Mt 5:20-26 I Give You a New Commandment

"Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar,
and there recall that your brother
has anything against you,
leave your gift there at the altar,
go first and be reconciled with your brother,
and then come and offer your gift."

How many of us come to church with a grievance, anger, or annoyance with someone else?  This is such a hard thing to wrap our minds around.  If we come to the church and we have something on our mind keeping us from fully being present to Christ, we should leave our gift at the altar and go be reconciled?  A friend asked whether this meant that we should leave church, or even not receive communion. 

Perhaps this is simply a reminder that we need to put ourselves in order, as it were, to be prepared to be in full communion with God, and that things that creep into our mind will keep us from doing that.  Should we stop receiving communion until we have seen a priest?  It depends, always best to talk to a priest, however, if we are plagued with venial sins, then the Eucharist acts as something to sustain us until we can absolved of our sins through the sacrament of reconciliation. 

The advice that Jesus gives is pretty important too.  He says that we should go and become reconciled with our brother.  When we do this, there is great love that is shared.  Where there is love, there is God, for God is love, and where to or more are gathered in his name, God is there.  So, in a sense, when we reconcile ourselves with others we are living in the present moment with them and with God, in full communion, which is the point of going to the altar to offer our gift, which in both cases is the gift of ourselves.

Mt 5:13-16 Salt of the Earth

What if in life we took for granted those good things that we do for others?  Would we not care if we did them any more?  Would our acts of charity become meaningless?  Would the love within us dry up?  Would that goodness in us lose its flavor? 

In the US we have been conditioned to use salt alternatives, like mixtures of lemon peel and herbs to flavor our foods.  Recently a friend hosted a Persian meal at his home.  The rice was incredible.  His wife had spent six hours or more making it.  I'm accustomed to using just steamed rice.  The Persian rice was rinsed, soaked for four hours, par boiled, rinsed again, cooked slowly with salt and oil.  The salt was "poured in" as she described in a way that she was not originally accustomed to--it took her twenty years to cook this rice.  Then the heat was reduced and slow cooked until the rice was tender and a hard shell had formed at the bottom.  It was then turned over onto a serving platter so that the hard shell was now on top and the soft rice underneath.  Then toasted pomegranate seeds were sprinkled over the dish.  The flavor of the rice was amazing. 

The salt was what made the dish.  Too much would have ruined it.  To little and it would not have been memorable.  We are called to pop out our faith in the world just like the salt did in the Persian rice giving it that wonderful invigorating quality.  We are the salt of the earth.  We are the light of the world.  We cannot hide ourselves, but are called to be that element that brings forth the goodness of those things around us just as salt and light do to those things that it is placed around.  In this way, our deeds, our words, will glorify God. 

Luke 7:11-17 God has visited his people

In so many ways Jesus performed the same miracles as Elijah, so much so that at times, the people thought he was God and other times Elijah returned to his people.    Restoring life to the man who was dead is in line with all of the Gospel that Jesus preached.  He is the Good Shepherd and through him we enter into the Kingdom where he will give us new life.  It is echoed through Jesus' miracles of healing and bringing people back to life. 

In this particular Gospel reading Jesus tells this poor mother and widow not to weep.  He is uniting himself with her in her suffering.  He does that with each of us whether we have lost a loved one, are desperate for our children who may have addictions, are misguided, won't listen, etc.  He is with us in our suffering when we find out that we have an increased chance of Alzheimer's or been told we have cancer or diabetes.  The Lord knows our suffering.  His compassion and love are so great.  "Do not weep." He told the mother.  He is carrying her load with her, just as he carries it with us.  We go through the greatest trials in life, and yet make it through.  It is not because we are great and can do anything.  No, it is because we know that our God is amongst us, visiting us with his love and mercy. 

Luke 1: 39-56 Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

So many of us are familiar with Mary's visit to Elizabeth's home before their children were born.  One could think about how miraculous it was that John first recognized the Christ Child even before his birth and Elizabeth was pointed toward him by her son, as was John's role. 

