Homily-
for Tuesday of the 19th Week of Ord. Time, Yr B. /Memorial of St.
Clare, Virgin
v Ezek 2:8-3:4
v Ps
119:14,24,72,103,111,131
v Matt 18:1-5,10,12-14
Following
Christ in Poverty of the Spirit
Yesterday we had the feast of
St. Lawrence. Today we celebrate the memorial of St. Clare, virgin (1193-1253). She not
only founded the Order of the Poor Clare, but imitated St. Francis of Assisi, a
role of model of Pope Francis, in practicing the virtues of poverty, humility, spirit
of forgiveness, acknowledgement of humanity’s weaknesses, brokenness, mortality
and a life of penance.
Thank God, what St. Clare stood for, is
affirmed not only in the opening prayer for this Mass, but in today’s well
selected scripture passages. In the opening prayer, we prayed: “O God, who
in your mercy led Saint Clare to a love of poverty, grant, through her
intercession, that, following Christ in poverty of spirit, we may merit to contemplate
you one day in the heavenly kingdom.” Saint Clare’s humility, and poverty
was foreshadowed by the prophecy of Ezekiel, today’s first reading (cf. Amos,
Isaiah, and Deutero- Isaiah-‘s dal, anawim, and ebed YHWH)
In
his vision and call encounter with God in exile, Ezekiel humbly disposed
himself to be fed by the word of God, the Torah, so that he in turn may feed
and encourage the dispersed exile- Jewish community. As noted in Psalm 119, and by all the Popes
since Vatican II, the word of God is not only a lamp and a light for our way
and path, but food for our souls (cf. Dei Verbum, Gauidium et Spes, Verbum Domini, Evangelii
Gaudium and Aperuit illis etc), Ezekiel, in his humility, is fed with the
word of God. He does not compare himself equal with the Almighty God of Israel.
Rather, acknowledges himself in this ‘prophetic pantomime” God calling him, “son of man” more than 83
times in the prophecy of Ezekiel, or “mortal,” in contrast to God’s
immortality. In Ezekiel, it is an acceptance of his humanity, lowliness, a
servant and messenger role in communicating the word of God. How many of us
today, preaches the gospel with humility or see our roles as that of a servant like
Ezekiel and Saint Clare.
Similarly,
Christ the teacher, in today’s Matthew’s gospel taught and answered his
disciples, who was the greatest in the kingdom of heaven, by calling a child
over, and placing the child in their midst, saying, “Amen, I say to you, unless
you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven,.”
For Christ, whom Saint Clare fully imitated, the greatest in the kingdom of
heaven/God, are those who imbibe children’s virtues, or approach to life: of
innocence, simplicity, honesty, purity, color-blind, non-racial, non- discriminatory;
they are not corrupt; they tell it as it is. They adapt easily to languages and
culture. They are many practical examples of this out there, familiar to us!
Children relate purely and innocently with humans, and even with other God’s
creatures, that Francis of Assisi, Saint Clare, and recently Pope Francis has
promoted in his Laudato si ( on are for creation).
Again,
Saint Clare and in the light of today’s opening prayers and Bible Readings,
invites us to re-examine or reconsider
the importance of poverty in spirit, humility and not in-ordinate
anthropocentrism, or arrogance, in our relationship with others, even with non-
humans, in our communities.
Reflection
Questions:
1.
Are
we poor in Spirit like Saint Clare?
2.
What
have we learned from Ezekiel and Christ in today’s readings?
3.
What
prevents us from living a life of humility or treat others, even our planet
with dignity?
