Memorial of the Holy Guardian Angels
There are many references to angels in the Bible: some as messengers, some as guides, others as guardians and protectors. In some cases, the person encountering the angel knows it is an angel, while in other cases the angel appears as a human being and is not recognized for what they really are. You may recall the verse from Hebrews (13:2), “Do not neglect hospitality, for through it some have unknowingly entertained angels.” Or the more popular translation, “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.”
Memorial of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church
I recently had the privilege of participating in the synod that our archdiocese is sponsoring. It was a wonderful morning sharing with people from various parishes about how the Spirit is moving within our community. The importance of community, desiring a deepening of our faith, being patient with the slow process of change, and taking our faith into the world were all aspects of our discussion that are confirmed in today’s reading.
Memorial of Saint Jerome, Priest and Doctor of the Church
My dad is a farmer who really values straight rows. The window in my parents' bedroom in our old farmhouse overlooked his brother’s field and some seasons, his brother’s crooked rows taunted my dad! In the gospel today, Jesus invites us to straight rows in our plowing and presumably in our planting the seeds of the Kingdom of God.
Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, Archangels
Today’s readings include mentions of angels, but they are generic references. A number of years ago, I happened to be on an 8-day silent retreat at a Jesuit Retreat House on this feast. That gave me plenty of time to explore all the bible passages and stories of these three Holy Ones. It was a wonderful exploration, that I comment to you as well. As a Marianist, I am more familiar with the most famous appearances of Gabriel (“God is my strength”), in the Gospel of Luke (Chap. 1) first to Zechariah and then to Mary. To Zechariah, the Angel says “I am Gabriel… and I have been sent to speak to you and bring you this good news.” To Mary, his first word is “Rejoice!” and tells her she is favored in God’s sight. Would that we would listen for this voice and gain strength to follow our call in the assurance that God also favors us and sends us messages of Good News! Michael (“Who is like God?”) appears in a vision of Daniel’s call and again in the book of Revelation as the one who “comes to the assistance” of those who are in need. In Revelation, he comes to defend the Woman who has given birth in the face of the dragon who wanted to devour her child (Rev. 12). We often pray to St. Michael “to be our protection,” recognizing that we can get caught in the troubles and even the evil of the world around us. Raphael (God heals) is presented to us in the Book of Tobit, who, in disguise, guides Tobit’s son Tobias on a long and sometimes perilous journey to find his wife Sarah and to learn ways of healing that allow Tobias to return and heal his father’s blindness. Only afterwards, when Tobit and Tobias are trying to express profound thanks to the Guide and wondering how to repay him, does Raphael reveal his true nature saying, “My presence was by the will of God and God is the one whom you must bless as long as you live.” So too for us, the challenge to recognize the guides and healers that God send into our lives, to praise God for this accompaniment and then to proclaim what God has done for us.
-Sr. Laura M. Leming, FMI, PhD.
Monday of the Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time
Good King Wenseslaus looked out, on the Feast of Stephen,
When the snow lay round about, deep and crisp and even.
Brightley shone the moon that night, though the frost was cruel,
When a poor man came in sight, gath’ring winter fuel.
Today is the memorial of Saint Wenceslaus, king and saint (903-935 CE). He is more popularly known as “Good King Wenceslaus” in one of our most cherished Christmas carols. He was a beloved Bohemian prince and the patron saint of the Czech Republic. Despite being remembered most during the Christmas season, the church keeps his memorial today, September 28.
Saturday of the Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
The cooler temperatures and the slight hint of red in the trees indicate that fall is arriving. These changes remind me that the cold gray days of winter are not far away. The scripture readings today remind us that our lives transition through youth, to old age, and then to death- similar to the changes we see in the seasons. Although these transitions can be a source of fear and sorrow, Jesus shows us how to find refuge in God throughout our life, and to find resurrection even in death.
Friday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Prepare the meal, eat the meal, clean up from the meal. Make the beds, strip the beds, wash the linens, make the beds again. Saturday is laundry day, Sunday is church day. Monday, Hump Day, TGIF. The rhythms of ordinary life. That’s what Qoheleth (Ecclesiastes) is celebrating in the lovely poem that begins today’s readings. There is beauty and comfort in those rhythms. They’re familiar, even if they are a mix of positives and negatives. Familiarity means we feel we can enjoy the good times while we have them, and we can anticipate and deal with the bad times.
Thursday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Who is the wisest person you’ve ever met?
Qoheleth is the wise man supreme featured in the Book of Ecclesiastes, written 300 years before Christ. “Qoheleth” translates to “the Preacher," a sage addressing the assembly of the faithful. This Wisdom book was essential in the autumn’s Festival of Tabernacles or Succoth. Its tone is thanksgiving for the produce of the land (of Israel).
Memorial of Saint Pius of Pietrelcina, Priest
Jesus sends us with power to proclaim the good news and heal, Luke tells us today. Jesus sends us to proclaim salvation. Now, we aren’t sent to shout at people or to display on billboards that “HELL IS REAL!” Rarely do these tactics bring people into a relationship with Christ. It might be helpful for us to remember that this often-loaded word, “salvation,” has as its root the word “salve.” Proclaiming the good news is not about winning an intellectual argument. Proclaiming the good news is healing work for body and soul.
Tuesday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Today’s Gospel reading is very short, just three verses, but there is a lot packed into it. In the passage, Jesus’ relatives, including his mother, come to see him while he is preaching. Someone tells Jesus they are there to see him, and he replies that those “who hear the word of God and act on it” (Luke 8:21) are his family. Without diving into what that moment meant for his relatives, this line clearly teaches us something profound about discipleship.
