Aid The Poor

 

 Lk 16:19-31

The Rich Man and Lazarus

¹⁹ “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. ²⁰ At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores ²¹ and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.

²² “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. ²³ In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. ²⁴ So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’

²⁵ “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. ²⁶ And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’

²⁷ “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, ²⁸ for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’

²⁹ “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’

³⁰ “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’

³¹ “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”

On this "extra" day of February, Jesus challenges us to recognize the poor among us and to help them now while we are alive in this world.  Once we are dead, it's too late. What is blinding us to the needs of the poor? What do we have that we don't really need but could help those who have less?  As we are cleaning up our spiritual lives during Lent, can we also take time to clean out the excess of material goods we hold on to but never use?  Some one else might benefit from them.

Bro Rene

Dear God, you have blessed me with so much.  Help me to bless others by sharing my "extras" with those who have less. Amen.

 

 

Our Rightful Place

 

 Mt 20:17-28

 Jesus Predicts His Death a Third Time

¹⁷ Now Jesus was going up to Jerusalem. On the way, he took the Twelve aside and said to them, ¹⁸ “We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death ¹⁹ and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!”

A Mother’s Request

²⁰ Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him.

²¹ “What is it you want?” he asked.

She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.”

²² “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?”

“We can,” they answered.

²³ Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.”

²⁴ When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers. ²⁵ Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. ²⁶ Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, ²⁷ and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— ²⁸ just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Salome's ambitious request for her sons certainly misses the point of the previous verses where Jesus predicts his suffering and death. The followers of Jesus still had much to learn, as do we. to borrow from Notre Dame's associate professor, Fr. John Paul Kimes, do we see ourselves as "third"? God first, others second, and ourselves at number three?  Not only a good position to be in but actually the right position according to Jesus, who himself came not to be served but to serve. Adopting this attitude fits into our Lenten program of cleaning up our act and of setting our priorities in proper order: God first, you second, me third. 

Dear God, deliver me from vain ambition and help me to set my priorities straight.  Amen.

Humilty Vs Pride

 

  Mt 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.

In this telling passage, Jesus exposes hypocrisy which can creep its way slowly and subtly into our attitudes and behaviors. No doubt the teachers of the law and the Pharisees "meant well" in trying to implement the law but fell off the cliff into pride and self-righteousness, a show of "I'm better than you" or "holier than thou', as the expression goes. Jesus, on the other hand, extols humility: the greatest being the servant, and the humble being exalted. He became the child of a humble young woman. Where do I stand?  Where would I like to stand and how can I get there?

Bro. Rene

Dear God, cleanse me of all pride and help me to be humble. Amen. .

 

Give And You Shall Receive

 

  Lk 6:36-38

 Be Merciful

³⁶ Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Judging Others

³⁷ “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. ³⁸ Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

What would our families, work places, world be if all of us put these virtues into practice? Here is an outline for a good and happy life for family, community and national harmony, but as we look around us, we see we have a long way to go to put these virtues, these behaviors, into practice. Where can I be merciful today, less judgmental, more forgiving, more generous with my time and talent? Help me to make the effort to practice these virtues, and trust that you will give me the grace to do so.

Bro. Rene

Dear God, these short verses present a lifetime challenge.  Help me to be more merciful and less judgemental. Amen.

A Preview and a Motivation

 

 Mk 9:2-10

The Transfiguration

² After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. ³ His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. ⁴ And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.

⁵ Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” ⁶ (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)

⁷ Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!”

⁸ Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.

⁹ As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. ¹⁰ They kept the matter to themselves, discussing what “rising from the dead” meant.

Keeping in mind that our Lenten trek is taking us to the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus, today's Gospel gives us a preview of the Risen and Glorified Jesus to spur us on to keep our Lenten observances. We might be growing weary already but seeing the glorified Jesus as did the three apostles will spur us on to keep steadfast to the things we have chosen to do for Lent. We all note the quick passage of time and often lament it. The month of February ends this week, even with its extra day, and we ask, "Where did the time go?" Let us take advantage of these Lenten days, spurred on by this vision of "things to come" and renew the fervor we had on Ash Wednesday..

Bro Rene

Dear Jesus, may the vision of your Transfiguration spur us on to be faithful to our Lenten observances as well as more confident in your power over evil. Amen.

