13 “Woe to you,
Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were
performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have
repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.14 But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you.15 And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades.16 “Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; but whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me.”
Jesus speaks harshly and directly to the people of Chorazin, Bethsaida and US!!! How often have we read the Gospels or prayed the Psalms, and yet have not changed our behavior? How many times have our prayers been answered and yet we have not repented but continue to live a life of indifference or complacency? Thank God for his patience with us, yes, as Fr. Jost prays, but may we make some moves, take some steps to live what Jesus teaches and what we claim to have accepted.
Bro. Rene
Lord Jesus, thank you for your
patience with us. We are so slow—or maybe even unwilling—to believe that
your way is the only way to peace and wholeness, both for ourselves and
for our world. We’ve heard the Gospel so many times; we are aware of
all our blessings, mostly undeserved; we are aware of how you protect us
and care for us. Still we dither. Jesus, please give us the grace of
actually wanting to follow you. Amen.
47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.”
48 “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked.
Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.”
49 Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.”
50 Jesus said, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.”51 He then added, “Very truly I tell you, youwill see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”
Today we honor the Archangels, Michael, who thrust Lucifer into hell; Gabriel, who appeared to Mary to seek her consent to be the mother of Jesus; and Raphael, who accompanied and protected the young Tobias; Three Archangels who in serving God faithfully, also played a role in our faith life.may their.fidelity to carrying out God's will inspire and help us to do the same.
Bro. Rene
Lord God, you are
glorified without ceasing by the choirs of angels. In the archangels,
Michael, Raphael, and Gabriel, you provide us with shining examples of
strength and fidelity. May the angels, messengers of your will, always
guide and protect us on our journey of life, and may they always lead us
to Jesus, the Son of Man and our Lord. We ask this in his name. Amen.
57 As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”
58 Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
59 He said to another man, “Follow me.”
But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”
60 Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”
61 Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.”
62 Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”
Jesus makes it clear that half measures won't work. He wants total precedence from his followers. We can grow lax or soft in our attempts to live his teachings, in being his disciple, so we need to renew our commitment daily. Either we are a disciple or we are not. No in-betweens.
Bro. Rene
Jesus Christ, our Lord and
our God, you invite us to commit to you, each according to our capacity.
Help us to embrace the opportunity to commit to you with all our
hearts. Grant us the trust needed to follow you unreservedly that we may
set all fear aside and enter into your joy. Amen.
51 As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.52 And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him;53 but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem.54 When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?”55 But Jesus turned and rebuked them.56 Then he and his disciples went to another village.
As the time for the fulfillment of his mission was drawing near, Jesus would not be distracted or upset because the people of this Samaritan village would not welcome him or his disciples. We can understand the anger of James and John, for we might react the same way, but Jesus had a higher goal and directed their efforts elsewhere. We might look at ourselves to see if we drift from our mission because things don't go according to our plan. Our daily meditation time with Jesus is necessary for us to get our "game plan" from him, rather than let our frustrations or ideas get in the way. We are on a mission for Jesus, not for ourselves.
46 An argument arose among them as to which of them was the greatest.47 But Jesus, knowing the reasoning of their hearts, took a child and put him by his side48 and said to them, “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. For he who is least among you all is the one who is great.”
Anyone Not Against Us Is For Us
49 John answered, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he does not follow with us.”50 But Jesus said to him, “Do not stop him, for the one who is not against you is for you.”
Ambition can be a legitimate motivator, but it can also be a killer. The Apostles, like all of us, wanted approval and even "greatness", but Jesus quickly dispels their ambitions by presenting them with the example of a child who models simplicity, spontaneity, guilelessness, and innocence. Rather than being "great" in the sense of the world, that is, prideful, famous, "important" or "superior", Jesus indicates clearly what path , what lifestyle, is the best to bring us closer to him. May he help us resist our false ambitions and guide is to true "greatness", the greatness of a little child.
Bro. Rene
Dear Lord, we pray for
success in our days, but keep us mindful that true success is a sincere
desire to serve. To be great is to serve in those quiet opportunities
when our hearts touch another’s. Bless our eyes that we may see other
people’s need; bless our hearts that we may feel other people’s pain;
bless our minds that your wisdom may guide our actions.
19 “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day.20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
22 “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried.23 In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.24 So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’
25 “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.26 And
besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in
place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can
anyone cross over from there to us.’
27 “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family,28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’
29 “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’
30 “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’
31 “He
said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they
will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”
We read news accounts of growing numbers who go to bed hungry each day, children especially. Most of us do not share this fate, but we might be like the Rich Man (called "Dives" by tradition) and simply ignore them. Does this parable speak to ME today? Is there some small thing I can do to help feed the hungry?
In Lawrence, MA today, there is a HIKE FOR HOPE to raise money for LAZARUS HOUSE, an organization founded almost 40 years ago by several men, including Brother Thomas Petitte, a Marist Brother, to help meet the needs pf the homeless and hungry. If I cannot join the walk can I make a contribution of time or treasure tomorrow or later this week? May we not be like Dives and discover too late what we should have done while we could.
Bro Rene .
Loving God, we ask the help
of your Spirit to keep us from using our poor brothers and sisters to
maintain our own comfort. Compel employers among us to provide living
wages to all we employ. Constrain our greed and expand our awareness
that we are all one in you, whether rich or poor. Give us the grace to
do all we can to assure that the needs of all who are your special
favorites - the ones who we most often ignore- are met. We ask for the
compassion and justice of Jesus, Your Son and Our Lord. Amen.
While everyone was marveling at all that Jesus did, he said to his disciples,44 “Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you: The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men.”45 But they did not understand what this meant. It was hidden from them, so that they did not grasp it, and they were afraid to ask him about it.
No one likes to hear unpleasant news or predictions. Jesus laid his future plainly on the table but his disciples "did not get it", and because it was so scary, they did not ask for clarification. We too, most likely, would not seek further explanation and would avoid the topic. When we don't fully understand, we often choose to shy away from "the truth" Not the best way of growing in faith and trust, and a sure sign that we need help. May we grow in courage, casting out our fears and ask for a deeper faith and expanding trust in God's plan.
Bro. Rene
Lord, many of your
teachings and acts of love are hidden from us. Nevertheless, we believe
that with the aid of the Holy Spirit, our eyes and hearts will be open
to the truth of your person and your salvific mission. Send your Spirit
upon us that we may see with the eyes of children and thereby see your
kingdom as it takes hold here on earth. Enkindle in our hearts a desire
for you and your kingdom, and we shall be made new. Amen.
18 Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say I am?”
19 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life.”
20 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
Peter answered, “God’s Messiah.”
Jesus Predicts His Death
21 Jesus strictly warned them not to tell this to anyone.22 And he said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.”
Wouldn't we like to be on board with Peter and declare without hesitation that Jesus is our Messiah? We might be able to say it with him, but does it show in our actions, our prayer life, our service to others? And, are we ready and willing to take up our cross along with Jesus? Again, we could answer with a resounding YES...until the cross actually comes and we find ourselves begging for its removal. As the old saying goes, "words are cheap but living them is costly." To use another cliche, but a good one, may we put our money where our mouth is.
7 Now Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was going on. And he was perplexed because some were saying that John had been raised from the dead,8 others that Elijah had appeared, and still others that one of the prophets of long ago had come back to life.9 But Herod said, “I beheaded John. Who, then, is this I hear such things about?” And he tried to see him.
