Tuesday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
Our readings today share the common theme of the temporary nature of our world. In the first reading, we hear of kingdoms that come and go. In the Gospel, Jesus told the people that the Temple will not last forever. The readings challenge us to reflect on where—and in what—we place our hope and faith.
Memorial of Andrew Dung-Lac, Priest, and Companions, Martyrs
Today our response to the first reading from Daniel is a canticle also from Daniel:
Blessed are you who look into the depths
from your throne upon the cherubim,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever!
Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven,
praiseworthy and glorious forever!
This beautiful canticle is of service to the People of God throughout the liturgical year. We sing it as a responsorial on Trinity Sunday, the Feast of the Most Holy Name of Jesus, the Feast of the Guardian Angels, and the Feast of the Archangels. And very fittingly we praise our God with this canticle throughout the Liturgy of the Hours.
Memorial of St. Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr
In our Gospel today, Jesus rebuts an argument put forward by the Sadducees denying the resurrection of the dead. The Sadducees’ clever test case revolves around the law of levirate marriage and its application in the afterlife. Jesus explains that our primary relationship for eternity is with God, and that we should be vigilant and diligent in seeking to remain faithful.
Memorial of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Yesterday we read of Jesus weeping and now today we read about him acting out of anger. Jesus experienced a full range of human emotion. Fully human and fully God; I know sometimes I fail to remember the “fully human” part. Next to yesterday’s gospel reading, today’s gospel passage, The Cleansing of the Temple, is for me a helpful reminder of this.
Thursday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time
Before our arrival to Dayton four years ago, I had heard of the strong military presence here, centered on something called “the Base.” In college, I had a friend “Rob” from Belmont who was a so-called “army brat.” His dad was a “career air force” and Rob was actually born in the Canal Zone. His father wasn’t a general except on the home front. He would call periodical inspections of his son’s “quarters,” bouncing a quarter off of their perfectly made beds. Jesus is presented as an inspecting general of sorts in today’s gospel.
Wednesday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time
We meet Jesus today on his way to Jerusalem, about to be crucified and mocked as “King of the Jews,” a king who didn’t appear to be able to save himself. We know Christ as the King unlike any other we know - a King who does not seek glory, but a King is was not afraid of vulnerability, whose compassion led him to lay down his life for others.
What are we to do with the parable today? What are we to do with the nobleman in Jesus’ parable who goes to grab a kingship, presumably for his own glory? What are we to do with this nobleman who becomes king, and it is said of him that he is “harsh and demanding” (v. 21)?
Tuesday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time
The stories of Eleazar and Zacchaeus give us models for holding to our integrity in living out our faith convictions whether we are new or seasoned in our faith journey. Both men are courageous when faced with the opinions of others and hold to their own truth and sense of calling and focus on what is essential in responding to God. Both experience great joy, while the crowds are left grumbling.
Memorial of St. Elizabeth of Hungary, Religious
Mark was the first to tell the story of the blind man who called out to Jesus at the gates of Jericho. He even names him, “Bartimaeus,” or Son of Timaeus. “Timaeus” means defiled, profane, unclean.
Saturday of the Thirty-second Week in Ordinary Time
To my mind, the parable from Luke today is all about power. It’s a very familiar sort of power. And it’s the sort of power that’s easily missed until we’re right up against it. It’s the sort of power that the woman in the parable experiences over and over and over again.
She approaches a man in a position to give her what she desperately needs—justice. And he simply looks the other way. So far as we know, he doesn’t even acknowledge her presence, never mind her plea.
Have you experienced power like that?
Friday of the Thirty-second Week in Ordinary Time
“Now if out of joy in their beauty they thought them gods, let them know how far more excellent is the Lord than these; for the original source of beauty fashioned them.” (Wisdom 13:3) A couple of years ago, I wrote a reflection on this same reading from Wisdom in relation to our new puppy (with whom I was smitten!). As time would have it, that puppy is now a two-year-old adult (who I still refer to as “puppy” along with his actual name, “Bear”). And I will say that I’m still enamored with Bear and appreciate his beauty as a full-grown, black and white, part border collie, mixed breed dog.
Memorial of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, Virgin
Wisdom and its many attributes is the topic for our first reading today. What does it mean for us to be wise, and how can this Wisdom help us be faithful disciples of Christ?
Memorial of St. Josephat, Bishop & Martyr
Have you ever slowly read a familiar passage of scripture and suddenly noticed something new? Something that made you say, “How did I never see that before?!” This happened to me as I read our Gospel passage today, the story of the ten lepers who are healed, and only one returns to give thanks. Luke says, “As they (those with leprosy) were going (to the priests) they were cleansed.” Ok, familiar territory so far. They were healed on the way. Luke continues, “And one of them, realizing he had been healed, returned, glorifying God in a loud voice…”
Memorial of St. Martin of Tours, Bishop
I remember that when I was a child in school, I would receive awards for good conduct and perfect attendance. However, my award-winning behavior and class attendance were things that I was supposed to do in order to stay in school and do well there. This particular aspect of my school experience is the opposite of what Jesus said in today’s Gospel reading: “When you have done all you have been commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do,’” (Luke 17: 10).
