Come, Follow Me

 

 Matthew 4:18-22

Jesus Calls His First Disciples

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¹⁸ As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. ¹⁹ “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” ²⁰ At once they left their nets and followed him.

²¹ Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, ²² and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

 Three words changed the lives of these four men, Peter, Andrew, James and John. What power Jesus had by his presence and directness.  No wasted pleading, simply, "Come, follow me." And they left all to follow him. Does he still call in this way? Most likely, but probably in more subtle and quiet ways. Our lives are so busy that we might not hear the call. Religious Orders and the priesthood, for example, have fewer candidates these days. There are many factors, but most likely, the "noise" of busyness, the allure of money, the assurance of another's love, block the silent call from Jesus to follow him in a complete and special way to carry on his work. Let us pray that more hear the call and respond generously and courageously.

Dear Jesus, keep calling and inviting disciples and help many to respond as did the first disciples. Amen. 

Stand Firm

 

 Luke 21: 12-19 

What To Expect

¹² “But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. They will hand you over to synagogues and put you in prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. ¹³ And so you will bear testimony to me. ¹⁴ But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. ¹⁵ For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. ¹⁶ You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. ¹⁷ Everyone will hate you because of me. ¹⁸ But not a hair of your head will perish. ¹⁹ Stand firm, and you will win life.

Not a pretty picture: persecutions, prisons, betrayals, hatred, death. Yet Jesus advises us to remain as tranquil as the calm lake pictured above. Yes, the bare tree seems to represent the agony of being singled out and stripped of all, as are persecuted Christians, yet they stand fast and in the end receive LIFE! It's been going on for centuries, from the time of the Apostles even till now. Nevertheless, we need to stand firm in our little annoyances, or in major tests. Jesus makes it clear, there will be suffering, but in the end, victory. Christians have lived this pattern for 2000 years, so can we.

Bro. Rene

Dear God, help me to remain firm in my faith despite ridicule or persecution. Amen.

The End Times

 

  Luke 21:5-11

The Destruction of the Temple and Signs of the End Times

⁵ Some of his disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God. But Jesus said, ⁶ “As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down.”

⁷ “Teacher,” they asked, “when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?”

⁸ He replied: “Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them. ⁹ When you hear of wars and uprisings, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away.”

¹⁰ Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. ¹¹ There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.

Our Gospel passages this week focus on the end of the world as we know it, and the return of Jesus to establish his kingdom in its final form.  We don't know when that will be or if it will be as literally as described here, but it will happen at some point. There have been many "predictions" of it over the centuries, the latest being the panic as the calendar turned to the year 2000. Remember how people sold everything in anticipation of the end and woke up on January 1st to the world as usual? No, we have no idea when, even when things look as bad as they do now, but Jesus will come and "make all things new." Our task is to live what he taught us as best we can as if the end were today.  That would certainly change things...for the good...for sure.

Bro. Rene

Dear God, may I live this day as if it were the last, not out of fear but out of a desire to be ready for your Coming Amen.

 

From Her Poverty

 

 Luke 21 1-4 

 The Widow’s Offering

21 As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. ² He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. ³ “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. ⁴ All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”

 The generosity and trust of the poor widow remain a challenge to us each time we read about this incident. Would we, could we be so  trusting as to give our last coins to the Church or to the poor We might hesitate as the haunting question, "What about me?" surfaces? "If I give my last dollar or coins, how will I survive?" A legitimate question for sure, but it evidently it didn't prevent the widow from taking a chance and giving anyway. As Christmas approaches  our mailbox is full of solicitations, Salvation Army bells ring at department and grocery chains; food drives, clothing drives everywhere, every day. Annoying, but also reminders that there are NEEDS out there that we can help if we had half the trust and generosity of the widow.  Can we learn from her?

Bro. Rene

Dear God, help me to learn from this poor widow to dig deeper into my pockets to help those in need. Amen. 