Feast of Saint Matthew, Apostle and evangelist
“Some were apostles and some evangelists”- Ephesians 4:11
Today we celebrate Matthew, apostle and evangelist. Throughout the life of the church Matthew’s star shone brightest among the synoptic Gospels while Luke and Mark (most especially Mark), have shone dimly.
Saturday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
Recently, developers of AI have been issuing dire warnings about the threat it poses to human life. One developer, who recently appeared on “Meet the Press,” resigned from his position at Anthropic (a major AI company), saying that AI advances were moving too fast with insufficient safeguards. If development of AI doesn’t soon start to focus on how to protect human beings, he went on to say, AI could “kill us all by the end of the decade.” Importantly, this is not the lone view of a disgruntled former Anthropic employee. I wish. Even Elon Musk, who stands to make a lot of money with AI, is now issuing similar dire warnings.
Wow! Ten years? Really? That’s terrifying!
Friday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
Dear St. Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Susanna, and the other women who accompanied Jesus as he journeyed from one town and village to another (as we read about in today’s gospel from Luke),
What was it like to be so close to Jesus? To walk with him, talk with him, eat, pray and laugh with him? How did he treat you? We read he had already shown you so much respect and love and compassion to have cured you of evil spirits and infirmities. Mary, you in particular, having been cured of seven demons.
Thursday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
In our current culture, there seems to be a predisposition among people to believe that they are right and have all the answers. This strong individualism and pride can stand in the way of our relationship with God. In today’s reading, scripture reminds us about the importance of humility to open our hearts to God’s mercy and grace. How are we being called to recognize God’s compassion and respond with faith and love?
Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows
Today we pray with Mary as our mother, who accompanies us as Our Lady of Sorrows. She who bore the suffering of her beloved son being tortured to his death, surely understands any pains and unfairness we experience. The gospel of John paints a powerful image of compassion and tenderness as Jesus is dying. Mary, and the beloved Disciple, John, steadfastly remain at the foot of the cross through Jesus’ suffering and death. Jesus expresses his deep love for them both by giving them to each other as family: “woman, behold your son; “son behold your mother”.
In the stark pain and emptiness I experienced following my father’s unexpected death at a relatively young age, I learned the power of the presence of caring others. I was comforted by gentle gestures and the kindness of those who reached out in concern; of friends willing to be willing to simply be present, and listen to my words or my silence.
Today’s gospel reminds us that our living out Jesus’ mission is not done alone, but rather as a caring community. Our bereavement and immigrant ministries provide such gifts at times of need. It is also fitting that our new groupings of parishes are called ‘families’ as we grow in harmony and support of one another in living out the gospel call. May we ever welcome Mary into our hearts and homes as our mother, Jesus has given his mother to us to companion and teach us how to reach out with compassionate care and to be in greater solidarity with those who are suffering.
-Sr. Leanne Jablonski FMI, Marianist Sisters
Memorial of Saints Cornelius, Pope, and Cyprian, Bishop, Martyrs
“Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”
Jesus is clearly frustrated today. The people have endured much. He longs to give them what they desire. They have been waiting for a prophet and for a messiah. And yet, when their hope is being fulfilled, they fail to see it. John came fasting, calling for change and repentance, and they said he couldn’t possibly be a prophet. Jesus came eating and drinking with any and all and so they said he couldn’t possibly be the Messiah. They have waited, and in waiting have lost hope. It’s easier to dismiss and to discount than to risk once again having hope and being disappointed.
Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
Today is the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, a very ancient feast. Legend has it that our own St. Helen found the Lord’s cross on this date in the year 380. We have had this feast in the universal Church since not long after Helen’s discovery of the “true cross.” It does us well to recall that the cross we exalt is an instrument of torture and humiliation.
Friday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time
Today is September 11, for many Americans not a feast day but a day of mourning and remembrance. On that morning 25 years ago today, I was in my car on my way to the gym to work out when I heard a report on the radio that a plane had struck one of the towers of the World Trade Center. I pictured a small private plane that had somehow gotten off course and crashed into the tower. I felt sad for whoever was in the plane, said a little prayer for them, and drove on. I never imagined any in the tower was hurt.
Saturday of the Twenty-Third Week in Ordinary Time
Our Gospel today comes from the end of Jesus’ “Sermon on the Plain,” St Luke’s version of the “Sermon on the Mount,” found in St Matthew’s Gospel. Jesus’ sermon can be considered the disciple’s handbook because in this important proclamation we hear Jesus teaching us the way to be obedient and faithful disciples, indeed calling us to become like him. Today let us ask our Lord for the grace to choose good and reject evil, that our lives would bear good fruit and that by our witness others would be attracted to Jesus. Let us also today consider the foundation upon which we are building our lives and ask ourselves if it is Christ’s Word and teaching or something of this world.
Thursday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time
“Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” - Luke 6:27
“I hold on, and often by the skin of my teeth, to believe that God is in charge of this world, in spite of all appearances to the contrary.” - Archbishop Desmond Tutu
How is it possible to love our enemies? Pray for those who mistreat us? Forgive? Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa wrestled with these questions, as have Christians throughout time. And Tutu, like millions over two millennia, had every reason to wonder about how much God is in charge (given his experience with apartheid). Tutu wrote that the only way that he has been able to forgive was by his firm belief that ultimately God has the last word and it will be a word of justice. God, who is justice, will make things right.