June 10, 2018 - The World vs. The Way Tenth Sunday of Ordinary Time
Father Barry O'Toole, LC
Mark 3:20-35
Jesus came home with his disciples. Again the crowd gathered, making it impossible for them even to eat. When his relatives heard of this they set out to seize him, for they said, "He is out of his mind." The scribes who had come from Jerusalem said, "He is possessed by Beelzebul," and "By the prince of demons he drives out demons."
Summoning them, he began to speak to them in parables, "How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand; that is the end of him. But no one can enter a strong man's house to plunder his property unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can plunder the house. Amen, I say to you, all sins and all blasphemies that people utter will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never have forgiveness but is guilty of an everlasting sin." For they had said, "He has an unclean spirit."
His mother and his brothers arrived. Standing outside they sent word to him and called him. A crowd seated around him told him, "Your mother and your brothers and your sisters are outside asking for you." But he said to them in reply, "Who are my mother and my brothers?" And looking around at those seated in the circle he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother."
Introductory Prayer: Lord Jesus, I believe in you. I believe you have called me to the faith and to share that faith. I trust that you will fill me with your spirit of courage and truth so that I might faithfully assimilate and transmit the faith. I love you. I want to love you more with my prayer and with my life, and so grow in the unity of the love you share with your Father and the Holy Spirit.
Petition: Jesus, may I always have the strength to follow in your footsteps, wherever you lead me.
1. With the Mind or With the Heart: Sometimes there are "reasons of the heart" that the mind doesn't understand. Why would a parent spend the night hovering over an ill child when the parent knows that he has to be at work by 9 a.m.? Logically, we need to sleep in order to be strong and alert enough to handle the challenges at our jobs. But love compels us to attend to the needs of children. And so it is with the Gospel of love. People think we are "out of our minds" as we strive to follow Christ more closely.
2. The Way, the Truth and the Life: "I am the way, the truth and the life" (John 14:6) First, Jesus shows us the road (I am the way), then he tells us where that road leads us (to truth and life). Our minds seek and are not satisfied until they discover the truth. Our hearts yearn for life, joy, happiness and love. Our entire lives are a constant search until we finally rest in Him.
3. Members of His Family: But Jesus offers us more! "Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother." What a great privilege to be part of God's family! How many people dream of being a friend of the rich and famous because of the security and possibilities it would afford them. God, the Almighty, who is all powerful, makes us his children. What security and what possibilities he assures us! God will not deny anything that his children truly need.
Conversation with Christ: Jesus, I will follow you wherever you lead me. Guide me down the path of a generous love that leads to life. Help me to be generous in the small, daily tasks as well as the big ones. Mother Most Pure, make my heart only for Jesus.
Resolution: Today, I will irradiate the joy and security of being a child of God by doing at least one kind deed for someone in need.
June 11, 2018 - Winning the Only Contest that Matters Memorial of Saint Barnabas, Apostle
Father James Swanson, LC
Matthew 5:1-12
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him. He began to teach them, saying: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven. Thus, they persecuted the prophets who were before you."
Introductory Prayer: Lord, I believe in you with a faith that never seeks to test you. I trust in you, hoping to learn to accept and follow your will, even when it does not make sense to the way that I see things. I love you, and I want to love you and those around me with a love similar to the love you have shown to me.
Petition: Lord, help me accept sacrifices and overcome difficulties in order to gain heaven.
1. The Beatitudes Don't Make Sense: As we celebrate the Solemnity of All Saints' Day, the Church calls us to contemplate the promises Jesus makes to all those who follow him. At first, they don't seem very attractive. Jesus lists a whole series of things that most people would probably avoid. They would see them as interfering with their wants and desires, Yet, Jesus says that we will be blessed if we have them in our lives. The word in the original Greek is makarios, which means "happy". This doesn't make sense. I am supposed to be happy when I am poor, mourning, meek, lacking righteousness, merciful, clean-hearted, a peacemaker, persecuted and insulted? That's not what I see on TV, in the movies, on the Internet. It's not what many of the people I know would recommend. So, what is Jesus' big idea telling me this? Is he out to make me miserable?
