Wednesday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time
It is difficult in the light of the events in Paris and today’s readings not to think about the violent imagery described. Yet this powerful language speaks of giving each of us the tools we need for building the Kingdom of God. The story from Maccabees shares the image of a faith-filled family. The narrative has the family being tortured for their beliefs. As each brother refuses to obey the command of the king, they are executed, all this while their mother watches. The mother waxes poetically about how the creator of the universe gave each child life and to Him they will return. Her statement is not defeatist though, as she encourages her sons to accept their fate with hope that a merciful God will reunite them all again someday.
Memorial of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, Religious
Whenever I mention tax collectors in the gospels, the high school girls I teach want to know if it’s “the short guy.” They’re referring to today’s gospel reading about Zacchaeus. We know more about Zacchaeus than we know about most people that Jesus encounters in the gospels. We know that he was not only a tax collector but the “chief” tax collector. Tax collectors were despised for their collaboration with Rome and their nasty habit skimming off the top at the expense of the already poor Jewish population under Roman rule. To be their leader, then, would not have earned Zacchaeus much favor at all among the people. On top of this, we know that he was “short in stature,” which is why he climbs a tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus.
Monday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time
My daughter is entering the last few weeks of her pregnancy with our first granddaughter. I must admit I am a little crazy with joy and anticipation. I am trying in a new way to navigate a situation where my daughter, raised in Catholicism, and her husband, raised in no particular spiritual tradition, have no affiliation with a faith community right now. Like most parents, I have concerns, especially with the new baby so close. I have struggled with this off and on for a number of years and, thanks to some very wise friends and my personal discovery of an all-powerful God, who I have come to know as omnipotent, I do realize I am not ultimately in control of what happens with my adult children. The most I can do, from this time forward, is point the way to Jesus by the way I live my life. And when they inquire about my personal faith, I can only share my personal experience granted through my faith in God. In other words, when they ask, I tell them.
Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Today is the second last Sunday of the liturgical Year. This liturgical year will end with the Solemnity of Christ the King next Sunday, and then we will begin a new liturgical year. Two weeks from now is also Thanksgiving. While the church will begin the Advent season and new liturgical year, the commercial world will focus on Black Friday, hysterical sales pitches, a month-long Christmas mania and New Year sales and parties. In other words, we are about the enter a frenzied time in the calendar year in which families, celebrations, gifts exchanges, meals, parties, and religiosity will take center stage. In the midst of all these things, these two weeks are an invitation to pause, to slow down, even to stop. This is the time to retreat, to evaluate, to think about that which is truly important.
If we accept this invitation, there are three things we could consider:
Saturday of the Thirty-second Week in Ordinary Time
Scripture has two authors. The human being writing it in a specific time and place, and the eternal God who, as spirit, is outside of time and space. Thus, there are always two senses through which to approach a passage, the literal and the spiritual. In other words, what did the specific person, in their specific setting intend to say, and what is the limitless God still saying? It is through this spiritual sense that I want to look at the first half of our passage from the book of Wisdom.
Memorial of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, Virgin
I grew up only a few miles away from the Mother Cabrini shrine in Denver. I didn't know, when I was growing up, that St. Frances Cabrini was born in Italy in 1850 and desperately wanted to be a member of a religious order, but none would have her because she was in poor health. Eventually, she felt God calling her to begin her own order - the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart - and her little group traveled to the United States to be missionaries to Italian immigrants here in the US. They provided health care and education and tried to help new immigrants in the sometimes appalling working conditions they faced. For example, one of the reasons she has a shrine in Colorado is because she worked with Italian miners who suffered from lung diseases, among other things, as they worked in the mines. Throughout her sixty-seven years of life, Mother Cabrini established sixty-seven hospitals, schools, orphanages and other institutions in Italy, the United States and in parts of Latin America. Despite being apparently weak, here was someone who was really "strong in Christ" as Paul says - someone who didn't let physical health stop her from doing what she believed God called her to do.
Memorial of Saint Josaphat, Bishop and Martyr
I’m sure it doesn’t come as a shock to say that we live in a very tumultuous, volatile, and contentious society that is too often divided by politics, race, religion, sexual orientation, poverty - the list goes on. It's been far too evident within the news and the climate of our nation that it is pervaded by lust, greed, pride, gluttony, wrath, sloth, and envy - among other things. These displays frequently led me to wonder, just like the Pharisees in today’s Gospel, when will the Kingdom of God be amongst us. Given the context of our world, Jesus’ reaction to the Pharisees’ question that “the Kingdom of God is among you” seems pretty hard to swallow. Jesus builds upon this premise as he tells his disciples that they should not go running off looking for Him despite people pointing out His presence, but in fact the Son of Man will come in quick noticeable bursts while also enduring the suffering and rejection that is caused by the problems of humanity.
Memorial of Saint Martin of Tours, Bishop
Our readings today challenge us to single-mindedly seek out God. In the book of Wisdom we read that all power on earth is given by God. The test is whether the power is used to exalt our own purposes or God’s purpose. The Lord’s mercy is great and just, yet to those who are given many possibilities, much will be expected. That is why the Old Testament author calls us to deeply desire that which is holy. When we learn wisdom and keep holy God’s precepts, then our response to the test will be: we have walked in the ways of the Lord.
