Solemnity of All Saints
One of the chaplains with whom I minister, worked especially hard on one of the bigger team efforts of our year. Her generosity was truly a labor of love that inspired me. In thanking her I remarked that she was a saint. Although my coworker did not readily accept what I meant as a complement, My explanation was that her energy was clearly that of a saint in the making. This is the universal call to holiness, that like the saints before us, we are all striving for sanctity on earth.
Tuesday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time
A recent national poll shows that seven out of ten Americans think this country has reached a new low point in its politics due to divisions among Americans that are as bad or worse than they were during the Vietnam era. Americans who were adults during the Vietnam era and who, therefore, can actually remember what that level of division felt like are even stronger with 77% of them saying that we are at least or more divided now than we were then. We are a deeply divided nation, and that is bad news for all of us.
Monday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time
The first reading from Romans contains lines of scripture that many of us find familiar. St. Paul reminds us that we are called to be led by the Spirit of God, and therefore we should consider ourselves children of God. But then St. Paul mentions that we are heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. What exactly does it mean to be an heir of God? What do we “inherit” as an heir, and how is this inheritance passed along to us?
Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
The great Christian mystic, John of the Cross, once said, “In the evening of our lives we will be judged by love alone.” Today’s readings are bound to create a genuine problem for preachers and congregations in Catholic parishes across the world, unless of course, preachers decide to by-pass the issue. The very first statement in today’s first reading says- “Thus says the LORD: You shall not molest or oppress an alien, for you were once aliens yourselves in the land of Egypt.” Across the globe, national elections are being won and lost based on particular political party’s stand on both documented and undocumented aliens or immigrants. Not only do some Catholics disagree with the Catholic Church’s pastoral teaching on immigration, but they have gone so as far as to openly dissent with Pope Francis and the US Catholic bishops on the issue.
Feast of Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles
When we have a big decision to make we sometimes say, “Let me get back to you, I need to sleep on it.” Jesus, in today’s gospel, would not be impressed by our conventional wisdom. Luke’s gospel tells us that Jesus went up the mountain to pray and “spent the night in prayer.” For Jesus, having a decision that you sleep on would be inadequate. While I don’t think that Jesus is calling us to insomnia, there are a few thought provoking implications that come from this passage.
Friday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time
Today's scriptures are so important. In today's gospel (Luke 12:54-59) Jesus wants us to resist the temptation to get an easy win in our arguments and dealings with others. Sadly, I know what the hot button topics are for my friends and family members - and I know that oftentimes it is better just not to engage in that fight. Sometimes it is just so tempting, though, to slip in a snarky comment I later wish I hadn't made.
Thursday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time
Have another helping of Humble Pie! Most of us don’t like being called weak, or a slave. And I certainly don’t like division; there’s enough of that in today’s politics! Following Jesus is a challenge, whether we’re just starting, or we’ve been doing it for decades. For me, it seems like the hardest part is letting go of my ego, my plans, my belief about how good I am. The epistle, Psalm, and Gospel all invite us to turn toward God more fully, and set aside our pride.
Wednesday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time
Scripture Readings
Every one to whom much is given, much will be required. Let us think for a moment of the countless blessing we have received during our lives. Many of them we know quite well. Many, many others are unknown to us. For each of our lives are filled with blessings. Happiness, family, friendships, people who minister to us, and this does not even include our temporal blessings. Let us consider today the question of whether our life is a generous response to all the good things God has granted us.
Tuesday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time
The excerpts from Paul’s letter to the Romans begin in a very dark place. In them, Paul tells us that it was through one man’s sin that death not only entered the world for him but for all of us. Just like him, we all sin. And just like him, we all will die. It’s a bleak opening, to be sure. And it’s one that we know is true. We all sin. And we all will die.