 

A Lifelong Challenge

 

 

 Mt 5:43-48

 Love for Enemies

⁴³ “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵ that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. ⁴⁶ If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? ⁴⁷ And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? ⁴⁸ Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

To be able and willing to love all who come into our lives is a huge, lifelong challenge, but one we cannot ignore if we are to be disciples of Jesus. God created all of us and loves each one of us. As Jesus points out, even the pagans are civil to one another.  As his disciples, are we not to do more? What a worthwhile Lenten intention for our prayers would be to pray  for a loving heart that draws no lines, nor knows no bounds!

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus, open my heart to love ALL as you do. Amen.

Be Reconciled First

 

  Mt 5:20-26

²⁰ For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

Murder

²¹ “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ ²² But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.

²³ “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, ²⁴ leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.

²⁵ “Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. ²⁶ Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.

Jesus is very clear, "Be reconciled first before offering your gift." We don't like phonies, and yet it is so easy for us to be phony when offering our worship to God while holding a grudge or anger toward a co-worker or family member.First things first:  make peace and then with a clean heart offer a gift or a prayer.

Bro. Rene

Dear God, help me to come before you with a clean heart when I pray or offer my gift to you. Amen.  

 

Who Do You Say I Am?

 

  Mt 16:13-19

Peter Declares That Jesus Is the Messiah

¹³ When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”

¹⁴ They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

¹⁵ “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

¹⁶ Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

¹⁷ Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. ¹⁸ And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. ¹⁹ I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

What if Jesus addressed this question, "Who do you say that I am?"  to us? Most of us would let Peter speak for us, but today, there are many who do not accept the divinity of Christ, seeing him just as a good teacher and healer. The response Jesus gave to Peter has been taken literally by Catholics who see the Pope as the successor of Peter and wrangled over for centuries by those who do not. Let our meditation today on this question clarify and solidify our belief and guide our actions, as well as motivate prayers for the man who sits on the Chair of Peter today.

Bro. Rene

Dear God, guide and strengthen Pope Francis as you guided Peter as the first leader of the Apostles. Amen.

A Greater Sign

 

 Lk 11:29-32

The Sign of Jonah

²⁹ As the crowds increased, Jesus said, “This is a wicked generation. It asks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah. ³⁰ For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be to this generation. ³¹ The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the people of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom; and now something greater than Solomon is here. ³² The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and now something greater than Jonah is here.

Jesus calls us to repentance and points to Jonah and the Queen of Sheba who were believers and witnesses who acknowledged the place God deserves and the need to repent and repair our lives. Our Lenten journey should see some such effort; let us heed the call to change our behaviors and eliminate as much as we can the things that separate us from God and our neighbor. Who is the Jonah for our day? Are we listening and making an effort to accept his message, or are we ignoring him?

Bro. Rene

Dear God, please help me to recognize and heed the Jonah who calls me to change the behaviors that separate me from you and my neighbor. Amen.     

How to Pray

 

  Mt 6:7-15

 The Lord's Prayer

⁷ And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. ⁸ Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

⁹ “This, then, is how you should pray:

“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
¹⁰ your kingdom come,
your will be done,
    on earth as it is in heaven.
¹¹ Give us today our daily bread.
¹² And forgive us our debts,
    as we also have forgiven our debtors.
¹³ And lead us not into temptation,
    but deliver us from the evil one.’"

¹⁴ For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵ But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

How to pray? "Keep it simple", he says by giving us the example of this beloved prayer. Three petitions directed to the Father and seven referring to us. How often do we recite this prayer, but how often do we pray it and reflect on each one of these petitions? We easily fall into the "remote trap" and like a robot, spit it out without consciousness of what we are saying.  This is not what Jesus intended. Why not use this prayer for today's meditation, praying it  slowly, pausing after each petition and letting it sink into our souls? 

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus, thank you for this beautiful prayer. Help me to pray it as you intended. Amen.

The Call to Share

 

  Mt 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.”

Jesus makes it very clear who we are called to serve, the poor, the hungry, the naked, or in our Marist terminology, "the least favored." As we are fasting during these days of Lent, let us not forget the connection to those who have less, and be motivated to share with them what we might be giving up.

Dear Jesus, help me to share my sacrifices of food, drink or spending with those in need. Amen.

 

Jesus Is Tempted

 

  Mk 1:12-15

In The Wilderness

¹² At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, ¹³ and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.

