Memorial of Saint Anthony of Padua, Priest and Doctor of the Church
Jesus is so wonderfully matter-of-fact when he addresses the disciples in today’s Gospel passage. He is not telling them that they can be the salt of the earth or they can be the light of the world. He is not saying that they could fulfill their potential or that they should set “salt and light” as personal goals. Instead, he is announcing to them that they are the salt of the earth, that they are the light of the world.
Monday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time
How often have you heard someone say, “I am so blessed”? What exactly does that mean? In many instances, the individual making this comment is referring to an experience or situation in his of her life that brings them joy. In today’s reading Jesus describes the various qualities of a disciple who is “blessed”, but some of these actions do not seem to be sources of happiness (those who mourn or those who are persecuted.). The word “blessed” takes on a much richer meaning when Jesus directs His followers.
The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity
The television show that entertains me during my workouts is The Little Big Shots. Hosted by Steve Harvey, the show is about kids who have unique or extraordinary abilities, and kids who Facebook or Youtube posts have gone viral. Some of these posts have a million or more views. The other day, Steve Harvey asked a three year old if she knew how how many views her post has received. She said, “a hundred.” She had in fact received five million views. When Mr. Harvey told the little girl the real numbers, she was expressionless. She simply could not comprehend the magnitude of that number. She knew it was a lot more than hundred, but she simply could not warp her mind around five million. Let me give you an adult example. There are times when we stand before something marvelous - the Grand Canyon, Mt. Everest, the Niagara Falls - and the sheer awesomeness consumes us. It is as if we get it, but we don’t get it. This is what God is like. When we stand before God, we are like that three-year-old who knew she was dealing with something big, but could not comprehend the magnitude. We get it, but we don’t get it. There is a word for it. It is called mystery! This is what we mean when we say that the Trinity is a mystery.
Saturday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time
Several years ago, I spoke with a co-worker about tithing. While I was coming from a Catholic background she was coming from a non-denominational one. I didn’t know the statistics for how much the average Catholic gives or if the Church had an official recommendation for tithing. My understandings were rudimentary at best. When she shared her experiencing of tithing I was floored.
Friday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time
Today's first reading (make sure you read it before you go further), may make you chuckle. The reading comes with the caveat, "Do not try this at home." Really, fish gall may not be the best treatment for cataract. Also, do not try to peal of cataract off someone's eyes with two hands. Of course, we are mature readers. We know enough to say that the moral of the story is not providing treatment for cataract. The moral of the story is: Life is life, but at the end there is always redemption.
Thursday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time
The book of Tobit contains some of the best story-telling in the Bible- I hope you’ve enjoyed it over the last few days as much as I have. Reflecting on today’s ‘episode,’ I’m struck by the “noble purpose” from Tobit and Sarah’s prayer. Raguel still calls his wife “my love,” after many years of marriage. The noble purpose of marriage and family is love. In family life, we have to learn to love our children, our parents, and our siblings, whether they match our personality or are very difficult and different. There are many strengths to the modern tradition of children moving out of their parents’ home when they become an adult, but a weakness is that, living alone or with a chosen roommate, it’s easy to spend nearly all our time with people we prefer to be around, when they are in good moods. This can weaken our ability to love people who are difficult, wounded, different from us, or just in a bad mood.
Wednesday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time
Many know the phrase, when “life gives you lemons, make lemonade”. This is a great phrase, and one friend I know described it as meaning take the opportunities given to you and live them to the fullest. By opportunities, he meant both the good things and the bad things and that we need to make the best of the cards we have been dealt.
Tuesday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time
In this well-known story from Mark, the chief priests, scribes, and elders send Pharisees and Herodians to “ensnare [Jesus] in his speech” or trap him. They ask him whether they should pay taxes to Caesar. The intended trap is the following: if Jesus says they should pay the tax then the crowd will be displeased as it would appear that Jesus is saying that the imperial rule of Rome is legitimate, and if he says that they should not pay the tax then the authorities will find him suspect for seeking to undermine the payment of the tax to the emperor. Of course, Jesus takes neither tack. Instead, he first calls them out for their attempt to trap him. Then he asks to see a denarius, the specific kind of coin that was required for the payment of this tax (the poll tax). He asks the men who were trying to trap him whose image appears on the coin. And they reply, “the emperor’s.” So, Jesus tells them to “give to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s and to God the things that are God’s.”
Memorial of Saint Boniface, Bishop and Martyr
Have you ever wondered about the very first things that cross your mind when you wake up in the morning? It comes and goes in a flash! For me, often the first thoughts—just for an instant—are the questions, "Who have I become?" and "How am I refusing to become the person God created me to be?" These are heavy questions. And like a good (deeply flawed) human creature, I find myself forcing these thoughts away. I prefer thoughts that do not convict me--like my children and grandchild, the tasks of the day, and so forth. Why is it so very hard to face the ultimate and foundational question of my very existence? Why do I resist God's help in fully becoming who God created me to be?