Was Herod plagued with guilt as stories of Jesus circulated? Another "nobody:" attracting huge crowds and preaching a new way of life based on love, not fear nor hate. Would that such curiosity would reign today in our world of indifference toward "the things of God" and less and less adherence to the teachings of Jesus, not to mention diminishing Church membership. At least Herod was seeking. Might we take a clue from him and try to get to know who this Jesus is, and follow him with greater conviction, even zeal?
9 As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.
10 And as Jesusreclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples.11 And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”12 But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.13 Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
"The Chosen", an excellent series TV series on the life of Jesus, depicts Matthew as a young "outcast" due to his role as tax collector, yet one who leaves his collection desk to follow Jesus with all his heart and means. It was a slow process that had been building within Matthew until the command moved him to take this dramatic step. In this era of a dirth of vocations to the priesthood and religious life, don't we wish there were more Matthews awaiting a simple, FOLLOW ME? Could some of the readers of this slice of Daily Bread be a Matthew just waiting for the call? Let us pray that future Matthews hear and answer the call with hearts as generous as his.
Bro Rene
“Follow me.” Lord, you
spoke two simple words and they changed Matthew’s life forever. You
speak those same words to each one of us “Follow me” and our response
changes our lives forever. Thank you for inviting us to follow you.
Like Matthew, the tax collector, help us know our own “sickness” and
thus our great need for you. Help us to know our need for your mercy
which you give to us freely and without reservation. We pray this
through Christ Our Lord. Amen.
19 Now Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him, but they were not able to get near him because of the crowd.20 Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you.”
21 He replied, “My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.”
This simple reply of Jesus gives us much food for thought: Would I even want to be his brother or mother?, If yes, then how far would I be willing to go in putting God's word into practice in my life? Doing so requires a whole new mindset and way of acting...an "other-centered person", a "servant-leader" a dedicated selfless disciple. Am I called to this? Am I willing to answer the call? Is being a brother of Jesus a strong enough incentive for me to change my life?
16 “No
one lights a lamp and hides it in a clay jar or puts it under a bed.
Instead, they put it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the
light.17 For
there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing
concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open.18 Therefore
consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more;
whoever does not have, even what they think they have will be taken from
them.”
Lamps, even in our day, are meant to give light, whether we are camping out or working in our garages or cellars. Indeed, flashlights are getting smaller and more powerful. We need, we crave light. It makes being human possible.. If we equate light to good deeds, then even more do we need light. We need to brighten our day, our world with a simple smile or friendly greeting...a word of hope, kindness, even inspiration. Waking up to a dark sky does not make the day enticing, but as light gradually appears, so does our energy and desire to live the day as best we can. Let's do it by being Light for others!
Bro. Rene
Heavenly Father, in baptism
you enkindled in our hearts the light of Jesus Christ, your Son.
Inflame that light in our lives that it may illumine all that we see,
think, and do. May our lives shine brightly with your light, that we may
bring its radiance into the lives of all we encounter. We ask this
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
16 He also said to the disciples, “There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his possessions.2 And he called him and said to him, ‘What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account of your management, for you can no longer be manager.’3 And
the manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do, since my master is
taking the management away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I
am ashamed to beg.4 I have decided what to do, so that when I am removed from management, people may receive me into their houses.’5 So, summoning his master's debtors one by one, he said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’6 He said, ‘A hundred measures of oil.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’7 Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ He said, ‘A hundred measures of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’8 The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light.9 And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings.
10 “One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.11 If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches?12 And if you have not been faithful in that which is another's, who will give you that which is your own?13 No
servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love
the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You
cannot serve God and money.”
We cannot serve two masters, God and money. Jesus taught this 2,000 years ago, but we s till try to get away with it. Could this be why there is so much unhappiness, so much hatred, so much violence i our world today? The pursuit of wealth is ingrained in us, and a taste of it never fully satisfies, so the pursuit of it takes over, becoming all encompassing, but in the end leaving us empty. How do we break the pattern? .One simple way would be to use this Sunday, "The Lord's Day", just as just that: a day of rest and refreshment, in worship, reflection , spiritual reading, or simply walking in God's beautiful world. A prayer of thanksgiving and a prayer for direction in the best way to use our time would also put us on the right track. This is the Lord's Day, let us give it to him!
4 While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, he told this parable:5 “A
farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some
fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds ate it up.6 Some fell on rocky ground, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture.7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants.8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.”
When he said this, he called out, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”
9 His disciples asked him what this parable meant.10 He said, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that,
“‘though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand.’
11 “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God.12 Those
along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and
takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and
be saved.13 Those
on the rocky ground are the ones who receive the word with joy when
they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in
the time of testing they fall away.14 The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.15 But
the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who
hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.
The Sower lavishly sows his seed, knowing that it will fall on various kinds of soil, some of which will yield crops and others will not. Everyone is given a chance, as Jesus explains, but not al; his hearers will accept his Word and bear fruit; God has given us free will, and some hearers use that freedom to ignore the Word that is handed to them. We wonder how they can be so foolish; God must wonder too, that's why he never stops sowing. We read in recent news that Notre Dame's head football coach was recently received into the Catholic Church and rejoice that his faith journey has brought him "home." It still happens to "celebrities" as well as to the "ordinary Joe or Jane", Let us be thankful that we have so generous and persistent a Sower.
8 After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him,2 and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out;3 Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.
These few verses give us an insight into the vision of Jesus which went far beyond the typical views of his time..To us, the inclusion of women who helped support Jesus and the Twelve "out of their own means." is not startling, but in the time of Jesus, women were notably in the background while the focus was on the men who were the teachers and leaders. Luke makes it clear that these women were an integral part of the lives of the Twelve, traveling with them and, as we later will see, present at the foot of the cross. May all of us, men and women, grow in our appreciation for the gifts and talents of women in ministry and encourage, thank and appreciate them as much as we can.
25 Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.
26 When
Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he
loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!
27 Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.
With these few words, Jesus gave his mother to his beloved disciple, John, and to us as well! For centuries now, Mary has taken that role seriously and has been present throughout history in several approved and undeniable apparitions, such as Lourdes and Fatima, to show her motherly care for the sick and poor, and to keep the mission of her Son clearly before us As Marists we have dedicated our lives as teachers to her, following her simple directive, "Do whatever he tells you" (Jn 2:5) and not only educating youth about him, but also most recently forining huge cohorts of lay men and women to live lives dedicated to Mary as Marists of Champagnat. We are not only making Jesus known and loved, but we are making his mother a central figure in that mission, modeling our lives after hers and inviting others to do so as well. Indeed, this includes her sorrows, our sorrows and those of one another, but through the pain also comes the glory and we find our souls magnifying the Lord in praise and making him present thought our loving interactions with one another Thank you, Mary, for your YES to God's invitation and for helping us to say YES to ours!
13 No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man[a]who is in heaven.14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even somust the Son of Man be lifted up,15 that whoeverbelieves in Him shouldnot perish buthave eternal life.16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begottenSon, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
We celebrate the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross with great joy and enthusiasm centuries after the cross was the hated symbol and instrument of a cruel, long, drawn out death by crucifixion. It wold be the equivalent of celebrating the Feast of the Electric Chair! Yet God seems to love paradoxes: " The last shall be first, and the first, last." He delights in tickling us with them. This feast, for good reason is a source of Joy, for "by his cross and resurrection, he has set us free." The bonds of death were broken once and or all on the cross, and now it is the stepping stone into Paradise.May we humbly give thanks and rejoice this day for this life-giving reality..
11 Now it happened, the day after, that He went into a city called Nain; and many of His disciples went with Him, and a large crowd. 12 And
when He came near the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was being
carried out, the only son of his mother; and she was a widow. And a
large crowd from the city was with her. 13 When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.”14 Then He came and touched the open coffin, and those who carried him stood still. And He said, “Young man, I say to you,arise.”15 So he who was dead sat up and began to speak. And He presented him to his mother.
