Memorial of St. Barnabas, Apostle
Each of us has been given a name at birth. In most western cultures we are given a family name or surname that identifies us with a certain family. Surnames in some cases were used to describe the profession (e.g. Eisenhauer- iron worker), the place where the family was from (Washington- someone from the town of Wassa), or even a relationship (my maiden name Broderick means a “descendant of Bruadar”.) We are also given a “first name” or forename in our society. These names are usually chosen to honor a previous relative (e.g. naming someone after a great grandma) or may even be based on naming them after a saint. Recently, I have talked with 2 expectant couples as they grapple with the task of finding the name which best captures the spirit of their soon to be son or daughter. Our names in some way communicate to others our families of origin, our ethnicity, but mostly over time they help identify who we are- this unique person in the world and our relationships to others.
Wednesday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time
When I met my husband, who was a math major in college, he was part of the Missouri Club. This club, dedicated to math tutoring, was named after the “show me state.” While some people love math, others struggle not just to understand the laws of math, but especially to know when and how to apply them. A “simple” thing like order of operations - whether to add or multiply first and how parentheses work in math can be tricky. And my husband assures me that even 2+2 does not always equal four, depending on what base you’re in…what does that even mean?! Show me, don’t tell me!
Tuesday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time
It’s a grim scene in today’s first reading. Israel is in the middle of a long drought. Thirst and famine are gripping the land. Elijah meets a widow and asks her for water and food. Her first response is filled with hopelessness: She and her son are about to enjoy their last meal together before starving to death, so she can’t give any food to Elijah. Rather than shining with the joy of the lord, she is a dark and dismal presence. Are you ever afraid to give to those in need because you feel you don’t have enough to spare?
Monday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time
Today’s Gospel features Matthew’s version of the Beatitudes. The Christology of Matthew depends a great deal on comparing Jesus and Moses, in their birth stories and especially as law givers. Here Jesus is the new and greater Moses. Matthew’s infancy narrative of Jesus is very much a retelling of the infancy narrative of Moses from Exodus. Continuing with this theme, as Moses received the old law on Mount Sinai so (in Matthew) Jesus gives the new law (by his own authority) in what has been called “the Sermon on the Mount.”
Saturday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time
In our Gospel today, we encounter a stark contrast between the piety and spirituality of the Jewish Scribes, the materially wealthy, and a poor widow. I think it’s fair to say the first two groups failed to embrace their poverty, while the widow, fully alive in her poverty, gave herself and what she had to God with reckless generosity. In what ways are we impoverished? Today may we receive the grace to trust God more and to invite him to transform us in the areas of our own need.
Memorial of St. Boniface, Bishop and Martyr
“The great crowds heard this with delight.” From today’s rather short gospel passage (Mark 12:35-37) this is what stood out to me. Who of us wouldn’t want to “delight” the crowds, “wow” the audience, or impress our social media followers? This gospel passage is a continuation of Jesus teaching and being questioned. And at this point, the crowds are impressed with Jesus, even delighted. But I don’t believe that was his goal. Jesus did not come to win the affection or admiration of people, although at times that did happen. He did not sacrifice the truth and his calling for the sake of his ego.
Thursday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time
“The Word of God is not chained.” - 2 Timothy 2:8-15
In their early ‘60s pop song Chains (written by Carol King), the Beatles sang, “Chains. My baby’s got me locked up in chains. But they aren’t the kind that you can see. These chains of love won’t let me be.” There are chains of love of another sort described in today’s first reading from 2 Timothy—the chains of Paul and the attempted chaining of the Word. This reflection will focus on the captive Paul —his physical chain could be seen, but even those manacles could not bind up the Word that Paul, while in prison, continued to proclaim.
Memorial of St. Charles Lwanga and Companions, Martyrs
Each day, students gathered for our Christian morality, and no one bothered to turn on the lights. Every day, the professor would enter the room, look around, and with a twinkle in his eye he said, “God said, let there be light!” (flipping the switch), “And there was light!’ Dr. Tweisgye was a man filled with joy!
Tuesday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time
Today’s readings present several invitations to keep our focus on God’s gifts to us and “the hope that belongs to God’s call” (Alleluia verse).
Memorial of St. Justin, Martyr
“In you, my God, I place my trust.”
The above refrain from today’s responsorial psalm (Psalm 91:2b) sums up the life of Justin Martyr (whose feast we keep today) and, in reality, all of the early Fathers of the Church. The early Christian Fathers are a gold mine in encountering the neophyte church in the first generations after the apostles.
Among them are Clement of Rome (30-100), Ignatius of Antioch (35-110), Polycarp of Smyrna (69-155), Justin Martyr (100-165), and Irenaeus of Lyons (130-202). In them we see how the Christian tradition began to take shape.