 

  Matthew 25:31-46

 The Sheep and the Goats

³¹ “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. ³² All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³ He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

³⁴ “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. ³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶ I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

³⁷ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸ When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹ When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

⁴⁰ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

⁴¹ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. ⁴² For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, ⁴³ I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

⁴⁴ “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

⁴⁵ “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

⁴⁶ “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

Pope Pius XI added this Solemnity of Christ the King in 1925 to combat the growing secularism of the time, an issue even more dire now than then. We might say, "The world has gone crazy" and the need to return to Jesus, our Teacher, our Savior, and our King is more urgent now than ever. Our Gospel for today does not stress kingly robes or a crown but service to those in need, the hungry, the homeless, the naked. A world where people care for one another and give of themselves so that all will have what they need to survive and thrive. Some of this is going on right now, thank God, but as we end the Liturgical Year and prepare for Advent, we are called to see what more each one of us can do to make the a kingdom of Jesus a reality. May we receive the grace to see what part we can play in making the Kingdom of God a reality now and in nour local community.

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus, our King of Kings and our Savior, help us to bring your Kingdom into this world by our response to the spiritual and physical needs of our neighbor. Amen.

God Of The Living

 

  Luke 20:27-40

The Resurrection and Marriage

²⁷ Some of the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus with a question. ²⁸ “Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. ²⁹ Now there were seven brothers. The first one married a woman and died childless. ³⁰ The second ³¹ and then the third married her, and in the same way the seven died, leaving no children. ³² Finally, the woman died too. ³³ Now then, at the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?”

³⁴ Jesus replied, “The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. ³⁵ But those who are considered worthy of taking part in the age to come and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, ³⁶ and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God’s children, since they are children of the resurrection. ³⁷ But in the account of the burning bush, even Moses showed that the dead rise, for he calls the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ ³⁸ He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.”

³⁹ Some of the teachers of the law responded, “Well said, teacher!” ⁴⁰ And no one dared to ask him any more questions.

Winding down the Liturgical Year to the celebration of Christ the King tomorrow and Advent the week after, we look at the reality of death and the consolation of resurrection.  Death is not the end, but the doorway to eternal life, something not to be feared but to be embraced. We need to reflect on this passage today and in the week ahead to keep things in perspective.  Our world offers us little, if any, consolation, but the words of Jesus promise and assure us that "the best is yet to come". God is the the God of the living, not of the dead, "for to him  all are alive." (Lk 20: 40). Let this be our consolation and motivation.

Bro Rene

Dear Jesus, may your teaching this day give us peace, joy and consolation and strengthen us to listen to you and follow you without fear or hesitation. Amen 

 

Jesus Confronts Temple Merchants

 

 Luke 19: 45-48 

Jesus at the Temple

⁴⁵ When Jesus entered the temple courts, he began to drive out those who were selling. ⁴⁶ “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be a house of prayer’, but you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’”

⁴⁷ Every day he was teaching at the temple. But the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the leaders among the people were trying to kill him. ⁴⁸ Yet they could not find any way to do it, because all the people hung on his words.

Even in the time of Jesus, abuses such as buying, selling and money exchanging had crept into the Temple. He found it unfitting  and rightly took action. His boldness is stark and shocking, but it he not right? His Father's House of Prayer had become a den of thieves; he took it upon himself to do something about it and set the bar high for us. We have seen many abuses in the church over the centuries and reformer have appeared when needed.  There is much going on publicly and behind the scenes now that needs addressing, and some of it is being addressed. Let us pray.for continued reform and ask for guidance in whatever role we can play in helping the Church and its leaders remain faithful to the mission of Jesus, not their own.

Bro. Rene

Dear God help us all to work for the good of the Church and help drive out abuses as Jesus did. Amen.   

A Time For Gratitude

 

 Luke 17:11-19

Jesus Heals Ten Men With Leprosy

¹¹ Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. ¹² As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance ¹³ and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”

¹⁴ When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.

¹⁵ One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. ¹⁶ He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.

¹⁷ Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? ¹⁸ Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” ¹⁹ Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”

As we as a nation celebrate Thanksgiving with families gathering together from scattered locations and sharing a meal that has become ritualized, we take time to reflect on this "foreigner's" expression of gratitude and how it touched Jesus.  In the USA most people will be able to share a special meal, either at home, with relatives, or in places that provide it for those who have no home.  A key factor of the day is the expression of gratitude, of thanks for the many blessings we share and don't often acknowledge. Do we say thank you to our family and friends for their love and support given in overt or in subtle ways throughout the year? Do we thank God, above all others, for his constant love, forgiveness and unending efforts to play a major role in our lives? God never stops offering his love to us.  Let us make him the major recipient of our gratitude today. THANK YOU, DEAR GOD!  Happy Thanksgiving to ALL.

