Use Our Gifts

 

 

 

 

 

 Matthew 25:14-30

 The Parable of the Bags of Gold

¹⁴ “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. ¹⁵ To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. ¹⁶ The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. ¹⁷ So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. ¹⁸ But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

¹⁹ “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. ²⁰ The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’

²¹ “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

²² “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’

²³ “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

²⁴ “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. ²⁵ So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’

²⁶ “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? ²⁷ Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.

²⁸ “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. ²⁹ For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. ³⁰ And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

God has given each one of us a unique gift and, as the parable demonstrates, no matter what it is, we are to use it to the fullest, not bury it out of fear. Let's take some time in prayer today to look at our gift and see how we are using it. Let us not be fearful but boldly trust that God will help use it well. And if we discover more than one gift, then let's use them all. We don't want to be in the darkness gnashing our teeth, do we?

Bro. Rene

Dear God, thank you for the special gift or gifts you have given me. Help me to use it (them) to the fullest as you intend. Amen 

Keep Watch

  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.

Day by day we spend the hours in a basic routine from breakfast to supper, working, interacting with others, praying a bit, but never enough it seems.  We try to keep oil in our lamps to be ready for the Bridegroom, lest we be caught like the foolish virgins of the parable, and we keep watch, for we know not the day nor the hour when the Bridegroom will arrive.  Keeping watch does not mean living in fear, but being conscious of our ultimate destiny in the life to come and using the time here to prepare for it, to preview it by living a life of joy-filled love and service, of patience with ourselves and one another, and of seeking more effective and better ways of using our gifts to light the way for others. In so doing we will easily recognize the Bridegroom when he arrives.

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus, help me to keep my lamp burning as a light to help myself and others recognize you when you arrive. Amen.

The Passion of St. John The Baptist

 

 Mark 6:17-29

 The Death of the Baptist

¹⁷ For Herod himself had given orders to have John arrested, and he had him bound and put in prison. He did this because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, whom he had married. ¹⁸ For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” ¹⁹ So Herodias nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she was not able to, ²⁰ because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled; yet he liked to listen to him.

²¹ Finally the opportune time came. On his birthday Herod gave a banquet for his high officials and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. ²² When the daughter of Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests.

The king said to the girl, “Ask me for anything you want, and I’ll give it to you.” ²³ And he promised her with an oath, “Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom.”

²⁴ She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?”

“The head of John the Baptist,” she answered.

²⁵ At once the girl hurried in to the king with the request: “I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”

²⁶ The king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her. ²⁷ So he immediately sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s head. The man went, beheaded John in the prison, ²⁸ and brought back his head on a platter. He presented it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother. ²⁹ On hearing of this, John’s disciples came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.

An intriguing story of jealousy, retribution, human weakness, and the cost of standing up for the truth. John the Baptist lost his head because of these but we continue to celebrate his fidelity to the truth. He preached repentance and a change of life as he baptized in the Jordan, and minced no words over the scandalous marriage of Herod. He lived what he preached and paid the price for it. What an example for us, who often cower or hide in the face of today's declining morals and vanishing values. May we be inspired to take a stand for the truth, even if it means losing face in the eyes of our contemporaries.

Bro. Rene

St. John the Baptist, share your courage and strength with us to defend and live the truth. Amen 

More Woes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Matthew 23: 27-32

Be True Inside and Out

²⁷ “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. ²⁸ In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.

²⁹ “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous. ³⁰ And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ ³¹ So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. ³² Go ahead, then, and complete what your ancestors started!

Jesus has no tolerance for fakers. He strongly advises us to be on the inside what we display on the outside, or to practice what we preach, to use a familiar saying. Not an easy thing to do, but essential. He has no place for hypocrisy, neither should we, especially with ourselves. We try to eliminate  it, but keep slipping back into it.  Let us not be ashamed to begin over and over again. Eventually it will 'click". As we celebrate St, Augustine today, let us keep him in mind as an example of one who wandered, searched and found (or was found!)

Bro. Rene

Dear God, cleanse me to be on the outside what I am on the inside. Amen

 

Forceful Condemnations

 

 Matthew 23: 23-26

Blind Guides

²³ “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. ²⁴ You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.

²⁵ “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. ²⁶ Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.

