Tuesday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time
Today’s readings have been a source of astonishment for many generations of Christians. In today's first reading from Ezekiel, the wise and prudent ruler of the great city of Tyre is proud. When he reflects on his many successes, he can only conclude that he has divine power. How else could he be so good at everything? But Ezekiel’s message to him is simple: ‘Prince, you are a mortal man, you and will die soon at the hands of murderers.’
Monday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time
Once again, we hear the story of the rich young man who seeks out Jesus. He is a good man and clearly a seeker who wants what God desires. He has done everything that he should — loving God and loving neighbor. But there is a gnawing feeling that he should be doing more to honor God, and this is why he approaches the itinerant preacher from the Galilee. But “sell all you have and give to the poor … and come follow me,” is just too much for him.
Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This is a significant feast day in the liturgical year and a big deal for us theologically and personally. The Solemnity is not a holy day of obligation this year, but let’s each consider taking extra time today either to attend Mass or for a specific spiritual discipline or devotional practice. I’d like to focus on our Blessed Mother in this reflection and hopefully inspire a deeper hope in the resurrection in each of our hearts and a surer confidence in our Mother’s prayers.
Memorial of St. Maximilian Kolbe, Priest and Martyr
Divorce is never easy or pleasant. I don’t know of anyone who honestly and sincerely enters into marriage with the intention for it to end in divorce. And yet, it is a reality of our humanity since at least the time of Moses. Today’s readings are not easy or pleasant either, but as I reflected on them I became aware of God’s faithfulness to us, no matter what.
Thursday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time
“To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in us.” - C.S. Lewis
Today Peter asks how often he must forgive. The rabbis taught, based on a misinterpretation of the Prophet Amos, the requirement to forgive was three times. Peter multiplied that by two and added one for good measure asking, “As many as seven times?” Peter would have been praised for his great generosity. But Jesus corrects him, “No, seventy times seven times.” Whether that means 70 x 7 (490) really is beside the point as seven, in Hebrew numerology, means without limit. Seven is a number associated with divinity, with perfection.
Wednesday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Jesus’ teaching today is simple and practical. If someone you are in relationship with, someone who is part of your community, sins against you, go directly to them. Tell them. Speak truthfully and directly about what is wrong. St Benedict echoes this teaching over and over again in his own rule for Christian community living, frequently admonishing against grumbling and gossip. St Benedict councils: after speaking, receive the response and move on.
Memorial of St. Clare, Virgin
“Love God,
serve God;
everything is in that.”
Words from the letter of St. Clare capture the essence of the messages we get from today’s readings. We are near the beginning of the daily readings from the prophet Ezekiel, a prophet during the Babylonian exile who was prone to some rather striking visions. Today he is offered the Word of God in a scroll. But rather than reading and contemplating the word, he is asked to devour it. Having eaten, and finding it as sweet as honey, Ezekiel is instructed to speak the words to God’s people.
Feast of St. Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr
Today the church celebrates the Feast of Saint Lawrence, deacon and martyr. Before the Second Vatican Council this feast was unique in the life of the church in that, outside of saints found in the New Testament, Lawrence was the only saint whose annual celebration was kept as a feast and not as a memorial.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus teaches about going on the path of a grain of wheat, to die to oneself, something Benedict XVI described as “the essence of Christianity.” Lawrence was one who lived this essence. He did so by first sowing himself, to quote Saint Paul from the second reading, in service as a deacon. He also did so secondly by sowing himself, falling to the ground and dying as a grain of wheat in martyrdom.
Memorial of St. Dominic, Priest
The story before us today from the Book of Matthew appears, on the face of it, to be simple enough. It goes like this: The disciples tried but were unable to cure a boy afflicted by a demon. So, the boy’s father begged Jesus to cure him, which Jesus did. When the disciples asked Jesus why they were unable to heal the boy, Jesus told them that they had too little faith. Further, he instructed them that if their faith were even as tiny as a mustard seed, then they would have been able not only to heal the boy but also to perform miracles of all sorts. Including moving mountains with just a command!
Friday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time
“Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24) These are the words of Jesus to his disciples that open our gospel reading for today. Although we’ve likely heard these words many times in our lives as Christians, I found it helpful to look at the passage just prior to this one in order to get the full context.
Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord
Today is the feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord. All of the readings today reveal details about the glory of God. There are times when I read the scriptures, and I wonder what it would be like to have lived during the time of prophets and Jesus and to have had firsthand experience with these great revelations. On further reflection, I realize that God’s glory is all around us- if only we will open our eyes and believe.
