A Hard Prediction

 

Luke 9: 43b-45 

⁴³ And they were all amazed at the greatness of God.

Jesus Predicts His Death a Second Time

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.

Jesus was trying to prepare his disciples for the coming brutal events, but they did not understand what he was saying, and were afraid to ask for clarification. The old saying goes, "The truth hurts", usually when it applies to us, but in this case, it applied to his upcoming capture, interrogation, condemnation, scourging and crucifixion. Evidently it went right over the heads of the disciples. How many times to we miss the point, or refuse to probe a hard saying or Scriptures passage that might require something MORE from us?  We like to play dumb, or simply turn our backs to what is being asked of us. Jesus did not turn his back, so may we find courage through his example and respond willingly to what we hear him asking of us. 

Bro. Rene

Dear  Jesus, open my ears and heart to hear and respond to what you ask of me, no matter how hard it might be. Amen.

There Are Angels

 

 John 1: 47-51

 The Angels of God

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.”

Today we celebrate the Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, three of the many Archangels whose names we know. Michael is the leader of the heavenly armies in the war against evil, having led the battle against the rebellious angels, driving them to hell, where as evil spirits or devils, they continue to war against God by tempting us to turn away from him. Gabriel we know from his appearance to Mary bringing the invitation to be the mother of the Son of God, Jesus.  Raphael played a key role in the lives of Tobit and his son, Tobias. As our world and culture move further and further away from God and what he has revealed in the Scriptures, angels have remained popular, and it's not unusual to see statues and pictures of angels in homes or as women's jewelry. May we take time to thank God for these angelic intermediaries and ask them to guide us though the muddle and muck strewn on our path by the fallen angels to know and carry out God's will for us.

Bro. Rene

Dear God, we take time today to honor these great Archangels, addressing them as saints. May they help us remain faithful to our own calling to sanctity. Amen. 

 

Our Mission

 

Luke 9: 1-6 

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve

9 When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, ² and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. ³ He told them: “Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt. ⁴ Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. ⁵ If people do not welcome you, leave their town and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” ⁶ So they set out and went from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing people everywhere.

What a wonderful mission, so clear and to the point: drive out demons, cue diseases, proclaim the kingdom of God and heal the sick. Today we celebrate the Memorial of St. Vincent de Paul, who took this passage literally and put it into practice. The Vincentian Fathers and the Daughters of St. Paul continue this work today, and serve as an inspiration for us to live it out as best we can. How can I put this mission into practice in my own circumstances?

Bro. Rene

Dear God, you sent out the Twelve with a clear mission. Show me how I can carry it out here and now. Amen.

Hear and Do

 Note: I missed sending slices of Daily Bread Sunday and Monday because I was under observation at Holy Family Hospital. Nothing significant was found, thank God.

 

  Luke 8: 19-21

 Jesus’ Mother and Brothers

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.”

Intimacy with Jesus is summed up in verse 21: Hear the Word of God, Be attentive to it, and  DO IT. JUST DO IT. No need to philosophize over it or explain it, again I say with Jesus. JUST DO IT!  Put it into practice!  

Bro. Rene

Dear God, let these not be empty words, but let them be visible in my actions. Let me live them! Amen.

Good Soil

 

 Luke 8: 4-15 

The Parable of the Sower

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.

Jesus clearly explains this parable; the question for us is are we "those who hear the word, retain it, and by  persevering produce a good crop"? We walk daily on rocky ground and with those who have lost their interest in and fervor for the Word of God. Secularism surrounds us on all sides, and we find ourselves devoting enormous amounts of time to the frivolous and less and less to "the things that matter."  Look a Sunday church attendance...all denominations are experiencing a large drop in numbers. What will the Lord of the Harvest do with these "dropouts"? May we catch ourselves before we drop too far.

Bro, Rene

Dear God,we need your help to remain good seed; renew our fervor to remain faithful to the things that really matter. Amen.

 

All Serve

 

 Luke 8: 1-3 

 Women Disciples

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.

Today we we a glimpse  of the practical side of the ministry of Jesus and the Apostles: the women who saw to their food and perhaps even their laundry! These women had been graced in some way, healings from physical or spiritual deficiencies, and showed their gratitude by willingly taking care of these necessities. Their presence and service inspire us to offer whatever we can to our local community to keep it effective and faithful to carrying out its mission. What can I do to help?

Bro. Rene

Dear God, show me what needs to be done and give me the grace to just do it! Amen

Mercy, Not Sacrfice

 

  Matthew 9: 9-13

The Calling of Matthew

⁹ As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.

