Take Up Your Cross

 

 Lk 14:25-33

 The Cost of Being a Disciple

²⁵ Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: ²⁶ “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. ²⁷ And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

²⁸ “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? ²⁹ For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, ³⁰ saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’

³¹ “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? ³² If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. ³³ In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.

Jesus reminds that it's not easy to follow him;  we must be willing to take up our cross daily. It might simple to mean bearing a pain in the back or neck, or looking for a lost item,or dealing with people who try to run your life for you. It means following Jesus, giving up everything, no matter what, and walking with Jesus. It's the cross that leads to the crown.

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus, help me to take these words seriously, take up my cross and follow you. Amen 

All Are Welcome

 

Lk 14:15-24

 

 The Parable of the Great Banquet

¹⁵ When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, “Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.”

¹⁶ Jesus replied: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. ¹⁷ At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’

¹⁸ “But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’

¹⁹ “Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’

²⁰ “Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’

²¹ “The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’

²² “‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’

²³ “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full. ²⁴ I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.’”

 

So great is his love and  desire to fill the banquet hall with guests, that the master told his servants to invite, even compel, anyone they saw to the feast he had prepared. Others had refused for petty reasons and missed a golden opportunity.  Often in our own prayer and reflections we hear a call to "do more" but we find excuses to dodge the call, just as the folks in the parable. During this month of November when we give special attention through prayer and sacrifice for the Holy Souls in Purgatory, may we find a willingness and generosity of heart to accept whatever invitation the Master might make of us  and do willingly whatever he asks of us.

 

Bro. Rene

Dear God, your love knows no bounds and is constantly inviting us to partake of it through the big and little invitations you send us each day. Help us to say a willing YES, especially for the sake of the Holy Souls.

St. Charles Borromeo

 

Lk 14:12-14

 

 Give Without Seeking a Reward

 ¹² Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. ¹³ But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, ¹⁴ and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

 

We celebrate the life of St. Charles Borromeo who was the Cardinal Archbishop of Milan in the mid 1500's. The Diocese had not had a bishop for 80 years,so there was a lot of "cleaning up" to do and Charles did his best to rectify the mess. He implemented the reforms of the Council of Trent, and began religious education for children...the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, which still exists today.  During the plague of 1576 he used his own resources to provide for the sick and the dying. Despite his small stature and quiet voice, he was a powerful instrument of reform and pastoral ministry, a model for Church leaders even till today, living out the advice of Jesus in the above two verses. He died at the age of 46. 

Bro. Rene

Dear God, inspire our Church leaders and all of us with the zeal and sincerity of St. Charles Borromeo, that we might continue his reforms in our day. Amen.

 

Love God, Love Neighbor

 

 

Mk 12:28b-34

The Greatest Commandment

²⁸ One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

²⁹ “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. ³⁰ Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ ³¹ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

³² “Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. ³³ To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

³⁴ When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.

As we return to standard time and darkness comes earlier each afternoon but mornings are brighter for awhile, we are reminded of the passage of time, and our need to use it well.  Jesus sums it up succinctly: love God, love neighbor, not acquire wealth, nor write a great book, nor build the most beautiful building. We've heard this teaching over and over and know it's not as simple and easy as it sounds.  It is the work of a lifetime, a daily effort, and one with many failures and setbacks, but it is the key to eternal life. As we pray for the Holy Souls this month, let us ask for their quick entry into Paradise and their intercession for us as we try to implement these two commandments into our daily lives.

 

Bro. Rene

 

Dear God, thank you for making your commandment to love so clear; grant me the grace to live it as best I can. Amen.

Praying for the Deceased

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jn 6:37-40

 

None Shall Be Lost

³⁷ All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. ³⁸ For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. ³⁹ And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. ⁴⁰ For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”

Yesterday we celebrated with great joy the myriads of saints who are enjoying their eternal reward with God in heaven, and today we offer prayers for those who await the great day of entrance into the Kingdom of heaven.  They are a step closer, but not fully there yet.  Our prayers, our Masses are offered in abundance for them.  Indeed, a priest is allowed to offer three Masses today.  Let us make a special effort to offer our prayers and sacrifices for the souls in purgatory, particularly for family, friends and the most forgotten.  The whole month of November is dedicated to the Souls in Purgatory, so let's remember them in the days ahead as well.

Bro. Rene

Dear God may the souls of all the faithful departed rest in peace, Amen.  

Called To Be Saints

 

 

Mt 5:1-12a

 

Introduction to the Sermon on the Mount

5 Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, ² and he began to teach them.

The Beatitudes

He said:

³ “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
⁴ Blessed are those who mourn,
    for they will be comforted.
⁵ Blessed are the meek,
    for they will inherit the earth.
⁶ Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
    for they will be filled.
⁷ Blessed are the merciful,
    for they will be shown mercy.
⁸ Blessed are the pure in heart,
    for they will see God.
⁹ Blessed are the peacemakers,
    for they will be called children of God.
¹⁰ Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

¹¹ “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. ¹² Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

 

As we celebrate the Solemnity of All Saints we meditate on the Beatitudes, the roadmap to holiness. Following this simple instruction, is both simple and challenging, but in any case, DOABLE! Why shy away from this simple path? Why not embrace it with all our being? Countless numbers before us have done it, and at this moment legions are attempting to live them.  Let us take them one by one by one, meditate on them and try to live them as best we can.  We are in good company and have support from those who have gone ahead of us and from those who walk with us this very day. We are each called to holiness, to be saints; may God's will and plan for us be accomplished!

 

Bro.. Rene

 

Dear God, you have called countless numbers to holiness...Help me to answer the call with all my heart and soul. Amen  

How Jesus Longs For Us

 

 

 Lk 13:31-35

Jesus’ Sorrow for Jerusalem

³¹ At that time some Pharisees came to Jesus and said to him, “Leave this place and go somewhere else. Herod wants to kill you.”

³² He replied, “Go tell that fox, ‘I will keep on driving out demons and healing people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.’ ³³ In any case, I must press on today and tomorrow and the next day—for surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem!

³⁴ “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. ³⁵ Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’”

Using the familiar image of a hen gathering and protecting her young, Jesus tries to illustrate the love God has for us. He knows his mission carried out with the greatest love possible,includes his own death, yet he does not shy away from it.  He weeps for the pain of knowing that for many, his sacrifice will be in vain, and surely to this day, it was, but that does not stop him. "I must press on today and tomorrow and the next day." Let this be our prayer, our attitude from now on. 

 

Bro. Rene

 

Dear Jesus, I cannot predict what this day will will bring or ask of me, but let me follow you with a generous and open heart, not turning my back on what you ask of me, knowing how much you long for me. Amen.