The list of woes and condemnations continues in these three explosive verses. How do I react when I hear these woes addressed to ME?  Have I neglected justice, mercy and faithfulness? Am I misleading others? What is inside my cup? Greed and self-indulgence?  Even if some of these condemnations might seem exaggerated in my case, there are areas in my life I can clean up. Pray for honesty, courage and perseverance. They never go out of style.

Bro. Rene

Dear God, help me to face my shortcomings and with your help, overcome them. Amen.

 

Beware Of Hypocrisy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Matthew 23:13-22

 Seven Woes on the Teachers of the Law and the Pharisees

¹³ “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to. ^[14] 

¹⁵ “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of hell as you are.

¹⁶ “Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gold of the temple is bound by that oath.’ ¹⁷ You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred? ¹⁸ You also say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gift on the altar is bound by that oath.’ ¹⁹ You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? ²⁰ Therefore, anyone who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. ²¹ And anyone who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells in it. ²² And anyone who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and by the one who sits on it.

Jesus warns us in no uncertain terms to avoid being hypocrites. Like the Pharisees, we can easily deceive ourselves and others by lofty "teachings" some of which are legitimate, but others, false, and not practice them ourselves. Jesus wants us to be genuine in word and action. What  you see and hear from us should match up. If not, we are no better than these Pharisees Jesus condemns.

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus, help me to be sincere and genuine in my words and deeds. Amen. 

To Whom Shall We Go?

 

 John 6:60-69

Many Disciples Desert Jesus

⁶⁰ On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”

⁶¹ Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you? ⁶² Then what if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! ⁶³ The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit  and life. ⁶⁴ Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. ⁶⁵ He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.”

⁶⁶ From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.

⁶⁷ “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve.

⁶⁸ Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. ⁶⁹ We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”

John 6, the lengthy discourse on one of the essentials of our Faith, concludes with many deserting Jesus because they could not accept this "hard teaching", and Peter's opposite reaction, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to know that you are the Holy One of God." Where do I stand? I hope and want to be with Peter and pray that all could be with him, but faith is a gift; some welcome it and some refuse it. On this "Lord's Day" may I take stock of my stance, my faith, and pray in gratitude for whatever faith I have and ask that Jesus increase it.  If not to Jesus, where would I be? To whom would I go?

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus, thank you for the great gift of yourself to us in the Eucharist. May I grow to love, appreciate and take part of it more and more in the days ahead. Amen

You Will See Greater Things

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

John 1:45-51

Come And See

⁴⁵ Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”

⁴⁶ “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked.

“Come and see,” said Philip.

⁴⁷ When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.”

⁴⁸ “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked.

Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.”

⁴⁹ Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.”

⁵⁰ Jesus said, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” ⁵¹ He then added, “Very truly I tell you, you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’ the Son of Man.”

Jesus knows each one of us as he knew Nathanael and invites us daily to follow him. Like Nathanael, we might be skeptical of him as well as of what we can do. Jesus knows us better than we know ourselves and invites us to use our hidden potential despite our hesitations. Yes, if we follow, we will see our own potential activated and find ourselves doing things we never thought possible. The invitation is there, may we heed it and put our gifts fully into action.

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus, help me to see myself as you do and help me to put my gifts into actions that will bear fruit. Amen.

 

 

 

 

Love God and Neighbor

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Matthew 22:34-40

The Greatest Commandment

³⁴ Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. ³⁵ One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: ³⁶ “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

³⁷ Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ ³⁸ This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹ And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’⁴⁰ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

We are reminded again that the greatest commandment is love God and love of neighbor. It seems simple when put into such a short sentence, but living it, putting it into practice, is where the rub comes in. Some people are naturally easy to love, others not so, and beyond them, others we'd never choose to befriend or even love from a distance. But they are all created by God and he loves them,  The more we love God and extend that love to others, the more people we can include in it.  Let us pray for a deeper relationship with, a deeper love of God, and find our prejudices and inhibitions melt away and our love now able to include ALL!

Bro. Rene

Dear God, as you love ALL, expand my heart to love ALL as you do. Amen.

Many Are Called

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Matthew 22:1-14

 The Parable of the Wedding Banquet

22 Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: ² “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. ³ He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.

⁴ “Then he sent some more servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’

⁵ “But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business. ⁶ The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. ⁷ The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.

⁸ “Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. ⁹ So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ ¹⁰ So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.

¹¹ “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. ¹² He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?’ The man was speechless.