¹⁰ While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. ¹¹ When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

¹² On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. ¹³ But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

In the captivating TV series, THE CHOSEN, we see a young Levi, Matthew, carrying out his onerous duties as a tax collector but struggling within, for something is telling him that there's more to life than what he's doing. He hears of Jesus, sees his miracles and when invited with "Follow Me", he leaves his tax collector's table and follows Jesus with total loyalty, assiduously writing down what Jesus says and does. Thus we have his vivid Gospel through which we learn so much about Jesus. What a debt we owe to Matthew for his word-picture of the Jesus who desires mercy, not sacrifice, for Matthew himself received that mercy and became someone he never dreamed of, and someone to whom we are ever indebted for his Gospel   

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus, thank you for calling Matthew whose Gospel gives us a telling word-picture of who you are and what you taught. Amen.

 

The Children of God Have It

 

Luke 7:31-35

 Children In The Marketplace

³¹ Jesus went on to say, “To what, then, can I compare the people of this generation? What are they like? ³² They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to each other:

“‘We played the pipe for you,
    and you did not dance;
we sang a dirge,
    and you did not cry.’

³³ For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ ³⁴ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ ³⁵ But wisdom is proved right by all her children.”

There's a note of frustration in this passage.  The people do not dance to the music nor cry at the singing of the dirge. John the Baptist we regarded by some as a devil and Jesus himself was accused of being a glutton and a drunkard and friend of tax collectors and sinners. The reaction of the people was the opposite of what was intended. Where do I stand in regard to the teachings of Jesus? Do I delight in them or do I see them in a dark light? Do I accept them with the innocence and trust of children?

Bro. Rene

Dear God, help me to keep my faith and trust at the level of a trusting child. Amen.

The Heart of Jesus

 

 Luke 7: 11-17 

Jesus Raises a Widow’s Son

¹¹ Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. ¹² As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out—the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. ¹³ When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, “Don’t cry.”

¹⁴ Then he went up and touched the bier they were carrying him on, and the bearers stood still. He said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!” ¹⁵ The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.

¹⁶ They were all filled with awe and praised God. “A great prophet has appeared among us,” they said. “God has come to help his people.” ¹⁷ This news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding country.

"When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her." (Lk 7: 13) The compassion of Jesus is strikingly evident in the raising of the widow's son. Her tears touched his heart and he raised the young man back to life. Does he not today see our tears or feel the ache in our hearts? Is he not aware of our own aches and pains, our sorrows, our disappointments? While he may not remove them as dramatically as in this instance, he does give us the grace to bear with them and grow from them. He knows what we are experiencing and gives us the grace to bear with them and learn from them. May we never doubt his loving care and presence.

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus, your heart is full of mercy and compassion. May we learn to trust in it. Amen.

 

Faith Does It

 

Luke 7:1-10

 Jesus Heals a Centurion's Servant

7 After he had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum. ² Now a centurion had a servant who was sick and at the point of death, who was highly valued by him. ³ When the centurion 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.

We get bogged down with daily tasks:  e-mails to send and answer, phone calls to be made, people to see, errands to do, the list goes on and on, and when we reach our limit, maybe then we turn to Jesus.  In the above passage, a Roman Centurion, not of the Jewish faith, but evidently a man of faith in Jesus, having witnessed his power to heal, had enough faith to come and beg for the healing of his servant.  No wonder Jesus was astounded and granted his request. We are called to such faith; we need to pray for it and act with confidence that Jesus will give it to us.

Bro. Rene 

Dear Jesus, help me to be as faith-filled as this centurion. I want to believe, help me overcome my unbelief. Amen.

Forgiveness Is Essential

 

 Matthew 18:21-35

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.”

The teaching contained in this parable is clear and essential: we must forgive one another! Not always easy to do as our own pride and self-centeredness blur our judgement and vision. We forget how many times we have been forgiven and take on the role of a powerful ogre who wants to lord it over others. Not so in the way of the Lord...We must remember that we too are debtors and have been forgiven over and over again, and for this reason must forgive others.

Bro. Rene

Dear God,  teach me humility and give me the grace to forgive others as i have been forgiven. Amen.

The Heart of the Matter

 

 

Luke 6: 43-49

A Tree and Its Fruit

⁴³ “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. ⁴⁴ Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. ⁴⁵ A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.

The Wise and Foolish Builders

⁴⁶ “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? ⁴⁷ As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. ⁴⁸ They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. ⁴⁹ But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”

It is clear from the above that words are not enough; we must show our faith in actions. The fruit of our faith must be evident in our relationships, our outreach to the materially and spiritually poor, and needy, and our willingness to "do whatever he tells us", to echo the words of Mary at Cana. My we concentrate on bringing good things from our hearts and let them be evident in good deeds.That is the heart of the matter.

