Friday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Most of you probably know that the Catholic Church has been focused on "the New Evangelization" for a couple years now. The New Evangelization is meant to encourage people to spread the Good News of Jesus (as Christians have done for centuries) but with an eye to our particular contemporary needs. For example, the New Evangelization emphasizes a need to be present online and to witness to Jesus in relation to all our technology. The New Evangelization also recognizes that people today often wonder about the relationship between science and God, and whether our views of science mean that belief in God is false - and so we are asked to consider these real concerns of people and address them.
Thursday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Persistence, grit, perseverance - as a school counselor, these are buzz words of my profession. There is a lot of time and energy and research put into the question of how do you teach these qualities to kids? How do we instill these character traits in today's youth? The question has become even more relevant as we see the impact of our society's need for selfish, immediate-gratification.
Wednesday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Good Samaritan hospital, in Dayton, OH, is closing its doors at the end of this year. Uncertainty and anxiety can be difficult to manage. We do not know what is going to happen but we do know that the goal is to get us all jobs. In the same way we do not always know how a health care crisis will go, but we do know that the care team is always doing their best to help someone heal. In both of these examples what is required it a trust that God is there and a hope for the positive.
Memorial of Saint Paul Miki and Companions, Martyrs
This Easter, my husband (Bill) and I will celebrate our second anniversary as Catholics. As we awaken again at the Easter vigil to the truth of the resurrected Christ, we will also remember so vividly the first time we received the Eucharist.
Memorial of Saint Agatha, Virgin and Martyr
Most Sundays my husband and I attend Mass with our daughter, her husband and our two grandchildren. Trying to help these children (3 years old and 18 month old) be attentive to what is occurring on the altar is a challenge. One way that often catches their interest is when we direct them to see “Papa Tish” (Fr. Satish) or Pops (my husband) when he serves, lectors or is a Eucharistic Minister up on the altar. When they recognize someone as familiar they are more likely to want to pay attention and learn more about what is happening during the service.
Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Of all the weeks, this was not the week that I wanted to deal with a scripture reading from Job. In today’s first reading Job reflects on life and says, “Is not man's life on earth a drudgery?” (Job 7:1). Drudgery is a very distressing word. It is an immensely burdensome state of being. I have just returned from home seeing the drudgery of my ninety year old father. My heart breaks to see him this way. He sleeps almost all day, wakes up to eat, use the the bathroom, pray a little and then back to bed again. All the medication he takes to stay alive… it is depressing for him and my family. My eighty year old mother said to me the other day, “Does this have to be how our last days are? Dad sleeps most of the time and I walk about the house like a ghost.” Its called drudgery. As I left home this time, I did not feel that I was merely leaving home. I felt that I was abandoning my parents. My life still has meaning. My ministry is still my life. I am surrounded by very some supportive people and a lovely puppy. But to me life seems like drudgery right now. I won’t be surprised if there are people in this church who feel like my father, my mother or I feel at the moment. Drudgery is real.
Saturday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time
My wife and I are blessed to be friends with a couple who serve as youth ministers for a non-denominational church community in northern Ohio. They shared with us the story of a young girl who had been bringing her Catholic friend to their youth group.
Feast of the Presentation of the Lord
In today’s gospel, in the midst of Simeon’s prophecy, Mary gets some bad news. In what should have been a moment every bit as joyful as our tradition of baptizing our children, she hears that she is going to be run through by a sword! ‘Have a nice day!’
Thursday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time
In today’s readings, Solomon and the disciples are being prepared for their new mission. Solomon will take the throne, and the disciples are heading out two-by-two to preach repentance and to heal. But the preparation may not seem like what we would expect. When I am preparing for a new assignment or role in life, I try to acquire the knowledge and equipment I will need to be successful. I spend a little time identifying what I have now, but more time hoarding or getting what I lack. For instance, when I was preparing for my first backpacking trip, I read a book or two, went to the outfitter store, and learned to read trail maps. When I was becoming a father, I similarly sought out knowledge from family and books, made a registry and bought new furniture to fill the empty bedroom. Are you prepared for the work God has for you?