Jesus Announces the Good News

¹⁴ After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. ¹⁵ “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”

On this First Sunday of Lent we might imagine ourselves in the wilderness facing 40 days or prayer, sacrifice, penance, temptations and almsgiving. No doubt the Evil One will work on us to bend, reduce or ignore our Lenten program as he did with Jesus. That's his job and he is good at it.  Fatigue and discouragement are his tools so let us be aware of them and make sure we get enough rest to have the energy and concentration to stick with our plan. Our mission these 40 days is to repent...clean up our behaviors, strengthen our prayer life and deepen our union with Jesus in order to proclaim with him good news that his kingdom is near.  Looking at our world we see that there is much to be done to make that kingdom a reality.  As missionary  soldiers for Christ, we need to be in the best shape possible.  Lent is our training camp, let's bite into it with all our energy and strength.

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus, strengthen me these days of Lent to be a willing and capable proclaimer of your kingdom, despite the efforts of the Evil One to tempt me to be a drop out. Amen

Follow Me

 

  Lk 5:27-32

Jesus Calls Levi and Eats With Sinners

²⁷ After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. “Follow me,” Jesus said to him, ²⁸ and Levi got up, left everything and followed him.

²⁹ Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. ³⁰ But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”

³¹ Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. ³² I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

With two simple but challenging words, Jesus changes Levi's (Matthew's) life and provides us with the writer of one of the four Gospels who has preserved many of his words and deeds that have inspired countless followers for two centuries. As we proceed with our Lenten observances, do we hear Jesus saying to us, "Follow me"?  The invitation/command was not just to Matthew, but resonates through the centuries  to us.  May we listen carefully during our Lenten prayer and reflection to hear this call, and, like Levi, leave everything to heed it.

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus, open my ears and heart to hear your call and grant me the grace to answer it with the decisiveness of Levi. Amen.       

 

Give Up To Gain

 

  Mt 9:14-15

Jesus Questioned About Fasting

¹⁴ Then John’s disciples came and asked him, “How is it that we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?”

¹⁵ Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.

As we move into our third day of Lent, let us look at the purpose of fasting.  We are on a 40 day journey of preparation for the renewal of our Baptismal Promises at Easter, and have chosen to do something special to ready ourselves for a meaningful and sincere rejection of sin and to deepen our relationship with Jesus. By giving up something we like to eat or do, we are gaining self-control and extra time to fill up with prayer or service to others. Let us keep that in mind when we are tempted to let go our Lenten efforts, and keep focused on the Gain rather than the Give Up.

Bro. Rene

Dear God, thank you for the gift of Lent when I can do something extra to deepen my friendship with you and serve my neighbor more than usual. Amen.

 

Follow Me

 

  Lk 9:22-25

 Take Up Your Cross

²² And he said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.”

²³ Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. ²⁴ For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. ²⁵ What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?

How fitting on this second day of Lent to be challenged to take up our cross and follow Jesus. We cannot make it to Easter any other way. We have begun the road of self-denial, prayer and almsgiving in order to become a stronger, more faithful, and more authentic disciple of Jesus.  We cannot do so without bearing our cross behind him. There is and should be pain as we strip off our old ways and assume the ways Jesus has pointed out us: Him and others first, ourselves last. Let us pray that Jesus give us what we need to take up our cross and follow him more faithfully than ever before.

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus, help me to embrace my cross and follow you with all my heart and strength. Amen. 

Focus For Lent

 

 Mt 6:1-6, 16-18

Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18 NIV

“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

“When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Lent is not a time to be dreaded,but a time of challenge to deepen our relationship with Jesus through  three concrete ways: prayer, fasting and almsgiving.  We begin with fasting (small meals) and abstinence, (no meat) today and we receive our ashes to remind us that our life on this earth is only temporary. Meatless Fridays will follow during the course of these next six weeks. These are the bare minimal requirements. Almsgiving, giving money food, clothing, etc. to the poor is also strongly suggested.  Anything beyond these is up to us. In the spirit of Lent, that is purification, removing of bad habits, drawing closer to Jesus in prayer or shaking some bad habit or time-waster in order to give more time to him or service to the "least favored" are encouraged. What am I going to do so that in six weeks I can be a better person, a closer disciple of Jesus, to rise with him at Easter?

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus, I being my Lenten journey today. Help me to use these days to clean out the ugly from my life and replace it with the good that will bring me closer to you and my neighbor, especially the least favored. Amen.

Do We Still Not Understand?

 

 

 Mk 8:14-21

The Yeast of the Pharisees and Herod

¹⁴ The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, except for one loaf they had with them in the boat. ¹⁵ “Be careful,” Jesus warned them. “Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod.”

¹⁶ They discussed this with one another and said, “It is because we have no bread.”

