Friday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time
“Greater will be the future glory of this house than the former, says the Lord of hosts.”
When was the last time you felt discouraged at work, unable to see the fruit of your labor? You prayed for just a little growth—only to see a meager harvest appear, despite your careful sowing and faithful tending. You remained hopeful, believed, prayed, and yet…the results fell short of your expectations.
Thursday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time
What makes people successful? Sociologists spend years examining this question. The common characteristic was not hard work, nor practical or people skills. The one factor that transcends all the rest was putting first things first. The successful person has the habit of doing the things those who lag behind don't like to do. They don't like doing them either, necessarily. But their distaste is overshadowed by their determination.
Wednesday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time
When I read today’s Gospel two main ideas come to mind. First, I find myself reflecting on the disciples James and John and how easy it is to fall into the same patterns as them. Additionally, I find this gospel helps to remind me of Christ’s unending patience – both with his disciples and with us.
Memorial of St. Pius of Pietrelcina, Priest
Today is the first full day of autumn and Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. It’s a new season, and for our Jewish brothers and sisters, a new year. Our short Gospel tells us that Mary and Jesus’ relatives come to see him but can’t really get to him because of the crowd. When alerted, Jesus notes that those closest to him are those who “hear the word of God and act on it.” While this might seem a slight to his mother and blood relatives, Jesus is emphasizing that true relationship with him is linked to listening to, hearing and acting according to God’s word.
Monday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time
This little light of mine. I’m gonna let it shine.
This little light of mine. I’m gonna let it shine.
This little light of mine. I’m gonna let it shine.
Let it shine,
Let it shine, Let it shine.
—Black spiritual and an anthem of the civil rights movement
"No one lights a lamp, conceals it with a vessel or sets it under a bed; rather, they place it on a lampstand so that those who enter may see the light.” - Today’s Gospel acclamation verse.
Memorial of St. Andrew Kim Taegon, Priest, and Paul Chong Ha-sang, and Companions, Martyrs
The question that Jesus puts before us is a tough one. We are among those on the path. And we are very fortunate to be on that path. It’s important to be aware that not everyone has that privilege. But to be on the path, to have heard the Word of God, even to understand it is not enough. And that takes us to Jesus’s question: Is your soil rich?
Friday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
“Accompanying him were the Twelve and some women…who provided for them out of their resources.” This verse from today’s short gospel passage from Luke (8:1-3) gives us a peek into Jesus’ inclusiveness, traveling with women, along with the twelve named male apostles, as he went about ministering and preaching. We get a somewhat rare glimpse into the importance of women in Jesus’ ministry as Luke identifies several by name and also adds the detail, “many others” who were supporting and “providing for” Jesus and his followers. Who were these women?
Thursday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
Pope Leo just canonized two young men as saints. Oftentimes, when we look at the saints, we see people who are so special and holy that they exist in a realm that is beyond our reach. In today’s reading from St. Paul, he reminds Timothy not to neglect “the gift you have.” Each one of us has been given the gift of who we are in Christ, and when we become this “true self” and live from this place, we bring God’s presence to the world and become holy people of God.
Wednesday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
We can best understand our Gospel selection today by reading it in its context, Luke 7:18-35. You may find it helpful to pause and pray that entire selection. In the text for today, Jesus explains, by means of a short parable, that anyone like the Pharisees who reject John the Baptist (and folded in with him all the prophets) also reject him. In essence, Jesus invites his listeners, including us, to ask themselves whether they are listening and responding to him and to his messengers. Let us examine ourselves today, and in humility ask the hard question, am I listening to Jesus and am I willing to do what he says?
Memorial of Saints Cornelius, Pope, and Cyprian, Bishop, Martyrs
In today’s first reading, Paul wrote to Timothy on how bishops should act and what characteristics they should have. Today’s Gospel is about Jesus raising a widow’s son from the dead during his funeral procession. Both readings can teach us about discipleship.
Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows
This past summer all 13 Cronins (my children and grandchildren) traveled in pilgrimage to the shrine of Our Lady of Knock in County Mayo, Ireland. A-once-in-a-lifetime event to the land of our ancestors, there we gave thanks for the life of Mary Tighe Cronin, my wife and their mother/grandmother. Mary’s parents came from Tuam in County Galway, a 20 minute drive from Knock.