Memorial of Saint Leo the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church
“God formed man to be imperishable…
the souls of the just are in the hand of God,
and no torment shall touch them.”
How’s that for good news! When a reading begins this way, I’m eager to read more. But then the very next sentence is about how we may look at their death as an affliction, or utter destruction. Which is it? Do we get God’s protection, or don’t we?
Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome
I think that people today (including Christians) do not think much about what it means to be holy. If you did a survey, I believe that many individuals would say that holy people only exist in the Bible and in the saints from ages past. And yet today’s reading, St. Paul reminds us that each of us is holy, since we are a “temple of God.” If we allow Christ to be our foundation, and the Holy Spirit the architect and builder, then we can become a dwelling place for God to live. And if God is alive within us, then we are holy indeed.
Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time
There are two stories in today’s reading and they both involve poor widows. In the first story, Elijah, as he flees from his murderous enemies, seeks refuge with a poor widow. The story tells us that she and her son had only and handful of flour and a little oil left. They were desperately poor. The second story tells us about Jesus’ admiration of a poor widow who put in two small coins into the treasury. The two coins were all she had. These two thought-provoking stories made me think… If Elijah was looking for respite today, would he come to my house? And why? Of all the people gathered in this church today, who would Christ take notice of? Could it be me or you?
Saturday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time
The Lord is hard at work teaching me how to ask for help more frequently. I sat here reading the Gospel passage again and again trying to figure out what Jesus was saying. He talked about dishonest wealth and I frankly had no idea what He meant, but I wanted to figure it out because the confounding part of Scripture seems to be the most appropriate part upon which to reflect. So I read it a few more times and then, wham, it hit me! Out from the recesses of my memory I was reminded that I own Scripture commentaries, so I turned to A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture for help.
Friday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time
Thursday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time
My 4 year old son, Owen is currently taking swim lessons - big kid swim lessons! These lessons are his first time being in the water without mommy or daddy. There are 5 kids and one big, giant teddy bear of a man, Mr. Tim. Owen is petrified of being in the water without my husband or I, but we have assured him that Mr. Tim's job is to watch over him and keep him safe. I have loved watching the way Mr. Tim works with these kids - he is constantly keeping an eye on all 5 of them, reassuring them and challenging them, while still managing to make each one feel safe and protected. When one went in over her head, he was there in a heartbeat to pull her out.
Memorial of Saint Charles Borromeo, Bishop
Today we celebrate the Memorial of the St. Charles Borromeo. St. Charles lived in the 16th century. He started his religious formation at age twelve and finished his doctorate by age twenty-one. Charles spent his whole life in service of the Church and the people of God. When his father died, his family wanted to Charles to assume the titles of his family. Charles refused their request. He became a great writer and gave his time, talent, and treasure in the service of the poor in Milan during the time of the plague.
Tuesday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time
Today’s readings are about two things: gifts and excuses. Paul’s letter to the Romans encourages them to recognize the variety of gifts in the Body of Christ. We all have “gifts that differ according to the grace given to us.” This ancient wisdom is just as relevant to us today as it was to the early Christians. Despite so much in our culture telling us to place ourselves above others, we still have a curious aversion to recognizing our own gifts. We struggle to affirm out loud what gifts we can bring to a community. We’ve also been struggling as a Church to appreciate the diversity of gifts in the Body. Paul’s words should ring in our ears as we engage each other in parishes and in all places where the Body of Christ gathers.
The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed
A few weeks ago I lost a friend. He was my sister’s husband—my brother-in-law. Although my sister passed away more than 5 years ago and they had no children together, he and I still kept in touch; our strongest bond developed during the care of my sister over the four years she had cancer which eventually took her life. This day, as the Church Commemorates All Souls Day, I am thinking of my friend—my sister’s husband, who recently passed away. At this time, I need assurance of his salvation.
Solemnity of All Saints
The origin of the Feast of All Saints goes far back into the history of the Church. In fact, it goes back as far as the persecution in the early church. The persecution of Christians at the hands of the Roman Empire gave birth of many, many martyrs. These martyrs stood firm in their faith in Jesus Christ as they endured horrendous suffering and ultimately, death. When persecution ended with the conversion of Constantine in 314 AD, the church felt a great need to honor these martyrs. The church wanted to honor their striving toward godliness and faithfulness. As early as 379 AD, Pope Boniface of Caesarea called for a common day to venerate all the martyrs. After centuries of further development Pope Gregory IV (827-844) extended the celebration on 1 November to the entire Church and to include all the saints, known and unknown. Today, I feel very proud and privileged to be part of this long tradition in the Catholic Church. I feel proud, not only because of the history but also because of what the feast stands for – honoring the striving for godliness and the fidelity it takes to get there.
Saturday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time
Today’s opening words in the Gospel resonate with a cultural, societal, and human truth. Here is the text, “Jesus went to dine at the home of one of the leading Pharisees, and the people there were observing him carefully.” Those words, “the people there were observing him carefully,” makes me think that they wanted to know how Jesus was going to handle this Pharisee. Was he going to put him in his place? Or pat him on the back?