Friday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time
All three of my daughters have said words this week that I imagine are familiar to many of us: "No fair!" Sometimes their sense of fairness was offended because they thought another person got a bigger treat. But sometimes their sense of fairness was offended because another person was more talented than they were. My oldest daughter excels at reading; my middle daughter is a terrific dancer; my youngest daughter is proud of helping set the table.
Thursday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time
In today’s gospel, Jesus urges his followers to stay awake and be prepared for their master’s return. This is an especially challenging command for us today. We get prepared for something we believe will happen; if it doesn’t, we lament that our preparation was a waste. We see waiting as passive, but we see preparation as active. Being ready and then not doing anything seems silly. Wouldn’t it be better to move on to the next task on our list? Or better yet, be ‘done’ for the day and enjoy a cold drink?
Wednesday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time
Reflecting on the Wednesday scriptures now for eight years, sometimes feels repetitive however the Spirit of God often illuminates the readings with experiences that are eerily timely. In the last few weeks I met a patient that knew themselves well. The crux of our conversation challenged both the patient and myself like the words of Jesus in today’s gospel: “on the outside you appear righteous, but inside you are filled with hypocrisy”.
Memorial of the Passion of Saint John the Baptist
The story we encounter in Mark today is a story of a very powerful man (King Herod) who as king can hand out punishments as easily as rewards. And whether he does the former or the latter is entirely up to him. While his wife (Herodias) undoubtedly enjoys many privileges, she doesn’t have anything like the power of her husband. If she wants to get something done, she has to go through the king or work in the shadows.
Memorial of Saint Augustine, Bishop and Doctor of the Church
What constitutes the authentic practice of religion? What is it that we do in our everyday lives that establishes who we are as Christians? What 'voices' command our attention?
Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time
Not because Jesus was having an identity crisis, he asks his disciples who they thought he was. Peter confesses that Jesus is “the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” As I said last week about the story of the Canaanite woman, Matthew wants his readers know that Jesus is indeed the Messiah. What happens after this is truly meaningful. Jesus does not ASK Peter who Peter is. Jesus TELLS Peter who Peter is - the rock on which he will build his church. In fact, Jesus defines two things - Peter and the church. Jesus was not having a identity crisis. Jesus was giving Peter and the church a vision and a mission.
Saturday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time
Several months ago a significant change occurred in my family. Our roughly 18 month old daughter, Hosanna, was found at the top of the stairs. No big deal, right? The minor detail that I'm excluding is that we had last left her in her crib. My wife and I took her back in her room, put her in her crib and asked her to show us how she got out. She complied without a fuss and in less than 5 seconds was standing on the floor wondering why our expressions were closer to fear than pride. All of this was occurring just before our third child would be born. Suddenly, we had two bed-sleeping toddlers sharing a room, so we made an investment. We bought a video monitor. That's when we took parent spying to a whole new level.
Friday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time
My students like to think that church and all that “religion stuff” doesn’t have much of an effect on their “real lives”. Sure, they go to mass on Sunday for an hour but the rest of the week, they don’t need it. They are in the midst of a culture war – video games and hanging out with friends are far more enticing than going to Mass. Indeed, lots of Catholics like to think that all this church stuff doesn’t really affect me and my life as a Christian (not really). Today’s scriptures are about culture wars, too. In the first reading (Ruth 1:1, 3-6, 14b-16, 22), we are introduced to the characters of Ruth, Naomi, and their husbands. There are three significant points to lift up in this passage. First, Naomi and her husband and sons have had to leave behind the land God gave them, to enter Moab. If you have been following along with the scripture passages this summer, you know that getting to the promised land of Canaan was difficult in the first place. How much more wrenching, then, to have to leave it behind. But second, Naomi’s sons marry Moabite women, not Jews. That means her sons have married foreigners, people who are not always looked upon with favor in the Bible. In addition, Naomi becomes a widow, a position of hardship in Biblical times, especially since she is now without her sons as well. Naomi has no one to look after her and care about her welfare.
Feast of Saint Bartholomew, Apostle
“Come here. I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” Those are the only words we receive from John's angelic guide in our first reading today. After that we receive a gorgeous description of the heavenly Jerusalem with the final detail telling us that, “The wall of the city had twelve courses of stones as its foundation, on which were inscribed the twelve names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb.” The significance of why these lines are quoted will be clear in a moment.