2. Sacrificing for Worldly Glory: We can see that the whole picture isn't gloomy. Jesus says that if we accept these difficult things, there will be rewards. And the rewards sound pretty good. In fact, they sound great: The Kingdom of Heaven, comfort, inheriting the land, satisfaction in seeing righteousness done, receiving mercy, seeing God, being a child of God, a great reward in heaven. Who wouldn't want these things? Don't people work a lot harder for a lot less? Don't athletes train for years, giving up all kinds of pleasures, submitting themselves to intense suffering at times only for a brief moment of glory in some competition? Don't businessmen work long hours, giving up pleasures and making immense sacrifices just to make a few more dollars? Isn't what Jesus offers us much better than any of that? Better than a gold medal or even a million dollars?
3. But I Am Not Interested in Heavenly Things: Anything worth having is worth making sacrifices for, and the more it is worth, the greater sacrifices we should be willing to make for it. Perhaps a gold medal is worth the sacrifices the athlete makes to win it. Perhaps a million dollars are worth the sacrifices that a businessman makes to gain them. If heaven is really all it is supposed to be, isn't it worth all the sacrifices Jesus mentions here – and more? If people are willing to make such great sacrifices to gain things they cannot keep, shouldn't I be willing to make even greater sacrifices to gain the eternal happiness of heaven? Of course, many people with the talent to do great things in this world never do them because they just aren't that interested or motivated. Is that why I don't do more to gain heaven? Just not that interested? What will it take to motivate me to really desire what Jesus offers?
Conversation with Christ: Dear Jesus, I don't do much to make the Beatitudes come to life in me. Help me to give heaven its full value. Help me to desire it more each day. Help me to meditate on what heaven will be like so I will love it more and more and be willing to do anything – whatever it takes – to get there and help many others arrive as well.
Resolution: I will spend at least five minutes today imagining what heaven will be like so as to increase my desire for heaven and enable me to make the sacrifices necessary to get there. Jesus is setting up a mansion there for me. He is going to put everything that he can in it to please me and make me happy.
June 12, 2018 - True Leadership Tuesday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time
Father Shawn Aaron, LC
Matthew 5:13-16
Jesus said to his disciples: "You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything but is thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lamp stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven."
Introductory Prayer: Father of love, source of all blessings, you have led me throughout my life, and you lead me still. Thank you for your paternal care. Jesus, Son of God, you died for me on the cross to pay for my sins and manifest your unconditional love for me. Thank you for showing me the way home to the Father. Holy Spirit, sweet guest of the soul, you heal me and strengthen me and set me on fire from the most intimate depths of my soul. Thank you for your loving presence within me.
Petition: Lord, show me where I can make a difference.
1. The New Flavor of the Gospel: By calling us "the salt of the earth" Jesus meant that all his disciples, all those who would be called 'Christians' down through the centuries, would have the responsibility to work to give the new 'taste' of the Gospel to the earth and enlighten the entire world with Jesus' teaching. Salt enhances the food we eat by accenting the natural flavor already present in the food. In like manner, we are called by God to enhance the world around us with the "saltiness" of our Christian lives. God created the world good, but sin has marred it. Through baptism God gives us the "salt" of his divine life – grace – so that, in turn, this grace of baptism will develop into a life of virtue and Christian charity by which we are called to "season" our environment. Do I have this awareness and desire which springs from my baptism?
2. Enlightening Minds and Hearts: Without light we are blind. The human eye is rendered useless where light is unable to penetrate. Analogously, all people have the power to know God who is truth, goodness and love. But without the particular light that is Jesus Christ, those faculties are clouded at best. Jesus wants you and me to be his light in contemporary society. By the way we live our life other people must see: They must see Christ. They must see the dignity of the human person and the noble calling each one of us has to live forever with God. They must see that love and mercy triumph over evil, suffering and death. The world needs our light because the world needs Christ.
3. The Shining Example of the Saints: What about humility? What about not letting your right hand know what your left hand is doing? Jesus reminds us that our lives and actions are meant to direct people's gaze to God and not towards ourselves: "So that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven." The world has needed to see Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta in action. It has needed to see the youthful vigor and the aged frailty of Pope Saint John Paul II. Their light has illumined our path towards God. This side of heaven, we will always need the example of the saints, and that is precisely what you and I are called to be.
Conversation with Christ: Lord, you have given me everything I need to be faithful. Grant me also the courage and the zeal to live what I believe and to testify to your faithful love in my thoughts, words and actions. Mother Most Pure, make my heart only for Jesus.