We could also contemplate Mary as the Theotokos, the God-bearer, chosen by the Father before time, as the passage in Genesis foreshadows Mary and Christ (Gn 3:15). 

Perhaps the greatest lesson that can be learned are those of love, humility, faith, and trust that Mary shows in aligning herself with God's will.  These virtues are contained in Mary's Magnificat which she proclaims within today's Gospel.  These virtues are not for women only, but have been attained by male and female saints alike in their following of Christ.  Our Lady is our example in the New Covenant.  Let us pray today that not our will, but your will be done, O Lord.  Amen.

Jn 16: 12-15 Holy Trinity Sunday

In catechism class recently we were discussing the Holy Spirit with a group of 2nd and 3rd graders.  We asked, "Can you see the Holy Spirit?"  They answered, "No."  "Can you feel the Holy Spirit?"  The kids took a little longer, and all but one child said no: one child said yes.  "Can you hear the Holy Spirit?"  There was a resounding "YES!"

How do we know that they Holy Spirit is with us?  The kids said that we had symbols to remind us where the Holy Spirit is.  They had been listening to Start a Fire by the band, Unspoken.  They said that the fire symbolized that excitement and energy that made them want to do good.  The wind shakes the trees and makes them move, so it was similar to the way the Spirit moves us.  When asked about the dove, they said it was how the Spirit brings us peace.  They were stuck on other symbols of the holy spirit, then someone shouted out, a heart...the Holy Spirit is love. 

In today's Gospel we hear of Jesus telling us that the Holy Spirit is the advocate that the Father will send, and like him, the Spirit speaks not his own words, but the Father's.  They are united as described by Christ's words.  They work for a common cause within our lives and within our hearts to lead us to Heaven to be united with them.  May the blessed Trinity guide us always and be with us to the end of our days.  Amen. 

John 15: 9-11 Keep in my love

As a communication tool the social media isn’t bad, but it also highlights that human need for love and acceptance.  It is what many of us in this life are searching for.  Our families and friends hold that key to love and acceptance, yes.  However, our relationships prepare us for that great relationship between us and our God, who is love, compassion and mercy.  Jesus reminds us, “As the Father loves me, so I also love you.”  That love is so complete and encompassing.  If we think of those greatest joys and times that we were filled with deep love for others around us…how they would pale in comparison and almost seem like suffering to what we receive from our Heavenly Father through Christ. 

How do we remain in Christ’s love?  He tells us, “If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.” What are his commands?  Put simply, love God with all your heart, mind, and soul.  Secondly, love your neighbor as God has loved you. 

John 13:13-33A, 34-35 Love One Another

This is our last week of the Easter season.  We are reminded again what the season is about, just like our Creed professes:  The triumphal resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ after his crucifixion, death and descent into hell, whereupon he rose again from the dead and ascended into heaven. 

Jesus is glorified in all this.  Before he departs upon his journey to the cross (where the story is taken just as Judas departs to fetch the soldiers), he reiterates his new command:  Love one another.

This is not easy.  It involves genuine forgiveness and unconditional love.  It is attainable through practice and sacrifice.  To be his disciples, we are called to do this, to love one another as he has loved us.

John 10:27-30 No One Can Take Away My Sheep from Me

Today's Gospel is short and succinct.   No one can take away from God those who belong to God.  Christ Jesus also reiterates to relationship between the Father and the Son, they are one, just as the Holy Spirit and the Father are one, and the Holy Spirit and the Son are one.  These are two powerful thoughts in today's reading.  They should be reflected upon.

