Thursday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time
The prophet Malachi could be speaking to our community today. So many of us have wondered, ‘why am I working so hard at being a good person, when it doesn’t seem to be paying off?’ We feel like we’ve been working without pay. We don’t want to hear, ‘the reward in Heaven will be great.’ What about a reward right now? Malachi shows us what to do when we’re feeling this way. We need to meet with our fellow Christians and strengthen each others’ faith: “Then they who were in awe of the Lord spoke with one another, and the Lord listened attentively…Then you will see the distinction between the just and the wicked…” It’s easy to get tired of hoping on the Lord.
Wednesday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time
In today’s Gospel, we receive St Luke’s version of the “Our Father,” the “Lord’s Prayer.” You can find St Matthew’s version in chapter six of his Gospel. I was about halfway through writing a reflection on our passage from Luke, and I just erased it all. Instead, I invite you to take some time today (and/or in the coming days) and read Section Two of Part Four of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. The Church devotes a significant section of her teaching on prayer to the Lord’s Prayer. As I consulted it, I said to myself, what could I possibly say about this magnificent prayer, the quintessential prayer of the Church, in light of what the Church teaches? My sisters and brothers, these sections of the Catechism (2759 – 2865) are glorious! Allow the Church to enlighten you on the richness of the meaning of the prayer Jesus taught us to pray. I’m confident it will transform not only your understanding of this prayer, but it will transform your prayer. Today, I pray God’s Kingdom come and God’s will be done in your heart, mind, and life as it is in heaven. Come, Lord Jesus!
-Elizabeth Wells
Tuesday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time
According to the late Fr. Joe Tedesco, we can lose a lot depending on our translation of today’s Gospel. It helps to imagine the scene. A quiet village is Jesus’s next destination. People who live in small villages are known for their great hospitality, but Jesus is another type of guest; it’s not just him, but a bunch of disciples and every sick or curious person in town. So, when we read that Martha was “burdened with much serving,” we’re talking about a lot of food prep. She’s making several different dishes in a meal to appear to the tastes of a number of people who aren’t local, and therefore could expect something different than the usual food served in this little town. If they have bit of a menu to choose from, they’re at least be something that each person can happily eat.
Monday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time
In distress I cried out to the Lord.
From the midst of the netherworld I begged. For you hurled me into the deep,
I was submerged.
The waters swirled around me, endangering me. I was enveloped by the abyss.
Down I descended, the gates of the netherworld closing behind me forever.
You rescued my life from the pit, O my God.
~ Jonah 2:3-10
“Life’s the pits!” This slang expression originated on the college scene in the 1950s and really took off when it was commonly expressed by TVs “Rhoda” in the 1970s.
Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary
Today’s readings have the common theme of joy. In the first reading, Baruch consoled the exiled Israelites that even in their time of sorrow, God will bring back their joy. He reminds us that joy can exist even in the most challenging times of life. The psalm reminds us that to seek God causes joy. There is joy in God listening to the lowly, the poor, and the imprisoned. In Luke, the seventy-two disciples were rejoicing at what happened when they traveled, proclaimed the Gospel to others, and cast out demons. Jesus told them that they should rejoice because of God’s work through them and not because they have power over demons.
Friday of the Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time
How long, O Lord? I’ve prayed this brief, pleading prayer before. Maybe it’s one you’ve uttered, or even cried out, too. If so, you and I are not alone. Today’s psalm of lament includes this questioning prayer and more: “O Lord, how long? Will you be angry forever? Will your jealousy burn like fire?” (79:5)
Thursday of the Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time
Our Church is currently in the middle of the “Synod on Synodality.” We are being called to “discern how the Spirit is moving through and within the Body of Christ-inside and outside of the church- so that we may continue to fulfill our mission to evangelize the world.” (Catholics Mobilizing Network) The three main themes of the synod are communion, participation, and mission. Today’s readings reflect elements of these themes, and this reminds me that God continues to call people to unity and love through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Memorial of Saint Francis of Assisi
Today is the Memorial of St Francis of Assisi. When people think of St Francis, the first thought is often of birds and animals and care for the Creation. That is part of his legacy. For the most part, however, St Francis was radically sold out to Christ and lived his life in fervent service to the poor, evangelization, and preaching. His life exemplifies what it means to lay down one’s life and follow hard after the footsteps of Christ in radical obedience. Today, I’d like to reflect on our Gospel by offering some excerpts from a letter St Francis wrote.
Tuesday of the Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time
In the text before us today from Luke, we hear two powerful words. One painful. One merciful.
Memorial of the Guardian Angels
“They will be my people and I will be their God, with faithfulness and justice” (Zechariah 8:8).
