Tuesday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time
Today’s readings have been a source of astonishment for many generations of Christians. In today's first reading from Ezekiel, the wise and prudent ruler of the great city of Tyre is proud. When he reflects on his many successes, he can only conclude that he has divine power. How else could he be so good at everything? But Ezekiel’s message to him is simple: ‘Prince, you are a mortal man, you and will die soon at the hands of murderers.’
Monday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time
I've taken on more house projects in the past few months than I did in the entire year that we were renting. In doing so I have noticed that once I begin a project I can be overwhelmed with my desire to "do it right." I want the perfect tools and I want to make everything just right, even if no one else would notice. In some instances I think I am taking healthy pride in my work, at other times I'm going too far, which Bess sometimes challenges me on by reminding me that at some point the goal is just to get the project done!
Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Scripture Readings (Mass During the Day)
Today we celebrate the feast of the Assumption of Mary. The readings refer to Mary’s role in salvation history through her “yes” to God. One sentence in particular caught my attention while reflecting on today’s readings. “The woman herself fled into the desert where she had a place prepared by God.” Why would God provide a place in the desert for this “woman” who had just given birth to a son who “was destined to rule all the nations”? Is there something about a desert that reveals God’s presence in our lives? In this time of tribulation and turbulence, could God be leading us into the desert to draw us into a deeper relationship of love and trust?
Memorial of Saint Maximilian Kolbe, Priest and Martyr
Divorce is never easy or pleasant. I don’t know of anyone who honestly and sincerely enters into marriage with the intention for it to end in divorce. And yet, it is a reality of our humanity since at least the time of Moses. Today’s readings are not easy or pleasant either, but as I reflected on them I became aware of God’s faithfulness to us, no matter what.
Thursday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time
In today’s gospel, Peter asks Jesus how many times one should forgive. Peter thought seven times seemed like quite a lot, yet he is surprised by Jesus’ response that one should forgive seventy-seven times. Of course, Jesus is not indicating that we should calculate carefully the times and cut off the forgiving at 77! In the ancient world, seven was a perfect number, and so Jesus is kind of taking Peter’s number to infinity, as is even clearer in some translations which render Jesus’ words as “seventy times seven times.” To drive home his point, Jesus offers a parable about the two servants in debt. The one who had a huge debt to the king was forgiven. However, he then refused to forgive the relatively small debt of a fellow servant. When the king found about this, he handed the unforgiving servant over to torturers until he could pay back the whole of his original debt.
Wednesday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Why is reconciliation so difficult for us humans? At least in our U.S. culture, it seems we’ve become conditioned to avoid addressing issues with others and to shun opportunities to talk through conflict and work things out. We often experience even the thought of confronting another person as awkward at best or fearful at worst. For sure, we wouldn’t want to offend anyone, right?! So we simply avoid relational problems, hoping that they’ll resolve themselves, dissolve away, or at least not get any worse. Reconciliation is inherently part of God’s plan for us as God’s children. As much as we want to cringe away from it, becoming reconcilers is part of maturing as disciples of Jesus. In fact, Jesus addresses his disciples in today’s Gospel and provides a clear and specific formula for restoring brokenness in our relationships. Today, let us be mindful of our need for reconciliation with God and with our brothers and sisters. Let us ask God to give us the grace and the courage we need to take steps of reconciliation today.
Memorial of Saint Clare, Virgin
The United States began by declaring independence from the King of England; it’s hard to criticize rebellion when it’s the reason we exist as we do. Of course, we could all agree that there’s a time and place to rebel, and the rest of the time we need to obey those who have authority. The trouble is, the one who decides whether authority is legitimate is the individual, and individuals have a way of making all sorts of decisions that are unpredictable and incorrect. Pride, one of the most dangerous sins, is at the root of Rebellion, and that vice is what today’s readings speak against.
Feast of Saint Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr
As I read today's readings I was encouraged by a common theme, trust generosity. This trust of generosity is not a guarantee that we should count on those around us to suddenly meet our needs (though that has happened for Bess and I more times than I can count and I am so humbled by it). Rather I am reminded to trust what we do when we act in generosity.
Memorial of Saint Dominic, Priest
Today’s gospel passage caught me off guard. I found myself wondering, “Who is this grumpy and snippy Jesus?” This poor guy wanted his son healed and Jesus seemed like someone spit in His wine. However, after I spent some more time with it, I realized this passage might be deeper than I first suspected. It might be easier to reconcile the “I’ll be with you always” side of Jesus with this “How long will I endure you?” side of Jesus then I first anticipated. There are two phrases from Jesus that I want to consider as we look this passage. Matthew records Jesus telling the disciples that they have little faith and he spoke these words, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long will I be with you? How long will I endure you?”