A young man preparing for Confirmation was speaking with me and asked, "If God loves us so much, why do we suffer?"  He pulled out the example from the book of Job, where God and the Devil are speaking, and God allows the Devil to harm first the prosperity of Job, then Job's family, then Job himself.  "Is there a point that God was trying to make?" I asked.  The young man was quiet for a few minutes.  "Well, he was proving that no matter what those who love Him won't lose faith in him, no matter how bad things get."  "Okay, If that is the case, what reward does God promise those who remain in him?"  "God rewards them abundantly and even more than they had before, either in this life or the next."  "Can you think of Saints who went through something similar?"  "Oh yeah," the young man said, "They are our modern day Jobs.  They definitely get rewards in Heaven.  I see your point." 

God loves us, and loves us abundantly.

John 6:52-59 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood shall live

As a child my siblings and I were always curious about vampire and zombie movies.  There was always something so very wrong with sub human creatures drinking human blood, or eating their brains that made us laugh.  We knew it was fiction.  As an adult I was briefly amused and annoyed when a friend learned that I was a Catholic and asked how could I be?--I was such a nice person, but did how could I partake in human sacrifice every Sunday and eat them?  It was a clear sign that our Church needs to do more in educating our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ who belong to other churches. 

In today's Gospel the Jews are taken aback asking themselves, "How can this man give us his Flesh to eat?"  It is as shocking to them as it was to my friend.  What does Jesus mean?

Think back to the wedding feast at Cana.  That is a precursor to the Heavenly banquet.  We are to be nourished and sustained in our faith.  All we need to do is believe.  The Son came down from Heaven like the manna in the desert.  The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us, " From the beginning Jesus associated his disciples  with his own life, revealed in the mystery of the kingdom to them, and gave them a share in his mission, joy, and sufferings." (CCC 787)  In joining with him, we come into communion with him, an ecclesiological communion which mimics that of the Father and Holy Spirit to the Son.  We share in his resurrection.  His flesh is our flesh, his blood our blood.  We, the Church,  are his body and he is our head.  At the Last Supper he gave us himself through the grace of transubstantiation whereby the substance of the bread was changed to Him while the outer veil remained like bread, and the same with the wine, that substance became him, for us to consume, to be nourished, not just physically, but spiritually with the grace that is God, inebriated with his Divine love and mercy. 

John 6:22-29 St. Stephen and Witnessing the Faith

Religious faith is a confidence or trust in God.  It is part of our holy covenant with him that obliges us to obedience, loyalty and faithfulness because of his love for us.  In that covenant he makes us his holy peoples.  Our salvation through the cross and Resurrection of Christ brings us new life because of God’s enduring love and mercy for us.  We turn and can firmly say, Jesus I trust in you.

St. Stephen is a witness in our first reading to our shared faith.  He is our brother in Christ.  He bears witness to the Resurrection and faith in God.  Although the simpler path would be to deny God, to not incur the wrath of the Sanhedrin, Stephen upholds the Truth.

In the Gospel Jesus reminds us that we ought to “not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.  For on him the Father, God, has set his seal.”  In other words, be nourished with heavenly food that sustains and nourishes you, and will lead you to everlasting life.  The only things we need to do is believe in him, that is Jesus Christ, whom the Father sends.

John 21:1-19 Do you love me?

In today's Gospel the Apostles are fishing, catching nothing.  Easter is a time of joy and new beginnings in the Light of the Resurrected Christ.  As the dawn breaks, they see Christ Jesus upon the shore.  Recall that he had summoned them to be fishers of men in a similar way before the crucifixion.  Again he calls them to be fishers of men, in a sense, by lowering their nets into the ride side of the boat.  Clement of Alexandria wrote about Jesus in a hymn in his Pedagogues III,

"...Fisher of men,

you, their Savior:

from the sea of evil

you pull the pure fish,

out of the hostile storm

you draw them to the life of blessedness..."

We are the fish, while Peter and the Apostles represent the Church in relation to Christ.  They bring us to the shore bathed in light where Jesus is waiting.  That Christ breaks the bread with them in that first breakfast of the Resurrection assures us that he will continue to nourish us. 

