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.
Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time
This gospel story of the rich young man needs to be understood well before we can interpret it for our personal and community life today. If we begin with the premise that the only way we can individually and collectively follow Jesus is by selling everything and giving it to the poor, then we are making it impossible for us to follow Jesus. Let us then look at this passage realistically. First, this rich young man’s refusal to follow Jesus comes from his unwillingness to adopt the simple and itinerant life-style that Jesus lived. Jesus invitation to this rich young man to be an itinerant disciple like the rest Jesus disciples is very different than the invitation that Jesus gives to us. Society and the way social life is conducted these days leaves very little option for people like us to adopt an itinerant life-style. Second, the economic setting within which Jesus functioned is very different than manner in which our economic affairs are conducted. To compromise health and its insurance, safety and security of our loved ones and not paying for the utilities and services provided for us would at best be irresponsible. Having presented these two caveats, there is something important we should know. The entire gospel of Mark is written from the perspective of discipleship. This is not my personal opinion but scripture scholars tell us that Mark’s primary purpose apart from telling us the story of Jesus is to give the readers a lesson in discipleship. Mark wants his audience to know that discipleship involves throwing one’s entire weight behind Jesus. The fact that we cannot be itinerant followers of Jesus and that our economic life-style differs from Jesus’ times does not take away the radicalness and urgency of the call to being disciples.
Saturday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time
Today’s First Reading begins with the mysterious statement that “scripture confined all things under the power of sin.” This remark, at least at first glance, implies a particularly bleak view of the world in which we live. Contextually, however, St. Paul is simply arguing that the Law of Moses is without power to save. Despite what his readers may have been led to believe, St. Paul insists that the whole narrative of salvation history that is recorded in scripture teaches that the Promise made to Abraham was not fulfilled in the Law, and so it is not the following of that Law that makes someone an heir to the Promise. According to St. Paul, the true heirs to the Promise that God made to Abraham are those “who have faith in Jesus Christ” and not those who attempt to follow the Law of Moses. (Galatians 3:22) In recognizing the inadequacy of the Law to save, St. Paul explains, sacred scripture itself acknowledges the pervasive power of sin in a world without Christ. Furthermore, St. Paul proclaims that the Law was only ever intended as a kind of parental guardian, perpetually grounding those who followed it, but never giving them what they truly needed. This confinement was not without purpose, of course, for the Law was in place to keep the Chosen People ready for the time of true fulfillment, to teach them how to live holy lives in obedience to God, until that time when we all could finally be freed from the pervasive power of sin. St. Paul contends that this time of fulfillment has come through Jesus Christ. In other words, the world may be a bleak place without Christ- but the entrance of Christ into the world has brought about a radical change in what it means to live in the world, particularly for those of us who recognize this change and seek to live our own lives in union with Him.
Friday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time
Sometimes it feels like we American Catholics are more scattered than gathered, to use the words from today’s Gospel (Luke 11:15-26). US Catholics are scattered on a variety of things, especially relating to American politics: economy, immigration laws, abortion. These are all also key aspects of our faith and therefore important topics for discussion: ultimately the point of such discussion is to try to understand our faith better and to help each other live better lives.
Thur of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time
If you’re feeling rather imperfect as a Christian, today’s readings might reassure that you are in good company. First, we have Paul addressing the Galatians as stupid, “O stupid Galatians!” (Galatians 3: 1). Then in the gospel (Luke 11: 5-13) we read of Jesus referring to his disciples as wicked, “If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children….” (vs. 13) I don’t think the intent was to insult the audience in either case, but to get their attention or make a point. Paul is frustrated, maybe even angry, with the people of Galatia for being in danger of deserting their salvation by trading the true Gospel (based on faith in Jesus) for a false gospel (based on Jewish rules and customs). In his letter to the Galatians, Paul is trying to emphasize that they seem to have forgotten what they first heard, something we can be reminded of as well: that our trust is to be in Jesus Christ and not in our own ability to please God through a perfect keeping of religious laws.
Wednesday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time
Hypocrisy is defined as a pretense of having a virtuous character, religious belief and/or principles that one does not really possess. One can look at our current state of politics to point out easy examples of hypocrisy. Catholic’s are not immune from hypocritical stances. The pro-life belief of the Church is complicated and this often allows for hypocrisy to enter the stance. The issue that complicates the matter is capital punishment. One of our major political party’s holds a stance is both anti-abortion and pro-death penalty at the same time. This confuses many Catholics, who are members of this party. Most transfer the party’s belief onto the church’s pro-life teaching.
Tuesday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time
As a Christian in the contemporary world, I often feel odd and at odds with my neighbors. For example, I believe in God - and not merely a god who gets envisioned as an amorphous love cloud in the sky - but the Trinity, and in Jesus Christ who is both (oddly) fully man and fully God. That belief is just not in keeping with contemporary, secular culture. I feel odd because I'm trying to do counter-cultural, seemingly unproductive things like pray, spend time in silence, be really hospitable. Yet, I'm also busy at work and busy at home, and it feels odd to try to be contemplative in a world where there are always demands made on me. Lately, too, I feel odd because, as a Christian, I just don't fit neatly into politicians' boxes of "Democrat" or "Republican" - I'm pro-life and pro-immigration; I'm pro-individual responsibility and also pro-distributive justice. In short, I'm odd.
