Monday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time
“Go sell what you have and give to the poor...then come follow me.”
So said Jesus of Nazareth to a genuine seeker who was faithful to the Law of Moses. This rich man, drawn to the message of the young rabbi from Nazareth, wants even more.
Saturday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time
Being a grandma (Nana) provides me with an insight to understand what Jesus might be implying when He tells His disciples that only the childlike will enter the Kingdom of God. Being around four small children has allowed me to witness their ability to be present in the moment, to see the great trust that they place in those who are caring for them, and to experience their deep desire to share love with those around them. I believe that God desires this same openness and responsiveness in us as we seek to become part of the Kingdom. Like Jesus in today’s gospel, we are called to care for all children, as well as to learn their ways of love and trust.
Friday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time
Although Lent is still a few days away, today’s first reading reminds me of something a friend “gave up” for Lent a few years ago: complaining. We’ve all heard (or maybe even made) the jokes about giving up things like homework or work or cleaning for Lent. But this friend was quite serious about giving up complaining. And that really stuck with me. I didn’t think of him as an avid complainer or even a particularly negative person, but apparently he knew that was an area of his life that needed some work. And James’ letter to the early Christians indicates they needed a reminder about that too. Especially complaining about other people.
Thursday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time
Sin. It’s something with which we all struggle. It’s a reality in all of our lives. The important question we must ask is not – do I have sin, but what do I do about my sins? In today’s gospel Jesus tells is telling us “Yes, I know sin is real in your life, now do something about it!” He is calling us to not only recognize our sinfulness but to cut that sinful action out of our lives.
Memorial of Saint Polycarp, Bishop and Martyr
My husband and I are planners. We spend significant time making plans of all sorts – plans for our leisure time, plans for retirement, plans for projects around the house, plans to spend time with family and friends, the list goes on. We both value being proactive and planning ahead. In today’s first reading, James cautions us around our planning. I hear the Apostle exhorting us to remain humbly rooted in the Lord’s will as we make plans, orienting ourselves to God and not to the world.
Feast of the Chair of Saint Peter, Apostle
Lately I’ve been thinking about how astonishing it is that two thousand years after Jesus lived on earth Christians can still think of ourselves as his followers. We don’t serve God in the abstract; instead we serve God as revealed to us by Jesus. There were many teachers in ancient times who had disciples then, yet very few if any can be said to still have disciples now. So it is even more remarkable that we can be counted among Jesus’ disciples. As I reflect on the readings for today I’m reminded of the ways that our ability to live as disciples of Jesus is a result of God’s providence and grace through the church.
Monday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time
I believe. Help my unbelief! A father's plea to Christ for the healing of a son in distress—one of the most anguished statements in the Gospels because it is one of the most honest. With every fraternal bone in his body, he wants to believe in toto but to no avail---faith seems to be a Catch-22.
John Paul II wrote of today's readings that “our faith must be a sign of contradiction for the world.”
Our faith is a sign of contradiction---To live we must die. To rule is to serve. To be first is to be last. To become rich is to become poor. To be wise is to be fools.
Saturday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time
After listening to today’s readings, one is struck by the theme of tongues, mouths, and speech.
In today’s first reading, St. James warns us to watch our tongues. Here, James uses “tongue” to refer to “speech” and even more specifically, “teaching.” Indeed, he warns at the outset that not “Not many of you should become teachers” (Jas 3:1) because of our capacity to fall short with our tongues. James was deeply concerned about the authenticity of Christian teaching in the early Church, making sure that the gospel was passed on properly.
Friday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time
The church firmly teaches that faith is necessary for salvation and can be cited throughout scripture. Good works alone do not merit salvation. We cannot buy our way to heaven with enough good deeds, or good intentions. The road to heaven is not simply paved by niceness or sincerity. It is the passion and suffering of Christ going to the cross that opens this path for us; and our acceptance of this gift freely given. At the same time, we are called to engage in works of love, reflections of the goodness of God. Christ commands action–”whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.” (Mk 8:34) Both faith and works; our first reading today expounds upon this great relationship imperative to our salvation. James brazenly tells us (a la ‘you ignoramus’), “just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is also dead.” (Jas 2:26)
Thursday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time
In a culture high on celebrities, that chases after that which is trending, and demands that you have your “elevator speech” ready at all times, it’s all too easy to focus our eyes on what is above. I don’t mean heaven. I mean those people who seem above. That is, those who have more money than we do or a higher status or whose affirmation of us would mean so much.