Saturday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time
As annoying as it must have been for Jesus, the question that the chief priests, scribes, and elders asked him was still a good one. No doubt, they were familiar with certain individuals of their day claiming this or that divine insight—perhaps even claiming themselves to be the Messiah. And, so, they were skeptical of Jesus as they had been of others.
Friday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time
Do you ever think about Jesus being hungry? I tend to think of Jesus tending to others’ needs, like the feeding of the five thousand, or allowing his disciples to eat the grain in the fields when they were hungry on the Sabbath. Today’s gospel from Mark includes the very familiar passage referred to as The Cleansing of the Temple that speaks of Jesus’ anger, but there’s also this somewhat strange story about Jesus being hungry that stood out to me today.
Thursday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time
Many of us have heard the word “stone” used in various ways: “Leave no stone unturned.” “Getting blood from a stone,” or even “A rolling stone gathers no moss.” In today’s first reading, we are called to be “living stones” in imitation of Jesus- the original “living stone” and cornerstone. What does it mean for us to be “living stones” today and how can we help build a spiritual house for God?
Wednesday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time
Parents, and anyone who remembers childhood, know this scene well - a child or even a young adult approaches a parent and simply says, “Say yes.”
“To what?”
“Just say yes!”
While most parents know better than to give a blanket, “yes,” Christ, our God Incarnate, is not like most parents. In fact, many scholars say that the parable we call “The Prodigal Son” might better be titled the “Prodigal Father” and is about the foolish Parent. Our God often acts in ways that our human nature sees as foolish and reckless. That reckless love is on full display in today’s gospel passage.
Memorial of Saint Philip Neri, Priest
In the text from Mark before us today, we receive a bold challenge. Peter announces that the disciples have given up everything to follow Jesus. Jesus talks about giving up the kinds of possessions that people value most. He names houses and land, which were surely among the most prized possessions for people of his time.
If we aspire to be followers of Jesus, what are we called to give up? What are our prized possessions?
Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church
For centuries, Christians have venerated Mary’s care of the Church. In 1964, Saint Paul VI formally bestowed on her the title “Mother of the Church.” In Argentina, Poland, and the Vatican, Christians have long celebrated this feast. And in March 2018, Pope Francis announced the creation of a new feast day for all of God’s people in commemoration of Mary, Mother of the Church. It is now celebrated on the First Monday after Pentecost. That is today.
Saturday of the Seventh Week of Easter
Our selection today from John the Evangelist, the Beloved Disciple, forms the conclusion of the Fourth Gospel. We find an interesting encounter between Peter, Jesus, and John. It speaks not only to a specific aspect of human nature, but also to our need for maintain our focus on Jesus as we follow Him in our daily lives. Today, let us seek to be faithful disciples of Jesus, gazing upon him in love, and following in his footsteps.
“Peter turned and saw the disciple following whom Jesus loved [John]. . .” Peter turned from his profound and poignantly personal exchange with Jesus, in which his threefold denial of Christ was undone by his threefold profession of love. In his infinite mercy, Jesus restored the relationship between them and delegated to Peter the honor and responsibility of serving as the shepherd of the sheep, the first Pope. At the end of that encounter, Jesus summons Peter, “Follow me.”
Friday of the Seventh Week of Easter
“Do you love me?”
“Do I what?”
“Do you love me?”
“... For twenty-five years, I’ve washed your clothes, cooked your meals, cleaned your house, given you children, milked the cow. After twenty-five years, why talk about love right now?”
I played one of the daughters in Fiddler on the Roof when I was in eighth grade, so this song came to mind as I was reflecting on today’s Gospel. If you are familiar with the musical, you will recognize the lyrics above as a conversation between Tevye and Golde who have spent twenty-five years in an arranged marriage and apparently never talked about love.
Thursday of the Seventh Week of Easter
Today we continue to hear from Acts of the Apostles as we do throughout every Easter season. “The Gospel of the Holy Spirit” (Acts) highlights Paul’s courageous, strategic defense before the Sanhedrin, where he highlights theological divisions in order to survive. Standing alone, Paul exhibits bold faith, wisdom, and reliance on God, resulting in divine affirmation of his mission to Rome, through which Luke (author of Acts) reminds his readers that Christ is present in suffering.
Wednesday of the Seventh Week of Easter
On Mother’s Day weekend, I took time to empty my compost bins and put the rich decomposed elements of last year’s garden and assorted food scraps in my garden to nourish this year’s annual vegetables and flowers. Still rather empty, my vegetable garden and places where annual flowers will soon bloom felt full of possibility. This, even as my perennial mid-spring purple salvia, light pink dianthus, and fuchsia rugosa roses are at their peak and will soon fade. Already, I begin to anticipate the loss of these abundant flower favorites at my front door. These natural rhythms come to mind this week as we find ourselves between Ascension and Pentecost.