Monday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time
I think that I am like most people when I try to follow the rules and do what is the right thing. The readings today remind me that as a Christian, I am called beyond just following the law to a new way of thinking. As a disciple of Jesus, I am called to base my decisions and my actions on my compassion and care for others. The laws that we follow are from human design, but the truth we are called to live is from God.
Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
In our parish we are observing this year as the year of “Being Church at Home and Home at Church.” It is only fitting that we reflect seriously on today's readings that revolve around relationships, marriage, family and home. I want to do this in three points.
1.Before anything else, before God even spoke the first creative words, there was RELATIONSHIP. God as Father, Son and Spirit is a community of persons. God did not create man to be alone because God is community. No wonder then that man felt alone. Man’s search for a companionship and finally finding one mirrors the oneness between the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. Just like the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are one, so now man and woman are one. Notice that the word ‘love’ does not occur anywhere in the narrative of the man and woman. What is emphasized is self-giving. Creation is an act of God’s self-giving; the woman is formed from a rib taken from a man; the man and woman become one by their sacrificial leaving of father and mother and cleaving to one another. This is also love.
Saturday of the Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time
All week we have been hearing the familiar story of Job—the one who loses everything and calls upon God for answers. God’s answer to Job is a three chapter long assertion of His power over everything, which illustrates how God’s ways are not the ways of humans. In today’s first reading we see Job’s response to God’s speech. Let us note the profound humility with which Job responds to God. Confronted with the utter majesty of God, Job realizes that he does not know and cannot do all that God knows and does, therefore he respectfully withdraws his challenges to God (Jb 42:2-6). Job recognizes his ultimate dependence upon God for everything, even his very being.
Friday of the Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time
Have you ever been in a situation in which you needed help but were afraid to ask for it, because you didn’t want to appear weak or unknowledgeable? Have you ever reached out to others in ways that are well-intentioned only to find that your efforts are refused, because others do not want to accept help? Pride can be a reason why we fail to do as we should – both in helping others and allowing others to do good towards us. Openness to each other and awareness of the needs of others is very important for community, but pride often becomes a barrier to this process. The scriptures for today give some examples of the way pride works to draws us away from God.
Memorial of Saint Francis of Assisi, religious
All week we have been hearing the familiar story of Job – the one who loses everything and calls upon God for answers. God’s answer to Job is a three chapter long an assertion of His power over everything, which illustrates how God’s ways are not the ways of humanity. In today’s first reading we see Job’s response to God’s speech. Let us note the profound humility with which Job responds to God. Confronted with the utter majesty of God, Job realizes that he does not know and cannot do all that God knows and does, therefore he respectfully withdraws his challenges to God (Jb 42:2-6).
Wednesday of the Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time
Scripture Readings
This week's first reading is from the book of Job. Terrible misfortune comes upon Job. As would have been the case with us, friends came to console him. The dialogue in Job goes back and forth between understanding God’s power and then asking the question is it wise to challenge God’s wisdom. Today's discourse is a response to Job’s friend Bildad who says that God is a God of knowledge whose justice is fair. For Job who has lost much, and yet has a clear conscience, God’s justice feels more like divine anger. Job’s suffering feels not as a “just” reward for sin, but more as a recipient of an arbitrary allocation of God’s power. Job realizes that the person (God) to whom he wishes to complain may in fact be responsible for his pain. Job’s catch 22 leaves him feeling powerless.
Memorial of the Guardian Angels
Jesus' words in today's gospel (Matthew 18:1-5, 10) - "Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children,you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven" - have been on my mind a lot over the past couple years. I think that's partly because I'm a mother of two young children, and partly because I am a catechist for 3-6 year olds here at Immaculate Conception.
Memorial of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, virgin and doctor of the Church
Today begins the first of six days in which the Church will be reading from the Old Testament book of Job. Describing the trials of the protagonist, Job, a pious and upright man, this book faces the mystery of human suffering. Despite significant loss, suffering, and personal anguish, Job retains his humility and trust in God. In today’s first reading, in what seems to be an instant, Job loses his oxen, his sheep, his camels, nearly all of herdsmen and shepherds, and his sons and daughters. Holding fast to his faith, Job responds by saying, “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” As disciples, how do we respond to suffering?
Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Last week Hospice of Dayton called me called to give the last sacraments to someone from out of State. I rushed there to find this very small frail man lying in a fetal position. Throughout our conversation this man never opened his eyes. I spent much time just sitting by his bed and comforting him. At one point I said to him that it will be all alright. And he said to me, “I do not know, Father.” And then he said to me, “I have been a very bad man, Father… very bad.” I did not ask for any details but I let him know how God’s love is greater than our sins and how Christ came to save us. “We are all sinners,” I said. “But you don’t know me, Father.” It was almost a protest, a disbelief that God could save him after all that he had done. And I said to him, “Yes, I do not know you, but God knows everything.” Then I asked him if I could pray with him, give him absolution and bid him a Christian farewell. He reluctantly agreed and I think it was because he was still wondering how he could get away with his sinful life so easily. I did not see any visible signs of relief when I left him because his eyes were still closed.
Feast of Saint Michael, Saint Gabriel and Saint Raphael, archangels
Perhaps no part of our Christian faith today is so extracted from its original Christian context as angels. Angels! We see them as statues, on stationery, and in books. Those who do very little to practice Christianity are often drawn to the cute little cherubs. Those who do practice Christianity often take very little notice of angels, other than accepting this sentimentalized and sanitized version of winged figures flitting about doing good.