Monday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time
If you have ever perused writings on Benedictine Spirituality you may have come across this quote from St. Benedict: “Keep death always before your eyes.” This sounds very strange as in our culture as death is considered something to avoid at all cost, something to put off as long as possible, or something to dread. Who among us desires to keep death in the forefront of their thinking? Even us, as disciples of Jesus must admit death is not something we want to think about. Christ is all about resurrection and life, abundance, truth and goodness. However, this day's readings can be seen as an invitation to reflect on how facing death may influence the way I live.
Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time
“Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God" (Mt 22:21). This perhaps one of the most well-known quotes of Jesus. I would like to reflect on this quote in three questions.
Saturday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time
Today’s reading from Romans is like a two-for-one. It is a new testament passage that relies heavily on Genesis. We are getting a taste of the Old Testament and the New at the same time. We’re also getting a reminder about the primacy of faith and grace.
Friday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time
The other day, a student asked me what Christians think about fear. Interesting question - and not one I've thought about much, on purpose, until that question. Fear is something that we try to keep at arms' length. While we tell our children not to be afraid of the dark, how often do we have meaningful conversations about the things we really fear: death, violence, losing independence, and so on?
Memorial of Saints John de Brébeuf and Isaac Jogues, Priests, and Companions, Martyrs
In today’s first reading we are presented with a discussion around faith and works. In this reading St. Paul speaks of the value of faith and the importance of being justified by faith. Faith is rooted in belief – belief in God, even though we do not have facts to prove his existence. We as Catholics have faith that the God we know is a God of mercy, of justice and of love. It is this faith, this belief in a higher power, that then guides our works and our actions. We should be living our lives differently because we have faith. How is your life different because of your faith?
Feast of Saint Luke, evangelist
Many times I am privileged to pray with some of the sickest people in the hospital. Recently, I when I went to pray I asked the patient what we they would like to pray for, they replied, pray I get to meet Jesus soon. They said it with a smile on their face. This person was truly at peace. A peace that knows that they are a child of God, and that God is their savior. A peace like that was bestowed by the seventy-two disciples Jesus sent forth ahead of him. Disciples that were sent forth to proclaim the Kingdom.
Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Antioch, Bishop and Martyr
A couple of summers ago, I traveled to France with some colleagues from the University of Dayton on a pilgrimage that took us to places that deeply shaped the founders of the Society of Mary or Marianists, who founded UD. Along the way, we spent the better part of one day at the Palace of Versailles.
Monday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time
Our Parish, Immaculate Conception, focuses a great deal on being disciples of Jesus- we are called to “think like Jesus, talk like Jesus, and act like Jesus.” When I read today’s reading, I was struck by the line “we have received the grace of apostleship.” So does that mean that WE are called to be apostles as well? One of the definitions of the word “apostle” is “one sent on a mission.” As disciples of Jesus we are called to become like Him in all ways, but we are also given the mission of building the Kingdom of God here on earth. Through the grace of the Spirit each one of us is called into relationship with Him, so we can bring others (and in fact all of creation) into the Kingdom as well.
Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time
How many of you are familiar with the Baltimore Catechism? It is very different than the Catechism of the Catholic Church we have today. Published in 1891, it has about 300 pages and the entire Catechism is written in question answer format. I think it is still the clearest and direct explanation of the Catholic faith. For example, the first question is, “Who made the world?” The answer, “God made the world.” The sixth question asks “Why did God make you?” The answer is, “God made me to know Him, to love Him, and to serve Him in this world, and to be happy with Him for ever in heaven.” Did to hear that? God made us to be happy! This may sound contrary to the lessons we draw from today’s gospel parable of the man thrown out from the wedding feast for coming without a wedding garment. In fact, when understood correctly, even this parable is about happiness.
Saturday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time
“Blessed are you among women.” These are the words that Elizabeth says to Mary as the two women meet. The woman in the crowd in today’s gospel seems to echo Elizabeth as she calls out, “Blessed is the womb that carried you and the breasts at which you nursed.” However, Jesus’ reply, Mary’s example, and the rest of the visitation scene create a different picture.
Friday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time
Most of the people I know have observed that today is Friday the 13th, IN OCTOBER, no less. A spooky month gets a spooky Friday. How much better (or worse...) can it get?