¹³ “Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

¹⁴ “For many are invited, but few are chosen.”

We get a sense of the frustration of the king whose invitation to the wedding feast of his son was totally ignored, his servants also ignored and some of them killed. Yet he persists in seeking guests and fills the banquet hall.  One guest, however, is not wearing a wedding garment and is expelled, a stark reminder that "many are invited, but few are chosen." 

We celebrate the Memorial of the Queenship of Mary today and this Gospel seems to have no connection to it, except that we might see Mary inviting people to the Feast of her Son and sharing his frustration at their indifference and even refusal of the invitation. Over the centuries she has appeared many times encouraging us to reform our lives and come to the Feast; many have but many more haven't. Let us pray that we accept it as well as for those who have yet to do so.

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus, through the intercession of Mary our Queen, give us the wisdom and courage it takes to accept your invitation to the wedding feast. Amen. 

Generosity

 

 

  Matthew 20:1-16

The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard

20 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. ² He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard.

³ “About nine in the morning he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. ⁴ He told them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ ⁵ So they went.

“He went out again about noon and about three in the afternoon and did the same thing. ⁶ About five in the afternoon he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’

⁷ “‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered.

“He said to them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard.’

⁸ “When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.’

⁹ “The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius. ¹⁰ So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. ¹¹ When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. ¹² ‘These who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.’

¹³ “But he answered one of them, ‘I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? ¹⁴ Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. ¹⁵ Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’

¹⁶ “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

Let's look at the generosity of the landowner. He hires five groups of workers at five different times of the day and pays them all the same wage. Naturally the group hired first would expect to receive more than those who only worked an hour, and we might say their grumbling is justified.  The generosity of the landowner surpasses their notion of "fairness" and gives us a picture of God's generosity to us. Who are we to complain when God SEEMS to be unfair in our eyes? He works from a different logic and is "the Boss". Ours is to be grateful for whatever we receive and not compare ourselves to others. Our Father knows best.

Bro. Rene

Dear God, you are the Giver of all good gifts, Let me be grateful for whatever you choose to give me and try to be as generous as you. Amen.

 

Who Can Be Saved?

 

 Matthew 19:23-30

 All Is Possible With God

²³ Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. ²⁴ Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

²⁵ When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”

²⁶ Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

²⁷ Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?”

²⁸ Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. ²⁹ And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. ³⁰ But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.

We follow the departure of the rich young man with the assurance from Jesus that "all things are possible with God." Following Jesus requires detachment from things, prestige, and even at times, people. It's no easy path, but the testimony of the lives of the saints over the past two thousand years bears testimony to the truth in what Jesus is saying. It's a path we cannot walk alone. Jesus must be with us. We need to walk with him, otherwise we will falter, trip and fall flat on our faces.  We are called each day to reach out to him to walk with us, be with us, help us take every step of our journey. May pride nor a false sense of independence keep us foolishly separated from Jesus.

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus, walk with me, be with me, lest I stumble over my own pride. Amen.

What Do I Lack?

 

 

 Matthew 19:16-22

 The Rich and the Kingdom of God

¹⁶ Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?”

¹⁷ “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.”

¹⁸ “Which ones?” he inquired.

Jesus replied, “‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, ¹⁹ honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’”

²⁰ “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?”

²¹ Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

²² When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.

We have to admire the rich young man as he confesses that he keeps the basic commandments yet seeks to do MORE. Then when Jesus "lowers the boom" and tells him to sell all, give to the poor, and follow him, he realizes that this is too much and turns away. We might find ourselves asking what more we can do and hear someone wiser than we saying in the background, "Be careful for what you ask." Our fervor can get the best of us, or get us into a place we're not ready for as yet. If we want to do "more", then let us also ask for the grace to be able to follow through on our desire and be open and willing to do what God will ask of us. We're wading into deep waters, and cannot make it through on our own. Our desire is strong and worthy but our flesh is weak. We need God's help, grace, for every step of the way.

Bro. Rene

Dear God, I need your grace to follow you more closely. Help me not to turn away but do whatever you ask of me. Amen.

Food For Eternity

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 John 6:51-58

 Remaining In Jesus

⁵¹ I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”

⁵² Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”

⁵³ Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. ⁵⁴ Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. ⁵⁵ For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. ⁵⁶ Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. ⁵⁷ Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. ⁵⁸ This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.”

