Jesus confirms that there will be an end.
Nothing will remain but His words will not pass away.
It requires that we keep all things in perspective.
It is now near the end of the liturgical year. We should take time to remember what the Gospel has taught us.
Will we take some time to reflect on what we have heard and experienced?
Since we do not know when, are we ready now?
I always thought it took a lot of nerve for Elijah to beg that poor woman for a meal. . It would be easier to understand if we heard the verse before this reading begins: God tells the prophet that he has “commanded a widow…to feed you.” (1Kgs 17:9)
Now the widow was not aware of this command. But she does as Elijah asked. That took even more faith than Elijah showed. She shows us that we are obeying God’s commands when we trust him. Most of those commands come not from a vision, but from someone’s cry for help.
I wonder how many good people have passed up a chance to do God’s will because they didn’t hear directly from God what to do. When you hear that a tornado destroyed a nearby neighborhood, do you hear God asking you to help? Do you hear God’s voice when you read in the bulletin that the food pantry is running low?
And if you do hear God calling in these examples, how do you respond? Do you have the faith of the woman whose few cents were all that she had. It takes a lot of courage to trust God completely. Do you have what it takes?
Tom Schmidt, Diocesan Publications
According to Jesus, the first commandment is to love God with heart, mind, soul, and strength. This is usually taken to mean loving God with your whole being. But it wouldn’t hurt to look at the modern meanings of those words to see how we can apply them.
The heart is the symbol of our desires and love. To love God with all your heart can mean recognizing God as the one source of your life. That means you love God above everything and everyone. How many of us can say we would rather spend time with God, than with our friends, family, or loved ones?
To love God with all your mind can mean that you never stop thinking of God. You can ask God to help you any time you decide, whether it is what to watch next on TV, or what to do for a living. The better you know God, the more likely you will hear God in your decisions. You can get to know God through the scriptures and other spiritual readings.
If the soul is the center of your spiritual life, then loving God with all your soul can remind you to listen to God when you pray. You might remember how annoying it can be to converse with someone who does all the talking. At first, it is easy, but eventually, you get nervous because you have things you would like to say. Think of that when you pray; give God a chance to put in a few words, too.
Finally, to love God with all your strength can mean you put as much energy into loving God as you do with exercising, doing your day job, cleaning the house, or mowing the lawn. Remember that no matter how hard you work for the Lord, God loves you even more than you love Him.
Tom Schmidt, Diocesan Publications.
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/110324.cfm
When you think of Jesus, what do you think was his job? Healer of the sick, the lame and the blind, as in today’s gospel? The second reading from Hebrews reminds us of his main duty: It calls him a High Priest. He would offer the most important sacrifices and so appeal to God for forgiveness of the peoples’ sins.
The high priest offered sacrifice for his own sins, as well as the peoples’. While Jesus did not sin, he experienced temptations just as we do and so can intercede for us as one who knows what it is like to be tempted. If you ever wonder if you deserve to be forgiven, remember that Jesus died for all sinners, deserving or not. Like the high priest, Jesus also brings our prayers to his Father and shows us the Father’s love.
Our baptism gives us a share in that priesthood. You don’t have to be ordained to pray for your friends and family. When you listen to a friend who is hurting, or forgive someone who hurts you, you are blessing them with God’s love. When you encourage them to have faith and trust in the Lord, you are bringing them to God. You are sharing in the priesthood of Christ.
Tom Schmidt, Diocesan Publications
Though Mark’s gospel does not have the washing of the disciples’ feet found in the gospel of John, today’s passage has a similar message. While James and John seem to be close friends of Jesus, they obviously have not learned what it means to follow him. Jesus doesn’t promise worldly glory, but he does promise a share in his suffering. Imagine their surprise when he told them that the greatest of them would be the ones who served the rest.
They probably did not know what Jesus meant about their being baptized in death as Jesus would. But then how many people today know that leadership is a form of service? Whether you are head of a family, or of a nation, you were given that authority by God. And God expects leaders to direct those under them and inspire and encourage them to do better.
This connection of leadership and service is all-inclusive. A manager is called to help his employees do their jobs better, not by badgering, but by giving the support they need. Military leaders must support their troops with respect and discipline. God specially calls Church leaders to service their flock: to protect the weakest members, to give an example of Jesus’ love to all, and to be open to the movement of the Holy Spirit in both clergy and laity. Anyone who lives a life of loving service can be “greatest” in the Kingdom of God.
Tom Schmidt, Diocesan Publications
The first reading is supposed to remind us of Solomon, choosing wisdom over wealth or power. In the scriptures, wisdom means doing God’s will in all things. As Jesus tried to tell the man in the gospel, knowing and doing God’s will is more precious than wealth, or even family!
So if wisdom is that good, why do so few seek it? Most of us have no problem doing God’s will, as long as it is the same as ours. Or we do God’s will if it is painless and convenient. Sometimes we are like that man in the gospel, desiring wisdom but not willing to pay for it.
Maybe our problem is that we don’t trust God enough. The first reading, after praising wisdom more than health, wealth, and beauty, ends with a promise of “countless riches” while Jesus promises that the one who gives up everything will receive “a hundred times more.” Because the rich man left in sorrow, he missed the punch line.
