Saturday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time
In St. Luke’s Gospel, our Lord asks us to consider humility and it’s opposite—pride, the deadliest of the seven deadly sins. Why is it that we are called to humility? Isn’t pride a good thing? It seems that in all places we see pride held up as the ideal: pride in one’s country, pride in one’s achievements, pride in one’s work, pride in one’s children, pride in one’s status. What’s so deadly about pride? Pride, deadliest of sins, is such a problem because it’s an extreme focus on the self. To be proud is to be satisfied with oneself, to put oneself first. When one is completely satisfied with oneself, one does not need salvation, one does not see sin. Indeed, St. Augustine described sin as to be “caved in on oneself.”
The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls)
I sometimes forget how much of an influence my parents, grandparents, and friends have played in my development as a Christian. It’s often easy for me to overlook the influence of other Christians because that influence is so fundamental to who I have become. At times like this I realize the importance of having people in my life who serve as role models for the life of faith. That may be one reason I find myself resonating so much with the scripture readings for today.
Solemnity of All Saints
When I was in Catholic elementary school as a young girl, I remember the teacher one day asking the class who would like to be a saint. I recall that not many, if any, hands were raised in response to that question, and I struggled with it myself. I knew I had the desire to be a saint, but to acknowledge that in front of a class of my peers was just too uncomfortable for me. So I didn’t raise my hand, and I felt badly about it, but was too shy or insecure to admit it. She then went on to explain that if we hoped to go to heaven then we really were hoping to be saints. I think that even many adults have the idea that to be a saint you have to practically be perfect, or at least “very, very holy,” in an unattainable kind of way. That is probably why I was particularly drawn to St Therese of Lisieux, not only because she seemed more real and “human” by the fact that there were actual photographs of her, including in her childhood, but also because she “achieved” sainthood through the simple way of doing everything with love. I learned that we are all called to be saints and that those who have “died in the Lord” and are sharing in God’s glory are part of the communion of saints, even if they haven’t been canonized.
Wednesday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time
Imagine a world without mixed messages, where motives are pure and people mean what they say. When one thinks of a group of people who function without mixed messages we typically think children. Not only are there motives pure or at least visible, they seldom speak with sarcastic tongue. When a child says ‘trick of treat’ their motives are pure, they want candy. It is no wonder Jesus encourages us to have faith like a child as the Lord desires pure motives from all of us. There are times as we grow older when our messages become less clear and our motives impure. These times we need reminders of the truth or a challenge to do the right thing.
Tuesday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time
I've been reflecting this week on distractions - all those things that I do, or that I have in my life that keep me from loving God more. For instance, I find I'm distracted by wanting to make people like me - students, colleagues and Facebook friends. I try to find pithy, cool statements to say, or amazing things to do with them - because I want to be popular among my colleagues and students and I want more or less immediate gratification. I want to know, instantly, what people are thinking of me (especially if they're thinking good thoughts) and I want all those "feel good" pay offs that come from that.
Monday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time
As disciples, we are called to help and serve those around us. Throughout our daily routine, each of us is asked to perform various tasks for our family, friends, and coworkers. But today’s readings ask us to go further. We are invited to be “imitators of God” and recognize the needs of others even when they are unspoken. As Christ loves us, we are then called to respond in love to those in need and bring them healing and compassion.
Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Right after I was ordained in 1994, India’s corporate sector was introduced to a very influential and effective thinker, Stephen Covey. Many of us as priests also read his very popular book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. This book sold more than 20 million copies in fourty languages. In 1996, Dr. Covey was recognized as one of Time magazine's 25 Most Influential Americans and in 2002, Forbes named The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People one of the 10 most influential management books ever written.Stephen Covey died last July but continues to influence the management world. I for one was a Stephen Covey’s fan. One reason for this was that he gave new insights into my own following of Jesus. Here is one statement that influenced my discipleship: “There is no involvement without commitment.” For example, my priesthood require both commitment and involvement. What would my priesthood look like it I was not committed? What would the celebration of this Eucharist look like if I was not involved? Whether it is marriage, friendship, work or sports or the following of Christ, there is no involvement without commitment and there is not commitment without involvement.
Saturday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time
We learn from the parable in Luke’s gospel that we have been given new life by Christ’s life, death, and resurrection; he has made it possible for us to bear fruit by “cultivating the ground” and “fertilizing” (Lk 13:8). Yet, we must respond, as Paul exhorts the Ephesians, by living according to the gift that Christ has given us (Eph 4:8).
Friday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time
Unfortunately, Christians don’t always do a very good job living in harmony with each other. We tend to emphasize what divides us from others rather than thinking about what unites us. It is especially easy in modern life to ignore or avoid other people instead of really getting to know others. The scripture readings for today call us to make a priority of our relationships with others—especially other Christians. Paul states that we are members of one Body and we share one Spirit (Ephesians 4: 4). God calls each of us to become part of a larger body. We are called to use our own gifts to build up the Body of Christ, but we are also expected to encourage others to do the same.
Thursday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time
I tend to be a peacemaker, one who avoids conflict and tries to keep the peace. I took on that role growing up in my family of origin, and I carried in with me into my adulthood. I have had to learn and continue to work on risking disturbing the peace or status quo in some situations in order to speak the truth and stand up for what is right, even if that means creating what appears to be conflict or division. I’m sill often not very good at it; I’d much rather “keep the peace,” but sometimes as disciples of Jesus we are called to question and disturb the status quo.