Memorial of St. Leo the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church
"Love justice and seek God in integrity." Wisdom 1:1
Today is the Feast of Saint Leo the Great. Leo is the fourth most common papal name. Only John, Gregory & Benedict are more popular. Until this past spring, we haven’t had a Leo in more than a century. The last Pope Leo (XIII) served from 1878-1803. His 25 year pontificate was third longest.
Saturday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time
Today’s Gospel selection is part of Jesus’ parable of the Dishonest Steward (Luke 16:1-13). I encourage you to read the entire parable so that you have the context for today’s text. Jesus calls us to be prudent and trustworthy stewards of all the good gifts God gives us. Just as we (hopefully) are prudent in ensuring our affairs are in order, planning our earthly future, let us be even more prudent in planning for our heavenly future in God’s kingdom. As a disciple of Jesus, what does prudent and trustworthy stewardship look like?
In the first part of the parable, Jesus paints a picture of a steward who, though dishonest, acts prudently in taking initiative to solve his problem and ensure that his needs are taken care of in the future. Essentially, he gives away wealth and forgives debts. Isn’t this what we are called to do as disciples of our Lord? In Matthew 10:16 Jesus commands us to “be as shrewd as serpents and simple as doves.” The Greek word translated here as “shrewd” is the same word, “prudent” in today’s parable. The term also means “wise.” We are called to imitate the shrewdness of both a serpent and the dishonest steward without emulating their other undesirable qualities.
One of the Catholic priests whose podcasts I follow has loosely defined prudence as “doing the right thing in the right way at the right time.” That description offers general guidance to us as we consider any particular course of action. As we walk out good biblical stewardship on a daily basis, practicing prudence in this way leads to godly discernment.
In our text today, the focus shifts from being prudent to being faithful, or trustworthy. The Greek word “pistos” carries a connotation of deep obedience. It begins with faith in God but does not end with mere intellectual ascent. To have faith, to be faithful, is to remain loyal, trustworthy, and true. Here, the focus, the main point, of this parable is our wealth. One’s wealth, one’s treasure, belongs to God. If we treat it as our own, we wind up trusting in it rather than trusting in God. I might ask myself; do I place pistos in myself and my worldly wealth and material possessions, meaning does my sense of well-being, confidence, and security come from entrusting myself to worldly accumulation? At the end of the day, in what do I place my trust so that I can sleep at night?
Jesus warns us, “No servant can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and mammon.” Catholic scholars have noted that the word “mammon” likely derives from a Hebrew word meaning “that in which one trusts.” Jesus employs a wonderful word play here! You cannot serve both God and “that in which you’ve placed your trust.” Whatever it is that we are trusting here on earth in a disordered manner becomes a god. Let us consider today if we have any misplaced trust within us and ask God for the grace to trust him more.
Faithful disciples of Jesus serve as good (prudent, trustworthy) stewards of all that God gives. God entrusts gifts to us in all their many forms. God is trustworthy; God calls us to be trustworthy, too. Just as the dishonest steward figured out how to give away wealth and forgive debts, let us consider today how God is inviting each of us to share generously what we have with others and to be people who are quick to forgive. May we prepare well and prudently for the future that awaits us in heaven!
I’ll see you in the Eucharist,
Elizabeth Wells
Friday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time
More than 2,000 years since the birth of Christ, with the development of modern means of travel and technology allowing access to and communication with practically the entire world, I think it’s safe to say that few adults have never heard of Jesus. So how do we respond to today’s first reading, Paul’s letter to the Romans (15:14-21)? I am especially drawn to this passage ending with Paul quoting Isaiah, “Those who have never been told of him shall see, and those who have never heard of him shall understand.”
Thursday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time
Today’s Responsorial Psalm is taken from Psalm 27. Psalms 22 & 23 are the most loved and known of the 150 Psalms, but today’s rendition from Psalm 27 is certainly a familiar one.
When we sing/pray the Psalms we are singing divinely inspired words. By singing/praying the Psalms we learn how to speak to and listen to the God of salvation. Some Psalms are over 3,000 years old, and when we sing/pray them, we spiritually connect ourselves to the entire Body of Christ, to our Jewish brothers and sisters, to Mary, Joseph and the apostles, and to our ancestors in the faith across time. For these reasons and more, the liturgy is overflowing with the Psalms.
Wednesday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time
“Love your neighbor as yourself.” This simple phrase from Paul in our first reading today is also found in Mark 12:31 and Mt. 22:39. It is central to the gospel, and as Jesus says part of the summary of the entire Hebrew scriptures. So, what are we to do with Jesus telling us in today’s reading from Luke’s gospel that we are to hate our father, mother, and other close family members?
Memorial of St. Charles Borromeo, Bishop
Today’s readings challenge us to be the best member of the community (or family) we can be, by sharing the gifts we have been given, appreciating the gifts of others, and doing the work of being our best selves.
Monday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time
Today the church honors the saint of the broom. When good Pope John (XXIII) canonized Martin de Porres, the Holy Father gave him that title. Martin’s nickname among his Dominican brothers in Lima (Peru not Ohio) was “Brother Broom.” No task was too menial and all work was sacred to him. He viewed his service to his brothers as service to Christ.