Monday of the Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time
One of my most vivid memories of junior high school was feeling I was never good enough. I remember experiencing strong feelings of jealousy and rejection. I saw girls who were pretty and smart and ‘cool’ and the jealousy I felt led to me try so hard to be different, to be more special, or to be just plain ‘more’. I remember the agony this caused during that period of my life. If there was ever a time I could choose to relive it would never be that time! These many years later, I realize how damaging this was. Those feelings of jealousy left me not only feeling personally inadequate—it led my disdain of those who were the object of my jealousy. It strongly distracted me from what God wanted me to be during that tender and tumultuous time of life. The sin of jealousy led to developing habits contrary to the basic charity I was called to as a Christian and it led me away from God. I did not realize this at the time, I only knew how intense my feelings were and allowed those feelings to drive my behavior. Had I recognized my feelings were not based in fact, I think those years would have been quite different.
Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
I am sure most of you have been following Pope Francis’ visit to the United Sates rather closely. I have not watched this much TV in all my life. I tweeted my response to his visit in these words: “I have never been more proud of being a Catholic priest as I am today. I am thrilled to be a priest in the Pope Francis era.” There is no doubt that as concludes his visit today, he is creating history. Last week I prepared a homily in preparation for his visit. This week, based on today’s scriptures, I would like to read between the lines of the Pope’s speeches, visits and words to give some pointers for our own discipleship. Let me do so in five points.
Saturday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time
A few months back Fr. Satish preached a homily where he said, and I’m paraphrasing, “I never wanted to hear the phrase, ‘It’s a mystery’ given as an answer ever again!” He was talking about his time in seminary running up against some of the unanswerable questions about God. I want to use that sometimes infuriatingly over used sentence, “It is a mystery”, as our starting point in drawing some meaning out of today’s gospel.
Friday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Thursday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time
With the Pope's visit to the US this week, I can not help but get excited. The energy and the enthusiasm surrounding this visit is palpable, in both the religious world and the secular world. In this excitement, I have heard many people say, "what a gift to sit in the presence of such holiness!" While I do agree that the Pope is a man of tremendous holiness, I pray that each person who attends his visit keeps in mind the source of this goodness - Jesus!
Memorial of Saint Pius of Pietrelcina, Priest
As a hospital chaplain, I am often called to some of the sickest in our hospital. When someone is suffering an illness or disease, their loved ones suffer alongside of them. And this is true discipleship, if we are attuned to the feelings and needs of others, we have empathy and compassion that calls us to want to help shoulder the cross that others carry. Thus when we understand the suffering of others, we are given the gift to share their suffering.
Tuesday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Today’s first reading invites us into the world of ancient Judaism. We have a passage from Ezra that describes the rebuilding of the Temple, the very place where the God of Israel dwells. It had been destroyed and the Israelites had been taken into exile. Now returned, they rebuild the Temple and offer a great sacrifice at its completion. And what a sacrifice it was: “For the dedication of this house of God, they offered one hundred bulls, two hundred rams, and four hundred lambs, together with twelve he-goats as a sin-offering for all Israel, in keeping with the number of the tribes of Israel.”
Feast of Saint Matthew, Apostle and evangelist
When I look at our world today I see so much division- white against black, conservative against liberal, Christian against Muslim. Although there is a pervasive sense of “us” versus “them” I do not believe that this is what God desires for the people of this world. God longs to draw all people and all creation to Himself- to be one with Him. As followers of Christ we are called to live our lives to build this unity, and Jesus as the Divine Physician shows us that the way to bring healing and unity—His mercy.
Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Pope Francis is coming to the United States this week. Of course, every time the Pope visits any country there is a heightened level of excitement. However, the anticipation is even more palpable this time. As the days of Pope Francis’ visit draws nearer, the Pope is getting unprecedented media time. And the reason is obvious. While it is true that Pope Francis is the successor of Peter as were the 265 prior popes, he is uniquely different from them all. In his statements, his focus, his approach, his demeanor, and his style, he is certainly breaking the mold. Should we then be surprised at the attention he is drawing days before his visit to the United States? It is no secret that there are those who love him and there are those who feel insecure about the direction he is giving the Church. Today, basing myself on today’s scripture readings, I hope to offer a larger and deeper analysis of Pope Francis’ visit to the United States.
Saturday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
The Parable of the Sower has always intrigued me. As such, when I saw that it was the Gospel reading for today I immediately got excited and I simultaneously got nervous, because the passages that intrigue me tend to also confuse me. So how am I to offer a reflection on a passage that I struggle to take to a deeper level? I think the best way is to just let Jesus do the work.
