsed the body, and he fell on the ground and rolled
about, foaming at the mouth. [21] And Jesus asked his father, "How long
has he had this?" And he said, "From childhood. [22] And it has often
cash him into the fire and into the water, to destroy him; but if You
can do anything, have pity on us and help us." [23] And Jesus said to
him, "If you can! All things are possible to him who believes."
[24] Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, "I believe;
help my unbelief!" [25] And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running
together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, "You dumb and
deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him
again." [26] After crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out,
and the boy was like a corpse; so that most of them said, "He is
dead." [27] But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he
arose. [28] And when He had entered the house, His disciples asked Him
privately, "Why could we not cast it out?" [29] And He said to them,
"This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer and fasting."

Commentary:

17. The demon who possessed this boy is described as a "dumb spirit"
because dumbness was the main feature of the possession. On diabolic
possession cf. note on Matthew 12:22-24.

19-24. As on other occasions, Jesus requires submission of faith before
He works the miracle. The exclamation of Jesus refers to the request
of the boy's father (verse 22), which seemed to suggest some doubt
about God's omnipotence. The Lord corrects this way of asking and
requires him to have firm faith. In verse 24 we can see that the
father has quite changed; then Jesus does the miracle. The man's
strengthened faith made him all-powerful, for someone with faith relies
not on himself but on Jesus Christ. Through faith, then, we become
sharers in God's omnipotence. But faith is a gift of God, which man,
especially at times when he is wavering, should ask humbly and
tenaciously, like the father of this boy: "I believe, help my
unbelief," and like the Apostles: "Increase our faith!" (Luke 17:5).

28-29. "In teaching the Apostles how to expel a spirit as evil as this
He is teaching all of us how we should live, and telling us that prayer
is the resource we should use to overcome even the severest
temptations, whether they come from unclean spirits or from men.
Prayer does not consist only in the words we use to invoke God's
clemency but also in everything we do, out of faith, as homage to God.
The Apostle bears witness to this when he says: `Pray constantly' (1
Thessalonians 5:7)" (St. Bede, "In Marci Evangelium Expositio, in
loc.").

FEAST OF THE DAY

The telling of the martyrdom of St. Polycarp is considered the earliest
preserved, fully reliable account of Christian martyrdom. St. Polycarp
is one of the earliest martyrs to be widely venerated for his
witnessing for the Faith.

St. Polycarp was born around the year 70. There is little solid
information about the beginning of his life, but it is known that he was
a disciple of St. John the Apostle, and friend to St. Ignatius of
Antioch. When St. Ignatius of Antioch was on his way to Rome to be
martyred, he visited Polycarp and later wrote him a letter. Polycarp
served as bishop of Smyrna, now near modern Izmir, Turkey, and
fearlessly preached the Faith. He was trusted and respected by the
people and chosen to serve for a while as the representative of the
Churches of Asia Minor for a theological discussion with Pope
Anicetus.

Polycarp ruled peacefully and wisely for many years and wrote many
letters encouraging and teaching the Faithful. One of his letters that
still exists is his letter to the Philippians. At the age of 86, around the
year 156, Polycarp was arrested for being a Christian and
condemned to death for not giving up his faith. He was sentenced to
execution by burning at the stake, but the flames harmed him in no
way. Finally, he was killed by a dagger, and his body was destroyed
by fire.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

Stand fast, therefore, in this conduct and follow the example of the
Lord, 'firm and unchangeable in faith, lovers of the brotherhood,
loving each other, united in truth,' helping each other with the
mildness of the Lord, despising no man. -St. Polycarp (Letter to
Philippians)

TODAY IN HISTORY

155 Martyrdom of Polycarp
1822 Boston is incorporated as a city
1945 US Marines raise flag on Iwo Jima, famous photo & statue

TODAY'S TIDBIT

Canon is derived from a Greek word meaning rule, norm, standard or
measure, it is used in various ways by the Church. One of the ways
that canon is used is in reference to Sacred Scripture. The Canon of
Sacred Scripture is the list of Biblical books recognized as inspired
by the Holy Spirit.

INTENTION FOR THE DAY

Please pray that all leaders of the world might accept the guidance of God
in their lives.

The Word Among Us

Monday, February 23, 2004

Meditation
Mark 9:14-29

Why do you think the crowd at the foot of the mountain were “greatly amazed” as they saw Jesus come down to them (Mark 9:15)? Could it be that his appearance still had some of the traces of the glory he manifested at the top when he was transfigured? Maybe it was these traces of divine glory that gave the father of the epileptic boy a glimmer of hope to come forward and tell Jesus about his need.

Jesus could tell that this man did have some faith, but he challenged him to go deeper: “All things are possible to him who believes” (Mark 9:23). In reply, the father made a beautiful and humble confession: “I believe; help my unbelief” (9:24). In one breath, this man both acknowledged his very real struggles and took a deeper step of faith. And for that, he was rewarded immensely.

How often do we find ourselves in a similar situation? We want to believe, and may even have experienced God working in our lives, yet the reality of our needs causes whispers of unbelief to rise up. We can silence these whispers by professing what faith that we do have: “I believe that God loves me. I believe he gave his Son to rescue me from sin. I believe he has poured his Holy Spirit into me to make me more like him.” We can pile up all our statements of belief and ask ourselves: “If this is who God is, how can I possibly believe he won’t want to meet my needs, heal me, and deliver me from evil?” God is more than capable of deepening our faith and answering our prayer!