Resolution: Today I will speak to someone about Jesus, backing up my words with the sincerity with which I live my Christian commitments.
June 13, 2018 - Cancelling or Fulfilling – Emptiness or Plenitude Memorial of Saint Anthony of Padua, Priest and Doctor of the Church
Father Shawn Aaron, LC
Matthew 5:17-19
Jesus said to his disciples: "Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Introductory Prayer: Father of love, source of all blessings, you have led me throughout my life, and you lead me still. Thank you for your paternal care. Jesus, Son of God, you died for me on the cross to pay for my sins and manifest your unconditional love for me. Thank you for showing me the way home to the Father. Holy Spirit, sweet guest of the soul, you heal me and strengthen me and set me on fire from the most intimate depths of my soul. Thank you for your loving presence within me.
Petition: Jesus, help me to live authentic freedom in union with your will.
1. Bringing to All Fulfillment: Through the law and the prophets God prepared his people for salvation. In Christ that salvation is at hand: Jesus, the Word made flesh, will fulfill the law and the prophets and give them their proper interpretation. The law will move from the tablets of stone to the hearts of men, as demonstrated by the Beatitudes. Jesus came especially to fulfill the deep longing in the human heart for happiness, which is ultimately found in eternal life with God. "But when the time had fully come, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons" (Galatians 4:4-5).
2. Breaking the Rules: "Rules are meant to be broken" – according to the first law of the "Teenage Creed." As we approach adulthood we may discover external conflicts to our subjective happiness. We call them rules. And as the desire to exercise our own free will grows, we begin to feel the seemingly oppressive weight of these rules – "Do this, don't do that." Authority figures can then be perceived to be in direct opposition to our personal fulfillment. We wrongly conclude that rules and happiness are like oil and water. Then we permit patterns of sin to develop despite what our conscience tells us, and we are unwittingly given a glimpse into the way the devil suggests his criteria to us. If we are not careful, we may form deep-seated attitudes that will make us struggle against God and against his criteria – the Ten Commandments, the Beatitudes, the cross, and the teachings of the Church.
3. The Proper Use of Freedom: "The moral law has its origin in God and always finds its source in him" (Pope Saint John Paul II, The Splendor of Truth, no. 40). Our true freedom lies not in the rejection but in the acceptance of God's moral law. God is not a heartless dictator but a Father who loves us and wills our very best. If he sets standards for us, it is because he has our eternal happiness in mind, like a skilled coach who challenges the athlete to reach his full potential. "Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for bread, will give a stone? Or if the child asks for a fish, will give a snake?" (Matthew 7:9-10). Jesus posits the question because he knows the Father. Even if we were to know a parent that did not love his child, God the Father is incapable of not desiring what is truly best for us. God is and will always be love.
Conversation with Christ: Lord, sin is always tapping on my door, but you have promised me that your grace will always be available. Help me to avail myself of the means of grace you give me to live in union with your eternal law. Mother Most Pure, make my heart only for Jesus.
Resolution: Today I will take a few moments to reflect upon the Ten Commandments or the duties of my state in life.
June 14, 2018 - Keep Your Words Short and Sweet Thursday of the Tenth Week of Ordinary Time
Father Shawn Aaron, LC
Matthew 5:20-26
Jesus said to his disciples: "For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, 'You shall not murder'; and 'whoever murders shall be liable to judgment.' But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, 'You fool,' you will be liable to the hell of fire. So, when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift. Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are on the way to court with him, or your accuser may hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison."
Introductory Prayer: Father of love, source of all blessings, you have led me throughout my life, and you lead me still. Thank you for your paternal care. Jesus, Son of God, you died for me on the cross to pay for my sins and manifest your unconditional love for me. Thank you for showing me the way home to the Father. Holy Spirit, sweet guest of the soul, you heal me and strengthen me and set me on fire from the most intimate depths of my soul. Thank you for your loving presence within me.
Petition: Jesus meek and humble of heart, make my heart more like yours.