16 Then fear came upon all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has risen up among us”; and, “God has visited His people.” 17 And this report about Him went throughout all Judea and all the surrounding region.
Life is full of disappointments and sadness. It's the natural course of life, but as much as we know this, it doesn't take away the occasional stings, even the small daily ones that that accumulate with age. And today Jesus reminds us by his loving intervention on behalf of this poor widow that he can and will comfort and soothe us in our worst sufferings and trials. See how he just steps into the funeral procession and reverses grief into joy. No matter what we ae going through, may we be aware that our Loving Jesus is there and will step in somehow to strengthen or comfort us.
7 After he had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum.2 Now a centurion had a servant[a] who was sick and at the point of death, who was highly valued by him.3 When the centurion[b] heard about Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his servant.4 And when they came to Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy to have you do this for him,5 for he loves our nation, and he is the one who built us our synagogue.”6 And Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof.7 Therefore I did not presume to come to you. But say the word, and let my servant be healed.8 For
I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me: and I say
to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to
my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”9 When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.”10 And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant well.
This is a major Memorial Feast Day for he Marist Missionary Sisters whose work with health care and teaching take them all over the world. In all they do they maintain a spirit of joy and simplicity that has become so much a part of the healing process in the lives of their patients. May we learn the secret of bringing joy and confidence to our work, and with a simple smile or kind word bring hope and healing to those with whom we live and work..
***Dear Readers, We were able to retrieve over a month's worth of Daily Bread and include them all here to be used at your prayerful leisure. They go from September 11th to August 4th. Enjoy.
Lost and Found
Luke 15: 1-32
The
Parable of the Lost Sheep
15 Now the tax collectors and
sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. 2 But the
Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and
eats with them.”
3 Then Jesus told them this parable: 4 “Suppose
one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the
ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5 And
when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and
goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice
with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 I tell you that in the
same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents
than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
The
Parable of the Lost Coin
8 “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins[a] and
loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until
she finds it? 9 And when she finds it, she calls her friends
and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ 10 In
the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of
God over one sinner who repents.”
The
Parable of the Lost Son
11 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The
younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he
divided his property between them.
13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he
had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild
living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe
famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So
he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his
fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the
pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my
father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I
will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned
against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be
called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So
he got up and went to his father.
“But while he was still a long way
off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his
son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven
and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best
robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring
the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For
this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So
they began to celebrate.
25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came
near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one
of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27 ‘Your
brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf
because he has him back safe and sound.’
28 “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his
father went out and pleaded with him. 29 But he answered his
father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed
your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with
my friends. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered
your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
31 “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and
everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be
glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost
and is found.’”
Jesus lovingly explains that there
is more joy over the repentant sinner than there is sadness in his wanderings
and years of searching These classic parables graphically display the joy
unbounded of having a lost son find his way home and seek reconciliation . If
any of us have the slightest hesitation about seeking reconciliation, this is
the answer. Have no fear.Our loving father awaits us with arems
outstretched and a heart full of firgiveness and love. There is no need to feel
lost or alone, The Fahter awaits us and will lavishly receive us home again.
Bro.Rene
See the Speck in Your Own Eye First
Luke 6: 39-42
The Blind Leading the Blind
39 He also told them this parable: “Can the blind lead
the blind? Will they not both fall into a pit? 40 The student
is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their
teacher.
41 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your
brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 42 How
can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’
when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first
take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the
speck from your brother’s eye.
It's so easy to see the faults of another and not recognize our
own. We humans are prone to this and never learn to see that it does no
good If we could be more critical of ourselves and make efforts to change
or improve what we find in our own lives, wouldn't we be happier" an
wouldn't others be happier to have us off their backs" Jesus know
our human nature and has sound advice about improving our behaviors. May
we listen and follow.
Bro. Rene
DealWith The Plank
in Your Eye First
Luke 6: 39-42
Dan The Blind Lead the Blind?
39 He also told them this parable: “Can the blind lead the
blind? Will they not both fall into a pit? 40 The student is
not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their
teacher.
41 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your
brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 42 How
can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’
when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first
take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the
speck from your brother’s eye.
It's so easy to see the faults in someone else's life, but miss our
own. Jesus tells us to look a ourselves first before criticizing
another,l something we don't like to do, something that's very hard to do. God,
help me to take an honest look at myself and ask you for the grace to correct
what I see.
Bro. Rene
The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Matthew 1: 18-23
Joseph Accepts Jesus as His Son
18 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about.:
His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came
together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because
Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her
to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord
appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to
take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy
Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give
him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said
through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will conceive and
give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with
us”).
Today's Feast celebrates the birth of Mary, God's chosen One to be the
Mother of Jesus. The full Gospel for today includes Matthew's lengthy genealogy
of Jesus but this shortened form focuses on the call to Mary to be the
Mother of the Messiah and the ensuing dilemma Joseph faced with his now
pregnant betrothed. There is nothing about Mary's birth, the feast we
celebrate; the focus being on the birth of Jesus. This is fitting, for Mary
sees her role, her life as the instrument for bringing the Son of God into the
world; she is the background of the painting which features Jesus as the main
character.. Mary's humility and devotion to her calling serve as ;models for us
in our attempts to live as disciples of Jesus. Jesus first, and all that
we can do to make him known and lived is second. This is truly a Marist
Feast!
Bro. Rene
Loving Father, you entrusted to Saint Joseph your only Son and his mother,
our mother, Mary. Joseph protected them from harm and taught Jesus how to work
for a living so that he could provide for his mother. Grant that we too may
know his protection and be strengthened by his courage and perseverance, so
that we might embrace the daily tasks in front of us more fully. We ask this
through your Son, our Lord. Amen.
Rev. Gabriel J. Griggs, C.S.C.
Blessings and Woes
Luke 6: 20-26
The Beatitudes
20 And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said:
“Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
21 “Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be
satisfied.
“Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.
22 “Blessed are you when people hate you and when they
exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son
of Man! 23 Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold,
your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.
Jesus Pronounces Woes
24 “But woe to you who are rich, for you have received
your consolation.
25 “Woe to you who are full now, for you shall be hungry.
“Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.
26 “Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so
their fathers did to the false prophets.
Luke provides us with four Beatitudes while Matthew gives us eight, and he
presents four woes, to round out the lesson on how to live as a good
Christian. They are stated simply and directly but open the door to a
lifelong meditation and attempts to live them accordingly. Their brevity
might tempt us to gloss over them quickly, but if we sit with one a day over
the next eight day, we might discover a richness that can enhance our
discipleship and make us better human beings as well as better
Christians.. Let's start today.
Bro. Rene.
Jesus Calls and Heals
Luke 6: 12-19
The Twelve Apostles
12 One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to
pray, and spent the night praying to God. 13 When morning came,
he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also
designated apostles: 14 Simon (whom he named Peter), his
brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, 15 Matthew,
Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot, 16 Judas
son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.
Blessings
17 He went down with them and stood on a level place. A
large crowd of his disciples was there and a great number of people from all
over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coastal region around Tyre and Sidon, 18 who
had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by
impure spirits were cured, 19 and the people all tried to touch
him, because power was coming from him and healing them all.