Bro. Rene

Dear God, help me to put my faith into action. Amen.

A Destiny of Suffering

 

Luke 2: 33-35 

 The Prophecy of Simeon

³³ The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. ³⁴ Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, ³⁵ so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”

As Simeon foretold a sword of pain, actually 7 swords,  pierced the heart of Mary whom we honor as our Lady of Sorrows today:

1. The prophecy of Simeon (Luke 2:25-35)
2. The flight into Egypt (Matthew 2:13-15)
3. Loss of the Child Jesus for three days (Luke 2:41-50) 
4. Mary meets Jesus on his way to Calvary (Luke 23:27-31; John 19:17)
5. Crucifixion and Death of Jesus (John 19:25-30)
6. The body of Jesus being taken from the Cross (Psalm 130; Luke 23:50-54; John 19:31-37)
7. The burial of Jesus (Isaiah 53:8; Luke 23:50-56; John 19:38-42; Mark 15:40-47    
8. 
   
9. May  our reflections on Mary's sufferings help us bear ours and may we help others bear theirs.

 Br. Rene

Dear Mother Mary, as we contemplate your Sorrows, help us bear ours and bring comfort to others who suffer.  Amen.

The Power of the Cross

 

 John 3: 13-17 

No Greater Love

¹³ No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.¹⁴ Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, ¹⁵ that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”

¹⁶ For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷ For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

As we celebrate the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross we transform the ignominy of the crucifixion of Jesus on a cross, the most degrading form of execution in Roman Times, to a major celebration of triumph and glory. The instrument of death becomes the throne of the Victor over sin. Death is conquered and eternal life is gained and made accessible to us. We honor our homes, classrooms and certainly our churches with crucifixes and we begin and end our prayers with this sign of love and victory. Let us look upon the cross as the glorious sign of our redemption and of Jesus's immense love for us.

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus, as we celebrate the Exaltation of the Holy Cross may we rejoice in and express our gratitude for your death on the cross, and for the privilege to carry our own crosses each day. Amen.  

The Tide Will Turn

 

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.

We get a glimpse of the "Jesus World" from Luke's short version of the Beatitudes: what seems to be negative becomes positive, a curse becomes a blessing. We lose sight of this when we are hungry or weeping, when things are not going our way. Jumping our of our "pity pot" and looking for the blessing God wants to give us, or the lesson he wants to teach us, helps give perspective to what we are going through. Yes, blessed are we hungry and poor, for God will satisfy us in a way no earthly person or situation can.

Bro. Rene  

Dear God help me to find the blessing  behind what seems to be a curse. Amen.

 

Called to Serve and Heal

 

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 and Woes

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.

After a night of prayer, Jesus called twelve men  to be his close disciples, his apostles. and then proceeded to heal all who came to him. Power came from him and he healed everyone. Am I in the prayers of Jesus? Sm I called to serve and heal as one of his disciples? Those first called have long ago gone to their reward, so who will continue their work today, if not I and companions who share this journey with me? We celebrate the Holy Name of Mary today, a teenage girl who accepted the call to be the Mother of God. God chooses the "unlikely" to do great things.  What is he asking of me? 

Bro. Rene

Dear God, open my ears to hear your call and my heart to respond "Yes" in the spirit of Mary. Amen

Which Is Better

 

Luke 6: 6-11 

Jesus Heals The Man With A Withered Hand

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 shows us that the Law of Charity, "to do good, to save life",  is above the "letter of the law". W might not feel bound to laws but we might be prone to indifference or laziness when it comes to lending a helping hand or to rectifying a bad situation and hence be guilty of doing nothing and allowing a wrong to continue. We see here what Jesus did, can we step up and take a risk to accomplish a good deed as he did?

Bro Rene

Dear Jesus, you acted bravely go accomplish good.  Help me to do the same. Amen. 

 

Where Two Or Three Are Gathered

 

Matthew 18: 15-20 

Dealing With Sin in the Church

¹⁵ “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. ¹⁶ But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ ¹⁷ If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.

¹⁸ “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

¹⁹ “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. ²⁰ For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

As we gather today  to worship as a community, Jesus reminds us of the obligation and the power we have  to forgive and to support each other. We know we are not perfect, and neither is anyone else, so this mutual care for one another is essential to growing in our faith and our relationships with God and neighbor. Jesus advises us to take simple and loving steps and reminds us that where two or three are gathered in his name he is with them. May we resolve today to incorporate this teaching into our lives and our dealings with one another, even in the most difficult or awkward situations.

