Saturday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Today’s gospel passage caught me off guard. I found myself wondering, “Who is this grumpy and snippy Jesus?” This poor guy wanted his son healed and Jesus seemed like someone spit in His wine. However, after I spent some more time with it, I realized this passage might be deeper than I first suspected. It might be easier to reconcile the “I’ll be with you always” side of Jesus with this “How long will I endure you?” side of Jesus then I first anticipated. There are two phrases from Jesus that I want to consider as we look this passage. Matthew records Jesus telling the disciples that they have little faith and he spoke these words, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long will I be with you? How long will I endure you?”
Memorial of Saint Clare, Virgin
I love today's first reading (Deuteronomy 4:32-40) because it comes just before the passage where God gives the Ten Commandments,and it is a description of why God hopes the people will follow the Ten Commandments and take them to heart. Usually we see the Ten Commandments listed on a wall or on the back of a prayer card, without their context, as though God simply gave them with no explanation or rationale.
Feast of Saint Lawrence, deacon and martyr
I think it's easy to read today's readings and immediately jump to money. We can read these readings and reflect on how we are giving financially - am I giving enough? Am I giving to the right organizations? Am I cheerful when I am giving that money away? But I think there is more to what we are being asked here.
Wednesday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Have you ever wanted something so bad, that you did all you could to make your wish come true? You did everything in your power to make your desire a reality. Everything from petitioning God, to focusing on a reality so much that it seems to become true. Wishes can create false dilemmas in us or they can help us find a hope that will lead us to faith and truth.
Memorial of Saint Dominic, Priest
When I was a high school student in Denver, Josh McDowell’s book, Evidence that Demands a Verdict, swept through our evangelical youth group as something akin to a tidal wave. In this book McDowell claimed to provide all sorts of undeniable evidence for the truth of Christianity. To this day I can recall the book’s high point, which was the chapter entitled, “The Resurrection – Hoax or History?” In McDowell’s telling, the historical evidence is absolutely overwhelming that Jesus really did rise from the dead.
Monday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Food is such a wonderful part of all of our lives. Like most people I enjoy eating, but I also love to cook, and I find great joy in sharing my cooking with other people. In today’s scripture readings God shows us that He understands the significance of food for our daily living. God not only tends to our spiritual needs, but He recognizes that our physical needs are important, and therefore He provides food for the journey. Because of His care and compassion, God recognizes all of our needs, and He responds generously to satisfy our hungry bodies and souls.
Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord
Whenever I read passages like the ones we have as our readings today, I feel a little disconnected. I am not saying that I have any doubts about the marvelous experiences of Daniel in today’s first reading or the apostles in today's second reading and the gospel. All I am saying is that I haven’t had them. I am not sure about you, but, I am left with a piece of bread and some wine in my hands. It takes everything in me to believe that the God who appeared to Daniel and the apostles is the same God I hold in my hands. I lay my hand on people who are ill, anoint them with Holy Oil and believe that God is hearing my prayer. All I have is the quiet time I spend before God in prayer. Sometimes, it takes everything in my to believe that there is somebody on the other side.
Saturday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time
Talking small children into using the potty can be difficult, as many of you may know. With my son, Ignatius, I sometimes find myself using the phrase, “just go practice.” Iggy knows how to use the bathroom, but I want him to become proficient at responding to the need to go potty. As Christians, as we pursue lives of virtue, we need to practice like a three-year-old practices on the potty.
Memorial of Saint John Vianney, Priest
Thursday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time
Have you made a dwelling place for the Lord in your life? Moses does this literally in today’s first reading, after receiving instructions on how to build the Tent of the Lord’s Presence. We have also received instructions telling us how to open our hearts and minds to Jesus. At each Mass when the gospel is read, we sign our foreheads, mouth, and chest, praying “Jesus be in my mind, Jesus be in my words, Jesus be in my heart.” Making a place for the Lord (and spending time there) is the beginning of discipleship.