This Gospel passage is fitting for our opening day of school at Central
Catholic in Lawrence, MA, for it reminds us that we too are called by Jesus to
teach not just in our field but also in what it means to be a Catholic
Christian and Marist. True, not all are Catholic, but the basics of
love of God and love in neighbo apply to all, and as Marists we exclude no one,
but embrace all as members of a loving family. What a joy and privilege
it is to be called to do this. What joy it is to meet students who love
coming to school to be with their Central Family! I met two girls at the Feast
of the Three Saints who were just beaming with the prospct of returning to
school. What healing too comes from our safe and loving environment! May
we embrace our call and share the enthusiasm of our students with one another
and with all of them!
Bro. Rene
Jesus Is Above the Law
Luke 6: 6-11
A Cure On The Sabbath
6 On another Sabbath he went into the synagogue and was
teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was shriveled. 7 The
Pharisees and the teachers of the law were looking for a reason to accuse
Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal on the Sabbath. 8 But
Jesus knew what they were thinking and said to the man with the shriveled hand,
“Get up and stand in front of everyone.” So he got up and stood there.
9 Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you, which is lawful on the
Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?”
10 He looked around at them all, and then said to the man,
“Stretch out your hand.” He did so, and his hand was completely restored. 11 But
the Pharisees and the teachers of the law were furious and began to discuss
with one another what they might do to Jesus.
Jesus shocked the Pharisees and
teachers of the law by curing the man with the shriveled hand and
showed us that the Law of Charity is above the laws made by men. True, our
salvation is guided by the Law but Jesus is our Savior, thus it is to him
that we owe allegiance not to the Law.
Bro. Rene
There is much in my life that is withered. How many
relationships are unhealthy? How many times have I turned away from a chance to
help? How few people do I truly open up to and offer myself for? Lord, help me
to stretch out my hand, my heart and my entire being so that you can restore me
to the fullness of love and health, generosity and openness. Amen.
Rev. Matthew Kuczora, C.S.C.
Take Up Your Cross
Luke 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.
Bearing our daily cross may not sound like the best PROMO for being a
disciple of Jesus at first glance, but further reflection validates it and even
makes it appealing. As a disciple of Jesus how can I want less than what he
experienced? I need my cross, I need my "death" even if it's
just "death to self." my selfish wants, my comfort, "My
Way!" Jesus says specifically that we cannot be his disciples
without carrying our cross. Who would forgo being a disciple of Jesus by
avoiding a cross? For being a disciple is of far greater value than
anything we can conjure up.. Carry9ng our cross is a small price to pay
for so great a privilege. Bring on my cross!
Bro. Rene
A Higher Law
Luke 6: 1-5
Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath
6 One Sabbath Jesus was going through the
grainfields, and his disciples began to pick some heads of grain, rub them in
their hands and eat the kernels. 2 Some of the Pharisees asked,
“Why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”
3 Jesus answered them, “Have you never read what David
did when he and his companions were hungry? 4 He entered the
house of God, and taking the consecrated bread, he ate what is lawful only for
priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions.” 5 Then
Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”
Jesus was a very practical leader and teacher.as seen in this episode
from Luke. The disciples needed to eat, and although it was the Sabbath
when "harvesting" was forbidden, he allowed his friends to pick grain
and eat. Th Laws of Charity and Common sense took precedence over the
letter of the Law. We often find ourselves in situations when we need to
set aside certain restrictions or laws, in order to serve our neighbor and
perform a charitable act. No need for guilt or compunction. A
Higher Law takes precedence.: Love of Neighbor.
Bro. Rene
The Old Is Better
Luke 5: 33-39
Jesus Questioned About Fasting
33 They said to him, “John’s disciples often fast
and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours go on eating and
drinking.”
34 Jesus answered, “Can you make the friends of the
bridegroom fast while he is with them? 35 But the time will
come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; in those days they will
fast.”
36 He told them this parable: “No one tears a piece out
of a new garment to patch an old one. Otherwise, they will have torn the new
garment, and the patch from the new will not match the old. 37 And
no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst
the skins; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. 38 No,
new wine must be poured into new wineskins. 39 And no one after
drinking old wine wants the new, for they say, ‘The old is better.’”
There's a time for fasting but from what Jesus said while he was with them,
it was not the time to fast. That would come later, and the comparison of new
wine and old wine in their appropriate containers again points to a discerning
eye (or taste) With so much being questioned and discarded in our day, is it
time to taste and see what actually is the best? Orderliness is next to godliness
as St.Paul says,. "1 Paul, a servant of God and an
apostle of Jesus Christ, for the faith of God’s elect and their
knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness" (Tit 1:). Is the "disorder" of
today healthy? It makes us sick. It is time to bring out the old
wine to appreciate what good wine is..
Bro. Rene
Do Not Be Afraid
Luke 5: 1-11
Jesus Calls His First Disciples
5 One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of
Gennesaret,[a]
the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. 2 He
saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were
washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, the one
belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat
down and taught the people from the boat.
4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put
out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”
5 Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night
and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”
6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number
of fish that their nets began to break. 7 So they signaled
their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and
filled both boats so full that they began to sink.
8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and
said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” 9 For he and
all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10 and
so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.
Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for
people.” 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left
everything and followed him.
A powerful and dramatic scene as Jesus tussle's with these fishermen
woo explain their frustration after catching nothing all night. They yield
their boat to Jesus who uses it as a pulpit, ad then lower their nets at his
command but against their judgment. We might hear them saying to
themselves, "What does he know about fishing?" Then when their nets
were stretched to the breaking point with a huge catch they were further
confounded., but also convinced that Jesus was more than he seemed in their
eyes. There was a power there that moved them to leave all and follow him. He
advised them not to be afraid, and would have to do so many more times in the
next three years, but eventually they learned to "do whatever he told them"
Is not this story about us? We labor, often in vain, seeing no results, but
Jesus beckons us to look at him, trust him and follow him without fear, a
pattern that continually repeats itself. May we begin again today even at
square one if necessary, and eventually learn to follow fearlessly.
Bro. Rene
Jesus The Healer
Luke 4: 38-44
Jesus Heals Many
38 Jesus left the synagogue and went to the home of
Simon. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they
asked Jesus to help her. 39 So he bent over her and rebuked the
fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began to wait on them.
40 At sunset, the people brought to Jesus all who had
various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them. 41 Moreover,
demons came out of many people, shouting, “You are the Son of God!” But he
rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew he was the
Messiah.
42 At daybreak, Jesus went out to a solitary place. The
people were looking for him and when they came to where he was, they tried to
keep him from leaving them. 43 But he said, “I must proclaim
the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is
why I was sent.” 44 And he kept on preaching in the synagogues
of Judea.
Jesus is Preacher, Teacher, Savior, but above all, HEALER, especially
as we see hi in Luke's Gospel. .This familiar scene is typical of " a day
i the life of Jesus." His tireless compassion was tangible evidence
of his mission to SAVE us even physically...The healing of bodies was an
outward sign of the spiritual healing that Jesus came to bring us. As followers
of Jesus we admit our need for healing and though our prayers and presence
attempt to bring healing to others. A kind word, even just a "hello"
can work wonders. Listening to the problems that plague people who
simply need an ear and do wonders..May we follow in the footsteps of Jesus he
Healer as we go about our daily tasks. At the end of the day, we'll be
surprised how easy and how effective our healing ministry has been.
Bro Rene
He Spoke With Authority
Luke 4:31-37
Jesus Drives Out an Impure
Spirit
31 Then he went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and
on the Sabbath he taught the people. 32 They were amazed at his
teaching, because his words had authority.
33 In the synagogue there was a man possessed by a demon,
an impure spirit. He cried out at the top of his voice, 34 “Go
away! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us?