We usually eat three meals a day, day after day. Our hunger is endless. If such is the case with our physical hunger, what about our spiritual hunger? Jesus has provided us with the Bread of  Life, his own flesh and blood under the appearance of bread and wine, a tangible way of satisfying our spiritual hunger. Partaking of this food enables him to remain in us and we in him, in an intimacy that deepens and nourishes our relationship with him. It is truly the food we need for what can be and often is a dry and arduous journey. Jesus also pledges that this Bread is the key to eternal life with him and whoever eats it will be raised on the last day to live with him in Eternity. Whoever eats this Bread REMAINS with Jesus in this life and in the life to come. May we eat this Bread as often as we can as we journey day by day to the Eternal Life .

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus, thank you for this heavenly food. May I be blessed to eat of it as often as I can. Amen.

The Kingdom Belongs to the Childlike

 

  Matthew 19:13-15

The Little Children and Jesus

¹³ Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them.

¹⁴ Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” ¹⁵ When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.

We adults might think that we have lost  our childlike view of the world as daily atrocities mount and our interactions with others reveal self-centeredness, duplicity, and disregard of the rights and gifts of our neighbor. Children are spontaneous, open and freely express their needs, likes or dislikes. We can imagine the smile on Jesus' face as he placed his hands on these children and prayed for them. How do we treat our own children or those of others? How can I readjust my jauniced outlook on life to that of a child?  How can I let Jesus bless me today?

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus, let me shed the callouses that are making me cynical or bitter, and regain the attitude of a trusting, loving child. Amen.

A Demanding Message

 

 Mt 19: 3-12 

Marriage Is Sacred

³ Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?”

⁴ “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ ⁵ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? ⁶ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

⁷ “Why then,” they asked, “did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?”

⁸ Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. ⁹ I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.”

¹⁰ The disciples said to him, “If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry.”

¹¹ Jesus replied, “Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given. ¹² For there are eunuchs who were born that way, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by others—and there are those who choose to live like eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it.”

In this age when divorce seems to have hit the 50% mark, we need to listen to Jesus about the permanence of marriage. It is not to be taken lightly, but entered into from the beginning as a permanent and life-long dedication of two people to each other. The preparation steps before the actual marriage are key to its success. Getting to know one another, being honest with each other, tying  up the loose ends as much as possible and above all, giving God his place of honor as the rock and foundation of the future life together are imperative. Pre-Cana sessions, retreats. prayer and consultation with counselors can help provide what is needed to make a solid and lasting commitment to each other. Let us pray for all married couples and those preparing for their life together as man and wife.

Bro. Rene

Dear God, bless and show your love to those contemplating marriage and those already committed to each other. Amen   

 

He Has Filled The Hungry With Good Things

 Note: there was not slice of Daily Bread yesterday because I was being tested in the hospital. No results yet.

 

  Luke 1:39-56

 Mary Visits Elizabeth

³⁹ At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, ⁴⁰ where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. ⁴¹ When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. ⁴² In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! ⁴³ But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? ⁴⁴ As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. ⁴⁵ Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”

Mary’s Song

⁴⁶ And Mary said:

“My soul glorifies the Lord
⁴⁷     and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
⁴⁸ for he has been mindful
    of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
⁴⁹     for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
    holy is his name.
⁵⁰ His mercy extends to those who fear him,
    from generation to generation.
⁵¹ He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
    he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
⁵² He has brought down rulers from their thrones
    but has lifted up the humble.
⁵³ He has filled the hungry with good things
    but has sent the rich away empty.
⁵⁴ He has helped his servant Israel,
    remembering to be merciful
⁵⁵ to Abraham and his descendants forever,
    just as he promised our ancestors.”

⁵⁶ Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.

Today's Solemnity not only honors Mary's return to heaven body and soul, but is also major cause for joy and celebration for us, The Little Brothers of Mary (Marist Brothers), many of whom took the Habit of the Marist Brothers or professed their First Vows on this day. 64 years ago I was among several of us who donned the Marist Habit for the first time.  Mary calls all to proclaim the goodness of the Lord and to rejoice in God our Savior, for indeed, he has done wonders for all of us and holy is his name. He has  filled us hungry people with good things, especially with his Son, Jesus. Slowly reflect on each line of the Magnificat and you will be surprised at how close it brings you to God as you see how lavishly he has provided for you.

Bro. Rene

Dear God, I rejoice with Mary as I reflect on all the good things (and people) you have provided for me. Amen.   