1. Anger in Our Hearts: Jesus is speaking here in particular about anger, that is, a desire for revenge or an attitude that simply refuses to forgive. Jesus always brings us back to the human heart. Actions flow from decisions made in the heart, even if not immediately evident. When we cultivate a sentiment in our heart – be it good or evil - it will eventually find ways of coming to fruition. "If you are angry do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger or you will give the devil a chance" (Ephesians 4:26). Any unwillingness to forgive leads to resentment in the heart and ultimately destroys lives and relationships. "What does it mean to forgive, if not to appeal to a good that is greater than any evil?" (Pope Saint John Paul II, Memory and Identity, p. 15).
2. Insults Are Grave Matters: "Sticks and stones may break my bones…" Each one of us knows firsthand the penetrating power of words. With them one may edify or destroy, enhance or tarnish, heal or wound. It is rather striking that Jesus refers to insults towards "a brother or sister:" in other words, insulting those closest to us, especially those closest to our heart. It is no revelation that those we love the most are also the ones most capable of wounding us deeply, and vice versa. What dagger could ever penetrate more than an unkind word from a loved one? The true revelation is that God takes each word we speak seriously. In fact, he will hold us accountable for them because the words are an outward manifestation of what we have in our hearts. The power of words reveals the weight of words.
3. Hold No Grudges: "If you remember that your brother or sister has something against you…" This phrase makes us shift a little in our seats. Jesus gives us a tremendous view into God's heart. God's very essence is a unity of love – three persons, one nature. We are made in God's image, and we are made to live forever in union with God. But so too are my brothers and sisters. If we have done anything to wound the union of love with those around us, then we must repair the breach. In fact, it is so important to God (and so important for us) that God will not accept our "offering" if we have consciously wounded the unity with those around us. Bring those particularly difficult relationships to prayer and draw the strength from God to love as we should. He will not ask for some virtue and then refuse his grace.
Conversation with Christ: Lord, teach me to love and help me to be a saint. You have created me and called me to the Catholic faith. Help me to live that faith generously, living the primacy of love in my daily life. Mother Most Pure, make my heart only for Jesus.
Resolution: Today I will do three hidden acts of charity.
June 15, 2018 - A Clean Heart Friday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time
Father Matthew Kaderabek, LC
Matthew 5:27-32
Jesus said to his disciples: "You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery. But I say to you, everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body go into Gehenna. "It was also said, Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of divorce. But I say to you, whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful) causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery."
Introductory Prayer: Lord Jesus, today I will contemplate your love in action. You continually go out of your way to make your presence felt in my life, and I am very grateful. Thank you, Lord, for another day; it is another opportunity to deepen my love and friendship with you.
Petition: Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me (Psalm 51:10).
1. Guard Your Eyes: Concerning purity of heart, Jesus takes this demand for purity a step further than the Old Testament. He teaches that to even look at a woman with lust in your heart, seeing her as merely an object to satisfy your lustful desires, is seriously sinful. Jesus does not say that it is sinful to simply recognize a woman as beautiful, or by extension, a woman recognizing a man as handsome. It is when we see the other as an object and have impure thoughts about them that we give in to sin. In other words, the temptation itself is not a sin; it is when we accept that temptation into our heart and give it a home by willfully playing with it in our mind that we step over the line. Lord Jesus, it's so easy to grant myself concessions in this area, but with your aid I will be firm in my resolve to guard my senses, remembering an adage from the computer age: "Garbage in, garbage out!"
2. If It Puts Your Soul in Danger, It's Got to Go: Christ's call to holy purity, like every other virtue, is eminently positive. "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind" (Matthew 22:37). Purity is a consequence of the love that prompts us to commit to Christ our soul and body, our faculties and senses. Jesus uses the images of "right eye" and "right hand" to refer to that which we value most. He is telling us that if that which we value most in life has become a stumbling block in our relationship with the Lord, then, simply put, it's got to go. It is far better to lose a possession or a position or to break off a relationship than to risk the eternal salvation of our soul. We must be prepared to fight for righteousness with all of our strength, being ready to eliminate whatever could clearly lead us to offend the Lord.