I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”
35 “Be quiet!” Jesus said sternly. “Come out of him!”
Then the demon threw the man down before them all and came out without injuring
him.
36 All the people were amazed and said to each other,
“What words these are! With authority and power he gives orders to impure
spirits and they come out!” 37 And the news about him spread
throughout the surrounding area.
Jesus captured the imaginations and the respect of the people because he
spoke and acted with authority. He was "in charge." In today's
relativistic world, it seems that "anything goes", but the reality
is, there are boundaries and limits; everything does not go. We have lost sight
of this and hence the chaos we red about daily. If each one of us took
the time, even as much as it takes to read and reflect briefly on a passage
such as this daily, we would begin to "put on the ind of Christ" and
our families, our communities, our world would be a better place. Let's
begin today.
Bro. Rene
Weakness Vs Strength
Note: There was not slice of Daily Bread Yesterday because I was at a
hotel and cold not access the internet, I will make up for it later
today.
The Death of John the Baptist
Mark 6: 17-29
17 For Herod himself had given orders to have John
arrested, and he had him bound and put in prison. He did this because of
Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, whom he had married. 18 For
John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s
wife.” 19 So Herodias nursed a grudge against John and wanted
to kill him. But she was not able to, 20 because Herod feared
John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. When Herod
heard John, he was greatly puzzled[a];
yet he liked to listen to him.
21 Finally the opportune time came. On his birthday Herod
gave a banquet for his high officials and military commanders and the leading
men of Galilee. 22 When the daughter of[b]
Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests.
The king said to the girl, “Ask me for anything you want, and I’ll give
it to you.” 23 And he promised her with an oath, “Whatever you
ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom.”
24 She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask
for?”
“The head of John the Baptist,” she answered.
25 At once the girl hurried in to the king with the
request: “I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a
platter.”
26 The king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths
and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her. 27 So he
immediately sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s head. The man went,
beheaded John in the prison, 28 and brought back his head on a
platter. He presented it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother. 29 On
hearing of this, John’s disciples came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.
John the Baptist was no afraid of the potential consequences of his
condemnation of Herod's scandalous "marriage" and condemned it
in no uncertain terms. For this he was jailed and beheaded. Herod
"caved" at the request fo John's head, fearing immense embarrassment
if he did not yield to it. We might look down on Herod's cowardice, but if we
look into ourselves we might find a strain or two of Herod there as well. Do we
speak up when someone with a louder voice than ours speaks out against Church
teaching, or speaks uncharitably about someone else? We might find many
examples of the cowering Herod woven into our behavior, but we might
begin today to eliminate them one by one, praying for the courage to speak out
and for the right words to do so effectively.
Bro. Rene
Using Our Gifts
Matthew 25: 14-30
The Parable of the Bags of Gold
14 “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who
called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. 15 To one
he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each
according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The
man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work
and gained five bags more. 17 So also, the one with two bags of
gold gained two more. 18 But the man who had received one bag
went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.
19 “After a long time the master of those servants
returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had
received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you
entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’
21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful
servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of
many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
22 “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he
said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’
23 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful
servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of
many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
24 “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came.
‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have
not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So
I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what
belongs to you.’
26 “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you
knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered
seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit
with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with
interest.
28 “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the
one who has ten bags. 29 For whoever has will be given more,
and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have
will be taken from them. 30 And throw that worthless servant
outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
We are accustomed to hearing the word "talent" in this
parable, but the New International Version uses "bags of gold" Both
indicate a large sum. We think of it not in terms of money but of the gifts and
talents God has given us. To some, he has given a large share, to others,
not so much. The point is, how we use what God has given us. To shy away
and bury our talents ends up badly and certainly is not the recommended path to
follow. No, to use what we have, even if it's just a small thing like
telling stories or jokes to brighten the days for children or the elderly, or
leaving a generous tip at the restaurant, or raking leaves or shoveling snow
for an elderly neighbor...Small things done well and with joy will bring
joy to others and cost us little. Let's JUST DO IT!
Bro. Rene
Watchful Waiting
Matthew 25: 1-13
The Parable of the Ten Virgins
25 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten
virgins who took their lampsand went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five
of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 For when the
foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4 but the
wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5 As the bridegroom
was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. 6 But at
midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 Then
all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the
foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going
out.’ 9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be
enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ 10 And
while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready
went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. 11 Afterward
the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12 But
he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13 Watch
therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.
Our lives, rightly or wrongly, tend to be impatient, to want
things now, to finish tasks as quickly a we can, not that we can then rest, but
so that we can "get on" to the next task We are wheels spinning
furiously, for what? The wise virgins were practical: they made sure they had
enough oil in their lamps, and they had the patience to wait, for they
"knew not the day nor the hour". God has a plan for each of us, a
thought that boggles the mind when we think of the billions of people who
inhabit planet earth; We do not know from minute to minute what's going to come
next, so to be prepared is a wise and practical thing.. We keep oil in our lamps
by the hours we we spend in prayer and in service to others. An open and
listening heart to the needs of others; patience in dealing with the outlandish
demands of the "controllers" who intersect with out lives and who can
drive us crazy if we let them, these too keep the lamps buring and ready for
the arrival of the bridegrrom. May we lear to live our lives in
expectation of his arrival rather than in foolish laziness or self-indugence.
Bro. Rene
Staying The Course
Matthew
24:42-51
The
Good and Faithful Servant
42 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your
Lord will come. 43 But understand this: If the owner of the
house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept
watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 So
you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do
not expect him.
45 “Who then is the faithful and wise
servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to
give them their food at the proper time? 46 It will be good for
that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. 47 Truly
I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 48 But
suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away
a long time,’ 49 and he then begins to beat his fellow servants
and to eat and drink with drunkards. 50 The master of that
servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not
aware of. 51 He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place
with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Life's
ups and downs, big and small challenges, daily tests of our resolve
and fidelity can wear us out or make us stronger. Fidelity is the
KEY...staying the course God has drawn for us. What we face today may not be
there tomorrow, but God will always be looking for the faithful heart;.
"in due time", in God's time, his plan becomes obvious and emerges as
the best plan, better than any we cold have devised. Let us pray for fidelity
and patience, and not let our will get in the way of God's will.
Bro.
Rene
Lord God, your ways are mysterious and we are easily distracted
and lulled to sleep. Help us to be alert, and to be not presumptuous of your
mercy. Enlighten us that we may recognize the danger of drifting through our
days and being overtaken by our own negligence. Wake us and enable us by your
grace. Amen.
Rev. Nicholas Ayo, C.S.C.
Come And See
John 1: 45-51
Jesus Calls Nathanael
45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found
the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also
wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”
46 “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?”
Nathanael asked.
“Come and see,” said Philip.
47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here
truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.”
48 “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked.
Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before
Philip called you.”
49 Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of
God; you are the king of Israel.”
50 Jesus said, “You believe because I told you I saw you
under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” 51 He
then added, “Very truly I tell you,you will see ‘heaven open, and
the angels of God ascending and descending on’ the Son of Man.”
Despite our years as believers, we find ourselves often doubting as
Nathanael did We want "proof" It's human to question and
slip into"what if's". Jesus assures Nathanael (also called
Bartholomew) that he is, in Nathaniel's own words, " the Son of God, the
King of Israel": Every now and then we need an assurance such as this, a
"sign" that what we think God is asking of us really comes from him,
or that our doubts are baseless.May our prayer today deepen our faith and trust
that Jesus is truly the Messiah and Son of God who knows us and calls us daily
to a deeper faith, to "Come and See"!
