Don't Be Afraid; Just Believe

 

 Mk 5:21-43

Jesus Raises a Dead Girl and Heals a Sick Woman

²¹ When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake. ²² Then one of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet. ²³ He pleaded earnestly with him, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.” ²⁴ So Jesus went with him.

A large crowd followed and pressed around him. ²⁵ And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. ²⁶ She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. ²⁷ When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, ²⁸ because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” ²⁹ Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.

³⁰ At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?”

³¹ “You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, ‘Who touched me?’ ”

³² But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. ³³ Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. ³⁴ He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”

³⁵ While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the teacher anymore?”

³⁶ Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”

³⁷ He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. ³⁸ When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. ³⁹ He went in and said to them, “Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.” ⁴⁰ But they laughed at him.

After he put them all out, he took the child’s father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was. ⁴¹ He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum!” (which means “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”). ⁴² Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished. ⁴³ He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat.

A good way to spend the last day of June:  reflecting on these two cures. The month has passed like lightning, and, no doubt July will be the same. May we the take extra time  today to visualize these these moving scenes, to be there and experience the faith, the determination, and joy Jesus brings through these healings. What healings do I need?  Do I have the faith of this woman or of Jairus? When I go to bed tonight, may my faith be more like that of these seekers of healing, these believers.

Bro. Rene

Dear God,thank you for the example of faith in today's Gospel' strengthen my faith today. Amen

 

Upon This Rock

 

 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.”

Having recently been in St. Peter's in Rome, the phrase, "upon this rock" leaps out at me this morning. This magnificent basilica of enormous size and filled with countless works of art is more than just a photo op, or a display of the best that artists can conceive and execute, but it is a sign of the fidelity and commitment of God to man and man to God. We have given the BEST of what architects and artists have created to help our souls soar into the presence of God and experience a bit of "heaven on earth." Work continues to preserve this masterpiece, especially in view of the upcoming Holy Year in 2025.  So too with our faith, a magnificent gift, a basilica that we work to maintain, preserve and expand.  Little did the fisherman Peter dream that such a testimony to him should inspire so many 2000 years after his death...Nor did Paul, a persecutor of the Church, even dream that he would become one of its greatest teachers and preachers.  It is humbling to see what God can do with us.  Let us be ready to answer his call and to "do whatever his tells us."

Bro. Rene

Dear God, open my heart to receive your call and to respond with the faith and zeal of Saints Peter and Paul. Amen.  

Direct Ask

 Mt 8:1-4

 Jesus Heals a Man With Leprosy

8 When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. ² A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”

³ Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy. ⁴ Then Jesus said to him, “See that you don’t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”

This succinct account of the leper's cure illustrates his faith and the willingness of Jesus to grant his request. Have we ever made our request to Jesus in such a direct and simple way? I have long suffered with pain from head to toe; I need to learn how to ask for healing.  Teach me,dear Jesus. 

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus, if you are willing, you can heal me. Amen.

Not Just Words

 

 

 

  Mt 7:21-29

True and False Disciples

²¹ “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. ²² Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we 

 21 Jesus said to his disciples: 'Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ ²³ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

The Wise and Foolish Builders

²⁴ “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. ²⁶ But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. ²⁷ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

²⁸ When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, ²⁹ because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.

What is worthwhile takes effort, sometimes effort beyond what we think we are capable of. Persistence and concrete action enable us to build on rock. It's really a lifetime enterprise. and requires much patience, strength and grace.  We cannot do it alone, but with the help of others, and especially with God's help, the house on the rock rises and withstands even the unforeseen challenges that inevitably arise. Let us determine not to give God just lip service, but concrete evidence of our sincerity and desire to build a relationship with him that has a rock-solid foundation.

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus, help me to withstand the challenges that come my way daily, and to build my house on you. Amen.   

 

Not An Easy Road

 

 

 

 

 Matthew 7: 6, 12-14

^{Do to Others}

 

⁶ “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

¹² So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

The Narrow and Wide Gates

¹³ “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. ¹⁴ But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

Today's short and  succinct teachings provide a template for our lifetime. If we ever learn to treat one another the way we wish to be treated or think we deserve to be treated, what a different world this would be. The nightly news is discouraging with tales of senseless shootings, the wars in Gaza and Ukraine...destruction of lives and property over the top. What keeps us from living verse 12? Yes, the gate is narrow but it leads to life.  Shouldn't we be choosing life? 

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus help me to find the wisdom and courage to choose life and enter through the narrow gate. I will not be disappointed. Amen.

A Special Man

 

 Lk 1:57-66,80

The Birth of John the Baptist

⁵⁷ When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. ⁵⁸ Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.

⁵⁹ On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, ⁶⁰ but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.”

⁶¹ They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who has that name.”