¹⁷ Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked them: “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened? ¹⁸ Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don’t you remember? ¹⁹ When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?”

“Twelve,” they replied.

²⁰ “And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?”

They answered, “Seven.”

²¹ He said to them, “Do you still not understand?”

Worry, lack of understanding, mistrust, all these seem to slip into our spiritual journey so we need these direct words of Jesus, to soften our hard hearts and open our eyes and ears to see and hear how Jesus is at work in us, despite our slowness to absorb and implement his message. Lent begins tomorrow, 40 days to reflect on his words and actions in our lives.  What are we not seeing, what are we missing, what would he say to us? "Do you still not understand?"

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus, open my mind and heart to see what is missing and help me to redirect my life and efforts fill the gaps and walk tall on the path that you have cut for me. Amen.

Looking For A Sign

 

 Mk 8:11-13

 Give Us A Sign

¹¹ The Pharisees came and began to question Jesus. To test him, they asked him for a sign from heaven. ¹² He sighed deeply and said, “Why does this generation ask for a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to it.” ¹³ Then he left them, got back into the boat and crossed to the other side.

How easy life would be if there were clear signs directing our choices and reassuring us that we were on the right path. And yet if we are faithful to prayer, if we reflect daily on the Gospel, we DO see the signs we need in the words and actions of Jesus.  We might better hear him say, "Listen carefully to what I tell you through my words and actions recorded in the Scriptures or what I speak to you in the depths of your soul...I am not far from you but with you every step of the way.  Trust me, heed my advice, do my will and follow me."  Good advice on the threshold of Lent.

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus, open my ears, eyes and heart to see the signs you have placed on my path, and give me the grace to follow them with confidence, trust and love. Amen.

Moved With Pity

 

 Mk 1:40-45

Jesus Heals a Man With Leprosy

⁴⁰ A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.”

⁴¹ Jesus was indignant. He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” ⁴² Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed.

⁴³ Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: ⁴⁴ “See that you don’t tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” ⁴⁵ Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere.

The word, "indignant" in verse 41 might raise our eyebrows. Why would Jesus be indignant, or angry? A better translation uses the phrase, "moved with pity", and so he was and so he healed the man with two words, "Be clean," and in Latin, one word, "Mundare". Jesus spent much of his public life having pity on the sick and lame, giving us a clear picture of his loving heart that touched people and healed them.

This year the memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes falls on this Sunday and is not celebrated in deference to the Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time but we can't help but think of the millions who have traveled to Lourdes and the thousands who have been healed since the apparitions in 1858. We all stand in need of healing, physically  or spiritually and see that Jesus and his mother know that need too and continue to do something about it. Lent begins on Wednesday, a time for  spiritual renewal and healing. May we not be afraid to ask for whatever healing we need and be confident that Jesus  and Mary will do what is best for us.

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus, "If you wish, you can make me clean."  Amen.

He Has Compassion

 

 Mk 8:1-10

Jesus Feeds the Four Thousand

8 During those days another large crowd gathered. Since they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to him and said, ² “I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. ³ If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way, because some of them have come a long distance.”

⁴ His disciples answered, “But where in this remote place can anyone get enough bread to feed them?”

⁵ “How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked.

“Seven,” they replied.

⁶ He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. When he had taken the seven loaves and given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people, and they did so. ⁷ They had a few small fish as well; he gave thanks for them also and told the disciples to distribute them. ⁸ The people ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. ⁹ About four thousand were present. After he had sent them away, ¹⁰ he got into the boat with his disciples and went to the region of Dalmanutha.

If we have any notion that Jesus is distant from and indifferent to our needs, we see from this story, that we are wrong.  He was so concerned about the need of this large crowd for food, that he again multiplied loaves of bread and a few fish to feed them. Does he not see our fatigue, our sadness, our consternation, our confusion, or our fears? We see here how attentive he is to our human needs; may we find cause to trust that he will provide for us as he did for the 4,000 he fed in that remote place. He has infinite compassion on us, so we need to develop boundless trust in him.

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus, help me to trust when I doubt and strengthen my faith when it is weak. Amen.

Be Opened

 

 Mk 7:31-37

Jesus Heals a Deaf and Mute Man

³¹ Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis. ³² There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged Jesus to place his hand on him.

³³ After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then he spit and touched the man’s tongue. ³⁴ He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means “Be opened!”). ³⁵ At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly.