 

Childlikeness and Godliness

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Matthew 18:1-5, 10, 12-14

 The Greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven

18 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

² He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. ³ And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. ⁴ Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. ⁵ And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.

Matthew 18:10-14

The Parable of the Wandering Sheep

¹⁰ “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven. 

¹² “What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? ¹³ And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. ¹⁴ In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.

Jesus points out how much God loves the "little ones", the childlike, whose innocence wins a great position in heaven. Jesus even states that we must take on the characteristics of a child: simplicity, trust, eagerness, joy and love, or we will never enter the Kingdom of God. We often think the more we know, the more sophisticated we become, the more we will earn heaven.  It seems that the more we become like an innocent child, the better our chances of making it to heaven.  How childlike am I? How can I become so?

Bro. Rene

Dear God, the the gift is childlike simplicity is a treasure worth discarding pride and self-sufficiency. Help me to develop an true sense of being your child. Amen.

God Asks Hard Things

 

 Matthew 17:22-27

 Jesus Predicts His Death a Second Time

²² When they came together in Galilee, he said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. ²³ They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised to life.” And the disciples were filled with grief.

The Temple Tax

²⁴ After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma temple tax came to Peter and asked, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?”

²⁵ “Yes, he does,” he replied.

When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. “What do you think, Simon?” he asked. “From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes—from their own children or from others?”

²⁶ “From others,” Peter answered.

“Then the children are exempt,” Jesus said to him. ²⁷ “But so that we may not cause offense, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.”

The grief the Apostles experienced on hearing Jesus's prediction of his death does not mean they fully understood or accepted what he said, judging from the description of their fear and confusion when the arrest and death actually occurred. The same with the paying of the temple tax.  They were not obliged to pay it yet, Jesus makes it possible and they do.  

As we move forward in our spiritual lives, we learn to accept "Hard Things" and very often find ourselves doing what we never expected or thought we could do. Somehow God's grace enables us to carry our crosses, such as living with physical disabilities, or the loss of a family member or friend. God often asks hard things of us but gives us the grace and strength to accept them, learn from them and move forward.  What is he asking of me today?

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus, help me to accept and carry out whatever you ask of me today. Amen.

 

This Bread Is My Flesh

 

  John 6:41-51

 The Bread From Heaven

⁴¹ At this the Jews there began to grumble about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” ⁴² They said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, ‘I came down from heaven’?”

⁴³ “Stop grumbling among yourselves,” Jesus answered. ⁴⁴ “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day. ⁴⁵ It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to me. ⁴⁶ No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. ⁴⁷ Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life. ⁴⁸ I am the bread of life. ⁴⁹ Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died. ⁵⁰ But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which anyone may eat and not die. ⁵¹ I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”

We continue to listen to Jesus describing the great gift of himself as the bread of life, our nourishment for the journey here on this earth to our final and everlasting home in heaven.  It's not an easy journey, as Jesus well knows, so he gives us the best of all food to sustain us on our way: his own body and blood in the form of bread and wine. We love a good, healthy and hearty meal that nourishes our bodies but the fare that Jesus gives us, his own body and blood, nourishes our souls as can no other food.  It is the Food of foods, the Gift of gifts. Let us thank God  for it and partake of it as often as we can.

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus, you are the Bread of Life. Thank you for being our nourishment on this strenuous daily pilgrimage to our heavenly home; Amen.  

The Paradox

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

John 12:24-26

Losing  Life To Keep It

 ²⁴ Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. ²⁵ Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. ²⁶ Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.

We begin this day with the beautiful and ever-simple but ever-startling image of the seed falling into the ground, losing its identity and rising in a new form to produce fruit that sustains life for others and new seeds to renew the process in the next season. As we grow older we see this process more clearly: our energies are diminishing, our abilities and activities are more and more limited, we are dying but live in the hope that we have borne fruit in others that will last and that we will still be able to produce some fruit even in these years of decline. We can still serve and honor God and help others do so too. As we "lose" our life, we can still pass it on to others by sharing even more generously our wisdom, insight, and above all, our love. The more we die to ourselves, our selfishness, the more we have to give as inspiration to others.

Bro. Rene

Dear God, let me be willing to die to myself for you and for the sake of others. Amen. 

