Reflection for the 13th Ordinary Sunday 2024

People from the synagogue official’s house arrived and said, “Your daughter has died; why trouble the teacher any longer?” Disregarding the message that was reported, Jesus said to the synagogue official, “Do not be afraid; just have faith.”

Today we encounter Jesus doing some tough problem solving that is completely consistent with the statement in the Book of Wisdom: God did not make death, nor does he rejoice in the destruction of the living.

In the Old Testament, Wisdom is personified as a woman, or the female face of God. The female imagery of Wisdom personifies God’s creative counsel and purpose, as well as God’s presence and active involvement in the world as its builder and the lover of our souls. She personifies the gift given to us by God for guidance in obeying His commands and responding to His calling. Lady-Wisdom, then, represents wisdom itself, in all its forms and manifestations. However, wisdom was never understood to be a goddess or a divine being independent of the one and only God. Neither is “Wisdom” ever used in Scripture as a substitute or alternative name for God.

Wisdom can be alluded to as Israel’s homemaker – the one who cares for the people and sees to their need, the builder of family life. 

She is the counselor. With patience and care she teaches the values of justice, well-being, and life. She offers the opportunity of salvation to those who listen to her counsel.

Finally, she is lover, a personification of the intimacy God desires to have with us. God’s love is an intimacy marked by faithfulness, fidelity, and truth. God stand before us constantly offering love, but never forcing us to accept it. Indeed, only the wise accept His love.

See how Jesus fulfills these aspects of His Godhead. He lets us know that He has come to draw us into intimacy. We see in today’s encounters that sickness, doubt, a lack of understanding and trust, and even death will not get in the way of Jesus’ reaching us. He removes those evils.

Throughout this passage Jesus counsels those He encountered, as well as us, in God’s way of doing things. Jesus protects the family and the home, that is the community of believers. He loves abundantly and draws us into an intimacy that gives life.

Jesus came to destroy death, break the chains that bound us, and reveal the fulness of the Father. In accord with God’s plan death and destruction has no place with Him. Let us be wise then in following His wisdom way.

Reflection for the 12th Ordinary Sunday 2024

The wind ceased and there was great calm. Then he asked them, “Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?”

Last week we heard Jesus’ parable of the seed and the grower. We spoke about God’s imperative, that is the thing He has made vitally important and crucial and that He authoritatively commands, i.e., that we grow. We have work to do in this green season. Growth in our likeness to God and in His Kingdom is dependent on us. The seed planted in us must yield fruit.

Today we encounter one of those moments in the disciples’ journey with Jesus that has a lot packed into it. There is of course the display of Jesus’ power and authority over all creation – a teaching moment for the disciples. We see Jesus demonstrating His care for those He loves. There are themes of trust and faith. There is a recalling of the Ark tossed about in the storm, but now with God fully present and buoying the ship. It is no longer the Ark of Noah, but that of God in which we are all contained.

St. Paul goes further to remind us that we are a new creation in Christ Jesus and the way we regard, i.e., how we view and treat each other must be changed. Our way of life together is no longer about what one can do for the other, what one has, or how one looks, but completely about our likenesses to Jesus. We are all in the Ark of God, thus the way we view and treat each other reflects the way we view and treat Jesus.

This event in the boat, or the new Ark, is not a one-off isolated thing. It literally follows what we heard last week, where we ended on Mark 4:34. He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything. Mark 4:35 began, as we just heard, On that day. 

Jesus went right from a long discourse about discipleship, being light to the world, and growth to this nighttime journey.

We all have nighttime journeys, maybe in the past, now, or in the future. Let us ask God today for clarity when we encounter those journeys. Let us not just stop at ‘help me Jesus,’ but search deeper.

In my nighttime journeys do I perceive Jesus calmly at rest in the midst of it and from that gain confidence? We should. We should also recognize His power to overcome for us, not just ‘get us out of it,’ but to conquer. 

The storm is a call to growth in more than our own faith and trust, but also in our perception of the Ark we are in and who we are with. Growth requires our vision change. 

Reflection for the 11th Ordinary Sunday 2024

“This is how it is with the kingdom of God”

Today we re-enter Ordinary Time and the wearing of the Green. We had six weeks of Rose and Purple, ten weeks of White, and a brief week of Red.

Driving out to the Seminary and the Men’s Retreat was so refreshing. The land alive with growth, and on beautiful green display.

Holy Church uses green to convey a call to growth in our Kingdom citizenship. Not only that, it dedicates the majority of the weeks of the year, twenty-five in all in our Church, to growing.

In a beautiful way the call to growth is made imperative in today’s readings and gospel. Let’s look at that call.