Wednesday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time
I’m never quite sure what to do with Jesus in today’s Gospel. He seems so dismissive of the Canaanite woman’s plea to heal her daughter. Perhaps, like Mary, the Canaanite woman is widening Jesus’ vision for Christ’s mission. While we can’t split Jesus Christ into human parts and divine parts, this perspective helps me a bit.
Memorial of St. John Vianney, Priest
Today the Church remembers the life of St. John Vianney, the Cure of Ars. He grew up during the French Revolution when church worship was banned and schooling limited, He was inspired by the women and men he viewed as heroes who quietly carried on the traditions of Catechesis, Eucharist and other Sacraments ‘in secret’, at risk to their lives. When public faith practices were restored, he pursued his education and studied for the priesthood. He was beloved as a pastor and devoted himself to making sacraments and pastoral care available to the people. He was an appreciated confessor because of his wisdom, insight and care given. His dedication was legendary - often sitting in the confessional for 16 hours a day, with long lines of the faithful seeking his wisdom. St. John Vianney, is known as the patron saint of priests, because he united his heart to Jesus, and lived his life according to the heart of Christ - showing deep compassion as well as the invitation to conversion and change to be more fully reconciled with God’s love. The heart is important Scripturally as it is known as a person’s hidden center of emotional, intellectual and moral activity. For this reason, On the 150th anniversary of his death, Pope Benedict XVI declared a Year for Priests, beginning with the Feast of the Sacred Heart in June 2009 through June 2010 to strive for spiritual perfection, with St. John Vianney as a model. He saw the Curé d'Ars as "a true example of a pastor at the service of Christ's flock”.
Monday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time
When was the last time you weren’t simply frightened but petrified? Being terror stricken can impact to the point of lifelong trauma. My father comes to mind. In World War II he was in Leghorn, Italy where he was buried under the rubble of a fallen wall (think of Bing Crosby in “White Christmas”). He was left for dead when a couple of the men disobeyed orders and went back to dig him out, finding out he was still alive. He was traumatized by this event (as well as other events in North Africa and Corsica) and suffered from lifelong PTSD.
Memorial of St. Alphonsus Liguori, Bishop and Doctor of the Church
Contradictions, sickness, scruples, spiritual aridity, and all the inner and outward torments are the chisel with which God carves his statues for paradise.
~St. Alphonsus Liguori
Today we celebrate the Memorial of St. Alphonsus Liguori (1696 – 1787), Bishop and Doctor of the Church. We remember him as a compassionate confessor and down-to-earth preacher as well as a spiritual writer, composer, musician, artist, poet, lawyer, philosopher and theologian. Liguori founded the Redemptorists, a religious order established to minister to the poor and those on the peripheries of Church and society. He wrote more than 100 books in his lifetime, including his multi-volume magnum opus, Moral Theology.
Memorial of St. Ignatius of Loyola, Priest
I had a dry spell in my young adult life regarding an interest in the lives of the saints. Thankfully it was renewed while my children were still young, in part through James Martin’s “My Life with the Saints” and Robert Ellsberg’s “All Saints,” which helped bring them back to life for me. Today, I draw upon Ellsberg’s writing to reflect briefly on the life of St. Ignatius Loyola whose memorial is celebrated on this anniversary of his death. Along with today’s readings from Jeremiah and Matthew, I hear a theme of growing and moving beyond our childhood and familial origins to respond to God’s call. A call that often requires leaving behind the comfortable and familiar.
Thursday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time
Our first reading today is the familiar parable from the prophet Jeremiah, the potter and the clay.
The prophet writes: “Just like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel” (Jeremiah 18:6). The Hebrew word for “potter” is translated “maker” with reference to God.
Memorial of Saints Martha, Mary, and Lazarus
It’s a familiar scene: family and friends gather to grieve the loss of a loved one. A loved one who bravely battled a long illness. A young person lost in the blink of an eye in an accident. An aging mother who slowly slipped away to dementia, her body also slipping away. We don’t know how Lazarus died. And that’s ok because, in some ways, it doesn’t matter how our loved ones die. We are left with the same reality of death.
Tuesday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time
In today’s Gospel, Jesus explains the parable of the weeds among the wheat. Earlier, he told his disciples that the kingdom of heaven is like a farmer who sowed good seed in his field. But during the night, while everyone was asleep, the enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat. When the servants noticed the weeds, they wanted to pull them up immediately, but the farmer stopped them, knowing that doing so could uproot the wheat as well. Instead, he instructed them to let both grow together until the harvest.
Feast of St. James, Apostle
A distinguishing feature of Gnosticism – a set of ancient religious ideas originating in first and second century Judaism and Christianity – is that matter is evil. This includes the human body. As a result, redemption requires an escape from our material selves.