³⁶ Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone. But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it. ³⁷ People were overwhelmed with amazement. “He has done everything well,” they said. “He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”

As we approach Ash Wednesday we might put ourselves in the shoes of this deaf mute and ask that Jesus open our ears,  touch our tongues and enable us to hear his word more clearly and incorporate it into our lives. How many times have we heard or read the Gospels, and yet how far are we still from living our lives according to them?  Lent is a time of penance, purification and behavior changes.  Let us take time today to reflect on our lives and see at least ONE area that we can "clean up" and live more accordingly to the teachings of Jesus. Let us willingly allow him to say Ephphatha to us!

Bro Rene

Dear Jesus, open my eyes and ears that I may hear and see more clearly how I can live according to your teachings. Amen.

Confidence in Jesus

 

  Mk 7:24-30

A Gentile Shows Her Faith

²⁴ From there He arose and went to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And He entered a house and wanted no one to know it, but He could not be hidden. ²⁵ For a woman whose young daughter had an unclean spirit heard about Him, and she came and fell at His feet. ²⁶ The woman was a Greek, a Syro-Phoenician by birth, and she kept asking Him to cast the demon out of her daughter. ²⁷ But Jesus said to her, “Let the children be filled first, for it is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.”

²⁸ And she answered and said to Him, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs under the table eat from the children’s crumbs.”

²⁹ Then He said to her, “For this saying go your way; the demon has gone out of your daughter.”

³⁰ And when she had come to her house, she found the demon gone out, and her daughter lying on the bed.

Jesus could not shake the trust and urgency in the Syo-Phoenician's persistent plea, and finally age her what she so desperately wanted, the expulsion of the unclean spirit from her daughter. Her "mother's love" is admirable but even more so is her faith that Jesus could and would drive out the evil spirit. When we ask Jesus to take care of our needs or those of someone else, do we have the same conviction, the same persistence?  Most likely not, so let's follow the example of this good woman and ask her for a share of her faith,  confidence and persistence.

Bro, Rene

Dear God, increase my faith and grant me the gifts of confidence and persistence in my prayer. Amen.  

A Defiled Heart

 

 Mk 7:14-23

 It's What's Inside that Defiles

¹⁴ Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. ¹⁵ Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them.” ^[16] 

¹⁷ After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about this parable. ¹⁸ “Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? ¹⁹ For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.)

²⁰ He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. ²¹ For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, ²² adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. ²³ All these evils come from inside and defile a person.”

Jesus teaches us that our thoughts are what sully us, defile us.  We often think that these are just passing, harmless phenomena, but a constant diet of them can eventually become evident in out speech and in our actions. It's best to nip these random thoughts in the bud and clean up our minds s soon as possible and thus clean up our actions and our lives.

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus, help me to clean up my act by cleaning up my mind. Amen.

Avoiding Hypocrisy

 

 Mk 7:1-13

That Which Defiles

7 The Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus ² and saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. ³ (The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders. ⁴ When they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles.)

⁵ So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with defiled hands?”

⁶ He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written:

“‘These people honor me with their lips,
    but their hearts are far from me.
⁷ They worship me in vain;
    their teachings are merely human rules.’

⁸ You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.”

⁹ And he continued, “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions! ¹⁰ For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and, ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’ ¹¹ But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is Corban (that is, devoted to God)— ¹² then you no longer let them do anything for their father or mother. ¹³ Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.”

"Walk your talk", a familiar catchphrase in Alcoholics Anonymous, sums up today's Gospel passage. Jesus pointed to the Pharisees and teachers of the Law, but he could be pointing the finger at any one of us. It's easy to slip into honoring God with our lips, but it a whole different story to live what we preach. With humility and recognition of our weakness, let us pray to God to be authentic disciples and ask him for the grace to recognize our failure to "walk our talk" and to live what we profess or preach.

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus, save me from the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and help me to be a genuine Christian. Amen. 

In Faith They Reached Out

 

  Mk 6:53-56

Jesus Cures All

⁵³ When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret and anchored there. ⁵⁴ As soon as they got out of the boat, people recognized Jesus. ⁵⁵ They ran throughout that whole region and carried the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. ⁵⁶ And wherever he went—into villages, towns or countryside—they placed the sick in the marketplaces. They begged him to let them touch even the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.

 Again we see crowds reaching out to Jesus for healing, expressing their faith and desperation. Jesus does not question or complain, but cures all. Perhaps in our prayer we are not so confident nor persistent. Perhaps we can learn from this scene and pray with more faith and confidence to our loving and accommodating Jesus.