Bro. Rene

Dear God, so often we take each day's gifts and graces for granted, but today I want to stop and say Thank You from the bottom of my heart of your constant love and care, without which I would perish. Amen.

 

Using Our Gifts

 

 Luke 19:11-28

The Parable of the Ten Minas

¹¹ While they were listening to this, he went on to tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once. ¹² He said: “A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. ¹³ So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. ‘Put this money to work,’ he said, ‘until I come back.’

¹⁴ “But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We don’t want this man to be our king.’

¹⁵ “He was made king, however, and returned home. Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it.

¹⁶ “The first one came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned ten more.’

¹⁷ “‘Well done, my good servant!’ his master replied. ‘Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.’

¹⁸ “The second came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned five more.’

¹⁹ “His master answered, ‘You take charge of five cities.’

²⁰ “Then another servant came and said, ‘Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth. ²¹ I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow.’

²² “His master replied, ‘I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant! You knew, did you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not put in, and reaping what I did not sow? ²³ Why then didn’t you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?’

²⁴ “Then he said to those standing by, ‘Take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.’

²⁵ “‘Sir,’ they said, ‘he already has ten!’

²⁶ “He replied, ‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what they have will be taken away. ²⁷ But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them—bring them here and kill them in front of me.’”

Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King

²⁸ After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.

November 22, 60 years ago, our young and popular president, John F. Kennedy was assassinated before the eyes of a stunned nation and set the tone for a tumultuous block of history that increasingly lumbers down a dark path. A faithful, long-time pastor in the small town of Esopus, New York, Fr. Eugene Grohe, leaves this world at the age of 99 for eternal rest in Paradise; we prepare for Thanksgiving tomorrow reading the challenge to use our talents, no matter how great or small, faithfully or face dire consequences. All stark reminders that   our lives are filled with challenges, and disappointments, and that we cannot do this alone. Yes, we need the help of one another but above all, we need God's help. May our reflections today focus on what gifts we have received and how we are using them.  Let us pray for the grace to make the necessary  adjustments.

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus, you are our King; you make all things possible. Help me to use the time and talents you have given me to make my family, my community, my workplace fertile and life-giving. Amen.

 

Desiring To See Jesus

 

 Luke 19:1-10

Jesus and Zacchaeus

19 He entered Jericho and was passing through. ² And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. ³ And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. ⁴ So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. ⁵ And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” ⁶ So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. ⁷ And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” ⁸ And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” ⁹ And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. ¹⁰ For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

 Today we celebrate the Presentation of Mary in the Temple as a young child, but we read the story of Zacchaeus as our Gospel.  Is there a connection?  Certainly, Mary so pure of heart rightly found a place in God's house to further prepare her for her mission as the Mother of God, and Zacchaeus, had a conversion moment in his desire to see Jesus, even to climbing a tree, and promising to reversing his misdeeds by giving half his possessions to the poor. They both received Jesus and gave their lives to him. Can we do the same?  May we not only desire to SEE Jesus, but may we conform our lives to do whatever he asks of us and allow him to come into our hearts as our permanent guest,

Bro, Rene

Dear Jesus, bless me with the generosity of Mary and the enthusiasm of Zacchaeus in my love of and service to you. Amen.  

I Want To See

 

 Luke 18: 35-43 

A Blind Beggar Receives His Sight

³⁵ As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. ³⁶ When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. ³⁷ They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.”

³⁸ He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

³⁹ Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

⁴⁰ Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, ⁴¹ “What do you want me to do for you?”

“Lord, I want to see,” he replied.

⁴² Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.” ⁴³ Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.

Don't we all want to see? We could be talking about physical seeing, but it could also be seeing what our future might be, what decisions we might be making, or how we can best serve God. In many ways, we are the blind Bartimeus uttering the same prayer for mercy and relief from our blindness. As such, do we have the same faith and conviction he had to reach out to Jesus and boldly ask to see? As we begin this day and this week so full of events and expectations, let us take the cue from this blind man and make his request ours.

Bro Rene

Dear God, hear and answer my prayer. "I want to see!" Amen. .

 

Using our Gifts

 

 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.’

