Memorial of Saint Benedict, Abbot
As a historian I have been trained to be very careful in making generalizations. Individuals are very particular – living in a very particular time and place -- and so we have to be very careful about using the word “everyone,” as in “everyone is motivated by this” or “everyone has experienced that.” (This is also why historians reject the popular notion that “history repeats itself,” but I will spare you that lecture!)
Wednesday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time
The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. What hopeful, promising, and exhilarating words from our Lord, and yet mysterious, too. What is the Kingdom of Heaven, and what does it mean that it’s at hand? The phrase Kingdom of Heaven shows up 25 times in St Matthew’s Gospel, so it’s clearly an important concept in our understanding of discipleship. John the Baptist paved the way, saying, “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven has come near” (Matt. 3:1-2). Jesus began his ministry, preaching the exact same message (Matt. 4:17). Jesus describes the Kingdom to us in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5:1-10) and through many of his parables. Sometimes those stories seem a little abstract and confusing. How do we translate them into practical action steps for our lives?
Saturday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time
I was talking with a friend recently about prayer. A formulation about prayer that I've enjoyed is ACTS: Adoration, Contrition, Thanksgiving, and Supplication. Reflecting on my conversation and the Psalm, I've been convicted that my prayer life tends to look more like CTS with Adoration being my weakest component.
Friday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time
I'm finding an interesting phenomenon in social media and the papers these days. There are more and more people quite willing to say that we live in dark times, that the world is going to hell, that "stuff like this wouldn't have happened in my day."
Thursday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time
On this Independence Day, it is no accident that the psalm and each reading contain the word “peace.” These readings were selected for this day to remind us all of God’s call to be a nation of peace. We, as individuals, Daytonians, Ohioans, and Americans are called to live and act peacefully. What does peace mean for us today? Today’s readings inform us of God’s plan for peace.
Feast of Saint Thomas, Apostle
Today’s Gospel text is all about believing. St Thomas had to establish the basis for his belief in the Risen Lord and so do we. This passage comes toward the end of John’s Gospel. Today’s reading does not include verses 30-31, but they form an important ending to our selection. “Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that be believing you may have life in his name.” We are reborn to eternal life by placing our belief, our faith, in Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Today’s Gospel invites us to examine our own belief. Thomas needed tangible proof – he needed to see and touch the Risen Lord. How about you? Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God? What is the basis for your belief and how would you articulate and express that to someone else? This Feast of St Thomas presents an excellent opportunity for each of us to work on our personal testimony! What is your “elevator speech” to describe or explain your belief in God? St Peter tells us, “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have . . .” (1 Peter 3:15). Today is a great day to become more prepared to share our faith with others!
Tuesday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time
In both the old and new testament readings for today, we encounter significant upheaval seen in nature, namely “earthquakes” called by other names. Scripture scholars identify the “sulphurous fire” that God “rained down” on the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah that God “overthrew” as likely the fire resulting from earthquakes in that region. And in today’s gospel reading, we hear of a “violent storm” that came upon the sea, which scholars explain would be literally translated as “earthquake” (apparently a word commonly used in apocalyptic literature for the “shaking of the old world” when God brings about the Kingdom). These powerful acts of nature in our readings may stand out more as our city and surrounding areas continue to recover from the ravaging tornadoes of just over a month ago.
Monday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Today's readings reminded me of a book I read several years ago. It was written by author and spiritual director William Barry, SJ and is entitled A Friendship like No Other. The title really says it all, bu how comfortable do we feel approaching Jesus in friendship. Do we see Jesus as our friend?
Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles - Mass during the Day
The Church issues a challenge to each of us today in her choice of readings. Certainly, on this day that we remember Peter and Paul we could hear numerous readings. Paul easily has more books attributed to him than any other New Testament author. Peter on the other hand is one of the most mentioned figures in the New Testament after Jesus. With all that we have at our disposable we should be attentive to what the Church offers.
Solemnity of Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
The verse that struck me as I was reading today's first passage (Ezekiel 34:11-16) is this one: "the sleek and the strong I will destroy, shepherding them rightly." I wondered what that was about, since I had always thought that shepherds wanted strong, sleek (aka healthy) sheep. I understood why God would want to seek out lost sheep, but why would God want to destroy any sheep, especially the most healthy?
Thursday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time
Today’s gospel reading from Matthew is one of those that makes us pause and reexamine our faith. Many people undoubtedly think that they are doing the will of God; many people believe themselves genuine in their prayer. But are we really doing God’s will? And are we really praying in earnest? Jesus calls us, as his disciples, both to listen to his words and to act on them. If we can do this then we are like a man who built his house on rock – a solid foundation. Unfortunately, it is easier said than done. Just look at our first reading. Here is the man who becomes known as Abraham, a patriarch, honored as a great father in our tradition. Our readings this week from Genesis have showed him to be a man of solid faith, a man who worships well, a man who is generous, a man who listens to the word of God and acts on it. How, then, can we explain the drama in our first reading today?