Bro. Rene
Practice What We Preach
Matthew 23: 23-26
A Warning Against Hypocrisy
23 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: 2 “The
teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 3 So
you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do,
for they do not practice what they preach. 4 They tie up heavy,
cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves
are not willing to lift a finger to move them.
Today's message is a simple invitation to be sincere, authentic, to practice
what we preach. Yet it is easy to slip into the mode of "Practice
what I preach not what I do." No, our actions must reinforce what I say.if
we are to be true teachers who have a lasting effect on their hearers. We need
help from one another to be faithful to what we preach, friends, and a community
of people who will point out when we are just full of talk and where we need to
get back on track to comply with our own teaching. Thank God there are
such people. Let us be humble enough to listen to them.
Bro.. Rene
Lord God, your Son walked among us flawed human beings. He loved the poor,
the sick, and the widowed. He delighted in little children. He sat at table
with men and women who were sinners and called them to new life. Only hypocrisy
raised anger in Jesus. Open our eyes and hearts to see ourselves as we are and
to cast ourselves upon your mercy rather than to cover our shame with lying to
ourselves and to those around us. Amen.
Rev. Nicholas Ayo, C.S.C.
Avoid Hypocrisy
Seven Woes on the Teachers of the Law and
the Pharisees
13 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you
hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You
yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to. [14]
15 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you
hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when you
have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of hell as you are.
16 “Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears
by the temple, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gold of the
temple is bound by that oath.’ 17 You blind fools! Which is
greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred? 18 You
also say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but anyone who
swears by the gift on the altar is bound by that oath.’ 19 You
blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred?
20 Therefore, anyone who swears by the altar swears by it and
by everything on it. 21 And anyone who swears by the temple
swears by it and by the one who dwells in it. 22 And anyone who
swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and by the one who sits on it.
Today we celebrate the Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary
but we are presented with this Gospel passage that seems to have nothing to do
with Mary, other than to say she lived a life opposite of what Jesus was
attacking in the hypocrisy of the Pharisees. Truly this scathing description
reveals the ire Jesus had when he saw religious leaders living the opposite way
they should. Mary, on the other hand, lived a sincere, authentic life of
obedience to God's will and of service to his Son. We might examine our lives
to see if we have adopted any of the behaviors of the Pharisees and work on
replacing them with those of Mary .
Bro. Rene
Make Every Effort
Luke 13: 22-30
The Narrow Door
22 Then Jesus went through the towns and villages,
teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. 23 Someone asked him,
“Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?”
He said to them, 24 “Make every effort to enter through
the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be
able to. 25 Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the
door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for
us.’
“But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’
26 “Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and
you taught in our streets.’
27 “But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you
come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!’
28 “There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth,
when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of
God, but you yourselves thrown out. 29 People will come from
east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in
the kingdom of God. 30 Indeed there are those who are last who
will be first, and first who will be last.”
Jesus reminds us that entering the Kingdom of Heaven is not easy, for we
have to go through the narrow gate of prayer, self-denial and service to one
another, evidently practices not appealing to the "general public."
The reward is great, so it makes sense that the price to pay should demand some
effort on our part. We might begin with a faithful commitment to 15 minutes of
just sitting with the Lord.: We might find ourselves at first looking at
our watches frequently and wondering why time is moving so slowly, but after
time, we will wonder how the time passed too fast. and find ourselves taking
even more tie, for it has been so rewarding to be calmly and peacefully with
God. Turning to self-denial, we will be delighted to see how much time we gain,
for example, if we stop reading every "enticing" article that
pops up on Yahoo Mail.. And, finally, we will find that serving others first
not only nakes them feel important but helps rid ourselves of any
residual self-centeredness that lingers in our thinking and acting. The
key is to JUST DO IT...
Bro. Rene
The Humble WillBe
Exalted
Mathew 23: 1-12
A Warning Against Hypocrisy
23 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his
disciples: 2 “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in
Moses’ seat. 3 So you must be careful to do everything they
tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they
preach. 4 They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on
other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger
to move them.
5 “Everything they do is done for people to see: They
make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; 6 they
love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the
synagogues; 7 they love to be greeted with respect in the
marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others.
8 “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one
Teacher, and you are all brothers. 9 And do not call anyone on
earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. 10 Nor
are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah. 11 The
greatest among you will be your servant. 12 For those who exalt
themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.
No one likes a braggart but the humble, unassuming person acts like a
magnet, without having to say a word. Just a calm, confident presence
speaks volumes and authentically radiates goodness, effectively
influences and attracts others. Just look at the "power" Jesus
had over his listeners. He was a magnet, not only for his cures and
teachings, BUT FOR HIS OVERALL PRESENCE. We can do the same if we
remember and put this simple teaching into practice. For those who exalt
themselves will be humbled and those we who humble themselves will be exalted.
Let's JUST DO IT!
Bro. Rene
New Life In The Spirit
Ezekiel 37: 1-14
The Valley of Dry Bones
37 The hand of the Lord
was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of
bones. 2 He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great
many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. 3 He
asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”
I said, “Sovereign Lord, you
alone know.”
4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to
them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord!
5 This is what the Sovereign Lord
says to these bones: I will make breathenter you, and you will come
to life. 6 I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come
upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come
to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”
7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was
prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together,
bone to bone. 8 I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on
them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.
9 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy,
son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe
into these slain, that they may live.’” 10 So I prophesied as
he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on
their feet—a vast army.
11 Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the
people of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we
are cut off.’ 12 Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is
what the Sovereign Lord says: My
people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring
you back to the land of Israel. 13 Then you, my people, will
know that I am the Lord, when I
open your graves and bring you up from them. 14 I will put my
Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then
you will know that I the Lord have
spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.’”
Today we will deviate from our accustomed practice of commenting on the
Gospel for today and let the First Reading, or Epistle speak to us. Dry
Bones. New Life. How does this change take place? When we
allow the Spirit, ever so willing to come an breathe life into our dried up
skeleton. So often we are nothing more than that, a mere conformity of
theological beliefs and pious practices but no verve, no
excitement, no life to our faith. We are a pile of dead bones
simply going through the motions. May we take a good look at how we are
living out our faith, and if we fall into the "''dry-bone category",
let us ask the Spirit to come upon us and breathe life into our bony
existence.We will see a difference and not be disappointed, but ALIVE AT LAST!
Bro. Rene
Many Invited, Few Chosen
Matthew: 22: 1-14
The Parable of the Wedding Banquet
22 Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: 2 “The
kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. 3 He
sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to
come, but they refused to come.
4 “Then he sent some more servants and said, ‘Tell those who
have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle
have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’
5 “But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field,
another to his business. 6 The rest seized his servants,
mistreated them and killed them. 7 The king was enraged. He
sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.
8 “Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is
ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. 9 So go to
the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ 10 So
the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could
find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.
11 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed
a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12 He asked,
‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?’ The man was
speechless.
13 “Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and
foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and
gnashing of teeth.’
14 “For many are invited, but few are chosen.”
This is a scary parable showing how a good man's intentions can be thwarted by
evildoers, and how, at the same time, conformity to protocol is
important. Let's say we are among the invited who actually end up at the
wedding feast,but for some reason refuse to dress for the occasion. Why
would we refuse to adhere to this simple custom? Laziness? Defiance? How
does this parable translate into my life? Do I accept the graciousness of
the host to sit at table with the guests, yet cling to my own ways?
"My Way"! Do I only half-heatedly follow the commandments or the
guidelines of the Church? We put ourselves at risk when so doing. May we
learn from this parable to "step in time" with the simple things God
asks of us!
