My soul magnifies the Lord

Thursday, December 22, 2011 Advent Weekday

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel: 1 Samuel 1:24-28 1 Samuel 2:1, 4-8 Luke 1:46-56

Luke 1:46 And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord,

I can't help but be struck by todays readings. It amazes me that I have never seen the connection between 1 Samuel 2 (Song of Hannah) and the Magnificat. I don't know if Mary was actually quoting Hannah (scripture) or if this is an addition by the writer, but it is clearly a sign that was understood by the people of the time. It amazes me and I have no other words than those that Mary has captured "My soul magnifies the Lord".

Father, help me by your Holy Spirit to see how amazing you are this Christmas season and then to share my amazement with others. Amen

your faith has made you well

Monday, November 14, 2011 St. Nicholas Tavelic, OFM, Priest, and Companions, Martyrs (Memorial)

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel: 1 Maccabees 1:10-15, 41-43, 54-57, 62-63 Psalm 119:53, 61, 134, 150, 155, 158 Luke 18:35-43

Luke 18:42 And Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has made you well."

I have always taken the expression "your faith has made you well" to pretty much mean that if we have faith we can do great things. In other words, if we believe it can happen, it can. Well, now that I look at his a little close I think there might be a slightly different angle. I am not convinced that if the man truly believed that he could recover his sight that he would. Other wise I think he might have done it by now. Clearly Jesus had to be part of the equation. So what does it mean to have faith then? More and more I think faith is more an expression of loyalty and dedication than it is a mental disposition. What Jesus means by "your faith" is your dedication to him. The fact that the man understood that it had to be Jesus and he would not be denied was what is meant by faith and that is what Jesus honored. It didn't make the man well because of any mental power, but because Jesus is honored by the dedication of the blind man.

So what about the woman with the issue of blood. She never asked Jesus. But, she believed it had to be through him. She thought that if she could touch his garment she would be healed. Again, though not on an intellectual level, it had to go through Jesus and it was her persistence to get to Jesus combined with the I will not be denied mentality that is honored by Jesus and the Holy Spirit. The reason it could have worked for the woman is because the Holy Spirit was quite aware of her faith even if Jesus was not.

Father, help me by your Holy Spirit to be dedicated to you and to have a "I will not be denied" mentality.

Amen

how did they fail to find

Friday, November 11, 2011
St. Martin of Tours, Bishop (Memorial)

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel:

Wisdom 13:1-9 Psalm 19:2-5 Luke 17:26-37

Wisdom 13:9 for if they had the power to know so much that they could investigate the world, how did they fail to find sooner the Lord of these things?

It is strange what we call wisdom today. We have knowledge that is far greater than at any time in history, yet because we have a blindness to God, the creator of all things, our wisdom is at an all time low. We have reinterpreted much of the science we know to fit a model that has absolutely no foundation. We have become increasingly ignorant, even though we have increasing knowledge.

God is everywhere to be seen. It is hard to believe that people would not have a knowledge of God at the same time they supposedly have great knowledge in other matters. The evidence is overwhelming and the logic is infallible. We must cover our eyes and ears in order to not know it.

So the question is do we allow ourselves to get caught up in the "wisdom" of this world? Or will we stand by what is true?

Father, help me by your Holy Spirit to see through the deception of this world and not to cave in to the pressures to be part of a society that is doomed.

Amen

What sign have you ... ?

Wednesday, November 09, 2011
The Dedication of the Lateran Basilica (Feast)

First Reading: Psalm: Second Reading: Gospel:

Ezekiel 47:1-2, 8-9, 12 Psalm 46:2-3, 5-6, 8-9 1 Corinthians 3:9-11, 16-17 John 2:13-22

John 2:18 The Jews then said to him, "What sign have you to show us for doing this?"

What Authority did Jesus have to go and overturn the tables and disrupt the business that was going on there?

Not only was this a very bold move, but somewhat presumptuous. What right did he have?

Well, his answer is pretty interesting, he said kill me and I will rise again in three days. Now, they didn't get the "temple" allegory at the time, but that is what he was saying.

Here is the question we face. Are we willing to overturn the tables? Are we afraid that we will be asked by what authority we are doing it, and not have an answer we believe in? This is what it means to be "Justified by Faith". Jesus believed who he was and what was going to happen. That gave him authority to do what he did. Jesus says that if we have the faith as small as a mustard seed we will move mountains. But are we stuck in our fear and lack of faith? Can we do this?

Father, help me by your Holy Spirit to have the courage, the faith, to do what needs to be done to defend your Holy Temple the church, the body of Christ, when it is being exploited, abused and attacked, as it is so often today in this world.