Jesus uses money (talents) to make his point clear: each one of us has been given certain gifts that make us unique, but they are not meant to be stored away for safekeeping, but to be used to help others. Some folks are great story tellers and use this talent to inspire others through their writings. Others are totally unselfish in the use of their time and bring joy to those who need companionship, or simply a ride to Church or to the store. Others have the gift of listening and spend hours with those who need to "unload" their problems. Today's Gospel invites us to look at our own gifts and challenges us to use them for the good of others. Let's take some time today to see how best be can do this lest we lose our gifts or deprive others.

Bro. Rene

Dear God, you have blessed me with unique gifts not to be hidden but to be shared generously with others. Help me to do that as best I can. Amen.

Persistence Pays Off

 

 Luke 18:1-8

 The Parable of the Persistent Widow

18 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. ² He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. ³ And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’

⁴ “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, ⁵ yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’”

⁶ And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. ⁷ And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? ⁸ I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

We  believe that God hears our prayers, but too often we back off when we don't get an immediate answer.  Not so the widow, she wouldn't let up and her persistence paid off. A simple lesson for us: don't give up.  God's love for us knows no bounds and he always has our best interest in mind; we need to learn to conform to HIS time, His plan, and above all, to grow in greater confidence in his everlasting love. Repeated prayer might just be the way to deepening our love for him. Let's not give up after the first or the hundredth try.

Bro. Rene

Dear God, increase my faith and trust in you through persistent prayer. Amen.

Be Ready

 

 Luke 17:26-37

Don't Be Misled

²⁶ “Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. ²⁷ People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all.

²⁸ “It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. ²⁹ But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all.

³⁰ “It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed. ³¹ On that day no one who is on the housetop, with possessions inside, should go down to get them. Likewise, no one in the field should go back for anything. ³² Remember Lot’s wife! ³³ Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it. ³⁴ I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. ³⁵ Two women will be grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left.” ^[36] 

³⁷ “Where, Lord?” they asked.

He replied, “Where there is a dead body, there the vultures will gather.”

As we look at our world today, don't we see a replica of the times of Noah as described in verse 27?  Today's "flood" is war, shootings, unnecessary and painful destruction of life, a loss of integrity and honesty, a world that needs cleansing. If Jesus returned now, would he bring fire and sulfur to destroy all? He could and justifiably so,but patiently he waits for us to come to our senses.  As we approach Advent, our Scriptures remind us of the cleansing we need to do in our own lives. It's time to "Turn to" as they say in the Navy. Clean up our acts, get back on track, live according to the teachings of Jesus, not those of the "WORLD" "Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses is will preserve it." (Lk 17: 33)  A stark reminder that this is not just a game,  but a matter of life and death.  Let's Turn To today!

Bro. Rene 

Dear God, help me to use these days before Advent to set the tone for it by "cleaning  up my act." Amen 

 

The Day of the Lord

 

  Luke 17:20-25

The Coming of the Kingdom

²⁰ Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, “The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed, ²¹ nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.”

²² And he said to the disciples, “The days are coming when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. ²³ And they will say to you, ‘Look, there!’ or ‘Look, here!’ Do not go out or follow them. ²⁴ For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day. ²⁵ But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.

As we proceed to the end of our Liturgical Year, we reflect on the sayings of Jesus pertaining to it. It's a time of purifying, of cleansing our lives and of focusing on the things that really matter. There are fear of the unknown, signs in the sky and the warning of suffering and rejection.  Not a happy time, but a prelude to the best of times yet to come. We will celebrate Thanksgiving a week from today, followed  quickly after with Christ the King and the seasons of Advent and Christmas. We shudder at the closeness and  rapidity of it all, but let us take heed of the warnings of Jesus to put our houses, our souls in order, and be ready for his coming, or of our time to join him for eternity. These are serious days; may we not just let them slip by without taking advantage of them.

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus, help me to use these days to cleanse and prepare my heart for your coming. Amen.

An Attitude of Gratitude

 

 Luke 17: 11-19 

 Jesus Heals Ten Men With Leprosy

¹¹ Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. ¹² As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance ¹³ and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”

¹⁴ When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.

¹⁵ One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. ¹⁶ He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.

