Solemnity of Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
On this Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the readings emphasize God’s love for us. Displayed through divine patience, understood through the fulfillment of Scripture and poured out through Jesus’ body, God’s eternal love calls us to be patient, grateful, and joyful.
Thursday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time
When Jesus died on the cross, he not only reconciled us to God (that is, paid for our sins). He also reconciled us to one another. The reasoning is pretty simple. If we are all reconciled to God then we have no reason not to be reconciled to one another. And if we are reconciled to God and to one another, we have no business killing one another.
Wednesday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time
I’m sure we’ve all had to present ourselves with our qualifications at one point or another. When searching for a job, we look at the qualifications section of the job description to know whether or not we would be considered for the position. Candidates running for public office present their qualifications and must meet certain criteria to be eligible. We must be qualified to apply for loans, receive credit cards, and the like. We’re used to having to “measure up” to be considered worthy of positions, privileges, and opportunities. How glorious it is that with God, we do not have to become qualified ourselves, it is God who qualifies us in Christ! Today, may we find renewed confidence in Christ and rest in our belovedness as God’s daughters and sons.
Tuesday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time
Today’s first reading seemed a little confusing to me. I had to use my imagination a bit, asking, ‘what were they complaining about? The yes, the no, or that there seemed to be a bunch of yes’s and no’s?’ I can’t say for sure what Paul and the Corinthian Church were talking about, but maybe they were frustrated with the burdens of a faith in conflict with the larger culture. Romans sacrificed animals to their gods at lavish festivals, had all sorts of sinful sexual habits, and worked seven days a week because they didn’t have a Sabbath. To them, Christians must have looked like lazy people who can’t do anything fun.
Monday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time
Ten times in seven verses we encounter the word "Encourage" in some form or another in today's first reading. At some point I became annoyed with how frequently St. Paul was using the word. At that point I knew I was being encouraged to write about the word.
Memorial of Saint Boniface, Bishop and Martyr
Gratitude is vital part of a joyful and holy Christian life. When we take opportunities to reflect on our blessings and recognize them as gifts, we come to realize that we are loved. Today’s reading from Tobit reminds us that it is important not just to be thankful for God’s many blessings, but to praise God through our words and deeds. It is through our lives of service and giving that we proclaim God’s goodness to others and share in building God’s kingdom
Friday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time
Some years ago while going through a particularly dark time, I attended our annual parish retreat. At one point we were given the opportunity to choose a stone from many varied stones placed on a table. Each stone had one of the fruits of the Spirit written on it, but the stones were placed with the word facing down so that we did not know which “fruit” we were choosing. I was moved to tears when walking back to my pew I turned my stone over and read “Joy.” I had not experienced joy in a while and recognized that God knew it was the one that I truly needed. This is what came to me as I reflected on today’s reading from the Book of Tobit.
Memorial of Saint Charles Lwanga and Companions, Martyrs
Today is the feast day of Saint Charles Lwanga and his companions. Lwanga was one of twenty-two Ugandan men who were imprisoned for their refusal to commit immoral acts at the command of King Mwanga. He continued to preach the Catholic faith in prison right up until the moment of his death. King Mwanga’s hope to destroy the Christian faith backfired. Many people were inspired by these young martyrs, and the faith grew and spread. Charles Lwanga and his companions remained courageous and unshakable in their faith despite the hardships and torture the faced. We, too, are called to be witnesses to Christian living by the examples of our own lives. We are all called upon to spread the word of God, whether by word or deed.
Wednesday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time
My attention is captured today by the refrain of the Responsorial Psalm. To you, O Lord, I lift my Soul. Similarly, in the Eucharistic Prayer of the Mass, we respond to the priest’s invitation to lift our hearts by saying we lift them up to the Lord. I invite us to reflect on what this “lifting” means, and then to focus our prayer today on consciously, actively lifting heart and soul to God.
Memorial of Saint Justin, Martyr
The Book of Tobit is a wonderful short story; it’s worth reading all at once. Today’s excerpt focuses on what happens when we lose our ability to see for ourselves. It’s a tough situation. When I don’t know what’s going on, I’m forced to rely on others for my information. Are they telling me the unbiased truth? Can I believe what they say? What if they tell me something that’s hard to believe, or something that I don’t want to believe is true? Beyond disbelief, do I get angry at the messenger? Do I blame them for the bad news they shared?
Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
I used to work in a bookstore. It was an awesome job that enabled me to be surrounded by both my favorite hobby (reading, organizing, and even smelling old books) and my favorite collectible (Shelves! Well, rather the books that filled the shelves). As I read today’s first reading I was taken back to my bookstore days as I would organize the Self-Help, Relationship, Pets, or many other sections where you could find an unreal number of books claiming to have the 3 easy steps to this, 5 easy steps to that, or 6 Easy Steps to World Peace and Getting your Baby to Sleep Through the Night (those two topics might be more related than I first thought). As I read Paul’s words I first thought, “Wow, this is like Practical Christian Living for Dummies or something.” Then I realized Paul writes about rejoicing in this passage, but says little about joy explicitly. That is when I decided this is Paul’s 20 Impossible Steps, Without the Grace of God, to Joy. This wordy title will be our outline today as we briefly discuss these 20 steps, facing impossibility, and recognizing our Joy.
Saturday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time
I recently read the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification that was put together by a body of Catholic and Lutheran scholars. It was an enlightening little read about where Catholics and Lutherans can find common ground. This document doesn’t downplay or dismiss real differences, but these theologians found a way to have true dialogue, and that bears fruit.
Friday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time
Clean-up! Clean-up! Everybody, everywhere. Clean-up! Clean-up! Everybody do your share. Did anyone else learn the song when they were little? Or perhaps you taught it to your own kids? I’m a little out in left field on this but the song kept popping into my head as I read today’s gospel (Brandon needs a vacation...it’s been a long month. lol). In all seriousness, I am a bit of a neat-freak; perhaps borderline OCD. I like to have things organized; I enjoy getting dressed up and looking nice for Sunday mass; the silverware in the dishwasher is separated out so it’s easy to put away afterward; I orient my cards to all face the same way when I play euchre. Crazy, right?
Thursday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time
The story from the Gospel of Mark that we have before us today can seem pretty straight forward. And that is in part due to the fact that it is a familiar story—a story of Jesus healing someone. And so we might be tempted almost to skim this story, thinking that we already know what it’s telling us. Bartimaeus was blind. He called out to Jesus to heal him. Jesus did and tells Bartimaeus that it is his faith that has made him well. Another miraculous healing!
Memorial of Saint Philip Neri, priest
Greatness is standing at the rim of the Grand Canyon at sunset and realizing the scene comes from God’s paintbrush. Greatness comes when looking up at the thousands of stars seen on a clear night from the middle of country field. Many of us could think of times when we have experienced God’s greatness. These moments of wonder and awe can help us feel connected to God in a way that reminds us that we are all in God’s service.
Tuesday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time
I read a terrific book a few years back by James Martin, S.J. called My Life with the Saints. It's a spiritual memoir and also an opportunity to take a stroll through several centuries of Catholic life and meet our saints, courtesy of the author. One of the themes throughout has been all the very ordinary and seemingly small ways that each of the saints carries out the call to follow Christ, which I also find to be a consistent theme in today's readings.
Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church
When taken as a whole there is a tension between Mary and Eve in today's readings. This is nothing new. Since the earliest centuries of the church, writers have discussed the connection, but it is still fruitful to reflect upon.
Saturday of the Seventh Week of Easter
When I read the gospels, I recognize there are many stories and details about Jesus that have not been written down for us. Today’s gospel ends with the statement that the whole world could not contain all the stories about Jesus. The gospel- or Good News- that Jesus brings through His incarnation is something that we are called to continue to live out in our lives as disciples. If we believe that Christ is alive in us, and we allow His Spirit to direct our words and deeds, then Christ and the gospel continues to live in us, and our stories become part of the Good News.
Friday of the Seventh Week of Easter
Today is the feast day of Blessed Franz Jägerstätter, an Austrian farmer, spouse and father, conscientious objector and martyr because of his opposition to the Nazis and refusal to serve in the German army during World War II. If you have not yet seen the Terrence Malick film, “A Hidden Life”(2019), inspired by Franz’s writings and letters (especially to and from his wife) while in prison, I highly recommend it. Although today’s readings are simply for “Friday of the Seventh Week of Easter,” they seem to validate the life of Franz and his wife who exemplify Jesus’ instruction to “Follow me” no matter the cost.
Thursday of the Seventh Week of Easter
In today’s gospel, we read a portion of Jesus’ prayer in the garden of Gethsemane following the last supper. Jesus said, “I made known to them your name and I will make it known, that the love with which you loved me may be in them and I in them.” Earlier in the evening, Jesus shared an intimate moment with his friends: washing their feet and breaking bread. He knows the disciples shortcomings and yet loves them in spite of them. Can our own relationships be open to Christ’s love?