Our 1st readings this week come from prophets and priests of Judah’s exile in Babylon (Zechariah, Nehemiah, Ezra & Baruch) and their return to Jerusalem 50 years later.
Memorial of Saint Jerome, Priest and Doctor of the Church
In today’s Gospel, Jesus said to his disciples, “Pay attention to what I am telling you,” (Luke 9:44). So what is Jesus telling us? In this short excerpt, Jesus predicted that he will be handed over which will eventually lead to his death. I don’t know about you, but I needed some context. Before this passage, Jesus healed a boy with a demon, and just before that, he said about his disciples who failed to heal the boy, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long will I be with you and endure you?” Then, after this Gospel passage, Jesus tells his disciples that whoever receives a child, who at the time held one of the lowest places in society, and whoever is the least will be the greatest.
Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, archangels
My parish priest growing up had a deep devotion to St. Michael the Archangel. I learned most Catholic prayers from my family and through religious education class but I attribute the prayer of St. Michael the Archangel to Fr. Martin. Fr. Martin believed deeply in St. Michael as a powerful intercessor in the spiritual battles that we face daily. Today we honor not only Michael, but Gabriel and Raphael as well.
Thursday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Of all the reasons people can be attracted to Jesus, I think spectacle is one of the funnier ones. ‘Who is this person that everyone is talking about? I’d like to see him myself,’ Herod says to himself. No matter what drives a person to get there, the desire to see Jesus is blessed and holy. Our Lord, the Son of God, is unique in the universe and among all other names for divinity. No one else married Heaven and Earth, Humanity and Godliness. No one else was so full of love, compassion, wisdom, and mercy. No one else worked great miracles. No one else endured such great suffering so gracefully. No one else loves you so perfectly, so completely. Praise the Lord! Hallelujah!
Memorial of Saint Vincent de Paul, Priest
When I read today’s Gospel two main ideas come to mind. First, I find myself reflecting on the disciples James and John and how easy it is to fall into the same patterns as them. Additionally, I find this gospel helps to remind me of Christ’s unending patience – both with his disciples and with us.
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.”
Monday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Today Jesus advises his disciples to “consider how you listen” (Luke 8:18), to pay attention, to notice how we notice. In order to do this we must use our God given senses. This requires mindfulness and awareness of the here and now.
Memorial of Saint Pius of Pietrelcina, Priest
I’m not much of a gardener. I often forget to water the plants and don’t really like doing yard work. However, a few months ago, I got a spider plant, which started out small but now is fairly large. It seems to be thriving even though the most I do for it is put it by the window. How and why? I recall that when this plant got too big for its small jar, I repotted it in a larger jar with nutrient-rich soil. While it struggled a bit initially, it grew beyond my expectations. Likewise, today’s Gospel about the parable of the sower calls us to grow by cultivating rich soil for our faith. Jesus challenges us to examine our lives to see what type of soil our faith grows in. Is it rich, rocky, or on a path? What is our life based on? What in our lives do we see, listen to, read, and take in that helps or doesn’t help us cultivate this soil? In a sense, the soil in which the seed of faith grows impacts our ability to be disciples of Jesus.
Friday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
“For we brought nothing into the world, just as we shall not be able to take anything out of it.” (Timothy 6:7) A stark reminder today from St. Paul that, (more plainly said) “we can’t take it with us.” Can you and I, like Paul, be content with simply having the basics of “food and clothing”? As Paul also reminds us with this oft-quoted verse in today’s First Reading, “For the love of money is the root of all evils….” What wisdom lies there!
Feast of Saint Matthew, Apostle and evangelist
Today we celebrate St. Matthew and his life as both an apostle and evangelist. Each of us are also called to follow Jesus as His disciples and to use our gifts to build up the Body of Christ. Jesus reminds us that we are all sinners in need of God’s mercy. When we recognize that we are all equal in the eyes of God, we have a great starting place to work together to become God’s holy people united in Christ.
Memorial of Saints Andrew Kim Tae-gŏn, Priest, and Paul Chŏng Ha-sang, and Companions, Martyrs
Throughout the past few months in our Lay Marianist Community, we have been looking at the goals of the Marianist Family Encounters Project. One goal that we recently prayed about together was called, “Empower through family spirit.” In thinking about this call and discerning what it would look like to live a family spirit in our lives, I found myself challenged in many ways. To love in a family involves forgiveness, acceptance, patience and sacrifice. It means thinking of someone other than me. It often means putting the needs of another before myself. These virtues challenge us to grow and stretch in our families, BUT what if we are called is to practice these virtues in all of our relationships? What if we are meant to embrace this selflessness with everyone we meet and all of those we are in community with and connected with?