Wednesday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time
This week’s readings prompt me to continue last week’s theme of virtues. Our first reading from James identifies several specific ways that we can practice being virtuous. In our Gospel, Jesus heals a blind man. I pray that today, our Lord might heal us of our spiritual blindness, and give us grace to look intently, with eyes wide open, into his word in order that it might change us and make us more like Christ.
Tuesday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time
When we face temptation, there are two possible conclusions – either we give into the temptation (the bad outcome), or we experience the fullness of its power in resisting it (the good – although deeply unpleasant – outcome). Giving in to temptation is an obvious possible result. When it crosses our mind or heart to do something we know we should not do, sometimes we go ahead and do it anyway. We are people who sin, and temptation is what plants the seed that leads us there. But what happens when we resist temptation? What happens when we are tempted and try to say “no” to our desires?
Memorial of Saints Cyril, Monk, and Methodius, Bishop
Jesus is exasperated today. He'd just miraculously fed 4,000 people and still they ask him for a sign. Can you hear our Lord sighing? Rolling his eyes?
Saturday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
I love to cook and bake. It is not so much the food preparation itself, but it is the sharing of the food I prepare that brings me great joy. Whether it is a meal shared together or a meal that I prepare to pass along, there is more than just food that is celebrated. Food brings people together. A shared meal becomes an opportunity to strengthen a connection between those who participate. Jesus realizes the importance of food and sharing meals. Today’s gospel relates the story of Jesus feeding the multitudes. Jesus not only wants to nourish the crowd, but He wants to begin to help create a community of believers. After they share this meal, the many people gathered will always be connected by the experience of breaking bread together.
Friday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Our church has many, many beautiful stained glass windows, but I have to say that my favorite is the one near the altar depicting Mary as appearing to young Bernadette at Lourdes. It was on this date in 1858 that a “Lady” (later identifying herself as the “Immaculate Conception”) first appeared to 14-year-old Bernadette as she was out gathering firewood. Although reflecting on today’s readings for the fifth week in ordinary time, this memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes also speaks to me, especially in light of today’s gospel reading with the theme of “be opened.”
Memorial of Saint Scholastica, Virgin
My parents loved to listen to Crosby, Stills and Nash. When I think back to my childhood many of their songs fill the soundtrack of my memories. Today’s readings made me think of one their most popular songs – “Teach your children well.” Even as a child I remember liking this song. I loved that it spoke to parents and children to both teach each other. Now as a parent I see the truth of that sentiment even more so. For as much as I am teaching and forming my children they are teaching and forming me as well. The parent/child relationship is one of the most important relationships in the world and as parents teaching our children well is one of the biggest responsibilities we will ever have.
Wednesday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
I’ve never been a “New Year’s Resolution” person. I guess I just didn’t want to hop on that band wagon. Early in 2022, however, I listened to a podcast by one of my favorite Catholic priests. He suggested that a new year marks a great opportunity to turn away from vices and grow in virtue. I took him seriously and have been prayerfully embarking on this pathway to grow in holiness and turn away from sin. Today’s Gospel reinforces this desire for me and kindles my zeal. Perhaps you’d like to enter into this practice with me. I’ll explain . . .
Tuesday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
The first two readings for today are rich with the thought of where God dwells. Solomon, Israel’s great leader and builder of the majestic Temple, prays that God will look favorably on what he has built. He begins his prayer with an interesting question: “Can it indeed be that God dwells on earth?” By the end of his prayer, he asks that God listen to it from God’s “heavenly dwelling.” It thus remains a bit ambiguous where we are to find God: can we seek him here or is he far away? In today’s psalm, we hear the refrain, “How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord, mighty God!” The ambiguity from Solomon’s prayer persists here, as the verses alternate between imagining God’s heavenly dwelling and rejoicing in finding his presence here on earth.
Monday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Tassels. Tassels are ornaments used in décor and fashion. They are ceremonial wear within military and religious circles the world over. Fraternal orders such as the Shriners, the Elks, and the Masons like them. Throughout the Arab world tassels are worn to ward off demons. We switch them proudly from right to left sides of mortarboards at graduations. Tassels hang from rear view mirrors on cars. They can be sensual ornamentation, too, such as in exotic dances.
Memorial of Saint Agatha, Virgin and Martyr
“Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while,” Jesus says to his apostles in today’s gospel reading (Mk 6:31). The apostles, we are told, have returned from healing the sick, expelling demons, and preaching the kingdom of God. Further, they have all, presumably, just heard the news of John the Baptist’s beheading by Herod. This is a lot!