Daily HOMILY for May 13, 2014: Tuesday of the 4th Week of Easter, Cycle A

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In 2014, I am facilitating a 12-week interactive online course in contemplative prayer and action for priests with Saint Luke Institute.  Please visit SLIconnect.org to learn more:  https://www.sliconnect.org/product/living-god-program-contemplative-life-2/

Tuesday 4^th Week of Easter

St. Luke Institute

May 13, 2014

DISCOMFORT W/ JOHN +++++++++++++++++++++++

Ø  Have 2 admit, feel uncomfortable w/ way John’s gospel refers to Jews

Ø  He sometimes seems to demonize them

Ø  He almost seems 2B anti-Semitic & gives us a basis for anti-Semitism

Ø  We see some in the scene in today’s Gospel

PERSECUTION & SMUGGNESS ++++++++++++++++++

Ø  2 things seem to be going on here

Ø  1^st, lots of plain old religious tension during Jesus’ lifetime & in decades after

Ø  Jesus calls for reform & challenges the religious leaders – who were Jewish

Ø  Eventually followers of Jesus, who came to be known as Christians, as we hear in 1^st reading, began splitting away from Judaism

Ø  So there is tension & persecution

Ø  2^nd, there’s a certain smugness going on

Ø  J & then John the Evangelist really bothered by smugness of Jewish religious leaders

Ø  Thought that they had truth, all answers, & a corner on market of G’s good graces

Ø  Didn’t have 2 change or B open 2 changing

Ø  This attitude is what bothers J & John

Ø  So if anything, John’s Gospel is really anti-smugness and not anti-Semitic

2 CONCLUSIONS +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Ø  I’D draw two conclusions from this

Ø  1^ST, as a Church have also been guilty in certain eras of intolerance of those of other faiths, other Christians, & even of Catholics w/ whom there were differences or disagreements

Ø  We need to recall this when reading the Gospels

Ø  We dislike anti-Catholicism even when it is rooted in our mistakes of the past, even our recent past

Ø  At same time, we 2 need 2 avoid demonizing any religious group & for that matter any group at all

Ø  There R < ways 2 promote love of G & way of J

Ø  2^ND, we also need 2B aware of smugness

Ø  Perhaps we can also have a dash less of smugness in promoting what we believe to be true

CONCLUSION ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Ø  Perhaps intolerance & smugness R at heart of J’s concern & not anti-Semitism

Ø  We might make them R concern as well

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++