Friday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Bishop Robert Barron (Founder of the Word on Fire Institute and auxiliary bishop in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles) differentiates between the terms “ego-drama” and “theo-drama”. Ego-drama refers to the corner of the universe that we create where the entire world revolves around us and our own ego dominates the story. By contrast, theo-drama, originally coined by Swiss theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar, refers to the idea that we are all part of God’s story and that our lives, our actions, our decisions, and our freedom are all understood in relation to others and to a higher power. Our Gospel today invites us to be part of the theo-drama:
Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord
The transfiguration. What an incredible scene. Can you imagine being a mere mortal and witnessing Jesus’ metamorphosis (that is the Greek word that gets translated as transfiguration)? Watching him talk with Moses and Elijah? Seeing some big cloud suddenly come over you? And then hearing the very voice of God?
Wednesday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time
I imagine we’ve all had the experience at one time or another of feeling far from God. Sometimes that sensation comes from a place of spiritual dryness; other times we allow the concerns of life to cloud our relationship with God; at times our sin becomes a very real separation between us and our holy God. Whatever it is that creates distance between us and God, either real or perceived, God always pursues us and calls us to new or renewed intimacy with Godself. In today’s first reading, God woos us, With an age-old love I have loved you. Today, let us turn or return to the God of mercy who longs to receive and restore us.
Memorial of Saint John Vianney, Priest
Consider a deeply faithful, spiritual person you may know. Are they attractive to you? Do you want to be more like them? Have you ever wondered how to ‘get that?’ Jesus’s response to Saint Peter and the crowds in today’s readings show us the way: Keep your eyes on Jesus!
Monday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time
While reflecting on today’s Gospel I was struck by how doubt plays such a significant part in our human journey. For me, the word ‘doubt’ carries an inherently negative connotation. But when I thought a bit more about my own experiences of doubt I began to realize that many good things have transpired in my life because I have allowed myself to experience doubt. In other words, even though doubt may be associated with insecurity, ambiguity, and other such uncomfortable feelings, most significant changes in my life have been a result of my acceptance of the particular discomfort and/or insecurity associated with doubt.
Memorial of Saint Alphonsus Liguori, Bishop and Doctor of the Church
As I read and reflect on scripture, I often wonder how God might be calling me to find similar expressions of truth and grace in our current world. In today’s scripture, both readings describe prophets who are instruments of God. Both Jeremiah and John the Baptist accept the rejection and suffering of speaking out to proclaim God’s call to renewal and repentance. At the recent passing of Congressman and civil rights activist John Lewis, I have come to recognize that in many ways this man was a prophet for our age who spoke of love, hope, courage and equality for all people. God speaks through prophets in every age- the question is “are we listening?”
Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Priest
I had a dry spell in my young adult life regarding an interest in the lives of the saints. Thankfully it was renewed while my children were still young, in part through James Martin’s “My Life with the Saints” and Robert Ellsberg’s “All Saints,” which helped bring them back to life for me. Today, I draw upon Ellsberg’s writing to reflect briefly on the life of St. Ignatius Loyola whose memorial is celebrated on this anniversary of his death. Along with today’s readings from Jeremiah and Matthew, I hear a theme of growing and moving beyond our childhood and familial origins to respond to God’s call. A call that often requires leaving behind the comfortable and familiar.
Thursday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time
Several years ago, I was fortunate enough to visit Murano Island in Italy where I watched the famous glass blowers create beautiful works of art. Glass blowers are very calm and collective as they undertake a process that takes time and patience. I was amazed by the artists’ perseverance, reworking their pieces by remelting the glass until they achieved a better result. Similarly, artists who work with clay know that it is a flexible and forgiving medium. If a mistake is made, the clay is simply wadded up and reworked.
Memorial of Saint Martha
Today is the Memorial of St Martha. She and her sister Mary and brother Lazarus were devoted and beloved friends of Jesus; this family enjoyed intimate fellowship with our Lord, indeed scripture indicates that they were like family to him. As we focus our attention on St Martha today, we find an invitation to enter into our own grief, fears, doubts, frustrations, and anxieties and in that space to encounter resurrection and life in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Tuesday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time
Have you had your breaking moment with God yet? The author of today’s first reading is in the middle of his. The troubles of his world are multiplying, and it’s hard for him to see God in the destruction. His civilization was stuck in cycles of violence: war, invasion, occupation, exile. Our challenges today are different, but our reaction may be similar. The prophet Jeremiah responds with remarkable honesty and candor in his prayer to God. Often, we are afraid to ‘get real’ with God. It’s possible to believe that faith requires us to never admit that God’s actions (or lack of action) in our world don’t make sense to us. But is “why God?” an unfaithful prayer? The prophet shows us that it is not. When our actions don’t add up to the life we expect, there’s nothing wrong with telling God about our disappointment. We know we’re not perfect, but we expected better than this virus-infested, racist, hateful world. In humility, we recall that sin, both our sin and the sin of those around us, personal and social; these sins are the cause of quite a bit of the evil we experience. Just as someone else’s lack of mask might make me sick, I might end up suffering the effect of someone else’s sin.
Monday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time
Today's gospel impressed two themes upon me that I think are poignantly opposed to our expectations and experience today. We expect things that be as close to instant as possible and we expect to see it. However, Jesus parables seem to communicate that the Kingdom involves patience and invisibility.