Fr Kevin Kilgore

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Gospel: Matthew 23:8-12

Jesus spoke to his disciples:
“Do not be called ‘Rabbi.’
You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers.
Call no one on earth your father;
you have but one Father in heaven.
Do not be called ‘Master’;
you have but one master, the Christ.
The greatest among you must be your servant.
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled;
but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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Today we celebrate one of the greatest intellects the Church has ever known: Saint Augustine. 

Augustine has garnered more attention lately because of Pope Leo, who was formerly the head of the Augustinians, a religious order devoted to Augustine’s theology and spirituality.

But who, exactly, was he?

Augustine was the son of Saint Monica, whose feast day we celebrated yesterday. Like many adults today, Monica prayed tearfully for the conversion of her son, as well as for her husband, Patrick. Fortunately, she never gave up.

After two decades of marriage, Patrick converted to Christianity, a mere two years before his death. However, he’d never live to see Augustine’s accomplishments. It’d take a few more years of searching before Augustine surrendered to Christ.

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Almost two-thousand years later, we can still tell Augustine’s story because of his autobiography, Confessions. It was the first autobiography written in the Western world, and perhaps, the first in history.

With stunning honesty and humility, he retraces the mistakes of his youth, how he dabbled in pagan philosophies, indulged in worldly pleasures, and finally experienced a dramatic conversion. 

The last section of his autobiography focuses on philosophy, theology, and his understanding of the human heart. His most famous line being: “Our hearts are restless, until they rest in you, O LORD.”

Interestingly, Augustine wrote Confessions shortly after becoming a bishop! Imagine having a storied history, then sharing it with the world while also carrying the yoke of public ministry. 

But he understood his life in the context of service to God and the Church. As he later said, “With you I am a Christian. For you I am a bishop.”  

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May he intercede for us today, that we would all accept this truth and live accordingly: “Our hearts are restless, until they rest in you, O LORD.” 

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Image credits: (1) LCC Tanauan, Facebook (2) Pinterest (3) Etsy.com

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Gospel: Luke 7: 11-17

Jesus journeyed to a city called Nain,
and his disciples and a large crowd accompanied him.
As he drew near to the gate of the city,
a man who had died was being carried out,
the only son of his mother, and she was a widow.
A large crowd from the city was with her.
When the Lord saw her,
he was moved with pity for her and said to her,
“Do not weep.”
He stepped forward and touched the coffin;
at this the bearers halted,
and he said, “Young man, I tell you, arise!”
The dead man sat up and began to speak,
and Jesus gave him to his mother.
Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, exclaiming,
“A great prophet has arisen in our midst,”
and “God has visited his people.”
This report about him spread through the whole of Judea
and in all the surrounding region.

The Gospel of the Lord.

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Today we celebrate the feast of Saint Monica, the patroness of mothers, married women, and alcoholics.

Hers was a difficult life, sustained by faith and grace. Monica’s husband, Patick, was a serially unfaithful drunkard, whose wayward life rubbed off on their children. 

We know the story of one of them, in particular, Augustine of Hippo.

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Like his father, Augustine was a restless youth who caused his mother to worry constantly. Although he was immensely talented, he initially used his gifts to better himself.

For 17 years, Monica prayed for her son’s conversion. I’m sure she shed enough tears to fill the ocean, storming heaven in prayer day after day, night after night. Fortunately, she never gave up. 

Love never does. 

At last, Monica’s prayers were answered. Augustine not only converted to Catholicism; he was also ordained a priest and a bishop. Finally putting his gifts in service to the Church, he became one of the greatest thinkers the Church has ever known.

Later writing about his experience, Augustine likened himself to the widow’s son in today’s Gospel who once was dead, but found new life in Christ. 

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On her own deathbed, Monica asked Augustine for one thing only: “That you remember me at the altar of the Lord wherever you may be.”

That’s something each of us can do for our loved ones today, especially those who struggle in any way – particularly with addiction or waywardness of any kind.

We remember them at the altar of the Lord, trusting through Monica’s intercession, our prayers will be answered, even if years from now.

Saint Monica, pray for us.

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Image credits: (1) Saint Monica Praying for Saint Augustine, etsy.com (2) DivineRenovation.org (3) narodnatribuna.info

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Gospel: Matthew 23: 27-32

Jesus said,
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.
You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside,
but inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of filth.
Even so, on the outside you appear righteous,
but inside you are filled with hypocrisy and evildoing.

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.
You build the tombs of the prophets
and adorn the memorials of the righteous, 
and you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors,
we would not have joined them in shedding the prophets’ blood.’
Thus you bear witness against yourselves
that you are the children of those who murdered the prophets;
now fill up what your ancestors measured out!”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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During the month of Passover, Jewish pilgrims flooded the city of Jerusalem. On their way in, they would pass by a slew of tombs, each freshly painted white.

Simply touching one of them would render a person impure, preventing them from entering the Temple to pray. 

Although these pearly white headstones glistened in the sun, below the surface they were full of decay and bones.

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In today’s Gospel, Jesus continues his sweeping condemnation of the religious authorities, likening them to freshly painted, pearly white headstones, who glisten on the outside with jewelry and fine vestments, but are dead within.

The Lord never questioned their commitment to the Law. The religious leaders were exceptionally tedious, washing their hands until their fingers were like mushy prunes, and reciting the scriptures in public until they were blue in the face.

But it was all nonsense. They were dead – defiled – within.

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It remains a terrible truth, but human beings, even religious leaders, are capable of hiding their true intentions, appearing as whitewashed tombs.

As Shakespeare’s Hamlet once lamented, “That one may smile, and smile, and be a villain.”

At times, the challenge for believers is to not allow the scandal caused by others to lead us away from the Church, or from God.

As Jesus says elsewhere, “It would be better for them (those who cause scandal) to have a millstone wrapped around their neck and be tossed into the sea.”

May our eyes remain fixed on the source our faith and hope, Jesus Christ, who has left us an example to follow.

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Image credits: (1) Photowall (2) Phil Cooke (3) Redbubble