Why does he do this?  Love.  He asks Peter three times, "Do you love me?"  It is as if to undo those three times that Peter denied him.  At the same time, each time Peter says, I love you, it could be though of as saying it to each member of the Holy Trinity, with whom he is in communion with; and at the same time, he stands for us, as the rock on which our church is founded.  He answers for us, "Yes Lord, I love you."  My we continue loving the Lord with each moment of our lives.  Amen.

John 3:16-21 Salvation not Judgement

In today's reading although Jesus is still with Nicodemus, our Gospel writer almost seems to be reflecting of Jesus's mission and purpose for clarification.  "God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish, but have eternal life."  Jn 3:16 

The Son is co-equal to the Father as part of the Holy Trinity.  As the only-begotten Son, he is eternally loved.  So are we because of the Father loves us enough to send us his Son to die for us that we might have eternal life. 

There is nothing that can hold back God's love for us.  Even in our first reading for today God sends his angels to free the disciples of the Son so that they can continue to teach the multitudes about His infinite love and mercy. 

John 20:19-31 Divine Mercy Sunday

"Peace be wish you," Jesus says as he appears to the disciples within the locked room.  He shows them his hands and side, proof of his death and of his Resurrection.  He says to them again, "Peace be with you.  As the Father has sent me, so I have sent you."  He breathed on them (the imparting of the Holy Spirit) and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.  Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained."

This is the Mercy of God.  Our Lord and Savior came to die for the salvation of mankind.  Through the power vested through him, those whom he specially appointed those that followed after him, whom we call priests, have this power of life or death within their grasp: the power to forgive sins and lead us to everlasting life, or to allow the person to retain the sins that belong to death.  They are sent out, as Christ Jesus tells us, with the power of the Holy Spirit, to heal us and bring us life.  We are called to meet Christ within them to be healed through that Merciful give of the Sacrament of Reconcilliation.  Let us welcome God's gift of Divine Love and Mercy at each opportunity, and spend time today giving thanks to our Merciful Lord.  Amen.

John 20:11-18 Invitation into the New Creation

Today’s Gospel is one about grief and love.  “Love is as strong as Death, longing as fierce as Sheol, its arrows are arrows of fire, flames of the divine.” (Eccl. 8:6)  Mary did not come to the tomb to find the risen Savior.  From yesterday’s reading we know that she came to anoint the body of a man they all loved dearly with the precious oils and fragrant spices, mixed with their tears.  Mary is compelled by love to touch Him once more, even if he is dead, as she thinks. 

But the tomb is empty and she is denied even that one little pleasure of reaching out one last time in love.  She is heartbroken.  “They have taken my Lord, and I don’t know where they laid him.” 

Within this Gospel in the passage before today’s reading Mary has already gone and alerted the Apostles that Jesus’ body is gone.  They have come to see for themselves, and left again.  Mary Magdalene remains, as if still searching for her love.  Desperate, she looks one last time into the tomb.

The Easter gospel brings comfort to the grieving.  As in the original garden when sin and death were introduced into the world, God promised a savior that would come to triumph over these things out of his great love for us.  To herald this savior Mary, held by her grief and love for the one who has saved her from her sins, lingers peering again into the tomb.  Behold, there are two angels one where the head would be, the other where the feet had lain with a space between them, as if it were for God himself; just like the Ark of the Covenant, a new covenant, which Christ came to establish anew with us through God’s infinite love and mercy.

In Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten son, is divine love become manifest.  In the garden Mary encounters the transfigured glorious Christ Jesus, our new Adam. In the midst of sorrow and grief arises joy in the new Creation.  When the angels and Jesus ask, “Woman, why are you weeping?”  That is our cue that the Lord is with us in his glory, we should rejoice and be glad.

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of this new creation.  Peter reminds us today, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.“ Like Mary Magdalene, let us let the Spirit help us to overcome the bonds of the old creation and enter more fully this new creation that has been given to us through the Resurrection.  Amen.