Friday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
Thursday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
As we continue walking with the Lord in this 24th week of time, we encounter two excellent readings today. The first is from the first letter of St. Paul to Timothy, which we have been reading now for almost a week (with a few interruptions). 1 Timothy is a practical letter, and today’s excerpt contains some practical advice that is still relevant for us today. Paul instructs the readers to “set an example.” Actions are often more powerful than words, and sometimes the best persuasion of the goodness of Christianity is the example of Christian believers.
Memorial of Saints Cornelius, Pope, and Cyprian, Bishop, Martyrs
There was a young man who was at home when a friend ran by and said, “there is a flood, run and escape with me.” The young man unmoved said, “God will save me” and went back inside his house. Another friend came by in a rowboat and invited his friend get into his boat. The man once again stated, “Do not worry God will save me.” Finally a helicopter came by and tried to rescue this young man off the roof of his house. Again the young man refused saying, “God will save me.” Then the young man passed on and went to heaven. In heaven he asked God, “Why did you not save me?” God responded, “I sent a friend, a row boat and a helicopter. What more do you want?”
Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows
What qualities do you think are most important in the head of a household? While most of us will never become bishops, the first reading has something to say for all. Perhaps there is a lesson here about vocation. God has a mission for each person; our gifts and character are whispers of the Spirit, giving direction. Discernment of vocation isn’t just a conversation between you and God. It happens in the context families and church community. By paying attention to others gifts, we can help the Spirit by gently suggesting to our friends and family what they might be called to do next, out of love for our God. Are you wondering what God is calling you to in this season of your life? Or, are you discerning one of the big “V” Vocations of sisterhood, brotherhood, the single life, marriage, or priesthood? If those who know you best aren’t already telling you what they think, consider asking them.
Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
Today the Church celebrates the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross—the Triumph of the Cross. The reading from the Letter to the Philippians (Phil 2:6-11) is among the most sublime in Scripture. St. Paul’s passage relates for us the entire mission, meaning, and consequence of Jesus Christ. And the verses of John’s Gospel relates to us the ‘why’ of the Cross of Jesus: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only son…”. The Cross of Jesus was and is totally about Love.
Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
AJ Jacobs is a New York journalist. He is also a Jewish agnostic. He decided to do a radical experiment – a year of living biblically. He attempted to follow every rule of the Bible literally for an entire year. The way he ate, talked, dressed, thought, and touched his wife – he did everything biblically. He did it, because he wanted to see if he was missing anything. He said later in an interview later that the hardest thing to do was avoiding the sins we commit every day: lying, gossiping, and coveting. But the greatest lesson he learnt was the power of behavior over thinking. Following Descartes’ famous line, “I think therefore I am,” we normally believe that thought influences behavior. But Jacobs says that the opposite is even more powerful. He said that most of us do underestimate the power that behavior has to shape thought. “It’s astounding. I watched it happen to myself. For instance, I forced myself to stop gossiping, and eventually I started to have fewer petty thoughts to gossip about. I forced myself to help the needy, and found myself becoming less self-absorbed. I even watched it happen with prayer. After a year of praying, I started to believe there’s something to the idea of sacredness. It was remarkable. So if you want to become someone different, just start acting like the person you want to be. Jacobs now calls himself a “reverent agnostic.”
Saturday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time
I love St. Paul. He is so honest about his brokenness. His honesty is not dramatic flair to help make a “really good” conversion story. He is honest so that you can sideline him and see God at work. This is what he says in today’s first reading, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Of these I am the foremost. But for that reason I was mercifully treated, so that in me, as the foremost, Christ Jesus might display all his patience as an example.”
Friday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time
This time of year, I like to get outdoors and go hiking - I grew up hiking and I want to give that same sense of love of the outdoors and care of the environment to my kids.
We hiked a lot of difficult trails when I was growing up in Colorado. It's home to 57 mountain peaks over 14,000 feet, plus a number of other rugged trails. Given the weather and other variables, sometimes you just never knew what could be around a bend - a washed out trail, a flood, a rattlesnake. Sometimes my parents would ask us to stay put while they went ahead a little to see what was what. They'd return several minutes later having tried out several potential paths and found the one that was the most free of harm and potential pitfalls and then we'd all move on together.
Thursday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time
Last Wednesday my newest niece, Hosanna Jayne was born. My brother and his wife could not be happier about the addition of their beautiful, perfect, new baby girl. Walking in to the hospital to visit Hosanna and her mom, I felt like I had entered sacred space - you could feel God's presence in the room. Then I got to hold her and I could not help but to praise God for the beautiful gift that this little one is to this world. Hosanna! Praise God!
Memorial of Saint Peter Claver, Priest
A person at work asked me, “Is it God’s will that my loved one is sick?” My standard answer is that God is not the cause of the suffering, nor does God will the suffering, however God allows the suffering. While this answer may perhaps work for this question in particular, it does not get at the suffering which Paul is directing his challenge in today's reading from Colossians.