Wednesday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time
A metaphor is a figure of speech in which a term or phrase is applied to something which is not meant to be understood literally. This is definitely true with the readings for this day. In the first reading from Judges we hear a parable which alludes to the people of God as wanting a king. In today’s gospel we hear the parable of the landowner whose system of paying employees is far from what we might call capitalistic.
Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Disturbed by the presence of the supernatural in the Gospels, Thomas Jefferson used a razor blade to excise all of the references to miracles and prophecy and resurrection, in the process creating a Bible – the “Jefferson Bible” – with which he could be comfortable.
Memorial of Saint Pius X, Pope
My husband and I are avid hikers, and we are planning a trip to Glacier National Park. As part of our possible itinerary there is one or two hikes that I am concerned may be more than I can handle. My husband, who loves me and knows me well, is inviting (encouraging) me to go beyond what I think I can do and try to do more.
Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Today’s gospel reading has confounded a lot of people in the pews. Its the story of the Canaanite woman who came to Jesus pleading with him to heal his daughter. It is a great story of great faith. However, do you cringe every time you hear Jesus say, “It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs?” Was Jesus’ response to the helpless and desperate mother an insult? Let me simply say this: there is more to the story!
Saturday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time
A favorite gift for people as they get married, buy a house, or start welcoming children into their family is the famous line form today's first reading, "As for me and my household, we will serve the LORD" (Joshua 24:15). As I write this reflection I'm looking at the one that hangs right next to our crucifix in our living room. It seems so appropriate that both of these hang in our living room, get it 'living' room. Let me explain.
Friday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time
A lot of things happened this week that were beyond my control. My kids started school this week. It was bittersweet - the two oldest are now in first and fourth grade and happily skip off to school without looking back. Me, on the other hand - I'm reminded of how time marches on, and how parenthood is so often about learning to let my kids grow and go. At work, the computer and printer at work both crashed, twice, setting me behind a few days! Students will be in desks in less than a week! I also had some good unexpected events beyond my control - I happened to bump into a couple longtime friends I hadn't seen in a while.
Thursday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Two very different supernatural events are described in today’s readings. Joshua recounts how the whole nation of Israel crosses the Jordan River on dry land, despite it being the middle of the flood season. It’s reminiscent of crossing the Reed Sea, forty years and a generation before, and it stands as a reminder that God is still with the Israelites, present and as powerful as ever. Matthew recounts Jesus’s teaching on forgiveness: our mercy must be limitless, like divine the forgiveness we receive.
Wednesday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time
God’s ways are not our ways, as there is usually deeper process unfolding that is seemingly unrecognizable. In the closing chapter of the Book of Deuteronomy, we a get view of the end of Moses life. We have traveled with Children of Israel from Egypt to Promised Land. God’s promise to Moses and Israel is now fulfilled and indeed Moses gets a complete glimpse of the whole of the Promised Land. It is a foretaste which Moses will not enjoy himself as this view is his last. In many ways Moses worked his whole life for this moment and God gives Him some closure by allowing him to see it.
Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
I recently visited a young couple whose son had been born just about three weeks prior. We had a delightful visit in which I had the great privilege of holding him and jiggling him as he seemed to be considering the possibility of another nap. One of the things that really struck me during our visit was how little I (or perhaps even his parents) knew at about who he is or will be.
Memorial of Saint Maximilian Kolbe, Priest and Martyr
Today's Gospel reading threw me for a loop when I first read it. After praying with it many times my reflection on it repeatedly ends up at the same place: encourage those who read this 'reflection' to read the Gospel themselves and listen for God's personal Word to enter their hearts. In truth, is that not the main purpose of daily reflections on Scripture? In complete service of that purpose, this reflection is only a series of questions related to just two verses of the Gospel reading. (Mt 17:22-23)
Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Do you think that Jesus experienced fear? Were there moments in his life where he was overcome with fear? The gospels have no recorded instance of Jesus being afraid. The only instance that we can assume that he was afraid was at the garden of Gethsemane, where Luke tells us that, “He was filled with such agony and prayed so fervently that his sweat became like drops of blood.” On the other hand, the gospels have instances of Jesus urging his disciples not be afraid. Just within the last two weeks, twice we have heard that twice. Last weekend, after the transfiguration, he came to his frightened apostles and said, “Rise, and do not be afraid.” In today’s gospel readings he came to the rescue of his terrified apostles and said, “Take courage, It is I; do not be afraid!”