In our first reading Ezekiel proclaims God’s promises of hope. He will restore Israel and plant it securely to grow and prosper. What had been broken and withered, reduced to nothing, will live again.

God likens Israel to the tender shoot from the top of the Cedar. We may not necessarily find cedars around us, but almost all types of evergreens put out tender shoots. Even the prickliest ones produce bright green, soft, fragrant shoots.

In Ezekiel, God does as He promises. The imperative things, that is the vitally important and crucial things authoritatively commanded, God Himself carries out. Israel had no power to restore itself, no army or political power. Israel is ‘new.’ So, out of His tremendous love and forgiveness, He will re-establish them. The imperative is from God and done by God.

Jesus Who came to usher in the Kingdom changes things up for us. Using nature and growth we see a different imperative. The focus is now on us.

God has scattered the seed – what we covered in the past few weeks – His sacraments and the depth of His Word given us, He has implanted in us by Jesus and has given us a place to dwell, His Holy Church, symbolized by the mustard bush the largest of plants with large branches, where the birds of the sky can dwell in its shade.

As Jesus states: Of its own accord the land yields fruit. The imperative remains from God but now it must be done by us. Growth in ourselves and in the Kingdom is dependent on us. We must yield fruit.

So, we are to grow ourselves: our sanctification growth into the image of God filled with complete self-giving love. We are to evangelize, to draw people into the Kingdom. It is imperative!

Reflection for the 3rd Ordinary Sunday 2024

God has overlooked the time of ignorance, but now He demands that all people everywhere repent. 

Today we hear the account of the start of Jesus’ public ministry from St. Mark. We heard the account from St. John last week.

As you may recall, we did a bit of a riff on the age-old group dance, the Hokey-Pokey, wherein we were urged to put our whole selves in and to not just leave them there, but to get to work announcing God’s Kingdom. To be active in calling others for the Lord.

Our active engagement follows the model which we heard in the gospel: Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God: “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”

Jesus, as he consistently does, wastes no time. His mission was urgent and His time limited. So is ours. We have much to do for God.

In our readings and gospel, we see people responding exactly that way. They drop everything to do as God asks. The people of Nineveh repent. Paul urges the Corinthians to focus on Kingdom tasks and not to be distracted by anything else. The people Jesus calls respond by leaving the worldly behind to focus on the work of the Kingdom, to be “fishers of men.”

In each of these cases there is an urgency that the people get. In the aha moment they are saying: ‘I get it, I must do this now. No time to delay. Nothing else is important.’

I would like to focus a bit on our Alleluia verse because it wraps this all up very well. 

The verse comes from Acts 17:30. Paul is in Athens, not one of his most successful missionary journeys. Yet on a hill near the Acropolis which was a public meeting place he calls people to Jesus and speaks of Jesus’ promised resurrection. He speaks of God’s demand on them.

Paul, like always, is being bold and the people, like those nowadays, want nothing to do with a God Who has demands. In fact, we can practically hear them whispering – who is this God to demand anything of me! Even among those who were kind of receptive their response speaks volumes: “We should like to hear you on this some other time.”

God does overlook the past, but once we are converted, have come to faith in Jesus, He places a demand on us, to announce the kingdom and bring people to repentance and salvation. ‘I get it, I must do this now. No time to delay. Nothing else is important.’

Reflection for the 2nd Ordinary Sunday 2024

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?

Today we see Jesus beginning His public ministry with a call to those who might follow Him. They look: “Rabbi, where are you staying?” Jesus responds: “Come, and you will see.”

We know these men were following Jesus. He knew it too and He cuts right to the point: “What are you looking for?”

This was more than a simple question as the English rendering posits it. In Greek these phrases about looking and coming to see are happening in the present and the action is being carried out.

It is important to know this because Jesus’ call to us is happening in the present and our response is to carry out all His call entails. More simply, Jesus’ call is now, and our response is to act now.

Further, “What are you looking for?” does not just mean what are you browsing around for. It means: what do you search for with desire?

While some might consider Jesus’ call to Andrew, John, and Peter to represent a call to formal ministry, and indeed that is there, that is not all it was nor the end of the story. We recognize Jesus’ constant call to all who follow Him. Over and over, we hear Jesus calling all of us to follow Him, to be His learners (i.e., disciples), and to do His Kingdom proclaiming work. 

We are to follow Him and do His gospel work actively, i.e., now and with a complete desire within us.

First Corinthians has Paul putting a very fine point on all of this. Our bodies are not our own, are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, and are for the Lord.

If you’ve ever done the Hokey-Pokey this is the part where Paul echoing Jesus says, ‘put your whole-self in’ and what is not in the song ‘and don’t jump out.’ We are called to put our whole selves in and to not just leave them there, but to get to work. Be in and present, active for the Lord.

