Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Perhaps you have heard about Martin Scorsese’s latest movie, “Silence.” The movie has been in the making since Scorsese first read the book in 1966. Its the story of two Jesuit priests (Andrew Garfield and Adam Driver), who leave Portugal for Japan, to find a third priest (Liam Neeson) who has gone missing while working as a missionary. The third priest is believed to have committed apostasy by stepping on an image of Jesus Christ after being tormented by the Japanese. The role of one of the two priests is played by Andrew Garfield. To play his part, Garfield actually made the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius Loyola. Originally, he did not make the Exercises in self-interest. He did it to get over his own “not-enoughness” - the feeling of not being good enough. But what happened was totally unexpected. In an interview he gave to Brendan Busse, he said, “God! That was the most remarkable thing—falling in love, and how easy it was to fall in love with Jesus.”
Saturday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time
A line from today's first reading from Hebrews struck me today. It reads, "Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have God is pleased by sacrifices of that kind” (Heb. 13:16 NAB). This seems pretty simple, right? Any basic catechesis we received will tell us that sins of omission, failing to do something, are real. We even say it when we recite the Confeitor with these words, “I confess to almighty God and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned, … in what I have failed to do.” So we are certainly supposed to do good and we are supposed to share. Hebrews tells us to share what we have and that is where we should spend some time today.
Friday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time
Feast of the Presentation of the Lord
Consider the faith of the Prophetess Anna and of Simeon. The Lord told them they would see the salvation of Israel early in their lives, and so they waited in hope. For weeks, months, years, and across decades, they waited for the Christ that God had promised. Have you ever had that sort of hope? What are you hoping for today?
Wednesday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time
Mighty deeds demand faith. Whether it be personally, as a church or as a country, great faith supports our ability to accomplish much that is significant. Personally this may happen because we have of an experience of God that is so profound that the spirit empowers us to move mountains. As a church great faith emboldens the body of Christ to act with unconditional love towards ourselves and neighbor so that through the church people have an intense encounter of Christ. In our country, inspiring leadership has called our citizens to their feet and united in action for the common good.
Memorial of Saint John Bosco, Priest
I have been thinking lately about what it means to believe in Jesus and to affirm that I am a Christian, so as I reflected on today’s readings I was reminded of the fact that it is not enough to have the kind of faith that simply acknowledges that God is there or that Jesus is Lord. We are also called to act in response to the recognition of these articles of faith; however, it is so easy not to do so. Our failure to act in response to them can demonstrate a lack of belief that it is really worth taking them seriously.
Monday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time
A story that came to mind when I read the Scriptures of this day. I so wish it was a happy story but it is not. Still, I will tell it. A close friend of mine passed away several years ago. He had an older brother and a younger sister. Their parents, staunch evangelical Christians, decided they were called to be missionaries in South America when their three children were teenagers living in a Midwestern town. They decided to leave the kids in their family home and move to South America following what they felt as their 'call' from Jesus. The eldest brother was barely 18 years old and charged with the care his two younger siblings. While I do not want to pass judgement, I have always found myself doing so. These three young people suffered greatly; their lives reflect the pain of their abandonment. I am completely baffled by how they reached their decision. From whom did they seek counsel and how did they justify such a grave decision? More than that, I am haunted they made their decision based upon their Christianity and in the name of Jesus.
Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
It has been a stressful and tense week for America. Immaterial of whether you are a supporter of President Trump or not, these are not easy times. I had the privilege of having some distance from all the tension. But as soon as I entered the country, every conversation I have had, somehow, leads to the happenings in the nation. Whether it was the march last week or the march this week, whether it is immigration or refugee resettlement, people have taken on to social media to express their hopes and their anguish. One of the question I asked myself was, “In times like this, what is it that I rely on?” When fragility strikes, what do I fall back on? After all, politics cannot give us salvation and does not promise us eternity. We need something deeper. I turned to scripture for answers. No matter which side we are on, this Sunday’s readings offer us some direction.
Memorial of Saint Thomas Aquinas, Priest and Doctor of the Church
In today’s Gospel passage the disciples ask, “Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?" It is a good question. It is also a little bit of a strange question. Who is this is something you ask someone on the phone or you might ask a stranger who they are. However in this instance, Jesus’ disciples are asking, “Who then is this”?
Friday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time
I think it's important to reflect deeply on the everyday stuff we often miss, or just really don't account for in our lives. I'm thinking here of how it took me a year to be able to do a particular pedal move on the organ; or how it takes a very slow, long time for my four year old to have learned how to draw. Two years ago, she was drawing chicken scratches; today she's drawing all kinds of amazing cows and ducks and superheroes that are actually recognizable.
