Memorial of Saints Timothy and Titus, bishops
Today’s Gospel strikes firmly and in brief. We are left with the words of Jesus’ relatives, “He is out of his mind” (Mark 3:21).
Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul, Apostle
Do we believe people can change? A recent Harvard study of 19,000 people <http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2013/01/your-elusive-future-self.html> suggests the answer is "yes and no." Researchers asked questions about peoples' current preferences and how they'd describe themselves now. Then the researchers asked them to answer as they think they would have a decade ago, and as they think they would answer 10 years from now.
Memorial of Saint Francis de Sales, Bishop and Doctor of the Church
Today the Church celebrates the memorial of Saint Francis de Sales, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (1567-1622). In reading about Francis de Sales in Robert Ellsberg’s book All Saints, I learned that he became well known for the publication of his book An Introduction to the Devout Life, which was translated into many languages at that time and is said to remain one of the classics of Christian spirituality. Apparently what was significant about Francis’s book was that it addressed Christians in any state of life, whereas most other such handbooks at that time had been addressed to clerics or members of religious orders. Francis taught that the path to holiness could be pursued in the world, not just in the cloister. According to Ellsberg, Francis wrote that “the practice of devotion has to be adapted to the strength, life-situation, and duties of each individual.”
Wednesday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time
Silence can be a sound that speaks volumes. One famous philosopher said it in a different way. “If you choose not to decide you still have made a choice.” Silence can send many messages depending on the context. In today’s gospel silence has the power of almost adding another character to the narrative.
Tuesday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time — Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children
Today is the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, and an opportunity for Catholics to pray for the legal protection of unborn children. It is also a chance to think more deeply about what Catholics believe about the dignity of being human, for this is at the center of Catholic teaching against abortion (as well as all the other crimes against humanity that Catholic teaching says is evil - things like rape, and genocide, and forced labor).
Memorial of Saint Agnes, Virgin and Martyr
The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola is an extended retreat (either 30 days or 30 weekly meetings) where an individual spends time in prayerful reflection on God, His love for us, and our response. One part of the Exercises is titled “The Call of Christ, Our King”. During this time of prayer, a person is called to imagine Jesus standing before him or her and calling the individual to join Him in working with Him to spread the Kingdom to all people. When we agree to join Jesus, we say “yes” to the suffering, rejections, and struggles as well as the glory, but we understand that through every experience Jesus is always with us. Today’s scripture readings offer some insights into what it might mean to answer this call of Christ. By following Christ, we are called to look at all parts of our lives and see where we are called to live a “new” way. To be a disciple, we are invited to hear the call and follow in obedience where Jesus leads us.
Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Today’s gospel reading is from the gospel of John. It is important for us to know that John does not have an infancy narrative or the genealogy of Jesus. Instead, John begins his story with the real origin of Jesus – “In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, the Word was God.” John’s Christmas is described in the simple words, “The Word became flesh and dwelt amongst us.” Since John does not have an infancy narrative, he does not have the traditional story of the epiphany with the three magi. Today’s gospel reading of the miracle of turning water into wine is John’s epiphany story. That is why this gospel account ends with the words, “Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs at Cana in Galilee and so revealed his glory, and his disciples began to believe in him.”
Saturday of the First Week in Ordinary Time
Scripture Readings
In today’s first reading from Hebrews, one cannot help but be struck by the immediate, natural personification (i.e. it’s able to do what people do) of the word of God: “The word of God is living and effective… able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart. No creature is concealed from him…” (Heb 4:12-13, my italics). God’s word is the subject of an action: it discerns. The “him” in the passage has no other clear referent besides “the word of God,” which is, of course, identified with God. The author, who wrote in Greek, was no doubt familiar with the Hebrew language in which the word “dabar” means not only “word,” but also “action” and “thing.” There is no easy distinction between the three—words are actions and they are alive!
Friday of the First Week in Ordinary Time
One of the things my kids have made me realize is that rest is different than sleep. When I tell them it is time for some quiet time (aka "nap"), my five year old (who has wanted nothing to do with naps at any point in her life) will say, "But that means we can just rest, right Mama? We don't have to sleep."
Memorial of Saint Anthony, Abbot
Just a couple of weeks into the new year and I wonder how many of us are holding to our new year’s resolutions. How many of us are in danger of growing weary these cold, gray days of January, and giving up on the changes we so recently resolved to make.
Wednesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time
Have you ever walked a mile in the shoes of another person, especially a person for whom you had little ability to understand? Imagine seeing from the eyes of the person who you liked least. Imagine seeing from their perspective and realize that they too might see you as completely opposite of themselves. Is it that possible that seeing another empathetically might even change the way you see yourself.
Tuesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time
Dominion. Many images come to our mind when we speak this word aloud or our eyes pass over it in reading. While not a commonly used word in contemporary speech, we are quite familiar with its expression. We imagine this word in connection to power, strength, control, sovereignty and thus the ability to wield these as one sees fit. For those in our world who hold “dominion”, whether political, social or religious, there is little room in their position for those “beneath” them to share in their power. Dominion, we tend to believe, is synonymous with domination.
Monday of the First Week in Ordinary Time
All of us at one time or another have probably looked up at the moon on a quiet, clear, starry night and reflected on the beauty of the moon. It's a captivating moment to witness something so beautiful, even when our vantage point is approximately 238,900 miles away. We can all share in that experience. Interestingly, only twelve people have ever walked on the moon. The vantage point from which these twelve men observed the moon and the earth below is unique and personal and has obviously been shared by very few. We've probably thought about what it would be like to walk on the moon. Would we be scared? Would we feel vulnerable? Neil Armstrong, the first man who ever walked on the moon said this about his lunar experience: "It suddenly struck me that that tiny pea, pretty and blue, was the Earth. I put up my thumb and shut one eye, and my thumb blotted out the planet Earth. I didn't feel like a giant. I felt very, very small."
Feast of the Baptism of the Lord
How about I begin my homily with some Trivia Questions?
Jesus did not baptize anyone – True or False?
Jesus’ disciples did not baptize before Jesus resurrection – True or False?
Jesus was baptized because before his ministry he needed his sins forgiven – True or False?
Saturday after Epiphany
“He must increase; I must decrease.” These words of John the Baptist at the end of today’s gospel are the mantle of Christian humility. We know that John the Baptist came before Jesus and baptized his followers, always speaking of one greater who will come and baptize with the Holy Spirit. Indeed, earlier in the Gospel of John, John the Baptist pointed to Jesus and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God” (Jn 1:36). According to all of our sources, John had quite a following in first century Palestine. One could imagine that as such a renowned figure, he would be tempted to draw all of the attention to himself. Yet, by God’s grace he humbly fulfilled his role as the one who prepares the way of Jesus. John the Baptist becomes one of the most profound examples of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus – a disciple is one who always directs attention to the Master. Despite John’s important role in God’s plan, he didn’t think himself worthy even to untie Jesus’ sandal straps (Jn 1:27).
Friday after Epiphany
In this year of being "church at home and home at church", Joel and I have decided to do saints' dinners once a month. One weekend day a month, we choose a saint and we and our daughters do a bit of research on that saint and pick special foods and do special decorations. This month's saint is going to be St. Paul's conversion. His feast day is later this month (on Friday, January 25, so you'll be seeing me do some more reflection on him in this space in a couple weeks) and we'll be making food having to do with eyes - black-eyed peas, maybe some things with olives. (Get it? Because Paul was blinded by the glory of God on the road to Damascus and then converted.... ;-))
Thursday after Epiphany
I like to think that I love God a lot. I mean, that’s my intention and desire. At face value it seems like a rather simple thing to do: to love God who is our creator and savior. Today’s first reading (1 John 4:19-5:4), however, brings me to pause and consider how much I truly love God. It challenges that if we say “I love God” but then hate our brother, then we are a liar, for “whoever does not love a brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.” (vs.20) This reading is saying that our love for God is shown in our love for one another. Wow. If that is the measure of my love for God? Then, I have to honestly say I’m not sure how well I do that.
So, the First Letter of John reminds us that the commandment that has been given us is that whoever loves God must also love their brother. We are called to take Christian love out of the abstract and into the concrete of daily loving one another, and this is how we love God. So, what does this love for God look like?
Wednesday after Epiphany
How often in our life does trouble seem to just blow in when we least expect it? It could happen on a day you are in a hurry and your car battery doesn't start. Or perhaps the stroke of a friend or loved one changes both their life and yours forever. What can make it especially difficult is when there is little that can be done about the storm. When a severe storm comes, sometimes we can only watch and wait for it to subside.
Tuesday after Epiphany
“God is love.” It is easy for me sometimes to forget how important the message is that is conveyed by this simple phrase. These words have been spoken and heard so often that their meaning for Christians can become lost. The readings in the lectionary for today focus our attention on the question of what it means to say that God is love. In short, they teach us that God’s love is revealed to us through God’s gift of Godself in the person of Jesus Christ.
Monday after Epiphany
I am so grateful I was raised in the Catholic Church. I have many friends who are Christians and have had many wonderful discussions about faith with them. I have to admit I often feel there are differences in our beliefs but what is most striking to me is that, in the great depth and variety of spirituality in Catholicism, I always feel I am connected to the fullness of the Truth. There is a common, foundational, apostolic unity that can only be found in the Catholic community. There is always ready help available to help us confirm or discern the truth of an issue or situation when we find ourselves struggling.