Monday of the Thirty-Second Week in Ordinary Time
The most disciplined year of my life was my freshman year of college. As part of the university baseball team, our head coach demanded discipline from his players- particularly the incoming freshmen. In addition to fierce conditioning, mandatory daily practice(s), and maintaining an adequate GPA, all baseball players were required to shave every day, remove hats before ever walking inside a campus building, keep our hair trimmed very short around our ears, and (most importantly) have our shirts tucked-in at all times while on campus. Any lapse in following the outlined rules would be met with punishment in the form of extra running at practice or a reduction in playing time. Everyone knew if you were on the baseball team if you religiously kept your shirt tucked-in, your hair short, and face clean-shaven. These were our defining characteristics. Believe it or not, I learned to enjoy the discipline and it wasn’t too long before I felt odd ever having my shirt un-tucked (even while I slept!). In congruence with his discipline, our coach was known for repeating some of his favorite phrases over and over again until they were seemingly drilled into our subconscious. The one that echoes loudest in my memory are the words, “Expect the unexpected!” Rarely was there a practice when I failed to hear those words.
Thirty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
You may or may not know this but I am also a communication major. And I can both appreciate and be critical of mass media. Radio at least spurs creative thinking. Internet is at least interactive. But, television with its one way communication can very often be the most unproductive use of time. Have there been evenings in your life where you watched hours of television and yet watched nothing – hours and hours of channel surfing? Between sports, sitcoms, soaps, reality and game shows we are left sitting numb in front of a screen. If you spend hours in front of the television, there is one thing I guarantee you will not do – confront the deeper questions of life. And I think this is happening to entire generations of peoples. Sometimes when I want to have a deep conversation with people, I get the impression that someone just stole their brains away. Whether television and video gaming is responsible I do not know but shallowness is not uncommon among us.
Saturday of the Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time
In the first reading for today, Paul lists many companions of his who have aided him in spreading the Gospel. It’s easy to think about St. Paul, sometimes, as an individual on his own traveling from place to place and bringing the Gentiles to Christianity in its very early stages. At the end of his letter to the Romans, Paul identifies with the Roman community (which he has not yet met) by making connections to those in the community. The list of names is staggering. Staggering not just because of how many there are, but also because of the Gentile names, the Jewish names, the women, the men. We see that almost immediately the Good News of Christ’s suffering, death, and resurrection had universal, even cosmic significance. We see also how the Church, even from its earliest days, transcended national, linguistic, class, and gender boundaries. We also get an economic picture of the early Church in the second chapter of Acts of the Apostles—“All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their property and possessions and divide them among all according to each one’s need” (2:44-5). A deep interdependence indeed!
Memorial of Saint Charles Borromeo, bishop
If you want to get at the significance of this week's readings, it is necessary to spend some time really focusing on the gospel passage for today (Luke 16:1-8). It's a curious passage featuring a steward, a person responsible for managing the household and ensuring its prosperity. This steward is an annoyingly troublesome guy for several reasons: first is the one the master mentions in the first two verses. He's been squandering property and is therefore not really being a good steward of resources. He's just bad at his job. But second, take a look at the excuses the steward comes up with once he finds he's losing his job: not strong enough to dig, and too ashamed to beg. Or put perhaps more bluntly: not willing to do some hard labor, and not willing to accept that otherwise he will have to beg for food. And then the third reason he's troublesome: he's hoping that the people who owe his master money might be willing, out of the goodness of their hearts, to take him in, and so he's plotting ways to get in their good graces. He's not trying to negotiate their debts with them because he thinks the debts are unfair, or because he wants to be generous. His sole motivation is a selfish desire not to have to do hard labor or beg - to him, the worse possible options. There is nothing that seems, at the outset, to be honorable about this person.
Thursday of the Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time
Have you ever thought about how much of our time spent with the people in our lives is centered around a meal? Daily or weekly meals with family, lunches with coworkers and friends, holiday meals with loved ones. A shared meal is an important part of dating, fostering close friendships, bonding with our families, and celebrating special occasions. Food nurtures us and sharing food nurtures our relationships.