Jesus also told the disciples that their ability to cast out the demon needed to be bolstered by prayer and fasting. He knew that the more time they spent quieting their appetites and listening for God in prayer, the more they would be able to step out in faith. And the same is true for us. So let us all confess, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief.” Let’s all go to Jesus in honesty and accept his love for us, despite the fact that our faith often wavers.

“Jesus, I love you. I believe that you will always be with me. You are my strong fortress, and in you I will never be defeated.”

One Bread, One Body

All Issues > Volume 20, Number 2

<< Monday, February 23, 2004 >>

St. Polycarp

James 3:13-18

Psalm 19

Mark 9:14-29

View Readings

HIGHLY RESTRICTED, DEMONIC AREA

“When Jesus arrived at the house, His disciples began to ask Him privately, ‘Why is it that we could not expel it?’ He told them, ‘This kind you can drive out only by prayer.’ ” —Mark 9:28-29

Demons are part of our everyday life on earth. The Lord allows demons to tempt us and even harass us. We live in the midst of demonic degradation and destruction.

However, we can greatly minimize demonic influence in our surroundings by being baptized and living fully our Baptisms. When we were baptized, we rejected Satan, all his works, and all his empty promises. Even if we should sin after Baptism, we can cut short demonic opportunities by going to Confession as soon as possible after we sin. Moreover, by regular Confession, we can strengthen ourselves and avoid falling into sin. Finally, by committed prayer, we can drive out demons, which we would otherwise have to endure (Mk 9:29). So many people unnecessarily let demons persist for years in their disruptive, degrading activities because they don’t take seriously Jesus’ statement: “This kind you can drive out only by prayer” (Mk 9:29).

At this time, Satan and his demons are restricted (see Rv 20:2; 2 Thes 2:6-7). Let us make sure they are as restricted as possible.

Prayer: Father, make me completely intolerant of demonic activity.

Promise: “If one of you is wise and understanding, let him show this in practice through a humility filled with good sense.” —Jas 3:13

Praise: St. Polycarp was condemned to die by burning at the stake as a martyr. God protected him from the burning flames (see Is 43:2), so his executioners were forced to stab him to death.

Homily of the Day

Homily of the Day

Title:	Don’t Be a Helpless Pawn to Your Demons
Author:	Monsignor Dennis Clark, Ph.D.
Date:	Monday, February 23, 2004

Jas 3:13-18 / Mk 9:14-29

For those of us who think ourselves ever so modern as we stand here at the beginning of a new millennium, it’s easy to scoff at stories about demons and to conjure up pictures of little red men with horns and pointed tails. But to do that is foolhardy, for the reality of evil in the world is not to be sniffed at, and our struggle with it is undeniable and lifelong.

Each of us has our own “demons,” our own disabling soul-wounds and compulsions which seek to rob us of our freedom and to drive us in directions that do not lead to life. To fail to recognize them and to acknowledge the full extent of their power over us is to make ourselves their willing victims and their helpless pawns.

But that need not happen. Our alternative is to ask the Spirit who dwells within us to help us see those inner “demons” clearly and to see where they are leading us, indeed, driving us. And that is away from life, love, and communion. The next step is to give ourselves into the hands of the Spirit, just as the boy’s father did in the gospel. “I do believe,” he said. “Help my lack of trust!”

That kind of prayer the Spirit always answers. And step by step He will lead us out of slavery’s darkness and into freedom’s light.

When we give it free rein [reign], the Spirit’s power always prevails.

February 23, 2004, Monday before Ash Wednesday

Lent in the Old Days

Those who turned 21 years old before 1966 remember the heavy-duty fasting during Lent...

Except for Sundays, if you were 21 and not yet 60, you were allowed…
n only one full meal a day n two other meatless meals sufficient to maintain strength, together they were not to equal a full meal.

The hardest part was no eating between meals except liquids, which gave rise to questions such as, “Is a malted milk a liquid?” (Some people would stay up late on Saturday night waiting for the clock to strike midnight, then head for the refrigerator.

No card parties, showers, dances or other festive events could be held on parish premises or under parish auspices.

No weddings. In special cases (e.g. people in the military who could only get a leave at this time), permission could be requested of the bishop to marry during Lent. If granted, the following conditions prevailed in most dioceses:
The ceremony was to be private (only the immediate family), no Mass; no publicity; no reception.

Public entertainment (e.g. attending a movie) was to be avoided.

Three Pillars of Lent

The three pillars of Lent are prayer, fasting and almsgiving (acts of charity).

Lent is not pietistic pie-in-the-sky time. It’s realistic down-to-earth time. It’s about ashes, and the cross. It’s about money, food, and how we spend our time. It’s about sin and sorrow. It’s about life and death.

One of the Prefaces in Lenten Masses thanks God because “each year you give us this joyfulseason when we prepare to celebrate the Paschal Mystery with mind and heart renewed.”

Joyful? That seems strange for Lent.

But it’s like and exercise program. At the beginning you’re sore all over, yet you also feel invigorated, energized, enlivened…and you feel good about yourself. Your body is made for this.

So it is with Lent. Our penitential practices may be hard at times, but they lift our inner spirit. We’re made for more than TV reruns or games on the computer.

We’re made for the unimaginable greatness of God.

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