Wednesday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time
At work recently, I was struggling to get everything done that I needed to do. While my workload kept growing, as many of ours have, my ability to juggle the amount of tasks has diminished because I haven’t seen things clearly. Ministry can be an unpredictable vocation. Yet what kept to coming to me in prayer was the message to be prepared. As an Eagle Scout I understand well that the motto of the Boy Scouts is to “Be Prepared”, yet my inability to handle unexpected realities suggested otherwise.
Tuesday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time
Sometimes I feel like the work I do is pretty futile. I worry about whether I'm doing what God wants me to do, and I worry about whether I'm doing the right things. For example, I have no idea if I'm reaching my students in my classes, where I am trying to teach the gospel and show them that Christianity is a way of life. That's a pretty tough sell, sometimes, for my students, because they're often accustomed to thinking that Christianity is just the stuff you do on Sunday for an hour, or that Christianity is just a bunch of beliefs about Jesus who lived a long time ago.
Monday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time
Growing up, whenever I was asked what my favorite class in school was I usually responded by saying, “It’s probably a tie. I like math and gym.” This may have been a very odd combination, but it summed up my personality fairly well throughout childhood. Today I can still trace back many of my personality traits to these early interests in school. Perhaps you were the same way or can recognize things about yourself that can be traced back to the classes you liked when you were young? Even in my spiritual life these personality traits shine forth, sometimes acting to my advantage while other times presenting significant challenges.
Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Most of you and I have enough of the rhetoric surrounding the presidential elections. The manipulation of data, the misinformation, the political opportunism, the verbal attacks on one another… I can’t wait for it to be all over. Today’s reading could not have come at a better time.
Today’s readings approach the theme of discipleship from a very different angle than last week. The first and second readings combined with the very last statement in the gospel, “for the Son of Man came not to be served but serve and to give his life as a ransom for many,” encourage us to draw lessons for discipleship through the concept of “atonement.” The first reading from Isaiah which is also read on Good Friday, talks about the suffering servant who “gives his life as an offering for sin,” and who “through his suffering shall justify many.” The second reading from Hebrews is also read on Good Friday and once again the context is atonement. It is because of Jesus’ atonement that we can “approach the throne of grace and receive mercy and find grace for timely help.” Jesus, in today’s gospel reading says to his disciples that they must view their life in the context of Jesus who came to give his life as a “ransom” for many. We cannot ignore this call to discipleship in the context of the atoning sacrifice of Jesus.
Saturday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time
In today’s Gospel reading from St. Luke, Jesus tells us that if we identify ourselves with Him, He will acknowledge us “before the angels of God” (Lk 12:9). Even if we fail, we are able to be forgiven. Yet, if we commit blasphemy, we cannot be forgiven. This is puzzling! This is the same Christ who called for repentance so that we might live in the Kingdom of God. Surely all of us is guilty of some manner of blasphemy against God from time to time. Blasphemy is not, after all, limited to a direct repudiation of God in the form of smashing a crucifix or cursing God’s name. It can be blasphemous to commit irreverence to God by acting as if God does not exist. When we make decisions, undertake actions, or treat others as if there were no God—as if we ourselves or others we love are our highest priority—this is, too, is blasphemy.
Memorial of Saint John de Brébeuf and Saint Isaac Jogues, priests and martyrs, and their companions, martyrs
In the gospel reading for today, Jesus warns of false spirituality. He draws attention to the fact that we can often find ourselves pretending that we are better than we are, hiding from God behind a mantel of respectability. Jesus points out the Pharisees as examples not to follow in this regard. Jesus proclaims that the truth about who we are will one day be made known. (This is perhaps a reference to the last judgment.)
Feast of Saint Luke, evangelist
My sister and her husband and children are missionaries in Guatemala. Almost three years ago they heard God calling them to sell their house and cars in Virginia, leave their jobs and schools and move to a foreign country to serve the poor and spread the gospel message. I mention them because today the Church celebrates the Feast of St. Luke, first century evangelist and author of one of the four gospels. Luke is believed to have been a Gentile convert to Christianity. He accompanied St. Paul on many of his journeys and stayed with and tended to him during his final days in prison. Luke’s gospel is characterized by a special concern for the poor and marginalized, including women and other social outcasts at that time. His gospel shows how Jesus made the Kingdom of God present and inspired his disciples to take the gospel message to foreign lands and cultures.
Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Antioch, bishop and martyr
Have you ever wondered to yourself? Why is it that I know what I should do, but often fail to do it? When we do this we are like the Pharisees in today’s gospel. Because they know the law and what is required, and do just that, the minimum. This minimalist Christian approach to the outsider comes off as lukewarm. If people looked into the windows of that soul they might see that the lights are on, but no one is home.
Tuesday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time
Before I met Joel and married him, I remember my mom worrying that I was trying too hard to make people like me. "Love has to just flow," she'd tell me. And in trying too hard, I'd try to be someone I wasn't - and the potential suitor would be pushed away by my inauthenticity. It happened a couple times before I realized I really did have to "be myself". (Harder to do than it is to say!)
Memorial of Saint Teresa of Jesus, virgin and doctor of the Church
Today we celebrate the life of St. Teresa of Avila. It was St Teresa of Avila who said “clarity is freedom”. Teresa knew much about freedom. She spent the first half of her life trying to attain the deep interior freedom she knew God was offering to her. Teresa was even aware that she clung to some things that held her back from experiencing true freedom. This is what kept Teresa, and many of us human beings, from the clear, simple, and unambiguous experience of interior freedom. As human beings we like security and acceptance and comfort. It is hard to give up ways of thinking or behaving that are familiar that can stand in the way of the very clarity and freedom offered to us when we surrender deeply to God.