Amen

our duty

 

Tuesday, November 08, 2011 
Blessed John Duns Scotus (Optional Memorial)

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel:

Wisdom 2:23 -- 3:9 Psalm 34:2-3, 16-19 Luke 17:7-10

Luke 17:10  So you also, when you have done all that is commanded you, say, `We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.'"

This one hits hard.  How many of us might be willing to do what we are commanded to do but still think that we should get some recognition for it?  I bet we all do to some degree.  It is hard to be obedient and accept that it is just our duty.  But this is the spirit we  need to have to rid ourselves of the pride that separates us from God.

Father, help me by your Holy Spirit to do what you call me to do and to realize that I only do it because you have enabled me to.

Amen

 

if your brother sins

 

Monday, November 07, 2011  Weekday

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel: Wisdom 1:1-7 Psalm 139:1-10 Luke 17:1-6

Luke 17:3  Take heed to yourselves; if your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him;

 

Jesus has a way of putting things so simply that you wonder why we ever get all tangled up around these issues.  It seems there is always a struggle regarding how to treat people when they sin.  We want to be tolerant.  We want to be gracious.  We want to be caring.  But Jesus is all these and he tells us how to do it.  If a brother sins, rebuke him, if he repents, forgive him.  Period, end of story.  Is it that complicated?

 

Father, help me by your Holy Spirit to clearly deal with sin and to be obedient to your will.

Amen

one sinner who repents

Thursday, November 03, 2011
St. Martin de Porres, Religious (Optional Memorial)

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel:

Romans 14:7-12 Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14 Luke 15:1-10

Luke 15:7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

Today it is popular to think about Jesus accepting us just as we are. But according to Jesus this doesn't bring him joy. He desires that we repent. That means that we change, that we put away our sinful ways. If we think about what Heaven will be like, do we see something similar to this life where sin is prolific? I think that Heaven is a place where there is no sin. So if we want to be there and to enjoy it, then we must not be comfortable with sin either. In fact, we must also take joy in repentance. Let's look for change rather than acceptance.

Father, help me by your Holy Spirit to change and to not take your grace for granted, but rather to seek your joy in my repentance.

Amen

the world would love its own

Saturday, May 28, 2011
Easter Weekday

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel:

Acts 16:1-10 Psalm 100:1-3, 5 John 15:18-21

John 15:19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

In this ever increasing political culture we live in it is very difficult for any politician to make it and still stand for something. They are continually selling out to appease some group. The media slices them to pieces if they sound at all different than the narrative that has been created for them. This is all to be expected though. Jesus said that if we would follow him we must take up our cross. That means that we have to take the slings and arrows and stay true to our beliefs. Here in this Gospel Jesus tells us that is certainly going to happen. In fact, we have to ask ourselves; if we aren't being persecuted, are we staying true to our faith. Jesus is saying that the world will not accept us. But, he is also saying that if the world does love us, we may be more like them than like Jesus.

Father, help me by your Holy Spirit to stay true to you and my faith. Help me to realise that when persecution comes that you have gone before me and that I can trust in all that you say.
Amen

known to them in the breaking of the bread

Thursday, April 28, 2011
Thursday in the Octave of Easter

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel:

Acts 3:11-26 Psalm 8:2, 5-9 Luke 24:35-48

Luke 24:35 Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.

I have always loved the story of the road to Emmaus. I especially am struck by the revealing of Christ with the breaking of the bread. In today's Gospel that point is made again and this time Jesus appears rather than disappear. He was there physically. He was real. I think that often we are hesitant to truly believe in the power of God. We like everything to be symbolic, including the sacraments. But I think that Christ is not symbolically present, but truly present in the breaking of the bread; the Eucharist.
When we receive the bread and the wine, we should truly expect that Christ is right there with us.

Heavenly Father, help me by your Holy Spirit to truly be aware of Christ's presence in the breaking of the bread and in all areas of my life.
Amen

neither will they be convinced

Thursday, March 24, 2011
Lenten Weekday

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel:

Jeremiah 17:5-10 Psalm 1:1-4, 6 Luke 16:19-31

Luke 16:31 He said to him, `If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if some one should rise from the dead.'"

The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked says Jeremiah. It is as if we are prisoners in our own minds. How do we know if what we are thinking is truth or if it is what our mind wants us to think to please ourselves?
God has given us, through the Holy Spirit, the ability to know something about the truth, and that truth is contained in the accounts and the words of the Bible.
We can debate things forever and at the end of the day we still have a question because we do not know if we are being totally honest. Our only hope is in staying close to the Word of God. It is a light in the darkness, it melts away the ice of deception. But what if we don't take the Word of God seriously? What if we reject that as well? Then there is no hope at all. Even if someone should rise from the dead we will not believe it because our minds will only allow us to believe what pleases our flesh. God's Word alone has the power to cut through and appeal to our true selves.