John 5: 17-30 The Relationship Between Father and Son

In small towns like mine there is a plethora of family businesses.  It is not unusual to see three and sometimes four generations gathered at the business, or taking work home to share together there.  Father and sons, mother and daughters, or any combinations thereof work together, blending their roles, but still separate in who they are; the direction coming from the father commonly with the advice of the son/daughter considered when making decisions for the business.  There is a great deal of honor for the parents, for their knowledge, for their love, for their drive and sense of hard work.  There is a great sense of community within these families and their respective businesses. The community becomes the focus, but when an individual within it suffers or has difficulty, they community lifts them up with great love and tenderness. Employees from outside the family are commonly adopted into them through shared time and experience and invited to all family functions and receive the same care and concern as family members working for the business.   It is really a beautiful thing to witness.  Not all family businesses run like this, but the successful ones in the local area do.  The customers receive and feel the solidarity and are drawn to it.

In today's Gospel Jesus describes his relationship to the Father.  He tells us that the Father has taught him many things and that he does what his Father does: he heals the sick, he raises the dead, he restores life.  However, Jesus admits that he, although he and his Father share commonalities in their work and are in communion with each other, he is different from the Father.  "The Son cannot do anything on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing." The Son needs to be taught by the Father.  The Father can do so many more things than we can even dream.  The Father has also designated specific things to the Son and honors his son by allowing the Son only to make those decisions, "Nor does the Father judge anyone, but he has given all judgment to the Son, so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father."

The Father and the Son are both God, just as is the Holy Spirit.  They are the Holy Trinity, the triune God, but distinct from each other at the same time.  For the first time Jesus open speaks of himself as the Son, and as the Jews point out, that makes him equal to the Father.  That is contrary to what they know.  Jesus reminds them that he isn't there to do what they or he want, but that it is always the Father's will that surpasses not only ours, but also the Son's will.  We will hear this again in the readings soon.  Today, this week, through the end of Lent, what do you hear as God's will for you?

 

John 5:1-16 Do You Want to Be Well

There was a man who'd been sick for 38 years sitting in the porticos of the Sheep Gate.  Jesus asked him, "Do you want to be well?"  (Note the irony that the Good Shepherd is taking care and healing his sheep at the gate.)

Human compassions would dictate that our hearts yearn to help those in need.  God's is no different.  Although the Jewish law dictates that no healing should be done on the Sabbath, God is greater than the Sabbath, and the Son of God heals this man.  God's mercy and compassion are endless for all days and all times. 

There is much in our world that we wonder where is God's mercy.  A child recently told me that sometimes God takes people away so they don't do really bad things.  Why is it so easy for a child to understand this and difficult for adults?  There is a man who is busy trying to take care of his grandchild because the boy's father wont.  He is trying not to become bitter, and wonders where is God's mercy in this situation?  Many of our saints remind us that when we ask God to help us with difficulties we have a preset idea of what God should do.  We forget that God will do what is best for us even if it takes us on a journey that we don't expect or are sometimes not entirely thrilled with.  Is it easier to fight God's will, or to put our will in-line with His letting ourselves be vessels of his love?

Luke 11: 14-23 A House Divided Cannot Stand

In ministry to the homebound many types of family behaviors has been witnessed.  Most of the time families work together to help the member in need.  There was once a family with many siblings.  While their mother was healthy they squabbled and fought for years.  There would be jabs about what the were going to take when their mother passed away.  They were open about wanting to move away from each other as soon as their mom was dead.  Their mother was grieved to no end. It disappointed the grandchildren and great grandchildren. They were asked many times by different people to stop. 

In today's first reading we hear about how the Israelites knew how they should act, but chose not to.  Instead they fought, fell into bad habits, and those habits turned into sin leading them away from God.  Because they had turned away from God, the word of God had vanished from their midst. How similar this is to the family mentioned above where their petty rivalries and jealousy turned their hearts away from what was good toward selfishness and evil habits. 