Memorial of Saint John Bosco, Priest
Surely the expression don’t kill the messenger must have in part been inspired by today’s scripture. David went against the will of the Lord by having the number of men fit for military service counted. God wanted David to trust that the Lord would provide for the needs of Israel, instead of trying to calculate his options. While David regretted his sin, his contrition did not preclude that there would be consequences for his actions. Thus, imagine how David felt when the prophet Gad came to offer him a choice of punishments. David knew that no matter what choice he made, there would be harsh ramifications both for himself and the community.
Tuesday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time
In the passage from Mark that is before us today we encounter a Jesus we don’t hear enough about.
Monday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time
One of the most important aspects of discipleship is sharing what Jesus has done in my life. Today's Scriptures testify to this in a striking way. Hearing another person's story, or telling our own, inspires everyone involved. Personal testimony about how God has worked in our lives brings glory to God in a manner that is unique and powerful.
Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
At every visit home, one of the greatest edification I receive is from my parent’s spirituality. First of all, they are two very genuine people. So I believe that their spiritual life is also genuine. Their hour-long morning and evening prayer, their selfless intercession for every need of the world, their participation in daily mass, their devotional practices and corporal works of mercy are truly inspirational. Not once have I felt that my priestly holiness and spirituality is superior to theirs. In fact, I have felt that the opposite is true. I know that my parent’s holiness far exceeds mine. And I know this to be true about them not only as retired people but even when I was a child. For that matter, there are many people in this congregation of whom I would say the same thing.
Saturday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time
It is striking how the same passage can speak into our lives in so many different ways. I have read this gospel a number of times and always find encouragement or conviction in a new area. This time it was conviction. I read the passage and thought to myself, “This is my prayer life.”
Memorial of Saints Timothy and Titus, bishops
“As I recall your sincere faith that first lived in your grandmother Lois… I am confident lives also in you.” - 2 Timothy 1:5
Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul, Apostle
After I graduated from high school I fell away from the Church. Truthfully, in my heart, I had fallen away long before that. Although my entire education took place in Roman Catholic schools, it felt very oppressing and I was only going through the motions from the time I was a sophomore in high school my mid-twenties. That is when my husband and I started our family and I knew we must care for the spirituality of our children. While I did all the things I was supposed to do as far as educating and informing our children about the Catholic faith, I had never had a personal experience of Jesus. Now I know how important that was.
Memorial of Saint Francis de Sales, Bishop and Doctor of the Church
Michelangelo said, “Every block of stone has a statue inside it and the task of the sculpture is to discover it. David was always there in the marble, I just took away everything that was not David.”
Tuesday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time
We all know how important families are. For most of us, they are the primary set of relationships into which we are born, raised, come of age, and so forth. They shape us in profound ways, whether by genetic information that is shared in our very bodies or by choices parents make regarding where a family might live or children may go to school or by everyday habits of the family (eating together, talking about the day, watching sports or movies, hugging one another, doing chores together).
Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children
Today’s readings speak to us about two different kings: David and Jesus. Although David in some way prefigures Jesus, the kingdoms that they rule are very different. As disciples of Christ we are called to follow Jesus as we live guided by the Spirit of God. It is only when we allow the Holy Spirit to be our source of power that we can bring about God’s kingdom and live heaven on earth.
Third Sunday of Ordinary Time
(Fr. Satish is in India visiting his parents. This homily was preached by him three years back. The homily is still relevant for today as we reflect Christ's call in the Gospel).
Each time I leave my home in India to return back to my ministry in Dayton, the last day, the last hours, and the last moments are even intensely emotional. Just before I leave, mom and dad always pray over me and give me their blessings. As they blessed me this time I realized how much it hurt all of us to part from each other. For some reason, my mother always surprises me with her prayers over me. She prayed something like, “Loving God, bless the people of my son’s parish whom you have called him to serve. Bless them and let them know your love through him.” This is what is surprising about my mother – she is always able to rise above the immediate situation and find the bigger meaning and purpose. She did this when I left home at 16 and she does it even now when I am 48. In her simple prayer, my mother, had lifted us all from our gloom and given meaning. We still wept as we parted but there was hope.