Hear and Obey

 Luke 11: 27-28

Who Is Blessed?

²⁷ As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, “Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you.”

²⁸ He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”

As we honor Mary on this Saturday (and all Saturdays) Jesus reminds us that we too are blessed if we, as Mary did, hear the word of God and obey it. Sounds easy and simple, but look at what it entailed for her: motherhood out of wedlock (initially...until St. Joseph took her as his wife); an unexpected sojourn in Egypt to protect Jesus from harm; widowhood;  life apart from Jesus as he went about his ministry; a witness and co-sufferer on the way to and at Calvary; joy at his resurrection, but again years without him after his ascension, and now her work and prayers that we might become his  fervent followers.  We often complain that "our work is never done...there's always something else". Same with Mary, but she never complains. Mary, help us to hear and obey as you did.

Bro. Rene

Division

Luke: 11: 15-36 

Constant Testing

¹⁵ But some of them said, “By Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he is driving out demons.” ¹⁶ Others tested him by asking for a sign from heaven.

¹⁷ Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: “Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall. ¹⁸ If Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? I say this because you claim that I drive out demons by Beelzebul. ¹⁹ Now if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your followers drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. ²⁰ But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

²¹ “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. ²² But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up his plunder.

²³ “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.

²⁴ “When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ ²⁵ When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. ²⁶ Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first.”

We might think we are the only  persons on earth who is constantly harassed, but if we look at the life, of Jesus, we see that he too was beset by challenges at every turn.  Unlike us, he was able to confront and overcome them as we see in today's gospel.   He reinforces the adage that "a house divided cannot stand" and encourages us to stand with him when we are challenged with choosing sides. When we look carefully at our lives we see that we have faced "bumps in the road" or   have been  "tested" as far back as we can remember, and know, realistically that today's bumps will be followed by tomorrow's. Knowing this, we can more wholeheartedly take our place at the side of Jesus, giving him full reign over us and our choices,  letting him be our defender and help us "pass the test."

Bro. Rene

Persistence in Prayer

 

Luke 11:5-13

Knock and It Will Be Opened

⁵ And he said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, ⁶ for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; ⁷ and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’? ⁸ I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs. ⁹ And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. ¹⁰ For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. ¹¹ What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; ¹² or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? ¹³ If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Although this Gospel in not specifically for the Memorial of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, the theme of persistent prayer unites them.  How many times have history or personal lives been influenced by the praying of the rosary?  Mary has appeared over the centuries asking that we pray it daily for the needs of the world as well as our own. Why? Because it helps us focus on events in the life of Jesus, and, over the years, enables us to grow in our love for him, our gratitude, to him, and our desire to follow him. The words of Jesus instill confidence as well as the need for persistence.  Let us pray with these attitudes, above, all, let us  pray. 

Bro. Rene

Keeping It Simple

Luke 11: 1-4 

The Lord's Prayer

11 He was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” ² He said to them, “When you pray, say:

Father, hallowed be your name.
    Your kingdom come.
³     Give us each day our daily bread.
⁴     And forgive us our sins,
        for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us.
    And do not bring us to the time of trial.^"

^{Luke gives us a "bare bone" version of The Lord's Prayer and by so doing, reminds us to keep our prayers simple and to the point. Let us take each petition and take extra time to reflect on it and see how we can enflesh it in our lives. "Lord, teach us to pray."}

^{Bro. Rene}

The Better Part

 

Martha and Mary

Luke 10: 38-42

 

³⁸ Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. ³⁹ And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. ⁴⁰ But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” ⁴¹ But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, ⁴² but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

To be with Mary, listening attentively to Jesus, is a place we need to be, as our lives are too full with "things to do and places to be." Yes the place of Martha is important, but Jesus seems to indicate that after quiet listening we emerge empowered to carry out those necessary tasks, not only with love, but with peaceful efficiency. Let us take "time outs" in the course of our day, to listen to Jesus in quiet, and let him soothe out spirits so that we may serve him better.

Bro. Reneu

Who Is My Neighbor?

Note, I forgot my mouse at home and don't know how to copy the Scripture passage without it.

Luke 10: 2

The Good Samaritan.

The familiar parable of the Good Samaritan continues to challenge us to put our faith into practice. Of all the passers-by, even the priest, only the by reputation, "despised" Samaritan stops and literally goes out of his way to help the wounded man. He calls us to look at our own behavior and, for example, to question when was the last time any one of us went out of our way, even for a few minutes, to help someone in need?  We have to be reminded that we can become so absorbed in our own lives that we neglect others. 

 St. Francis, whose memorial we celebrate today, was once one of those self-absorbed creatures, but gradually changed to help even the most despised, i.e. lepers.  He emptied himself and filled the hole with the poor.  He calls us to be Good Samaritans to the countless people near and far who need a helping hand.  St. Francis, help us to follow your example in action, not simply in thoughts or desires.

Bro. Rene

Two Sacred Things

 Mark 10: 2-16

 The Sacredness of Marriage

² Some Pharisees came and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?”

³ “What did Moses command you?” he replied.

⁴ They said, “Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away.”

⁵ “It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law,” Jesus replied. ⁶ “But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female.’ ⁷ ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, ⁸ and the two will become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. ⁹ Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

¹⁰ When they were in the house again, the disciples asked Jesus about this. ¹¹ He answered, “Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. ¹² And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.”

The Little Children and Jesus

¹³ People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them.¹⁴ When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. ¹⁵ Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom theof God like a little child will never enter it.” ¹⁶ And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.

The sacredness of marriage and loving respect for children are themes that strike home to this generation of ours where both suffer from neglect, to put it mildly, but there is hope.  Evidently, Pandemic-delayed weddings are predicted to take place in great numbers in the years ahead; Perhaps the absence of the sacrament has left a void that has developed a thirst for an act which signifies permanency and commitment.Fr. Robert Barron hits the nail on the head: When I was doing parish work, I would invariably ask young couples, "Why do you want to get married in church?" Most would say something like, "We love each other." But I said, "Well, that’s no reason to get married in church ." Usually, they looked stunned. But I meant it.
You come to church to be married before God and his people when you are convinced that your marriage is not, finally, about you; that it is about God and about serving God’s purposes; that it is, as much as the priesthood of a priest, a vocation, a sacred calling.

And in these days of so much child-abuse world-wide, the dignity of children shines forth in the tender care of Jesus and his strong words in their defense.

May we take heed of  these messages in today;s Gospel, live them and share them with others. Our weary world needs to hear this Good News!

Bro. Rene