Father, help me by your Holy Spirit to stay close to your Word, to reflect upon it and let it sink in and change me from the inside.
Amen

how much more

Thursday, March 17, 2011
St. Patrick, Bishop (Commemoration)

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel:

Esther C:12, 14-16, 23-25 Psalm 138:1-3, 7-8 Matthew 7:7-12

Matthew 7:11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

I think that often we have trouble asking for help from anyone, much less God. There is a thread of pride that doesn't really allow us to humiliate ourselves into asking for help. That is why it is hard for us to truly understand this verse. Oh, I think we understand it intellectually, but I don't think we understand it to the degree of living it as a reality.
To be in the place where we are willing to ask for help, we have to have a sense of hopelessness, a sense that there is nothing we can do and asking for help is our last chance. If we are not in that place, if we do not feel that our backs are against the wall, then we will never truly put ourselves in the hands of another. Are we willing to lay prostrate and pray?
To truly believe that God will be much more generous than we can, we must be in a place where we realize that we can't solve the problem ourselves.

Father, help me by your Holy Spirit to truly realize that I am helpless and that I can't save myself. Help me to truly believe that you have my best interest in mind and to trust in you.
Amen

Do not forbid him

Wednesday, February 23, 2011
St. Polycarp, Bishop, Martyr (Memorial)

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel:

Sirach 4:11-19 Psalm 119:165, 168, 171-172, 174-175 Mark 9:38-40

Mark 9:39 But Jesus said, "Do not forbid him; for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon after to speak evil of me.

Well, this is kind of a touchy subject. What do we do with people who claim to do something in Jesus' name, yet they do not "follow us"? Well, I guess the question is who do we think we are? John of course was an Apostle. And not just any Apostle, he was the beloved Apostle. John was a writer of a Gospel, three epistles, and he was chosen to receive the vision of Christ we refer to as the Revelation of Jesus Christ. Certainly he has authority to question who is preaching in the name of Jesus. Right?

Jesus said "Do not forbid him". If he is not against us he is for us? Really? Is that the way we understand things today? What about all this division in the church, all this denominationalism? We question whether others are really with us. Jesus does put a couple of conditions on the man though. First, "no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon after to speak evil of me" Jesus says. Then "he that is not against us is for us".

Notice that Jesus puts himself in the middle of this. The works are in His name, and he is not against "us". I think that we often tend to think that if someone does not follow "me" or does not see things as "I" do then he is not following Jesus. But do I always know the heart and mind of Jesus? Can I speak for Jesus without error?

Even John must have some humility here. Jesus tells John that He (Jesus) is the truth. If even John cannot exclude some one from casting our demons in Jesus' name then who are we to deny someone who does mighty works in the name of Jesus? We have to be careful that we don't put ourselves in front of Jesus and think that we are the truth.

Father, help by your Holy Spirit to remember that you are the truth and the way, not me. Help me to humbly seek your light and your will,

Amen

Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD

Friday, February 18, 2011
Weekday

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel:

Genesis 11:1-9 Psalm 33:10-15 Mark 8:34 -- 9:1

Psalms 33:12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage!

Today there is no shortage of anti-Christian opinions in our nation and in the world. In the USA it is harder and harder to see the presence of the Christian faith in the culture. It has been attacked on many fronts. We, as a nation, are in a dangerous position as we go forward without raising the name of Jesus Christ as our leader. Regardless of what political party we belong to, in the end, if we do not recognize Jesus Christ as our Lord we will parish. Both us and our nation. We tend to think that if we get enough people to agree with something then it is right, but God alone is right, because God alone can give life. Politics, economics, sports, entertainment, it all gives us empty promises. We think that we are powerful if we are in tune with these things, but God will not ask us what we knew about Hollywood, or what political party we are from when we face our judgement. The question is did we know Jesus as our Lord and savior.

That is it, there really is not much more to say about that.

Father, help me by your Holy Spirit to always put you first and to give you recognition and praise for the gifts that we have, especially the freedoms and prosperity that we have in this nation.

Amen

What right have you

Monday, February 14, 2011
Saints Cyril, Monk and Methodius, Bishop (Memorial)

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel:

Genesis 4:1-15, 25 Psalm 50:1, 8, 16-17, 20-21 Mark 8:11-13

Psalm 50:16 But to the wicked God says: "What right have you to recite my statutes, or take my covenant on your lips?