¹⁷ Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? ¹⁸ Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” ¹⁹ Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”

Only  ONE of the TEN who were cured returned to say thank you.  Am I that ONE or am I one of the NINE who went their merry way celebrating their cure?  Naturally they were happy, as we are when a favor is granted, but the least we can do is to say THANK YOU. Perhaps we could make GRATITUDE the focus of our prayer today. It will keep us busy, for God has so blessed us, we can't thank him enough.

Bro. Rene

Dear God I offer my humble thanks for all the blessings you have given to me. I can't thank you enough. Amen.

Unworthy Servants

 

  Luke 17:7-10

Faithful To Duty 

⁷ “Suppose one of you has a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Will he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, ‘Come along now and sit down to eat’? ⁸ Won’t he rather say, ‘Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink’? ⁹ Will he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? ¹⁰ So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’”

These few verses put our actions into perspective. We are not doing anything extraordinary as we  try each day to put the Gospel into practice, no we are simply doing what is expected of us, simply doing our duty.  Realistic, humbling. Let us not pat ourselves on the back, but rather remain faithful to the small things that come with our place in the community, family or workplace. Let us do them with joy and energy as if we were doing them for Jesus himself.

Bro. Rene

Dear God, help me to be a humble servant. faithful and joyful in carrying my daily tasks. Amen. 

"Increase Our Faith"

 

Luke 17: 1-6 

Sin, Faith, Duty

17 Jesus said to his disciples: “Things that cause people to stumble are bound to come, but woe to anyone through whom they come. ² It would be better for them to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around their neck than to cause one of these little ones to stumble. ³ So watch yourselves.

“If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. ⁴ Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.”

⁵ The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”

⁶ He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.

These short verses challenge us to be on guard, on the alert, for there are stumbling blocks that await to trip us up and cause us to fall into sin or to scandalize others, especially children.  Little do we know how much they hear and see, so we must be careful. Life is not easy and in exasperation we cry out with the apostles for an increase of faith. Jesus tells us even faith the size of a tiny mustard seed is enough, so let's not hesitate to pray for it constantly and put it into practice as best we can.

Dear God, increase our faith and spur us on to live it despite our lapses and mistakes. Amen.

Be Prepared

 NB. I am very happy to be "back in the saddle again", thanks to Shawn Hanson and Joseph Lamontange  who helped clean up a backlog of interference and opened the door to a daily production of Slices of Bread.

 

 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."

"Keep Watch", the message for today and for the weeks ahead when Advent will soon be upon us. Let us keep the oil of prayer and good works in the lamps of our lives to be ready for the Bridegroom, Jesus, when he comes in Glory as the King of the Universe...whenever that will be...or when he comes to us as a person in need. We don't want to slack off now as the year fast winds down to an end.  The Bridegroom might come at any moment and we must be ready. Good food for our prayer for today and the weeks ahead.

Bro. Rene

Dear God, thank you for the warnings in the Gospel passages as we draw closer to the end of the Liturgical Year and beginning of Advent. Help us keep our lamps burning for the coming of the Bridegroom. Amen. 

Still Room

 

 Luke 14:15-24

 The Parable of the Great Banquet

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The man who prepared the banquet was faced with refusals and still empty chairs when his servants went out to round up the crippled, blind and lame. His generous heart sought a full house, and was frustrated by lack of interest. Do we feel for him or do we identify with those who are too busy or just looking for excuses not to attend? How often do we turn our backs on God's generous offers and invitations? And yet he keeps inviting, for there's still always room for us. This Gospel not only shows us God's magnanimity, but also challenges our priorities.  Isn't a place at his banquet more important than the excuses we find to ignore it?

Bro. Rene

Dear God awaken in me a sense of true priority and help me accept whatever invitation you offer me. Amen.

Welcome All

 

 Luke 14:  12-14 

A Difficult Challenge

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

These three verses present us with a nearly impossible challenge: to welcome strangers. the poor, the crippled, the blind to our table.  We have enough trouble inviting some of our own relatives! At God's banquet table, all are welcome, including us!  We come with our dirty rags and harsh behaviors, so we cannot look askance at the other guests who might seem to us even more unworthy than we. No, they are the beloved of the Master, just as much as we assume we are. Let us pray over our attitude towards others and try to see ALL as Jesus does, as guests worthy of a place at his table.