Bro Rene

Dear God, thank you for your support; help me live this teaching with the confidence that you are with me. Amen.

Using Our Talents

 

Matthew 25: 14-30 

The Parable of the Talents

¹⁴ “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. ¹⁵ To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. ¹⁶ He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. ¹⁷ So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. ¹⁸ But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money. ¹⁹ Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. ²⁰ And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ ²¹ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ ²² And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’ ²³ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ ²⁴ He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, ²⁵ so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ ²⁶ But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? ²⁷ Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. ²⁸ So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. ²⁹ For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. ³⁰ And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Each of us has been entrusted with unique talents and gifts and although the "talents" in this parable refer to money, the message is the same: use what you have been given, or suffer the consequences. We often compare our gifts to those who seem to have greater gifts than we, but God doesn't look at it that way and encourages us to use whatever we have given, and not hide it away. It's a simple message, but one that requires confidence in God, confidence in self and the gift of gumption. May we not hide our gifts, nor neglect them but use them to the full.

Bro. Rene

 Dear God, thank you for the unique gifts you have given me; help me to use them boldly and confidently. Amen.

The Feast of 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”).

For Marists throughout the world, this is one of our major feasts, for with the birth of Mary the salvation of the world began. The Word would be made flesh through her and dwell among us. Marists are dedicated to making that Word known and loved, a mission we have carried out for 206 years and as we begin a new scholastic year, pledge to do so with even more conviction and zeal. As Joseph accepted his mission to be the husband of Mary and foster father of her divine Son, so we embrace lives dedicate to nourishing devotion to Mary and teaching about her Son. It is with joy and fidelity to this mission that we wish Mary a Happy Birthday!

Bro. Rene 

Dear God, help me to grow in appreciation of Mary and her place in my role as a Marist who makes Jesus known and loved. Amen.

The Miraculous Catch

 

 Luke 5: 1-11 

 Jesus Calls His First Disciples

5 One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, 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.

How astounding is this miraculous catch!  Certainly enough to move Peter and companions to leave their fishing business and follow Jesus. Jesus encourages them with his familiar "Don't be afraid."

We are welcoming our students at Central Catholic this week and are asking all to "put out into the deep." We do not know what lies ahead for us, but we trust that Jesus does and will be with us throughout our "catch."  Let us put our fears and unnecessary worries aside and be ready "to do whatever he tells us", as Mary told the servants at the wedding feast at Cana.  

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus, you show us time and time again that we have nothing to fear. Be with us today and always; teach us to be fearless and  to trust in you without reservation. Amen

Tireless Jesus

 

 Luke 4:38-44

 Jesus Heals Many

³⁸ And he arose and left the synagogue and entered Simon's house. Now Simon's mother-in-law was ill with a high fever, and they appealed to him on her behalf. ³⁹ And he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her, and immediately she rose and began to serve them.

⁴⁰ Now when the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to him, and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them. ⁴¹ And demons also came out of many, crying, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.

Jesus Preaches in Synagogues

⁴² And when it was day, he departed and went into a desolate place. And the people sought him and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them, ⁴³ but he said to them, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.” ⁴⁴ And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea.

These few verses  give  us a thumbnail sketch of a day in the life of Jesus: non-stop healing and preaching.  He was ever at the service of the needy. What a model for service and ministry!   Yet we know from other verses, that he took time alone to pray and rest, also modeling a necessary tactic for his followers. How do we use our zealous energy to be effective disciples while honoring our own needs?

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus, help me to use my energy and gifts to serve others as you did, but also help me to balance my zeal with prudent care of myself. Amen.

Power Over The Evil One

 

 Luke 4:31-37

 Jesus Heals a Man with an Unclean Demon

³¹ And he went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee. And he was teaching them on the Sabbath, ³² and they were astonished at his teaching, for his word possessed authority. ³³ And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, ³⁴ “Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” ³⁵ But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent and come out of him!” And when the demon had thrown him down in their midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm. ³⁶ And they were all amazed and said to one another, “What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!” ³⁷ And reports about him went out into every place in the surrounding region.

We seem to be surrounded by evil these days, but this glimpse into the life of Jesus shows us that the Evil One has been at work for a long time and in more graphic ways than we experience now. Jesus confronts and dismisses the Evil One with power and authority. Will he not do so today? In faith let us ask him.

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus,  you are  aware of the Evil in our world today. Cast out the Evil Spirits as you did when you walked among us. Amen.