Memorial of St. John Chrysostom, Bishop & Doctor of the Church
When facing the challenges of life, today’s gospel story reminds us of the importance of having a firm foundation. As Christians, Jesus is our rock and foundation. When we recognize our need for Christ in our lives, rely upon the gifts that He gives, spend time nurturing our relationship with Him, and follow Him in word and deed, we will deepen our foundation. Our lives will not be without challenges or storms, but with our lives rooted in Christ we will recognize that we are not alone, since our support comes from God who is always near.
Friday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time
“Hyppo, hyppo, hyppo!!,” my teenage son likes to teasingly call me (no, not a hippopotamus) when he catches me doing the very thing I told him not to do. Maybe Jesus would use that slang if he were here now rather than, “You hypocrite!” that we read today in Luke’s gospel passage from the Sermon on the Plain. Why do we notice the splinter in our brother’s (or sister’s or spouse’s or coworker’s or parent’s or neighbor’s or enemy’s) eye, but not notice the wooden beam in our own?
Thursday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time
Today Luke presents Jesus’ “Sermon on the Plain," as opposed to Matthew’s “Sermon on the Mount.” The whole of this section of Luke reveals the truth of what is required for discipleship. And it is costly. This runs against the antithesis of grace, a grace we confer on ourselves, what the great German pastor and martyr of World War II Frederick Bonhoeffer derided as “cheap grace.”
Wednesday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time
Where are you? St Paul provides the answer in our first reading. It may surprise you! Paul exhorts us, “If you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God . . . For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” So, where are you? Your answer, partly, is wherever you find yourself geographically at this moment in time. The deeper reality, however, is that your life is hidden with Christ in God. This truth sounds abstract and esoteric, doesn’t it? It’s mysterious and perhaps not easy to understand. How can Paul make these statements so categorically? It’s because of our Baptism! We died with Christ in the waters of our Baptism and were raised by the Holy Spirit to a new life in Christ.
Memorial of Saint Peter Claver, Priest
Today is the Memorial of St Peter Claver, a Spanish Jesuit priest and missionary (1580-1654), known as the patron saint of slaves, Colombia and ministry with African Americans. Leaving his family wealth, Peter added to his perpetual vows in the Society of Jesus, a personal one, "to be a slave of slaves". For 38 years, he worked in the port city of Cartagena, Columbia tending to the physical needs and ministering spiritually to those arriving on slave ships.
Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Have you researched your family tree? DNA opens vistas we couldn't have imagined just 10 years ago. I have researched my family tree back to the 13th century in some instances. The line that assisted me to do that included those who were assigned by English monarchs to govern the “within the pale” parts of Ireland in and around Dublin. Most surprising of all is my finding two canonized saints as very distant cousins: Mary McKillop of Australia and Oliver Plunkett, archbishop of Armagh and primate of all Ireland.
Saturday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time
Some thirty years ago, Bill had a conversation with his sister-in-law that he will never forget. They were driving back to Bill’s house after a day visiting museums in Washington, DC when they somehow got onto the topic of certainty and Christianity. Bill’s sister-in-law (I’ll call her Joanne) was absolutely convinced that to be a true Christian, required certainty about the faith. A true Christian, she argued, is someone who understands the central tenets of the faith and knows they are true. It's not enough to be convinced or to be nearly sure or to observe the practices of the faith but have some doubts about this or that doctrinal point. To be a Christian, you have to know. Without certainty, you are failing to commit to the faith. You are sitting on the fence.
Optional Memorial of St. Teresa of Calcutta
You’ve likely heard the saying “What would Jesus do?” (WWJD) that became quite popular some years ago with wrist bands, bracelets and t-shirts sporting the message. Well, reflecting on today’s optional readings for the Memorial of St. Teresa of Calcutta (also known as St. Mother Teresa), I found myself asking a similar but different question – What would I do if this person were Jesus?
Thursday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time
Today’s readings remind us that having a community of believers is essential to growing in faith and building the Kingdom of God. Through prayer, encouragement, and communal liturgies, we accompany one another as we seek to find God in all things.