The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls)
Justice is a word used a lot around this time of year as we approach the election season. Today, the word and especially the concept of justice appear throughout the readings. “The souls of the just are in the hands of God.” (Wis 3:1a) For some of us, the word “just” might seem out of place. I lost a relative a while back and I remember another family member describing the injustice of losing someone that we both loved. Indeed, grief, in close nearness to a death, can feel very unjust. One might question, why did God take my friend, my spouse, my parent, my sibling, or my child? There are, of course, no easy answers to these questions. Also, the answers that some people feel called to give those are often of little consolation. One can understand intellectually that their loved one is in a better place, but in their hearts long for their loved ones continued presence here and now.
Solemnity of All Saints
In the first reading for today, John relates the vision that he receives of the revelation of God in paradise. John’s vision is of the time when the elect shall enter into God’s presence at the final judgment. It is an inspiring image of what is possible for us if we trust in God and obey God’s call. Although the elect are sometimes called ‘servants’ of God, it is not base servitude to which they are called. Instead, they have union with God and see him face to face. The white garments they are wearing may be a reference to Christian baptism, where we are born into the new life that is possible in Christ Jesus (Revelation 7: 14). As a result of Jesus’ death and resurrection, Christians have the ability to enter into God’s kingdom and to receive the promise of eternal life.
Monday of the Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time
The year my father passed away, my family decided to participate in a program that provided Christmas gifts to families in need who had suffered an unusual loss of some kind in the previous year. We sponsored several families and bought gifts for the children and parents based on the lists they themselves had written. I will always remember delivering those gifts and the faces of the children receiving their presents. Even more memorable was seeing the parents, some with tears of gratitude in their eyes, watching their children opening presents they themselves could not afford to buy for them. The experience of personally meeting and embracing these families far exceeded any presents we received that Christmas.
Thirty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time
Today’s first reading is taken from the book of the prophet Malachi. In the entire three year liturgical cycle, only twice do we read from this minor prophet. The name Malachi means “My Messenger,” and is written by an anonymous author. The author does not reveal his or her identity because the prophecies of the book contain trenchant criticism of the priest and rulers of the people. And so it is very intriguing that the church has chosen this reading that is downright critical of the priests of the time as one of the two times we hear from Malachi.
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? In terms of the sin, we’re not talking about caring much about people, work…etc. We’re talking about a 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.”
Feast of Saint Simon and Saint Jude, Apostles
“God doesn’t do those things anymore.” Ever heard that statement, especially in relation to thinking about miracles? I hear it a lot. If the people I talk to don’t outright disbelieve in God, they think that somehow God just stopped caring a century or so ago. God doesn’t work miracles in our lives in the ways that God used to, in the Bible, and in early and medieval times. God has stopped speaking to us, even.
Thursday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time
What images do you have of Jesus? A Jewish man and carpenter? One who could fish, laugh with his friends and captivate a crowd with his words? A healer and good friend? The crucified and risen Lord with pierced hands and feet? The judge sitting at the right had of his father in heaven?
Wednesday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time
At work one day, I was moving a table from one building to another and in the process got injured. This broken rib and severe muscle tear has been slow to heal. Aside from the pain, I have learned greatly from these unimportant sufferings. In fact, this injury has had a number of good outcomes that were unexpected. One of the greatest of these was to remember that I am not doing ministry by myself. This forced humility has reminded me that I need to ask for help, not only from others but also from God.
Tuesday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time
In today’s gospel reading, Jesus uses two powerful images to help teach us what the Kingdom of God is. In the first image, Jesus compares the Kingdom of God to a mustard seed. From a tiny seed, a great tree grows. Jesus ends the description of the tree by stating that “the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches” (v. 19). The quoted phrase here is a reference to Ezekiel chapter 17, where Ezekiel also uses the image of a tree—in this case a cedar tree—to talk about how God will demonstrate his power. The cedar tree planted on a hill that Ezekiel mentions is intended to represent God’s promise to restore David’s line after the Babylonian exile of Judah is over. Those who heard Ezekiel’s prophecy would have found renewed strength in the prophecy that God would renew his promise to Israel. In a similar way, the image that Jesus paints of the mustard tree gives us hope that God is present with us and that God is in the process of restoring our broken world through Jesus Christ. It also conveys the thought that a small change can have a significant effect not only in our lives but also in the lives of other people.