Bro. Rene
The Last Will Be First
With God, All Is Possible
23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is
hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again
I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for
someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished
and asked, “Who then can be saved?”
26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible,
but with God all things are possible.”
27 Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow you!
What then will there be for us?”
28 Jesus
said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of
Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on
twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And
everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife
or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will
inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last,
and many who are last will be first.
As much as God loves all of
us, he cannot force us into the Kingdom. There are hard choices that WE
must make. "We can't have our cake and eat it", as the
old saying goes. We have to leave the comfortable, the familiar, the
family,even, to follow Jesus more completely as the center of our lives.
No half measures; the material world of things and pleasures is not compatible
with the Kingdom of God, whee self-sacrifice and service to others are
paramount. This might seem an impossible goal but all things are possible with
God and indeed, what seems contradictory is where the truth lies; tHE
LAST SHALL BE FIRST!
Bro. Rene. .
Is not the Lord free to give those who serve Him whatever He wishes? The
Lord gives as He pleases. Ours is but to thank Him for His gifts to each of us.
Lord, you warn us against envy of other people’s gifts. We know you are
concerned for each of us. Help our faith that we might trust in your mercy.
Amen.
Rev. William Simmons, C.S.C.
Who Can Be Saved?
Matthew 19:23-30
The Last Shall Be First
3 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly
I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again
I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for
someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly
astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”
26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is
impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
27 Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow
you! What then will there be for us?”
28 Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal
of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have
followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of
Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or
sisters or father or mother or wife[a]
or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will
inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last,
and many who are last will be first.
It is not easy to enter the Kingdom of heaven, but it is not
impossible either, for God gives us the grace, the means, to arrive there. If
we rely on our own strength and devices, we will not make. "It's too
hard", as we often say or hear, but when we focus on Jesus, do all for
him, it becomes a joy, something that brings peace and happiness, and makes us
want to do whatever he asks or commands. The key is to keep our eyes on
Jesus, THE WAY THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE and find ourselves moving from the last
to the first place.
Bro. Rene
Great Things
Luke 1: 39-56
Mary Visits Elizabeth
39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in
the hill country of Judea, 40 where she entered Zechariah’s
home and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s
greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy
Spirit. 42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you
among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43 But why
am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 As
soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped
for joy. 45 Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would
fulfill his promises to her!”
Mary’s Song
46 And Mary said:
“My soul glorifies the Lord 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my
Savior, 48 for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed, 49 for the Mighty One has done great
things for me—
holy is his name. 50 His mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation. 51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost
thoughts. 52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble. 53 He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty. 54 He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful 55 to Abraham and his descendants forever,
just as he promised our ancestors.”
56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about
three months and then returned home.
The Assumption of Mary is a special day for Marists and
for all Followers of Jesus, for it previews our final destination: to be united
body and soul again and to live forever in Eternity with our loving God.
Our minds are too small, to limited, to fully understand this, but we can look
to Mary as the exemplar of what is to come.As Little Brothers of Mary and Lay
Marists, we try as best we can to model our lives after hers: to be open
to God's daily invitations and grace, to point the way to Jesus to others, and
to do whatever he tells us. We do not have to be great theologians, but simple
and obedient 'servants of the Lord.
Many of us Marist Brothers took our religious habits on this
day and became members of the Marist Brothers of the Schools; for me, this is
the 62nd anniversary of that great day. With Mary, I have been singing
and living her Magnificat all these years and hope to continue to do so as long
as God lets me. Great things have comes to pass in my life and in the lives of
all who follow Mary's "little way". May she help us to continue
to be totally at God's disposal as she was. :
Bro. Rene
The Assumption of Mary means that the Blessed Mother was
"translated," in the totality of her being, from this dimensional
system to the higher one for which we use the term "heaven." Mary,
who exists now in this other world, is not so much somewhere else as somehow else,
and this helps to explain why we can speak of her, especially in her heavenly
state, interceding, helping us, and praying for us.
Bishop
Robert Barron
Jesus Fire
Luke 12: 49-53
Jesus the Cause of Division
49 “I have come to cast fire upon the earth, and how I
wish it were already ablaze! 50 I have a baptism with which to
be baptized, and what constraint I am under until it is completed! 51 Do
you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but
rather division! 52 From now on five in one household will be
divided, three against two and two against three; 53 they will
be divided:
father against son
and son against father,
mother against daughter
and daughter against mother,
mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law
and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.
Jesus meant business and he means for us to take this same approach to our
call to be his disciples. We must be men and women on fire,
"Fire-casters" setting the world on fire, a fire that destroys
falsehood and hypocrisy, hatred and despair, a fire that divides, but also a
fire that warms with love, a zealous, unrelenting fire that incites fire and
enthusiasm, peace and joy in others, a fire that is never extinguished. Would
that I might be a flame in that fire TODAY!
Bro. Rene.
Father all-powerful, you sent the Holy Spirit into the world to set our
hearts on fire. May the grace we receive through your Spirit help us to heal
the divisions that separate us from our brothers and sisters. Help us to be
zealous advocates of your undying love for humanity, so that all people will
work to make you known, loved, and served. We make this prayer through Christ,
our Lord. Amen.
Members of the Holy Cross Novitiate
The Kingdom Belongs to Such As These
Matthew 19: 13-15
The
Little Children and Jesus
13 Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to
place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them.
14 Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not
hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” 15 When
he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.
Jesus took the time to welcome the
little children whose parents brought them to him. while his disciples were
impatient and evidently tried to shoo them away. But Jesus took the occasion to
remind them (and us) that the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to the innocent,
the childlike, those whose lives have not been hardened with worry or fear, but
are rather full of trust, joy and innocence. Does the little child still
live in me or have I buried him?
Bro Rene
Lord God, you came to us as a new born child. As a child you
were dependent on Mary and Joseph to care for you, feed you and protect you.
Help us understand our dependence on you Our God, father and mother to us, to
care for us, protect us and sustain us. We come to you this day as your
children asking you to be with us throughout this day, no matter what happens.
We pray this in Your Name. Amen.
Rev. Thomas O’Hara, C.S.C.
Marriage Is Forever
Matthew 19: 3-12
3 Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, “Is it
lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?”
4 “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the
Creator ‘made them male and female,’ 5 and said, ‘For this
reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and
the two will become one flesh]? 6 So they are no
longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one
separate.”
7 “Why then,” they asked, “did Moses command that a man give
his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?”
8 Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives
because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. 9 I
tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and
marries another woman commits adultery.”
10 The disciples said to him, “If this is the situation between
a husband and wife, it is better not to marry.”
11 Jesus replied, “Not everyone can accept this word, but only
those to whom it has been given. 12 For there are eunuchs who
were born that way, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by
others—and there are those who choose to live like eunuchs for the sake of the
kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it.”
No divorce, says Jesus, except for
infidelity. A hard rule, but a fence built to protect a very sacred
institution. It is the ideal, meant to preserve a key factor in the fabric of
society: the family. The fabric is in shambles today, as couples do not
even bother with formal marriage and divorce has lost its stigma. Is it too
late to seek to help couples know each other well and understand the
seriousness of their commitment before pronouncing their wedding vows? Many
times people learn from their mistakes and often a second marriage is the real
thing. Why does the learning have to be trhough divorce? Why can't
adequte preparation help a couple make a mature decision the first time
It might be that the "love" they thought they had was not love, and
hence they decide not to marry. Hearts might be broken but not as painfully as
going through a divorce. Let us encourage couples to know each other
through and through and to prepare as best they can before ting the permanent
knot.