Wednesday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time
Recently, we had a conversation at hospital about the ability of people to change. What struck me was that most of us felt people could change, while others thought generally people cannot change. Experiences with people are unable to break free from addiction has shaped this perception of the inability to change. What I find so profound about this conversation is that we all work for an organization whose main mission is to be change agents for the patients well-being.
Memorial of Saint Alphonsus Liguori, Bishop and Doctor of the Church
The text we have from Exodus today is truly extraordinary. In it, the Lord not only speaks to Moses directly, which in and of itself is an amazing thing. The Lord chooses to reveal who the Lord is to Moses. And, as readers, we are privileged to hear what the Lord has to say. Incredible!
Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Priest
Today the Church celebrates the Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuits. Ignatius was a soldier in every sense of the word; his first authentic experience of God occurred while recovering from a devastating battle injury. His deep desire to defend and protect the interests of his homeland drove him and allowed him to express his passion. Having said this, he was no saint. Like most of us, he was a human being attracted to things less than 'holy' and God, knowing this, directed his passion and desire toward the glorious work of the Kingdom. Ignatius's story inspires me because it is a perfect example of how God works through our human desires—and human weakness—to accomplish the work of God's Kingdom. I am also inspired by how Ignatius shared his deep personal experiences of God; he realized the power of personal testimony in bringing others to God. But his greatest legacy is the community he gathered together which, to this day, thrives around the world.
Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
I wish that today’s first reading was read prior to last Sunday’s reading from the book of Wisdom. Today’s reading recounts the story of God’s gift of wisdom given to Solomon. The book of Wisdom was written after God gave Solomon the gift of Wisdom.
Memorial of Saint Martha
Today is the Memorial of Saint Martha we were not only offered a different gospel for her feast, we were given the choice of two gospels. Our first impression of both gospels might make us feel bad for Martha. They don't they paint the most flattering picture of her. In the gospel from John, Martha is giving Jesus a piece of her mind as she wrestles with her brother's death. In the gospel from Luke, she tries to get Jesus to get Mary off her tuchus but instead gets told to be more like Mary. However, I think it is in these unflattering moments that we have the greatest lesson to learn from Martha.
Friday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Jesus' parable in today's gospel reading (Matthew 13:18-23) really strikes me this week. All the ways he describes seeds and soil make me wonder - what kind of soil am I planted in? In particular, his admonition to seeds sown among thorns, which are distracted by worldly ambitions and the lure of riches, makes me think about the soil of me and my community here in the middle-class US. As a person with a good job, and a job that encourages me to be very ambitious, I find it helpful to use these verses to reflect on my situation today.
Thursday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time
A good friend was recently telling me about a book she read, Small Victories: Spotting Improbable Moments of Grace by Anne Lamott. I have not read it, although I plan to. But the title alone got me thinking.
Memorial of Saints Joachim and Anne, Parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Life demands that we use all our senses, taste, sight, touch, smell, and hearing. Discipleship and ministry are best exercised when we use all of them as well. Recently, at work I was reminded just how important it is to listen. In the midst of critical care situations in the hospital it can be difficult to hear the voices of those around you. Especially for families, the volume of information can be overwhelming. Each member may see the situation different or weigh one doctors opinion over another. When possible, the foundation for most discussion of treatment plans are best started with, “What would the patient want?” Sometimes the patient understands the futility of aggressive care and says no more. When this recent patient reclaimed their voice, they made it clear, “I want to live.” Their voice broke through and cleared up for all concerned what was the patients perspective.
Feast of Saint James, Apostle
A distinguishing feature of Gnosticism – a set of ancient religious ideas originating in first and second century Judaism and Christianity – is that matter is evil. This includes the human body. As a result, redemption requires an escape from our material selves.
Monday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time
In the past few weeks I have had the opportunity to be at the bedside of two close friends that were close to death. As I prepared for these visits, I tried to think of what things I could bring to show each of them my love. After these experiences I realized that my presence was in fact the greatest sign of my love for them. In both of the readings today, God reminds all people that it is His presence among us that is the greatest sign of His love and concern. We are called to open our hearts and minds in order to recognize that He is right here by our side, and then we are called to share this gift- His presence- with others.