Bro Rene

Dear Jesus, help me to pray with more faith and confidence, and learn to trust in your loving care and desire for my well-being. Amen.

 

On A Mission

 

 Mk 1:29-39

Jesus Heals Many

²⁹ As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. ³⁰ Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they immediately told Jesus about her. ³¹ So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them.

³² That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. ³³ The whole town gathered at the door, ³⁴ and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.

Jesus Prays in a Solitary Place

³⁵ Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. ³⁶ Simon and his companions went to look for him, ³⁷ and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!”

³⁸ Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” ³⁹ So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.

It seems that at every turn someone was looking for a cure, or Jesus was preaching, even after sunset in the dark. How late did Jesus go? And yet he was up before sunrise to pray!  We think we are busy! The prayer component of his day was essential and to guarantee time for it, he rose early while the crowds (and maybe even the apostles) were still sleeping. We would have a hard time keeping up with him. Nevertheless, we too are on a mission and need an active and regular prayer life to accomplish it. We might have to rise before dawn for the needed prayer time to be effective during the day. We might have to eliminate some activities to get enough sleep and give us the needed prayer time. Both are necessary. With Lent a week and a half away, we might look at how we can make more time for quiet prayer as Jesus did.  

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus, help me to realize the need for prayer and sleep and help me to eliminate whatever interferes with finding time for them. Amen.

Balancing Prayer and Work

 

 Mk 6:30-34

 Come Away

³⁰ The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. ³¹ Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

³² So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. ³³ But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. ³⁴ When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.

Today has at least three big items on the agenda: The First Saturday of the month, the memorial of St  Blaise, commemorate by the blessing of the throats, and Day of Prayer for African American Communities. Our Gospel passage notes that Jesus, seeing how tired and hungry the disciples were, invited them to go to a quiet place and "get some rest". Doesn't that sound appealing to us, who are also pushed and pulled to the max?  May we listen to Jesus and set aside some quiet, restful prayer time today and tomorrow, at least, if not even into next week and beyond, especially with Lent so close. And yet, Jesus also sees the need to tend to the people, so back to teaching and healing.  We can't do wrong by following his example for there is much work to be done.  Finding the balance is key.

Bro Rene

Dear God help me to be a good minister, teacher and healer to myself as well at to others. Amen.

The Journey Begins

 

 Lk 2:22-40

Jesus Presented in the Temple

²² When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord ²³ (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”), ²⁴ and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”

²⁵ Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. ²⁶ It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. ²⁷ Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, ²⁸ Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:

²⁹ “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
    you may now dismiss your servant in peace.
³⁰ For my eyes have seen your salvation,
³¹     which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
³² a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
    and the glory of your people Israel.”

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.”

³⁶ There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, ³⁷ and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. ³⁸ Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.

³⁹ When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. ⁴⁰ And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.

We celebrate this beautiful moment when Jesus is presented in the temple according to the Law of Moses, but in hindsight, a dedication to the Father of his whole life and being as our Savior.  Simeon was inspired by the Holy Spirit and summed up the event with the Canticle that is prayed every evening at the conclusion of Compline, the Church's Night Prayer. Anna, a very holy woman, also recognized the child and gave praise and thanks to God.  May we, like these venerable witnesses, recognize Jesus and by our lives and words give praise and thanks to God for the presence of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ among us.

Bro. Rene

Dear Father, thank you for the Gift of your Son, Jesus, may we recognize him and bear witness to him by our l our words, our actions and our lives. Amen. 

 

Their Mission, Our Mission

 

 Mk 6:7-13

 Commissioning The Apostles

⁷ Calling the Twelve to him, he began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over impure spirits.

⁸ These were his instructions: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. ⁹ Wear sandals but not an extra shirt. ¹⁰ Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. ¹¹ And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.”

¹² They went out and preached that people should repent. ¹³ They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.

Jesus gives his disciples clear and concise instruction to keep them focused on their first journey to evangelize, preach repentance and drive out demons. Their "luggage" was the bare minimum, basically,  the clothes on their backs, and their message fundamental, change their way of life and adapt to a simpler life of faith. As we know, this is not the style of today's preachers, nor ours, yet the call to simplicity reminds us that the focus on spreading the need to change, believe, and follow up with maybe even drastic actions in our lives, is a special call and a necessary one.  With Lent now less than two weeks away, we might begin to examine our lifestyle and see how we can trim it to conform a bit more to what Jesus recommends here. With him all things are possible.

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus, help me be an effective apostle who lives simply and who focuses on the mission. Amen.