I can't be sure what exactly the psalmist is referring to when he says "take my covenant on your lips", but to me it can certainly be applied to the Eucharist. This is the new covenant according to Jesus, and we do take it in our mouth.

That being said, the question is how can we receive communion when if we are in sin? This is why it is so important to have some form of confession prior to the sacrament. Whether it is a personal confession to a priest, or a corporate confession as part of the liturgy, it must be done and we must have a heart of repentance, a willingness to make things right. Without that we make a mockery of our Lords death. When we take the sacrament lightly and without confession and repentance we are the ones that God is talking to in this passage.

Father, help me by your Holy Spirit to take seriously your Word and your Covenant, so that I am willing to confess my sin and do whatever you call me to do in repentance.

Amen

take nothing

Thursday, February 03, 2011
St. Blaise, Bishop and Martyr (Optional Memorial)

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel:

Hebrews 12:18-19, 21-24 Psalm 48:2-4, 9-11 Mark 6:7-13

Mark 6:8 He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts;

I do not see Jesus telling his apostles to start up some community or government program here. In fact I don't see him relying on earthly means at all. It seems that when Jesus did something, or when he had the Apostles do something, it was always a miracle. I don't see this band of men as being a charity that we write checks out to. Oh, sure they had money to live on, and I would assume that from time to time that money could be used for the poor, but the one reference we have to that is that of Judas, and he was a thief.

Maybe Jesus is trying to make a point here. Not hat we only rely on miracles, but when we do good it needs to come through us from God. We are not to demand or expect that others give to our cause. Unfortunately, at least on the surface , that looks like what we do a lot. We always want others to fund our mission, to support our cause. I think Jesus would say just do it, a miracle that is. Have faith.

Father, help me by your Holy Spirit to have faith and not to rely on others to fund me or help me, but that I may look to you for my help.

Amen

If I touch

Tuesday, February 01, 2011
Weekday

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel:

Hebrews 12:1-4 Psalm 22:26-28, 30-32 Mark 5:21-43

Mark 5: 28 For she said, "If I touch even his garments, I shall be made well."

This is one of the most intriguing stories for me. The reason is that she did not approach Jesus in the normal way. She did not pray to him or ask him personally. Now, I do not know if there was some custom regarding the touching of one's garment, but it is curious to me that she thought to herself all she had to do was to touch his garment and she would be healed. She seems to have thought of this for herself. This causes me to think about the Catholic idea of personal revelation. In other words, while we have a set of traditions and rules that are for us all, God can reserve the right to deal with us personally, either by revealing some thing specifically to us, or responding to our needs in a very unique and personal manner. There are those, that if this were to happen today, would say that it is of the devil. She did not follow the way that "we" think it should be.
It also causes me to think about the idea of sacramentals. That is that God can reveal himself through material objects. We know that the Apostles garments also were the medium for God's miracle power, and here of course we have the garment of Jesus. Jesus said it was her faith that healed her, and I suppose that we need to give this more attention. Maybe we need to think more about our faith. Maybe we have to ask ourselves if we really believe that God can deal with us on a personal level, or even if we believe that he can actually heal us at all. Can our faith make us well?

Father, help me by your Holy Spirit to truly believe that you love me and can deal with me on a personal level, and help me to believe that with you all things are possible.

Amen

if a house is divided

Monday, January 24, 2011
St. Francis de Sales, Bishop, Doctor of the Church (Memorial)

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel:

Hebrews 9:15, 24-28 Psalm 98:1-6 Mark 3:22-30

Mark 3:25 And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.

There is something about the human spirit that simply will not yield to another. We must be right, we must be first, we must be best. This even shows up in religion. We convince ourselves that we are fighting the good fight and that we are battling to defend the truth and lead others to the truth, and in fact we do have to battle lies and deceptions. But do we check ourselves to make sure that we are not fighting against the truth? Do we check ourselves to make sure that we are not fighting against Christ himself?

Before we shoot our arrows for the Lord, we need to make sure that we are not shooting them at him. Remember, the church is the body of Christ, and when we shoot our arrows at the church, we are shooting them at Christ's body. Let's make sure we are fighting the lies and not the church.

Father, hep me by your Holy Spirit to discern what is true and what are lies and then to make sure that I don't attack your body the church instead of the lies.

Amen

as in the rebellion

Thursday, January 13, 2011 Weekday

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel: Hebrews 3:7-14 Psalm 95:6-11 Mark 1:40-45

Hebrews 3:7-8 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, "Today, when you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness,

I can almost imagine hearing the Spirit calling us today as He called in the wilderness. It is tempting today to not trust in God and to trade our faith in Him and His Word for faith in human contrived solutions.It is tempting when things do not appear to be going the way we think they should to latch on to the next new idea, to try something else, rather than turning back to God's commands and His wisdom.