Last week we focused on a word which bridges all seasons of the Church year. It is the word ‘announce,’ in Biblical Greek ἀπαγγέλλω (apangellō). That word, found more in scripture after the resurrection, is what we are called to do. To tell, declare, report, and bring word of all Jesus taught and did. Let us do it actively engaged and with our hearts aligned with Jesus’ desire for the salvation of all. 

Reflection for the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time 2023

“A man going on a journey called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one– to each according to his ability.”

Welcome as we continue our journey of study and re-commit ourselves to the work of following, witnessing to, and sharing Jesus.

Jesus taught us to live His Father’s way and calls us to accept responsibility for godly generosity and our own follow through.

For the past two, and again this Sunday, we have shifted our focus from God’s generosity to how well we live up to God’s way of doing things. We are asked to stop and think and figure out any gaps that exist between God’s way and our way. Where we have lost sight, we are called to recommit.

Last Sunday we concluded by recommitting to staying awake, preparing for our Master’s return with responsibility, and fully accepting the accountability we have before God.

We see this theme again today. The servants were given stewardship over the master’s treasure. They were to act responsibly with it and were to cause it to grow.

If it is not too obvious – we are the stewards of our Heavenly Father’s treasure – His kingdom in which we dwell. We are to set to work and our obligation for which we will be held accountable is its growth.

I want to look a little deeper at the servant who failed, who ended up outside and cut-off.

Jesus’ parable tells us that each was given “according to his ability.” Now perhaps this servant wasn’t the brightest bulb. Perhaps he was not the most astute at his job. The master did not give him much. Yet his master gave him a share.

We could fall back on that as an excuse. I don’t have the knowledge, skills, or abilities. I don’t really understand this job of kingdom building. I am not good with words. But God thinks you are.

I’ll throw this one out – Pygmalion in Management. It is a concept based on the Ancient Greek story of Pygmalion, a sculptor who fell in love with a statue he had carved. The expectation he had of the statue brought it to life. So it is with teachers and bosses. Those under their care tend to live up to their expectations.

God expects us to live up to His expectations of us. After all, He finds us worthy of the blood of His Son.

Reflection for the 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time 2023

“Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”

Welcome as we continue our journey of study and re-commit ourselves to the work of following, witnessing to, and sharing Jesus.

What have we been focused on for so many weeks? It is simply this, living God’s great generosity. Jesus taught us to live this way and calls us to accept responsibility for generosity and follow through.

Last Sunday the message shifted to reflection; how well we are living up to Jesus’ call. We were asked to stop and think and figure out the gaps. Where have we lost sight of our responsibility?

It is an important reflection to undertake especially as we approach the end of the Church year and face up to consequences, Jesus’ return.

Jesus’s parable today is about those consequences. Fail to live the gospel life, think things are just good enough, neglect the practice of persistent generosity, reject the notion of turning, what the Greek’s called metanoia, a deep inner affect wherein one is spiritually converted, and we find ourselves locked out.

Today’s words of accountability are hard to hear for many in the world where the way always seems easy, broad, and well paved. For many, the notions of preparation, responsibility, and consequences no longer bear any significance. 

Don’t study or do well on your tests, pass anyway. Neglect kindness and generosity and replace it with cruelty, bullying, and meanness and you’re a hero. Hate and you have a huge following. Exploit your body and God’s way of love and you have fans. This and so many other ways the world closes one off from any accountability.

Consider this, groups, and organizations as diverse as CAP, Scouting, 4H, FFA, and organizations like our YMSofR and ANS, as well as Church itself all have trouble attracting members because members have to agree to accountability. One must accept responsibility for doing something.

God paints a vision for us. Accept wisdom – meaning understanding and acceptance of what God wants and be blessed. Wisdom tells us that there will be accountability for the way we live. The psalmist tells us that hungering for God’s way brings great favor.

Let us then be wise and stay awake, preparing with responsibility and accepting God’s way to accountability.

Reflection for the 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time 2023

Nay rather, I have stilled and quieted my soul like a weaned child. Like a weaned child on its mother’s lap, so is my soul within me.

Welcome as we continue our journey of study and re-commit ourselves to the work of following, witnessing to, and sharing Jesus.

We have been spending our time these weeks focused on God’s great generosity. In each of those lessons we are reminded to be generous like our God. Indeed, that is our call as followers of our Lord and Savior, to be like Him in how we live and interact.

As we grow closer to the end of the Church year, it is a good time to reflect on how well we have followed Jesus and lived the life He laid out for us. Are we doing well, are we working diligently at that, or has our work been placed on hold, have other things gotten in the way?

