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19 Feb 2012 - Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B

"It is I, I, who wipe out, for my own sake, your offenses; your sins I remember no more," the Lord says in the Book of Isaiah. Being able to erase offenses is a talent few of us children of God have inherited. The memory of unkind words, deception, or cruel behavior never completely leaves us even when we choose to forgive. The initial wound leaves a scar that invariably serves as a reminder when we are hurt again--which happens numerous times in our lives. Considering all the injustices we've endured is exhausting. Even God admits to growing burdened and wearied by the sins and crimes committed against him. Thus, he explains, "it is for my own sake" that "I remember no more." Forgive for God's sake; forget for your own.

Authors Patrice J. Tuohy

offenses Forgiveness Sins injustices

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Exploring the word

29 Sep 2019 - Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C

The injustice of the world is an inescapable reality. Inescapable, that is, if you are on the nasty side of the equation as one of the have-nots. Those who do not experience the downside of injustice are often not aware that there is a problem, because it’s not a problem for them. Such people are more likely to think the world is basically pretty fair, that people get what they deserve, that justice is more or less served for those who work hard and keep their noses clean. But for those who start out with little or wind up with less, the inherent injustice of the worldly system is pretty obvious. Being born into poverty, a broken family, or a war-torn community provides a whole different perspective that is tough to climb out of, especially when your ladder is composed of a failing school system, a crime-ridden neighborhood, and a nutrition deficit. Try adding in other factors like illness, physical or mental disability, and variables like IQ and natural ability—which are not evenly distributed—and you begin to realize that the chances of us ever living in a just world are seriously doubtful. Injustice is the great chasm that divides our world and creates the impetus for many of society’s most enduring problems. War won’t cease, crime won’t disappear, and violence won’t end so long as some folks have what other folks want. And if we think death is the great and final leveler, guess again. The enduring legacy of sin Even the reign of God doesn’t wipe the legacy of sin off the scales completely. Jesus assures us that, in fact, the coming of the Kingdom reverses the balance so that what was up must come down, and vice versa. We are often told that the last will be first and the first last; the poor will have good things and the rich will go away empty; the blind will see and the lame dance; the barren woman will conceive while the mother of many languishes. Tax collectors and prostitutes will enter, and religious folk will find the way barred. The imbalance of the present world will not be dismissed, but only upended. This one oft-repeated truth about the Kingdom should make most of us who hear it very, very afraid. But it was all too easy for those who reclined on beds of ivory in the days of Amos to ignore his warning about complacency, and it was just as easy for the rich man in the parable to overlook suffering Lazarus at his door. It is not surprising that good, churchgoing folk like ourselves assume this whole conversation is intended for someone else, someone who is clearly doing bad things that merit punishment by the proper authorities. And we further presume that such authorities are already marshaled to hunt these evildoers down. “Inevitable” inequality Besides, won’t there be poor always? That’s what Jesus said, and we are tempted to accept his social commentary as an indictment on the lower classes. For we are quite sure that giving pocket change to a homeless man in front of the liquor store isn’t going to transform his fate, and most organized social programs fail to effect meaningful differences. Most of our charity is siphoned off into the wrong hands anyway, we suspect, and the bottom line for many of us is: Why should we give our money away when we earned it? Shouldn’t there be some relationship between hard work and a fat wallet? Why shouldn’t I have a nice life after everything I’ve done and, to be honest, why should I be responsible for someone else who maybe hasn’t shown the same effort? This is quite simply the righteous mindset of capitalism, and it makes a lot of sense. The fact that Christianity and capitalism are two dramatically different systems has failed to register on we who count ourselves as recipients of both ideologies. Jesus didn’t have to address capitalists per se but he did have a lot to say for the practitioners of blessing theology (you can tell a righteous fellow by the blessings God has given him) and those who believed that sinners are born to suffer (see the story of the man born blind). The distinctions between capitalists and adherents to these two views are often slight. Of course, no homilist in his right mind wants to get up and challenge what is arguably the most profitable economic system in the world. It’s just a pity that the gospel leaves us few honorable alternatives. Applying the word Citizenship in two kingdoms Dorothy Day dealt daily with some of the most unlovable and culpable members of her society. Yet she stressed often to her Catholic Worker community that Christians cannot afford to “adjudicate between the deserving and undeserving poor.” As soon as we begin to distinguish between worthy and unworthy persons, we have crossed the demarcation between Christianity and culture. So long as we remain citizens of two kingdoms, temporal and spiritual, we are forced to acknowledge that our two allegiances are in considerable conflict. We just can’t be spotless capitalists and good Christians. Sooner or later, we are going to have to establish our ultimate loyalty to one camp or the other. If we choose Jesus, and I hope many of us do, that means we have to stop questioning if Lazarus at the gate is an alcoholic or an addict; if he dropped out of school or got his girlfriend pregnant; if he refuses to work because he’s lazy or up to no good; in short, we have to refrain from deciding whether or not he is worthy of our concern. The only reason to open our hearts and share our resources with those in need is because Jesus asked us to. One day, we are assured, the last will be first. It would be good if they remembered us kindly when the chasm is reversed. Related scripture links The first and the last: Matt. 19:30, 20:16, 27; Mark 9:35; Luke 9:48 The poor will have good things: Luke 1:46-55, 4:18-19, 6:20-23 The blind see: Matt. 11:4-5 Surprises in the Kingdom: Matt. 7:13-14, 9:13, 21:31-32, 25:31-45 Are sinners born to suffer?: John 9:1-40