Monday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time
Today’s readings call us to reflect on the transforming love of Christ.
As part of our social justice program, our parish has been involved in the Kairos prison ministry over the past several years. Church members are invited to bake cookies to share with the prisoners as part of a Kairos weekend retreat that is held at the prison. We are also called to pray for these men and women as we bake, and pray for them on the weekend of the retreat as well. The cookies become a tangible sign of love for these individuals. A group of men and women go to the prison and share God’s good news of love and forgiveness over a several day gathering. At one of our recent social justice meetings we heard a witness from a gentleman who had spent years in prison as a result of multiple crimes including burglary, drug abuse and assault. When participating in his Kairos weekend, the negativity, guilt, hatred, and sin were transformed by the outpouring of the unconditional love shared by those leading the retreat. Following this experience, he turned away from his previous attitudes of hatred and pride and began to reach out to other inmates in the prison. He now shares about his experience of healing with other Kairos participants.
Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
These days there is a new buzz phrase at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. It is called the ‘Circle of Protection.’ The Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and representatives of sixty other Christian denominations met with President Obama to urge him and congressional leaders to protect programs for hungry and poor people in decisions surrounding the deficit and debt. The Catholic representative, Bishop Ramirez said, “We come here not to advance a particular plan, but a fundamental moral principle: put the needs of the poor first in allocating scarce resources. As religious leaders, our concern is not which party wins the current political battles, but we know, if we don’t speak up, who is likely to lose: the families trying to feed their kids, the jobless looking for work, the children who need health care, the hungry and sick and hopeless around the world.” It is in this context that Christian leaders in unison are asking the political leaders of the country to place of “Circle of Protection” over those most dependent on government aid for survival.
Thursday of the Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time
“I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!” (Luke 12: 49) Perhaps some of Jesus’ disciples (both then and now) wish this gospel verse were a literal statement, looking for a warrior savior who would “take the world by fire!” It would certainly make for a popular movie or computer game. But seriously, it’s somewhat jolting at first read as Luke in today’s gospel reading (Luke 12: 49-53) continues with Jesus preaching to his disciples, “Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.” Really?
Memorial of Saint John de Brébeuf and Saint Isaac Jogues, priests and martyrs, and their companions, martyrs
Have you ever watched a poker game unfold? There can be lots of deception and drama. People can bluff their way through their hand and convince the other players that they are holding great cards. One of the best ways to show the rest of the players you have the winning cards is to put all of your money on the table. This is often done by someone pushing all of their chips to the center and declaring, “All in!”
Feast of Saint Luke, evangelist
I have moved many times in my adult life. In fact, if by this time next year I am still in Dayton (and I have no plans to move!) I will have lived here longer than anywhere else so far, and that will still only have been 4.5 years! I must admit that I like seeing new places, experiencing each new culture that each new place has to offer, making new friends and finding new treasures in each community. What is new is what is enticing. I think our culture is a bit like that: we seek new technology, new ice cream flavors, new fashions and so on.
Tuesday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time
In the gospel passage for today Jesus is being criticized by the Pharisees for not following the tradition of ceremonial washing before he eats. Jesus responds to his critics by essentially calling them hypocrites—that is, they criticize others of doing the very thing that they themselves do. As an example of this Jesus mentions that the Pharisees allow people to decide not to take care of their parents by saying that the money that they would have spent on their parents belongs to God instead. This practice is allowed because it is a tradition. So in the name of tradition the Pharisees allow people to break one of the Ten Commandments – namely the command to honor one’s father and one’s mother.