Pentecost Sunday
I read the scripture readings for Pentecost for the first time on Wednesday. As I read each of the readings I could feel my eyes tear up. Somewhere in the deepest part of my being, I feel very tormented. Nothing troubles me more than the inability of human beings to come together and work for the common good. Global conflicts, racial divides, economic inequalities, political and religious intolerance affect me deeply. When I was a kid and later as a teenager, I used to be much more optimistic. I believed then, that one day we will work through our problems. I believed that one day there will be fewer poor people in the world. I believed that one day, nations will spend less on weapons and more on education and development. At fifty-one, I have become less optimistic. I have not lost hope, by my hope is fading that in my life-time I will see a more equitable, peaceful, and united world. The scene on that first Pentecost was the beginning of a revolution, a recreation of a wounded world. The tears filling my eyes was an expression of two things: first, my regret at the world continuing to be a wounded world; second, a pining for a new Pentecost. “Dear God,” I prayed, “please let your Spirit work wonders in our midst again.” As I prayed, I continued to write my prayer. I invite you to pray with me.
Memorial of Saint Charles Lwanga and Companions, Martyrs
We recently borrowed a book from the library called Magnus Maximus: A Marvelous Measurer. I actually can't tell you if I recommend it, because none of my kids will sit through the whole thing except the 7 week old, and as you can imagine, she seems pretty unimpressed. However, as I read today's Gospel, the book came to mind because there seems to be a word spoken to us concerning our desire to measure up.
Friday of the Seventh Week of Easter
So many people do not REALLY have faith in Christ or in his resurrection. They see Jesus as a nice guy who said good things like "Love each other" but the idea that Jesus rose bodily from the dead seems both a figment of imagination as well as an unnecessary part of the gospel story. Today's scriptures ask us to reconsider the significance of Jesus' bodily resurrection, though.
Memorial of Saint Justin, Martyr
I often reflect on the comments of my children in my daily reflections. They challenge me to think about my faith in a different way. They ask poignant questions. And they help me to believe with the faith of a child. Yesterday my five year old alarmed me with a statement I have been pondering for the past day.
Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
For many of us, we start our day with a morning ritual that likely includes breakfast, cleaning up prayer, making lunch or lunches and then out the door. Sometimes while we are rushing around we get distracted thinking about how the day is going to unfold. This often happens to me in the midst of prayer. Usually by the time I have hit the door at work my persona changes. Perhaps this happens for all of us, we need to be different people at work. The transition for me is that my heart moves into visitation mode. It is a blessing that the day is spent visiting others and allowing the Lord to visit me through the people I meet.
Tuesday of the Seventh Week of Easter
St. Paul’s message to the Church elders that we read in the Acts of the Apostles today sounds quintessentially like Paul: it is a bit abrupt and not without dramatic flare. He is telling the community that he will travel on to Jerusalem, just as the Holy Spirit has led him to proclaim to Gospel to so many other cities. All of this travelling, he says, is dangerous and he knows he will face imprisonment and probably death.
Monday of the Seventh Week of Easter
Relationships are an integral part of being human. Since Jesus was human, He experienced the same needs as we do-including the importance of having meaningful relationships. In today’s reading Jesus explains that He is never alone because of His relationship with the Father. Jesus not only enjoys this eternal intimate bond, but He invites us to join with Him in this divine friendship.
The Ascension of the Lord
I have a letter with me written by my mother on August 10, 1992. Earlier that month, I had written home about the difficulty I was having in the seminary. I was trying to get my parents opinion on taking a leave of absence. Here is what she wrote back: “If you cannot continue, I am telling you as I have said always, “Our door is always open.” I have no intention to make you a priest. If you find it difficult, get out early. I am only waiting for your ordination to retire. Find a good job in Bangalore and settle the matter. Nothing to worry. I am with you.” With the assurance that my mother gave me, anybody would think that I quit. However, that is not how it worked out. I said to my self, if my mother is with me, I can weather any storm. I decided to take my difficulty in the seminary head on, knowing that, no matter what, my mother was with me.
Saturday of the Sixth Week of Easter
There are some things that I don’t like. I don’t like being woken up too quickly, being tailgated, lukewarm coffee, or the feel of cotton balls (yes my wife picks on me about this one). The thing I probably hate the most, though, is being corrected. There is nothing worse than the mental gymnastics that take place as I try to dodge the bullet of being, God forbid, wrong. This is why the first reading is so important to me today.
Memorial of Saint Philip Neri, Priest
Amid the trials of life: friends being diagnosed with serious illnesses, a family members having surgery, or crises at work; those things are part of everyone's life, it's hard to remember Easter joy. At those times I try to focus on enjoying bits and glimpses of joy that are part of this world God has given: my kids' ecstatic pleasure in finding ants and spiders creeping around in the garden, hiking together and seeing flowers in every color of the rainbow, including green.
Wednesday of the Sixth Week of Easter
It sounds so anti-climatic, doesn’t it? Paul, the greatest Biblical Evangelist, goes to Corinth, has a normal job, and only ‘discusses’ the incredible belief in Jesus on the Sabbath in the synagogue. Alone in a strange city, perhaps Paul believed that was the most effective witness possible. What do you believe is the best way for you to evangelize? The good thing about Paul’s method is, it didn’t result in opposition and revilement. Of course, we have no record of how effective it was either- no converts are recorded in this story. Was Paul wasting his time? Later, after he gave up convincing his Jewish brothers and sisters and went to the gentiles, more people came to believe and received baptism.