⁶² Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. ⁶³ He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.” ⁶⁴ Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God. ⁶⁵ All the neighbors were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things. ⁶⁶ Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, “What then is this child going to be?” For the Lord’s hand was with him.

⁸⁰ And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel.

Luke paints a vivid picture of the birth of this special man, the last of the prophets announcing the arrival of the long-awaited Messiah. The years went by and the question of the people, "What is this child going to be?" was answered. He prepared the people for the mission of Jesus and lost his life to the forces of evil when he confronted Herod for his sinful marriage. We have before us a fearless spokesman for God,  "voice crying out in the wilderness", preparing the way for the Savior. How can we continue his mission in our families, our circle of friends, our workplaces? Jesus has come but is being greatly ignored.  It's time for us to rise and take up the mission of John and again announce the arrival of the Messiah.

Bro. Rene

Dear God, thank you for John the Baptist.  Help me to continue his work and our Marist mission of making Jesus known and loved. Amen. 

Quiet, Be Still

 

 Mk 4:35-41

Jesus Calms the Storm

³⁵ That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” ³⁶ Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. ³⁷ A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. ³⁸ Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”

³⁹ He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

⁴⁰ He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

⁴¹ They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

While we sail on the waters of this life we will inevitably face storms that will frighten the daylights out of us: sudden illnesses, loss of jobs, unforeseen expenses, deaths of family of friends, unwanted and unexpected periods of depression. The words of Jesus "Quiet, Be Still" calm us down and bring us peace. He asked the apostles why they were so afraid, and asks us the same question. Where is our faith/ where is my faith? Good questions for our Sunday reflection.

Bro . Rene

Dear God, I do believe; help my unbelief. Amen.

What To Seek First

 

 Mt 6:24-34

²⁴ “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

Do Not Worry

²⁵ “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷ Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

²⁸ “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹ Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? ³¹ So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

In this familiar and beloved passage, Jesus advises us to put our trust in God and avoid worrying about even the essentials, like food and drink. We think that we have reached this level of faith and confidence, and then find ourselves worrying again. We never seems to learn, but more than that, God never tires of teaching us to worry less and trust more. He willingly offers his help daily and patiently waits for us to "come on board" with him.  What is on my mind for today? Can I turn it over to God, and seek first "his kingdom and righteousness?  

Bro. Rene

Dear God, help me to seek first your kingdom and put aside my worries. Amen

 

Fixed On LIght

 

 Mt 6:19-23

Treasures in Heaven

¹⁹ “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰ But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

²² “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. ²³ But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

Darkness is menacing, scary, for it hides the unknown and feeds the imagination. We naturally prefer the light when all is visible and there are no surprises. Jesus urges us to live in the light, his light, which casts away darkness and doubt. Daily reflection on his teachings, his actions as recorded by the evangelists, and simply sitting with him are ways to experience his light and find the treasures that will last. It's no impossible goal and can be done regularly if we set aside time, sacred time, for it. Begin now!

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus, your word is a light for my life. Grant me the grace to be faithful to spending time daily with you. Amen.

 

 

Our Daily Bread

 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 blessed are we to have this  prayer from the lips of Jesus himself! It is simple, direct, and comprehensive. Perhaps is suffers from over-familiarity, so it might be a good idea to pray it slowly, line by line, letting each petition have its time and space. As Jesus himself gave us this prayer, let it be one we treasure and use most frequently.

Bro. Rene

Dear God, help me to pray this beloved prayer with reverence and the full attention of my heart and soul. Amen.

For God, Not Self

 Mt 6:1-6, 16-18

Giving to the Needy

6 “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.

² “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. ³ But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴ so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Prayer

⁵ “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. ⁶ 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.

Fasting

¹⁶ “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. ¹⁷ But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, ¹⁸ 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.

As we pray and do good for others, Jesus strongly advises that we act humbly, not calling attention to ourselves. We are working for the Father, and as much as possible he should be the only one who sees what we are doing. Our egos tend to kick in all too frequently, seeking recognition even in subtle ways. Today's verses can help us tame our egos and keep things in perspective. Fidelity to daily prayer and meditation is the antidote to a self-aggrandizing ego. Remember all is for God, not for me!

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus, as you were meek and humble of heart, help me to be the same. Amen

The Ultimate 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.

God is not satisfied with half-measures. He asks hard things of us: to love our enemies, to pray for those who persecute us, to "be perfect as he our heavenly Father is perfect."  How is this possible? For God everything is possible, so let's not look for excuses to avoid doing our best to put these verses into practice. It may be one small step at a time, but at least it's progress. Our lazy self will look for excuses: "It's too hard!" We need  to ask for God's help and his grace will assuredly make  all things possible.

Bro. Rene

Dear God, increase my capacity to love, even my "enemies" or those who are hard to love; help me to be perfect as you, my heavenly Father, are perfect. Amen.