Memorial of Saints Timothy and Titus, bishops
"Stir into flame the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control." These words from today's first reading simultaneously give me comfort and make me entirely uncomfortable.
Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul, Apostle
Has anyone ever asked you “Are you saved?” The question can be disconcerting as the concept is not typically found in the Catholic spiritual vocabulary. When I was first asked this question I did not have a thought out response, just a visceral reaction. Of course I am saved, “I am a Confirmed Catholic”. These words found no traction with the person asking the question; however they permanently changed the way I look at my faith. From that moment forward I knew I had to claim my faith as my own. What had mainly been my father’s faith up to this point now became mine own.
Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children
Today’s gospel reading speaks about Jesus being “possessed”. To be possessed is to be “influenced or controlled by something (someone).” Although most people think of this term in a negative way, as I read today’s scripture I was drawn to the idea of being possessed by the Spirit of God. As disciples, if we imitate Jesus in all ways, we must surrender our wills to the power of the Holy Spirit. If we hope to live a life of compassion, mercy, healing, and love then we must allow our lives to be possessed by the Spirit of Christ who will use who we are to bring Him to the world.
Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
I find it truly interesting that the very scripture passage that was read for Christmas is today’s first reading as well. Isaiah says:
“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light;
upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shone.
You have brought them abundant joy and great rejoicing,
as they rejoice before you as at the harvest,
as people make merry when dividing spoils.”
Yet, it is not all that strange this very scripture passage is used again. If you noticed, the gospel reading introduces us to the beginning of Jesus ministry. The light that Isaiah is referring to, is Jesus.
Memorial of Saint Agnes, Virgin and Martyr
Today's Gospel is one of the shorter readings upon which we reflect. It is a mere two verses. Though these two verses contain a fascinating scene. Jesus' relatives deem him insane and seek to seize him. Whoa, what is going on here? I think it is a case of meaning well but having no idea.
Friday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time
Today's scriptures begin reasonably enough. The author of Hebrews declares in the first reading that Jesus has instituted a better covenant with his people - better than the one that existed before. "If that first covenant had been faultless, no place would have been sought for a second one." But the first covenant was not faultless - and who was at fault, but God's own people?
Thursday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time
In our first reading, we hear about how Jesus fulfills the ancient requirement for a priest to offer sacrifice on behalf of all the people, to appease God’s requirement for a payment for sins. We see in this reading that the Christian way of seeing salvation is similar to the ancient way; the main difference is that the New Covenant in Jesus is a much better deal for us. God’s promises are better. Instead of the people paying, Jesus has already paid. To the mind of the Hebrew people this letter was originally addressing, this is very good news indeed! Everything they were ever taught about how the universe works is still true, but our great benefactor, Jesus, has made all the arrangements and taken care of us. All we have to do is say yes, and do God’s will, as today’s psalm proclaims.
Wednesday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time
The profound nature of the universe is all around yet is difficult to fully appreciate in the midst of our seemingly mundane lives. Standing bedside with a family while their loved one goes quietly to meet God is an extraordinary honor as a chaplain. What seems truly miraculous about the moments is the love that is shared between the family and their dying loved one. It is, I hope, a reflection of the love and faith they have shared at many other times in their lives times which perhaps is perceived as ordinary.
Memorial of Saint Anthony, Abbot
I’m not often good at keeping Sunday as a day of rest and reflection. I get too caught up in preparing for the week, and distractions every Sunday. I might take moments of rest, but I certainly fall short in taking the opportunity to pray and reflect in addition to that rest. I put so much work into being prepared for the logistics of the week (meals, laundry, email, etc.) that I fail to recognize how God is with me in those preparations and how God might walk with me in the week to come. I become disillusioned to the fact that in some ways “Sabbath” calls us to actually do work – prayer can certainly be restful and rejuvenating but it also means putting in the work to grow with God.
Monday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time
Many us have heard the term ‘hitting bottom’. Simply explained, it means one has come to realize they can no longer live the way they have been living and accept things must change. Whether loss of a job or legal difficulties, homeless or intolerable mental anguish, life is intolerable and one becomes willing to accept help and cooperate; they become obedient because of their suffering overwhelms them. How true this is for all human beings in so many different situations! And while much suffering is unavoidable and unrelated to disobedience, in the throes of acute suffering, we can forget we are never alone. We are always accompanied by the Incarnate One who experienced every facet of human suffering exactly as we do. Suffering, regardless of the cause, can be in the service of love if we have faith in God.