3. And the Two Shall Become One: Jesus re-established the principle of the absolute indissolubility of marriage, a principle that has been unhesitatingly taught by the Church from the very beginning. Pope Pius XI reminded us in Casti Connubii (December 31, 1930) about the immutable and inviolable truth that "matrimony was not instituted or re-established by men, but by God… Consequently, those laws can in no way be subject to human wills or to any contrary pact made even by the contracting parties. This is the teaching of Sacred Scripture; it is the constant and universal Tradition of the Church." Marriage endures until death though the love may last forever. What God has joined together, let nothing separate. Am I living my marriage as a covenant? Do I treat my spouse with respect and affection? Do I dedicate my heart, time and energy to cultivating our love, so it will endure and flourish?
Conversation with Christ: Lord Jesus, I want to live with purity, and I know that this requires a strong will and a constant effort in this world that encourages instant gratification of the senses. Give me the strength in particular to guard my eyes and control my imagination. Help me to be exquisitely faithful to my spouse.
Resolution: I will promote the virtue of purity in my personal life and set a good example for others by incorporating into my lifestyle the time-tested ascetical methods that the Church has proposed to us down through the ages: frequent confession and Communion; devotion to Our Lady; a spirit of prayer and mortification; guarding of the senses; flight from occasions of sin; and striving to avoid idleness by always being engaged in doing useful things.
June 16, 2018 - Yes or No Saturday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time
Father Matthew Kaderabek, LC
Matthew 5:33-37
Jesus said to his disciples: "You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, Do not take a false oath, but make good to the Lord all that you vow. But I say to you, do not swear at all; not by heaven, for it is God's throne; nor by the earth, for it is his footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Do not swear by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black. Let your 'Yes' mean 'Yes,' and your 'No' mean 'No.' Anything more is from the Evil One."
Introductory Prayer: Father of love, source of all blessings, you have led me throughout my life and you lead me still. Thank you for your paternal care. Jesus, Son of God, you died for me on the cross to pay for my sins and manifest your unconditional love for me. Thank you for showing me the way home to the Father. Holy Spirit, sweet guest of the soul, you heal me and strengthen me and set me on fire from the most intimate depths of my soul. Thank you for your loving presence within me.
Petition: Lord, help me to be honest and sincere in my dealings with others.
1. So Help Me, God! An oath is a solemn invocation of God to witness the truth of what one asserts to be the case or the sincerity of one's undertakings in regard to future actions. Most Christians have acknowledged the importance and appropriateness of oath-taking on occasions of great importance. We see the President take an oath of office; we see men and women of the military swear an oath to faithfully serve and defend our country; we see people who take the stand in a courtroom place their hand on the Bible, raise their right hand, and take an oath that they will tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth … and they end by saying, "So help me, God." All of the above are calling on God to help them be true to their word because what they are swearing to do is a humanly difficult task, one which needs divine assistance in order to remain true.
2. Base Your Mutual Relationships on Truth: In Christ's time, the making of sworn statements was so frequent and the casuistry surrounding them so intricate that the practice was being grossly abused. All this meant great disrespect for the name of God. Jesus lays down here the criterion that his disciples must apply in their lives. It is based on re-establishing mutual trust, nobility and sincerity. The devil is "the father of lies" (John 8:44). Therefore, Christ's Church must teach that human relationships cannot be based on deceit and insincerity. God is truth, and the children of the Kingdom must, therefore, base mutual relationships on truth. Jesus consistently condemned hypocrisy in his teachings, and he praised sincerity as one of the finest of virtues: "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!" (spoken of Nathanael, John 1:47). Do I eschew any form of hypocrisy in my life?
3. Anything More Is from the Evil One: Would it be reading too much into the words of Our Lord — to say simply "yes" if we mean yes, and "no" if we mean no — to apply them to the origins and intentions of lying in our lives? Jesus affirms that anything obscuring what we ought to say, or anything meant to mislead, cover up or falsify by false emphasis, "comes from the Evil One". He shows us that insincerity is how political and economic life become and remain alienated from truth, become destructive of the kingdom of God, of the kingdom of him who was, and remains, "a sign that is spoken against" (Luke 2:34). Am I honest with my family members and work colleagues?
Conversation with Christ: You see it all, Lord, and you read my heart. You look on in sorrow as I allow myself to play by the rules of the Evil One. Help me to re-commit myself to living in the light, doing away with all falsehood. From now on, my "yes" will be yes, and my "no" will be no.
Resolution: I will start today by seeking to patch up any relationship — especially my relationship with my spouse — which may have been harmed through a lack of truthfulness and sincerity.
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