Bro. Rene 

Dear God, open my heart to welcome all to my table, even the most unseemly. Amen.

Practicing What We Preach

 

 Matthew 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.

At the last Supper, besides giving himself to us as the Bread of Life, Jesus also modeled how we are to serve one another by washing the feet of the Apostles. It was a simple, humble act, symbolizing an attitude of greater possible service to address the needs of others.  It was as if Jesus were saying, "You must be first, I must be last. I am here to serve you,  so must you serve one another." To use an old adage, "Actions speak louder than words." How can I concretely put humble service to my family, co-workers, and neighbors into practice?  A question to ponder today, and to put into action as soon as we come up with an answer..

Bro. Rene

Dear God, help me to understand the call to serve others and give me the strength and humility to do so. Amen.

 

Be Humble

 

 Luke 14:1, 7-11

 Jesus at a Pharisee’s House

14 One Sabbath, when Jesus went to eat in the house of a prominent Pharisee, he was being carefully watched.

⁷ When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable: ⁸ “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. ⁹ If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. ¹⁰ But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all the other guests. ¹¹ For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Jesus praises the virtue of humility and rightly reminds us that "all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted." (Lk 14: 11). Can we accept this teaching or do we have such a high regard for ourselves that we throw our weight, our opinion, "our way" about as if there is no other? In looking for approval, acceptance or that assuring "pat on the back" do we thrust ourselves forward, taking that "higher place" in our conversations or dealings with others? Jesus reminds us and makes it clear that eventually we will be put in our place. Why not then, take the lowest or humblest place first and let others move us to the higher place, if, indeed, that's what THEY  think we deserve?

Bro. Rene

Dear God, keep me humble and content, not forcing my opinion or will on others in order to elevate or exalt myself. Amen.  

 

Hope For Eternal Life

 Note: This slice was intended for All Souls Day, yesterday, but evidently I forgot to hit the "publish button" till now.  I apologize but am happy to share two slices of daily bread today.

John 6:37-40

Eternal Life

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

As we remember our deceased today, we reflect with confidence on these consoling words of Jesus,  that he desires eternal life for all who believe in him. It is heart-wrenching to lose a loved one, yet they must pass through the door of death to reach eternal life. We would not want to deter them from that as we would not want to be deterred from it ourselves.  Let us use this day to remember our deceased family members and friends, and pray that they be united eternally with our loving God in heaven.

Bro. Rene

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their souls and all the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace. Amen.

 

 

Practical Charity

 

 Luke 14:1-6

Jesus at a Pharisee’s House

14 One Sabbath, when Jesus went to eat in the house of a prominent Pharisee, he was being carefully watched. ² There in front of him was a man suffering from abnormal swelling of his body. ³ Jesus asked the Pharisees and experts in the law, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?” ⁴ But they remained silent. So taking hold of the man, he healed him and sent him on his way.

⁵ Then he asked them, “If one of you has a child or an ox that falls into a well on the Sabbath day, will you not immediately pull it out?” ⁶ And they had nothing to say.

For Jesus, it was no huge decision to cure this bloated man from his infirmity even on the Sabbath, for the "Law of Compassion and Charity" easily took precedence over the "Letter of the Law." May this choice inspire us when we are faced with with the choice of helping someone in need. Jesus was practical as well as kind and merciful. May we be so as well..

Bro. Rene

Dear God, help us to obey the Law of Charity as Jesus did. Amen.

The Template for Holiness

 

 Introduction to the Sermon on the Mount

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

The Beatitudes

He said:

³ “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
 

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

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

As we honor, celebrate and give thanks for all the saints today, we also realize that the Beatitudes lay out a template for our own call to be saints.  Incorporating them into our lives, living them as best we can should put us on the road to holiness. It's not an easy road and certainly one that will take a lifetime, but as this Solemnity reminds us, it is possible; see how many have reached the rank of sainthood.  Why settle for anything less? We are not alone; they will help us and certainly it is God's will, God's destiny for us as well as it was for those whom we celebrate today.  Let us ask for their help to follow them along that narrow path that leads us to holiness, our true destiny.

Bro Rene

Dear God, open my ears and heart to hear and answer the call to holiness as did the saints whom we celebrate today. Amen.