Wednesday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time
The Lord remembers his covenant forever . . . What a great promise and surety we have in the psalm refrain today! God is indeed a faithful, covenant-keeping God; we can have absolute trust and confidence in God. The covenant with Abram (Abraham) is one of five major covenants (several others are recorded in scripture, too) enacted by God with God’s people (Covenant with Noah, Covenant with Abram, Covenant with Moses, Covenant with David, and the New Covenant in Jesus Christ.) In today’s first reading, God enters into covenant with Abram (and hence with us), whom God later renames Abraham when he establishes the Covenant of Circumcision with him. God promises Abram that he and his wife Sarai will not only bear children, but that Abram will become the father of many nations. Our scripture tells us, “Abram put his faith in the Lord, who credited it to him as an act of righteousness” (another translation says, “and he credited it to him as righteousness”). God accepted Abram, not because he lived a perfect life or that his works were deemed righteous, but because of his responsiveness to God’s promises. This verse is quoted three times in the New Testament (Romans 4:3, Galatians 3:6, and James 2:23), underscoring the fact that our faith is salvific. Abram believed in God’s faithfulness, and so he placed his trusting faith in God. Righteousness is all about “right relationships,” and this encounter between God and Abram illustrates God’s desire for us in our relationship with God. We come to God in faith trusting in God’s faithfulness to receive us, to save us, and to bless us.
Tuesday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time
As I reflect on the texts before us today, I am struck by the simple yet powerful wisdom God offers us for living well with one another. If only we all could follow that wisdom. Our world would be utterly transformed.
Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist - Mass during the Day
Today is the feast of the birth of John the Baptist. John certainly plays an important part in announcing Jesus’ coming, but the readings today are reminders that God calls each of us by name and sends us out to be His Hands and Feet for the world around us.
Saturday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time
At the beginning of today’s gospel Jesus offers us this insight, “No one can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” When I read these words I almost instinctively find myself perched atop my high horse criticizing those that I consider wealthy. From my ‘elevated’ perspective I’m bewildered by how they convince themselves that their Christianity and wealth can somehow coexist. I shake my head wondering if they have ever even read this passage or if they just skip over it. It was at about this point that God decided to throw me off my proverbial high horse. Here is what knocked me on my hind end.
Memorial of Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, Religious
Thursday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time
Sometimes I wonder, why do we follow up our petitions with “Lord, hear our prayer?” Isn’t it kind of like asking for something, and following it up with, ‘are you listening God?’ Here on Earth it can feel like God is distant, far away, beyond hearing. Heaven seems a long way off when tornados and racists are tearing through town. Some may feel like they need to do something special to catch God’s attention. Maybe it’s a rosary, litany, novena, or another long prayer of ‘many words.’ Maybe it’s about doing extraordinary good works. Maybe we feel a need to be loud in our prayers and actions. In our unsaid feeling of God’s distance, we may inadvertently be questioning God’s goodness.
Wednesday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time
As disciples of Jesus Christ, we want to give to God – to give God our devotion, our obedience, our worship, our adoration, our time, our talents, our charisms, our service . . . the list goes on. Giving to God becomes part of our growth in holiness, indeed in developing our relationship with God. In today’s Gospel text, we hear Jesus telling us how not to give to God. He describes specific behaviors, but he cuts to the heart of our motivation and orientation. Our Lord asks, effectively, what is the orientation of your being when you perform righteous deeds, when you pray, when you fast, when you give alms? Are you oriented more toward self or toward God? In Jesus’ day, the religious leaders would actually make a public spectacle of themselves. It was common for them to make a huge show of their religious practices, effectively demonstrating to others in the public square their extreme piety and apparent devotion to God. The louder the display, the more fervent the devotion (or so it seemed). We don’t typically stand on street corners shouting our prayers, and we probably don’t make ourselves look as haggard as possible while we are fasting in order to draw attention to ourselves, but I wonder if there are times when you and I are motivated by a desire to be noticed for our religiosity, generosity, or works of service. I think our Gospel text invites some introspection and examination of conscience today as we reflect on our personal motives around how we worship and serve God.
Tuesday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time
“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you...” (Matthew 5:44). How many times we’ve likely heard or read this challenge from Jesus in the gospels. Perhaps there’s the temptation to skim over it or think “I don’t really have enemies.” I invite you to take the time to reflect more deeply along with me on today’s readings. Especially this challenging gospel that ends with the charge to “be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.” A tall order indeed.
Monday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time
Living a genuine Christian life, really taking the Gospel to heart, should be like living in a foreign land; it is difficult. It is a mix of trying to live the Gospel and trying to fit in. It's navigating the back and forth, the push and pull—the ongoing tension—of living with contradictions that is the challenge of discipleship.