Bro. Rene
Lord, you teach us to hold the covenant of marriage in the
highest dignity. Bless all husbands and wives in their promises of love and
fidelity to one another. Help all couples experiencing difficulties. Assist all
members of your Church to support and encourage one another in our vocations.
Amen.
Rev. Louis DelFra, C.S.C.
Mercy Should Beget Mercy
Matthew 18: 21-19: 1
The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant
21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many
times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven
times?”
22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but
seventy-seven times.
23 “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who
wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 As he began the
settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. 25 Since
he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his
children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.
26 “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be
patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ 27 The
servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.
28 “But when that servant went out, he found one of his
fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began
to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.
29 “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him,
‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’
30 “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man
thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31 When the
other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told
their master everything that had happened.
32 “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked
servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to.
33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as
I had on you?’ 34 In anger his master handed him over to the
jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
35 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you
unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”
19 When Jesus had finished saying these things, he
left Galilee and went into the region of Judea to the other side of the Jordan.
It's rather shocking to see how the servant whose debt
had just been forgiven so ruthlessly treated the man who owed him money.
Rightly did the Master call him back and hand him over to the jailers until he
paid back what he owed. Mercy should beget mercy, but evidently this
servant missed the point.In our own dealings with one another, are we as
generous and forgiving as the Master, or as uncompromising and brutal as the
servant? Perhaps our actions are not so obvious, but perhaps even in subtle
ways, we take out our anger or frustrations on others. Time to examine
our thinking and behavior and get on the path of mercy if we have strayed from
it.
Bro. Rene
Life-Giving Paradoxes
John 12: 24-26
24 Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls
to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it
produces many seeds. 25 Anyone who loves their life will lose
it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal
life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my
servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.
Our lives are peppered with paradoxes. What seems to be disaster turns
out to be for the best; as Jesus points out. If we want to serve Jesus totally,
we must die to self, to ambition,to our own importance, and rise again molded
and conformed to what God has in mind for us. It's not easy to yield our wills,
desires and plans, but thankfully, we receive signs along the way, that it is
best to allow God to fashion us into the person HE wants us to be.
So be it!
Bro. Rene
Become Childlke
Matthew 18: 1-5, 10, 12-14
Who Is the Greatest?
18 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying,
“Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 And calling
to him a child, he put him in the midst of them 3 and said, “Truly,
I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter
the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whoever humbles himself like this
child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
5 “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me
10 See that you do not despise one
of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven look
upon the face of my heavenly Father.
12 “What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and
one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go
to look for the one that wandered off? 13 And if he finds it,
truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine
that did not wander off. 14 In the same way your Father in heaven
is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.
Who would have expected the answer to the question, "Who is the
greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" to be a little child? Yet as we
think about it, the innocence, the spontaneity, the trust, the humility and
goodness of a child are such a treat to adults, why wouldn't these qualities be
the ones we should strive for? Even just one of them would calm our spirits and
help bring peace to others and make God's kingdom of love more tangible. We might
look at our behavior today and see if it reflects that of a bear or of a child
and make adjustments accordingly.
Bro.Rene..
All For Jesus
Matthew 17: 22-27
Jesus Predicts His Death a Second Time
22 When they came together in Galilee, he said to them, “The
Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. 23 They
will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised to life.” And the
disciples were filled with grief.
The Temple Tax
24 After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum,
the collectors of the two-drachma temple tax came to Peter and asked, “Doesn’t
your teacher pay the temple tax?”
25 “Yes, he does,” he replied.
When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. “What do
you think, Simon?” he asked. “From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty
and taxes—from their own children or from others?”
26 “From others,” Peter answered.
“Then the children are exempt,” Jesus said to him. 27 “But
so that we may not cause offense, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take
the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin.
Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.”
We are presented with the second prediction of the death and resurrection of
Jesus, which did not register at that time with the disciples...they only
realized what he was saying after the actual event. Further into the fog
is the question of paying the temple tax. Jesus was the new temple, yet he
complied with the letter of the law. Sometimes we are asked to do things
we don't quite understand at the moment, but looking back, see that it made
sense to do them. The important view in all of this is to keep focused on
Jesus, then we will never be confused. He is the Way, the Truth and the
Life. Let us listen to him, follow him with all our hearts, and all will
make sense.
Bro. Rene
The Truth Will Make US Free
Luke 12: 32-48
32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has
been pleased to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions
and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a
treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth
destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will
be also.
Watchfulness
35 “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps
burning, 36 like servants waiting for their master to return
from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately
open the door for him. 37 It will be good for those servants
whose master finds them watching when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will dress
himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on
them. 38 It will be good for those servants whose master finds
them ready, even if he comes in the middle of the night or toward daybreak. 39 But
understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was
coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. 40 You
also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not
expect him.”
41 Peter asked, “Lord, are you telling this parable to
us, or to everyone?”
42 The Lord answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise
manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food
allowance at the proper time? 43 It will be good for that
servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. 44 Truly
I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 45 But
suppose the servant says to himself, ‘My master is taking a long time in
coming,’ and he then begins to beat the other servants, both men and women, and
to eat and drink and get drunk. 46 The master of that servant
will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware
of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.
47 “The servant who knows the master’s will and does not
get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows. 48 But
the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten
with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded;
and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.
Our world is full of temptation and exciting allurement for things
that do not satisfy. The internet is a gateway to the perverse and false
and makes them accessible at the touch of a fingertip. Lies fill the media and
dupe the unsuspecting who trust that what they see or hear must be true.
Not so, as is becoming more evident thanks to recent disclosures leading to
deeper investigations. The most trustworthy source of truth is the Bible, THE
WORD OF GOD. Meditating on this passage and putting it into practice in our
thinking and behavig will bring us peace and life, for it is the TRUTH.
Why look elsewhere? This is the Lord's Day, let us give him the first
place in it and learn from him. We will not be disappointed.
Bro. Rene
Listen To Him
Luke 9: 28b-36
The Transfiguration
28 About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter,
John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. 29 As
he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as
bright as a flash of lightning. 30 Two men, Moses and Elijah,
appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. 31 They
spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at
Jerusalem. 32 Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but
when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with
him. 33 As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him,
“Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for
you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (He did not know what he was saying.)
Take a moment to focus on the details of this spectacular event:
clothes as bright as lightening, Moses and Elijah in glorious splendor, Peter,
so dazzled he didn't know what he was saying, a cloud covering them, a voice
speaking to them. Surely a spectacular glimpse into another world.
It was a moment to witness the glory of Jesus, a moment to prepare them
for the.not so glorious events in the life of Jesus, and for the challenges
they (and we) would face in the future. Let us go to the mountain today, not to
be fearful, but fortified and strengthened in our faith and mission to make
Jesus known and loved.
Bro. Rene
A Paradox
Matthew 16: 24-28
What Good To Gain the Whole World?
24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be
my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25 For
whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for
me will find it. 26 What good will it be for someone to gain
the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange
for their soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come in his
Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according
to what they have done.
28 “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not
taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.
A true disciple is willing to give up everything, even life itself, in order
to follow Jesus. Most of us shun suffering and pain,--the cross-- or
would rather remain silent and hidden when popular opinion is contrary to the
teachings of Jesus. Why so shy? "What good will it be to gain the whole
world and forfeit our soul?" No, in order to save our life, we must
surrender it, lose it,. In order to gain the strength to do this, we need
to deepen our love for Jesus by spending more time with him in prayer and
meditation, and simply by asking him for the grace to live the paradox of
losing life in order to gain it.