Hometown Rejection

 

Luke 4:16-30 

Jesus Rejected at Nazareth

¹⁶ And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. ¹⁷ And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,

¹⁸ “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
    because he has anointed me
    to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
    and recovering of sight to the blind,
    to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
¹⁹ to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”

²⁰ And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. ²¹ And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” ²² And all spoke well of him and marveled at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth. And they said, “Is not this Joseph's son?” ²³ And he said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘“Physician, heal yourself.” What we have heard you did at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well.’” ²⁴ And he said, “Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown. ²⁵ But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were shut up three years and six months, and a great famine came over all the land, ²⁶ and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. ²⁷ And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.” ²⁸ When they heard these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. ²⁹ And they rose up and drove him out of the town and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff. ³⁰ But passing through their midst, he went away.

In verse 22 we read that "all spoke well of him and marveled the gracious words that were coming from his mouth."  but in verses 28-29 we see wrath and rejection. What a  quick reversal! Truly it was hard for Jesus to find acceptance in his hometown, as people remembered him as a youth and Joseph's son and "carpenter in training."  The people wanted miracles but Jesus could not work them there because of their lack of faith and skepticism. In our own faith-life and prayer are we ever tempted to reject Jesus, or find our faith becoming thin because we are not getting what we want when we want it? Selfishness and fickleness are part of our fallen human condition; we need to be wary of them as we attempt to listen to Jesus and weigh his teaching. May remember that as the Son of God, his words carry more weight than our feeble and sometimes selfish rejection of them.

Bro Rene  

Dear Jesus, grant me the humility to accept your word over my self-centered opinions. Amen

The Cross Gives Life

 

Matthew 16: 21-27

Jesus Predicts His Death

²¹ From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.

²² Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”

²³ Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

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.

As contradictory as it may  sound, the cross, the infamous instrument of death in the time of Jesus, is the means to life, spiritual life today, Jesus clearly states that it we wish to be his followers, we must take up our cross and follow him, and that in losing life, we will find it. Yes, what good is there in gaining the whole world, and losing our souls? Some of us bear small crosses, the aches, pains, and slow debilitations of old age, for example; others bear heavier crosses: the range of illnesses that fill our hospitals and nursing homes; the sudden loss of a spouse or child, or the loss of a job. Instead of yielding to discouragement or despair, we can use these trials as a means of taking these words of Jesus literally and finding life in the the crosses we bear. May we be disciples who are willing to carry our cross as Jesus did.

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus, you willingly accepted your cross; help me to be as willing to accept and carry mine. Amen. 

Faithful In Small Matters

 

Matthew 25: 14-30

The Parable of the Talents

¹⁴ “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. ¹⁵ To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. ¹⁶ He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. ¹⁷ So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. ¹⁸ But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money. ¹⁹ Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. ²⁰ And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ ²¹ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ ²² And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’ ²³ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ ²⁴ He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, ²⁵ so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ ²⁶ But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? ²⁷ Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. ²⁸ So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. ²⁹ For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. ³⁰ And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Each one  of us has been blessed with unique gifts. This parable encourages us to use them to the best of our ability, even in small ways. The servant who let fear dictate his use of his talents incurred the wrath of his master, for he did not even try to invest them as did his colleagues. God looks for trust, fidelity and action on our part, not fear nor crippling caution. Our daily prayer, our recognition of our need for God's grace to overcome our natural fears with help us be faithful stewards of our God-given gifts.

Bro. Rene

Dear God increase my trust in you and help me be faithful in small matters so that the contribution of my gifts and talents may make a difference in my life and the life of my neighbor. Amen.

Stay Awake

 

Matthew 25: 1-13

The Parable of the Ten Virgins

25 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. ² Five of them were foolish and five were wise. ³ The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. ⁴ The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. ⁵ The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

⁶ “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’

⁷ “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. ⁸ The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’

⁹ “‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’

¹⁰ “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.

¹¹ “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’

¹² “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’

¹³ “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.

A sober warning that has echoed in hearts for 2,000 years: "Keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour." Sudden deaths from heart attacks or accidents are stark reminders that this warning is just not words, but influences our thoughts and behaviors, at least for awhile.  Then complacency or forgetfulness take over till we are reminded again that we know not the day nor the hour. It might be helpful s we begin each day with our morning prayer and reflection to incorporate this verse into it. Besides reminding us of the shortness of life, it might also encourage us to use the time we have as best we can in service to our families and communities.

Bro. Rene

Dear God, life is short and eternity will never end.  Help me to use this day as best I can in service to you and my neighbor in preparation for that Eternal Day. Amen.