It is so amazing – the amount of love our God pours out for us. If we even stopped to contemplate it for a few minutes we would be overcome by His tremendous love and care for us. So often I pray and desire that all of us could see it clearly, freed from all concern and throwing ourselves into His life completely.

The imagery in today’s psalm is so reassuring and comforting. At its start the psalmist reminds us to place our focus on the Lord, not on things that are passing, fleeting. 

Isn’t that the point, to dedicate ourselves to the Lord, to leave fear behind. If we might do that, if we might just release our human minds and hearts and take up the heart and mind of God our lives would be truly reformed. Wow, that would be incredible. We would be all-in for Jesus and His Holy Church, the family that surrounds us.

I am too shy would become I am bold. I can’t make it would become I must be there. I am too tired would become I am filled with vigor.

If we unify ourselves with Jesus having stilled and quiet hearts, we will find ourselves enfolded in God’s arms, cared for in ways the world cannot offer.

Today’s first reading from Malachi and the gospel both set forth warnings. The example of the priests and Pharisees is used because they would not still and quiet themselves. They did not place their focus on God. Their agendas came first and for that they became contemptible and base in God’s eyes and in the eyes of others.

Let us hear and follow Jesus in humility and solely focus ourselves on living His way.

Reflection for the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time 2023

He said to him, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.”

Welcome as we continue our Ordinary Time journey of study and re-commit ourselves to the work of following, witnessing to, and sharing Jesus.

We have spent weeks focusing on God’s great generosity: unlimited forgiveness; full payment to all workers whether they are old school faithful or new followers; His offer of opportunities to change, turn and repent, and His invitation to all to put on the wedding garment of regeneration. Last week we even considered His generosity in making right choices for us.

We also considered the fact that regardless of our civic leaders, we are called to live as followers of Jesus and members of the
Kingdom. Our witness, justice, love, compassion, and forgiveness must surpass that of the unrighteous.

We see in last week’s gospel something that continues into this week’s teaching and for the weeks that follow as we start considering the last things, Jesus’ return in glory – and that is our response to God’s generosity. In simpler terms, are we ready for Jesus’ return? 

Being ready is not a complex process. It does not require jumping through hoops, being extraordinary in what we do, or even being heroic in our actions. It simply means we must follow the gospel life Jesus provided us with, and care in real ways.

Core to that gospel life is our love of God and our neighbors. Jesus tells us that everything depends on this act of love. Indeed, love is an act, not just a warm fuzzy feeling.

To the world and the worldly, to the unsaved, our action of love, our purposeful work of love, our attendance at Sunday worship, our praise and thanksgiving toward God and our mutual charity within His family may indeed seem out-of-the ordinary. Some might even say we are extraordinary or even heroic. To others, we are just those oddball people who give up our Sunday morning and care for people who don’t really matter.

We have chosen to follow Jesus, to obey His teaching, to walk in His way. As such our every action in conformity with His gospel is the response we offer to the Father’s generosity and our readiness to meet Him.

Reflection for the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time 2023

At that he said to them, “Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.”

Welcome as we continue our Ordinary Time journey of study and re-commit ourselves to the work of following, witnessing to, and sharing Jesus.

We have spent weeks focusing on God’s great generosity: unlimited forgiveness; full payment to all workers whether they are old school faithful or new followers; His offer of opportunities to change, turn and repent, and His invitation to all to put on the wedding garment of regeneration.

Today we encounter a challenge cooked up by the religious authorities of Jesus’ time on earth. What should a faithful person do about government and rulers?

Jesus gives a classic answer we all remember: “repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.”

A brief thought crossed my mind in preparing for this week. If we are so focused on God’s generosity, why would we ever consider government, rulers, and taxes?

We start by turning back to our first reading where Isaiah recounts God’s words for the ruler Cyrus made in advance of Cyrus’ birth. This prophesied Cyrus would rule all ancient Babylon and would free the people of Israel. Not only would he free them, but he would make their return to Israel smooth.

Throughout the Old and New Testament, the prophets and Apostles point to God’s selection of rulers and government that were ostensibly pagan and did not know God. Yet they were working for God. We are told to honor them, be subject to them, to be obedient, and even pay our taxes without complaint. 

This seems odd doesn’t it, especially in our day. Some so-called Christians fight awfully hard for certain candidates for office. Some people channel their anger and louder than life voices behind others. This is why we are called today to consider God’s way of doing things.

In the end, it comes down to whether we trust God’s generosity or not. We heard: there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. 

So, what should a faithful Christian do about government and rulers? As followers of Christ, we must let God make the choices for us, and not invest in following politicians. God will establish them even if they are pagans. What is key is how we live as followers of Jesus and members of the Kingdom. Jesus has many more instructions about that.