Jesus drives out demons though.  He is the word of God.  He came to be with is, to proclaim the kingdom, to bring healing and life.  The religious leaders of his time were suspicious.  How could good overcome evil so easily and drive it away?  They thought surely he must be in league with the demons for them to do what he says.  Here's the catch Jesus gives us, "Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste and house will fall against house. And if Satan is divided against himself,  how will his kingdom stand?...But if it is by the finger of God that I drive out demons,
then the Kingdom of God has come upon you." 

Just as Jesus foretold that a house divided cannot stand, that family that was divided was being torn apart being held together with only loyalty to their mother and nothing else.  However by some divine merciful grace when their mother's heart began to fail and she needed full time care, they came together in a way that they had never done so before.  The home is filled with love and concern, with adult brothers and sisters looking not only after their mother, but each other with love and compassion, and consideration for each other's thoughts and feelings.  They are one example of this idea, this living Gospel, that a house divided will fall, but with God, it will stand strong in his grace. 

Lk 15:1-3, 11-32 The Prodigal Son

For today's readings: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/022716.cfm

Children are a parents' joy.  No matter how old parents and children get, there tends to be a joy of being together as they once were.  Holidays tend to be when families get together again.  In America they can be tense times as grown children are thrust back into old roles that they had as young children and sibling jealousies pop-up.  This happens just like it happened in the parable of the prodigal son. 

The one is jealous of his brother who has gone and squandered his money while he stayed with his father.  He did the right thing, yet feels that his brother got the better end of the deal.  The father is trying to welcome his other son though, letting him know that no matter what he has suffered or gone through, he is loved, honored and respected for who he is, not the externalities.  There is hope for each of us in the Father's kingdom.

Matthew 5: 43-48 Love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you

Jesus is an amazing person.  He is teaching us to be like him.

How do we do this?  In the first reading today Moses is telling the people that we are God's people.  We are to keep his commands.  God will be with us because he has made this covenant, this agreement with us. 

Jesus however reminds us again that it is not enough to follow the commands.  He tells us that although we were told before "to love our neighbor and hate our enemy.  But I say to you, love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you." 

Jesus came not to abolish the Law, but to fulfill it.  In catechism we are taught that the Laws were to serve as guides that would teach us how to live as holy people.  Jesus is that culmination, he is holy.  He has become God made man.  He invites us to follow him.  We don't have to wait until tomorrow.  "Now is the acceptable time." God is with us in the present moment. 

Reflection Mt 25: 31-46 The Face of God Is in Our Brother

“You shall not bear hatred in your heart for your brother.” The Lord commands through Moses.  How many times have we each felt someone’s wrath, annoyance toward us, or just that look that left us crushed?  When we acknowledge how we feel, then suddenly we know it is wrong to hate others.  Perhaps our anger will melt into compassion and understanding especially when we recall in today’s Gospel that Jesus reminds us that he is those people that we help, that we give encouragement; he is within the hungry, the thirsty and the poor.  Mother Theresa called this Jesus’ “distressing disguise of the poor” when he appeared to her in the form of those who needed help. 

Christ is in each of us.  Do you recall Jesus told us that he would send us the Paraclete to help us discern what we must do to continue on the Way?  Jesus also told us “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” (Jn 14:15) And what was his command?  “Love one another.  As I have loved you, so you should love one another.” (Jn 13:34)  Isn’t that what Jesus is reiterating today when he tells us, “I was hungry and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me,” explaining that whenever the disciples or we ‘do it for the least brothers of mine, you did it for me.” (Mt 25:35-36, 40)  Let us be certain that when we give, we give to Christ and for Christ in whatever form we meet him with charitable hearts that preserves the dignity of our brethren for our love of God.  Amen.