Authors Alice Camille

injustices have-nots inequality capitalism lazarus

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Homily stories

17 Aug 2025 - Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C

A prominent woman in my community, a 103-year-old named Gloria, takes staying active in her golden years to a new level. She is a lifelong activist, still busy championing social causes. I was proud to march next to her in a Black Lives Matter protest after the killing of George Floyd. I think I got tired during the long walk before she did. Like most centenarians, she has great stories to tell about the past. The first president she voted for was Roosevelt. She was one of the first women to serve in the U.S. Navy. She met Martin Luther King, Jr. Gloria has lived through so much strife, but she says she has never seen more division in this country or the world than now. Her very long perspective makes today’s gospel reading resonate harshly for me. I don’t know if Gloria is religious, but she sure seems prophetic. Speaking up about injustice earns you as many enemies as admirers, and Gloria admitted in a recent television news interview that she has had rocks thrown at her. The camera captured passersby on the sidewalk calling her names. It didn’t faze her. As the protest sign she carries—the same one she carried in the 1960s—says: “Silence is for cowards.” If a 103-year-old woman has the courage to face down bullies with grace, what excuse do I have not to?

Authors Jennifer Tomshack

speaking up injustices Courage

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Homily stories

28 Dec 2025 - Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, Cycle A

Estimates say that during the 20th century well over 50,000,000 people died because of genocides at the hands of political leaders, rival tribes, and oppressive nation-states. Even to this day people are seeking refuge from genocide as well as poverty, famine, and corrupt governments. Today's gospel reading tells the story of Mary, Joseph, and Jesus fleeing Herod's execution of all of Bethlehem's young children. Throughout the Bible we see people struggling to live out their faith in the face of political oppression. Though the Bible is filled with lessons on morality and spirituality, readings like today's gospel give us a historical context to relate to these biblical figures and better understand the world in which we live. When crimes like genocides occur and force people into becoming refugees, the Bible provides us with insight on how to approach these political and social injustices, whether it be through action, compassion, or a general consciousness that these events are actually occurring somewhere in the world. At times we tend to overlook the fact that biblical figures were also historical figures. It is helpful to stand back and remember that people today are going through the same issues that people in the Bible went through thousands of years ago.

Authors Brother Nathaniel Pierce, S.J.C.

genocide political injustices social injustices

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Homily stories

28 Dec 2025 - Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, Cycle A

Estimates say that during the 20th century well over 50,000,000 people died because of genocides at the hands of political leaders, rival tribes, and oppressive nation-states. Even to this day people are seeking refuge from genocide as well as poverty, famine, and corrupt governments. Today's gospel reading tells the story of Mary, Joseph, and Jesus fleeing Herod's execution of all of Bethlehem's young children. Throughout the Bible we see people struggling to live out their faith in the face of political oppression. Though the Bible is filled with lessons on morality and spirituality, readings like today's gospel give us a historical context to relate to these biblical figures and better understand the world in which we live. When crimes like genocides occur and force people into becoming refugees, the Bible provides us with insight on how to approach these political and social injustices, whether it be through action, compassion, or a general consciousness that these events are actually occurring somewhere in the world. At times we tend to overlook the fact that biblical figures were also historical figures. It is helpful to stand back and remember that people today are going through the same issues that people in the Bible went through thousands of years ago.

Authors Brother Nathaniel Pierce, S.J.C.

genocide political injustices social injustices

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