The Cross VS The World

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Matthew 16:24-28

 Finding Life

²⁴ Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. ²⁵ For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. ²⁶ What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? ²⁷ For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.

²⁸ “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

Jesus does not offer an easy path to life. Wealth, prestige, "the easy life" are not part of the equation which results in true happiness and fulfillment. No, it is the cross of self-denial, of values contrary  to what the world holds sacrosanct that gives true life.  The paradox of "less is more" is at play here. In self denial we gain ;more than we forgo. Let us pray to St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, whose memorial we celebrate today, for the wisdom and courage to choose less, to choose the cross instead of ease and comfort. We will gain more than we lose.

Bro. Rene

Dear God, guide me along the road of self-denial in order that I might find life in you. Amen

Who Is Jesus For Me?

 

 

 Matthew 16:13-23

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.” ²⁰ Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

Jesus Predicts His Death

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

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

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

 Jesus chides Peter for his over-confident proclamation of loyalty, reminding him and all of us that we can't put our thoughts or desires before those of God. "you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns." Peter had just made his outstanding declaration of faith in Jesus and received his commission as the "rock" on which Jesus would build his church, yet his human weakness made him ever vulnerable to mistakes and failures, as we know in our own lives. Peter's confession of faith and his display of over confidence give us pause and beg us to look at our own relationship with Jesus.  
Who is he for me?

Bro.Rene

Dear Jesus, deepen my relationship with you and help me to serve you with good deeds and not merely in words. Amen. 

Praying With Faith

 

 

 

 

 Matthew 15:21-28

The Faith of a Canaanite Woman

 

²¹ Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. ²² A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.”

²³ Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.”

²⁴ He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.”

²⁵ The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said.

²⁶ He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”

²⁷ “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”

²⁸ Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.

Jesus commends this pleading mother for her faith; our tendency, like that of the disciples, might have been to send her away. We learn the power of persistence in prayer as well as the kindness of Jesus. In this scene, he's in no hurry to heal this young woman, but neither can he easily dismiss her mother. She believes he can cure her daughter and will not leave until he does.  Her faith is the key; it prevails and the daughter is cured.  Do we have this faith, this persistence or do we give up when our request is not answered the first time we ask?  Let us spend time reviewing the way we pray and present our needs to Jesus, as well as looking at the depth or shallowness of our faith.

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus, increase my faith and help me to believe that you can and will grant my requests. Amen.

 

Listen To Him

 

 

 Mark 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.

What was it like on Tabor that day? Suddenly Jesus appeared in another, we say, "glorified form", where his Divinity was evident as never before and wouldn't be till after his resurrection.  This was a foretaste of the glory that was and was to come.  Not your ordinary carpenter, healer, or preacher for this instant, but the glorious Son of God! We pause in wonder and adoration with Peter, James and John. May our prayer this day be on Tabor with them and boost our weak and questioning hearts with the assurance that Jesus, the Son of God, is with us always.

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus, I believe you are the Son of God and are calling me to be transfigured into one of your faithful disciples. Amen.

 

God Provides

 

Matthew 14:13-21

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand

¹³ When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. ¹⁴ When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.

¹⁵ As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.”

¹⁶ Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”

¹⁷ “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered.

¹⁸ “Bring them here to me,” he said. ¹⁹ And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. ²⁰ They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. ²¹ The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.

Note:  There was no slice of Daily Bread yesterday because my source, Faith ND, did not appear in my inbox.This threw me off, but going to bed last night I thought of a way I could have delivered the slice without the help of Faith ND.  Next time! 

How could that small amount of loaves and fishes feed so many? "Nothing is impossible with God." (Lk 1: 37)   We fret over the smallest things and forget that  the Jesus who performed this miracle can certainly take care of my needs, as essential or petty as they may be. God knows our needs and provides for them;

We celebrate the optional memorial of the Dedication of the Basilica of St, Mary Major, the oldest church dedicated to Mary. This day is also referred to as Our Lady of the Snows, for as the story goes. snow fell in Rome on this day in mid-summer to indicate the location and size of this basilica.  Eight weeks ago, my friend Joseph Lamontagne and I were in this very church! Anything is possible with our loving God.  May we be open to him as he feeds us and treats us beyond our wildest imaginations. What miracle awaits us this day?

Bro. Rene

Dear God you provide for the construction of basilicas as well as the growth of my spiritual and physical life. May I grow to trust in your loving care more and more. Amen.