Twentieth Sunday of Ordinary Time

We are not used to hearing Jesus speak of division. So much of our religious language concerns unity and peace that the words of the Gospel this week seem to be at odds with what we understand as Christianity. But being a believer also means that we hold fast to certain beliefs and profess our faith by our actions in this world. There are times that others may not like what they hear from us. It is then that the division of what is true and what is false is made evident. We cannot give up the faith for convenience.

Nineteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time

Each of us is making his or her own journey. It might be toward graduation from school, it might be toward marriage or toward a new career, it might be toward improved health, it might be toward retirement or it might be just a matter of trying to survive the stresses of each day. Whatever it is, time is moving us along. In our journey through life, there is an event that we definitely need to prepare for. That is the day we are going to meet our Lord, not just in prayer, not just in the sacraments, not just in the invisible ways in which he comes into our lived, but in a visible, unmistakable way at the end of life's journey through this life. It's a meeting most of us like to put off as long as possible and many people do not like to even think about. This is why our Lord warns us to prepare for it, because we may tend to procrastinate or just put it out of our minds altogether. The reason he warns us is not to fill us with fear, but because he loves us and he wants us to share in all the blessings he has for us. If we are not ready, we may miss out. So let us get started and prepare ourselves to meet out Lord!

Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

What is truly valuable in our lives? In our consumer driven society we all want things, we buy plenty of stuff. We may know in our brain that the meaning of our existence is not rooted in possessions, but often we want more. The challenge arises in trying to balance the desire for economic wellbeing with the heart of the Gospel message. The Gospel this weekend asks us to take a hard look at what we have. Our riches are not the things that we hold in our hands, but those that we hold in our heart.

Henri Nouwen, in his book With Open Hands, he teaches us how to pray. He says we must open our clenched fists and let go of what we grasp most tightly. With hi, let us pray: Dear God, I am so afraid to open my clenched fists! who will I be when I have nothing to hang on to? Who will I be when I stand before you with empty hands? Please help me to gradually open my hands and discover that I am not what I own, but what you want to give me. And what you want to give me is love, unconditional, everlasting love. Amen.

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Jesus teaches us how to pray, especially through his example. How often we have prayed the Lord's Prayer and prayed: "Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us." What a powerful line of mercy. Do we follow what it says to us? Our Gospel passage that we hear from St. Luke, points to the abundance of God's mercy. The Lord gives us what we need each day for our service to him. As the Lord's Prayer reminds us, we condition our reception of God's mercy on our willingness to forgive others. This phrase of the prayer should give a moment's hesitation to make sure that we really understand what we are asking. Every time we pray that prayer we ask God to forgive us in the same way that we forgive others. It is a pretty tall order. But it does make sure that our own attitude is aligned with God's. In him mercy and forgiveness abound.

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

The psychiatrist had one patient on the couch and several waiting outside the office. It was going to be another long day. The doctor asked the receptionist if she could stay late. Glaring back at him, she replied, "Sure, I can stay late if you will help me work through my feelings of anger and bitter resentment."

The Martha and Mary story in today's Gospel speaks of Martha's anger and resentment. Poor Martha, stuck in the kitchen all by herself while thoughtless Mary gabs in the living room with Jesus. How many times have we been in the kitchen with Martha? Jesus' message is for all of us. Take time to spend time with Jesus. Today if possible. Tomorrow may never come.

Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Where do we go when we are looking for God? Do we go to a church? Do we find God there in the silence among the worn pews and the scent of flowers and incense? Perhaps we find God in nature's cathedral - in the quiet forest, or the regal mountains, or by the sea. Some find God in between the notes of a symphony. Others find God in the complexity of the sciences, in biology, chemistry, physics. Still others experience God's presence in the rhythm of a well-tuned phrase or in a majestic hymn. In today's Gospel, Jesus invites us to find the presence of God in one another. Through the parable of the Good Samaritan who proved himself to be good, we are taught to seek out the presence of God not only in those we love, respect and admire, but also - and especially - in the poor and the victimized. When we minister to God's poor ones, we minister to God. Therefore, in our ministering, we must be aware that we are touching the very God who made them and us. Our compassion must be personal so that those we serve do not feel themselves a burden, but know themselves to be blessed. When we do all this we will truly have found God.

Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Did you notice the person one pew over in church today? Imagine the two of you going out together into the neighborhood around the church knocking on people's doors and bringing them good news. What would you say to someone when they came to the door? What could you tell them that would invite them to be a part of our church? This may seem like a radical thought, maybe even an important action. But this a part of our faith. In today's Gospel, we hear Jesus send out the call for evangelization. It is a call issued to all baptized Christians to bring the good news of Jesus Christ and the kingdom of God to the world. Our Gospel story is not just a nice story about Jesus' companions in the past. It is also a commission to us, his followers today.