It didn't go well for those that did not trust God in the wilderness and I fear it will not go well for us either if we do not turn and head The Spirit's call. Our nation faces many difficult situations today and we too easily give up on God and put our hope in men. We must turn back to God or we may be the ones that do not enter into God's rest.

Father, hep me by your Holy Spirit to always seek to do your will, even when things do not look like they are going the way I think they should.

Amen

But we see Jesus

Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Weekday

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel:

Hebrews 2:5-12 Psalm 8:2, 5-9 Mark 1:21-28

Hebrews 2:9 But we see Jesus, who for a little while was made lower than the angels, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for every one.

I think that we often take for granted the wonders of this creation and of our God. Perhaps it is because we can't see Him directly. Yes, we can see His character and His will in nature and in our own lives, yet we still do not have that tangible piece that we can point to and say there, He is the one that is behind all that I am and all that I aspire to be. He is the one by whom and for whom all creation exists. But, we see Jesus. Jesus is the revelation of God and he is a real man and we can now point to something that is not open for debate or speculation, but is physical and documented in history. He became one of us and in that he has justified our faith. All that we know about God now has a person that we can see and know.

Father, help me by your Holy Spirit to see all that you are in Jesus and to share that vision and knowledge with those who are suffering and need to see Him.

Amen

they do not know

Friday, January 07, 2011
Weekday

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel:

1 John 5:5-13 Psalm 147:12-15, 19-20 Luke 5:12-16

Psalm 147:20 He has not dealt thus with any other nation; they do not know his ordinances. Praise the LORD!

There are many who feel uncomfortable being too "nationalistic" about our Christian faith. We often hear that the truths are contained in other religions as well and that God deals with other nations equally. Well, while we are called to witness and minister to other nations we cannot assume that they have the same truth that we have. We cannot assume that they are even able, in their current condition, to think and reason as we do. God has revealed himself in Christ and this is exclusive. There is no other name by which we must be saved. It is belief in Christ as the son of God that is the sign that we have eternal life.

It is OK to be bold about our faith and to admit that other religions do not have the truth. Not only OK, but imperative. We must be committed to this and not waver. If we give credibility to any other religion that does not claim that Jesus is the son of God and in him alone we have life, then we make God a liar.

Father, help me by your Holy Spirit to be fully committed to the truth and to not fear man but You alone.

Amen

You give them something to eat

Tuesday, January 04, 2011
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton (Memorial)

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel:

1 John 4:7-10 Psalm 72:1-4, 7-8 Mark 6:34-44

Mark 6:37 But he answered them, "You give them something to eat." And they said to him, "Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread, and give it to them to eat?"

I struggle a bit with today's political divide over welfare vs. freedom. In one sense I think that the government is encroaching on our freedoms and creating a class of people who are not free but dependent on the government. On the other hand I am challenged by the call of the scriptures to show mercy and compassion and to feed and care for the poor. How do I reconcile these things?

One thought is that if we fail (as a church) to take care of the poor, the government is more than happy to step in, because it gives them opportunity to take control. It occurs to me that the government, or anybody else for that matter, only takes what we are willing to give. If we fail to take care of the poor and decide to give that responsibility to the government, then we are at fault. It has been said that if all people who consider themselves Christian actually tithed, we would have so much that we could feed the poor and have plenty left over. But we would rather have the government do it. And with that we watch our freedoms being taken from us and even our own faith now is offensive to many.

It is our own hardness that has given the monster government it's power. The way we can take it back is to take responsibility back and do what the Bible calls us to do and not delegate that to others. Jesus said to the disciples when they wanted to send the people away for food "you feed them".

Do we take responsibly or do we give it way?

Father, help me by your Holy Spirit to take responsibility for what you have called me to be and to do and not rely on others to do it for me.

Amen

The Lord bless you

Saturday, January 01, 2011 Octave Day of Christmas: Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God

First Reading: Psalm: Second Reading: Gospel: Numbers 6:22-27 Psalm 67:2-3, 5-6, 8 Galatians 4:4-7 Luke 2:16-21

Numbers 6:24 The Lord bless you and keep you:

I can't think of a better verse to start off the New Year. One of my favorite parts of the worship service is actually the end. Not because it is over, but because that is when we have the benediction. I love to hear God's blessing on us as we leave the church. In my mind, if we don't get the blessing, the worship is incomplete. Why do we come and what do we hope to receive, if not God's blessing.

Heavenly Father, please give us your Spirit and your blessing as we enter this New Year.

Amen