I can think of two ways to interpret that promise. One is that the more we give up for the love of the Lord, the more we get back. The other is finding that what truly makes us happy is knowing we are loved by God and responding with love for others.
Tom Schmidt, Diocesan Publications
Some Pharisees approached Jesus and asked, ‘Is it against the law for a man to divorce his wife?’ They were testing him. He answered them, ‘What did Moses command you?’ ‘Moses allowed us’ they said ‘to draw up a writ of dismissal and so to divorce.’ Then Jesus said to them, ‘It was because you were so unteachable that he wrote this commandment for you. But from the beginning of creation God made them male and female. This is why a man must leave father and mother, and the two become one body. They are no longer two, therefore, but one body. So then, what God has united, man must not divide.’ Back in the house the disciples questioned him again about this, and he said to them, ‘The man who divorces his wife and marries another is guilty of adultery against her. And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another she is guilty of adultery too.’
People were bringing little children to him, for him to touch them. The disciples turned them away, but when Jesus saw this he was indignant and said to them, ‘ Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. I tell you solemnly, anyone who does not welcome the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.’ Then he put his arms round them, laid his hands on them and gave them his blessing.
The first reading might be what Jesus was talking about when he scolded the disciples. They wanted to stop an exorcist whom they didn’t know. In both cases, whether prophesying or driving out demons, someone wanted them to stop. The persons doing those things were not members of the group. In the gospel, the disciples objected simply because they didn’t know the ones who were casting out demons. Back in Moses’ days, the two “renegades” were actually on the list, they just weren’t present with the rest gathered around Moses. Both Joshua and the disciples of Jesus thought they should control who could do God’s work and who couldn’t.
The temptation to control things is pretty common, but we can’t be truly at peace till we allow God to be the one in control. God loves all people, even those who don’t know him. So if we see someone who has a spiritual gift, it could be God’s way of helping that person to know about His love. Many non-Christians who are very generous or patient or wise, who could come to faith if they realized that God was acting through them. You don’t have to bowl them over with evangelistic fervor. Just the observation that you see God’s love in them might get them thinking about their faith.
The Apostles Creed reminds us that the Church is catholic, or universal. All are welcome because Jesus died for everyone. As Moses said in the first reading, wouldn’t it be great if God sent his gifts of the Spirit to them all?
Tom Schmidt, Diocesan Publications
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/092924.cfm
St. James message of peace is as true now as it was two thousand years ago. Where else do wars and terrorism come from, than people holding on to wealth, power, or hatred? But the message James shares, and that of Jesus in the gospel, is a simple call to be different. Neither of them condemns anyone. They call us to look at what we really want and what truly brings happiness.
Jesus’ disciples argued about who was greatest. We are no different today. We have to learn that having the latest gadget, the most expensive cell-phone, or the latest-model car are at best temporary delights. And that being admired by acquaintances is never as lasting as loving someone for themselves. Can we learn to be more excited about what God has done for us than what we did to improve our home? Can we share our faith in God’s mercy instead of bragging about our golf or bowling scores?
St. James ends our second reading with a challenging statement: He says we ask but don’t receive because we ask wrongly. How often do we desire things that won’t really make us happy? Do we pray for things we don’t really need? Let us ask God to show us his love and to help those around us to experience it too.
Tom Schmidt, Diocesan Publications
Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time | USCCB
Our theme reflects our call to missionary discipleship. As St John Paul II reminded us: The universal call to holiness is closely linked to the universal call to mission. Every member of the faithful is called to holiness and to mission. We are called to be eucharist by word and action to our brothers and sisters in Christ. Our times cry out for this kind of holiness, one inflamed by the ardent determination to bring as many of our brothers and sisters as possible to Christ. USCCB 2024
<>/br>Loving God, Creator of all things,
you call us to be in relationship with you and others.
Thank you for calling me to be a catechist,
for the opportunity to share with others
what you have given to me.
May all those with whom I share the gift of faith
discover how you are present in all things.
May they come to know you, the one true God,
and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
May the grace of the Holy Spirit guide my heart and lips,
so that I may remain constant in loving and praising you.
May I be a witness to the Gospel and a minister of your truth.
May all my words and actions reflect your love.
Amen.
St. James is exaggerating a little when he describes how people might greet visitors or new members in the church. Sadly, prejudice is a sin that is just as prevalent today as it was 2000 years ago. Today we have laws for business and government to prevent prejudice. But the subtler forms of judging people by their race, clothing, speech, religion, etc. sometimes hide behind patriotism, faith, or the desire to protect our families.
One reason for prejudice is ignorance. When you get an e-mail that says “true Americans” are white, English-speaking Christians, there is probably some prejudice behind it. The only way to fight ignorance is with the truth. Jesus himself said the truth will set you free. (Jn 8:32) He told us that God loves all people, even sinners, so what right do we have to judge someone just because they are different?
A second reason for prejudice is fear. We are told that certain neighborhoods are dangerous. Or an older adult sees three teenage boys walking down the street and because of her fear, she thinks they could be gang members. But remember how many times Jesus tells us in the gospels, “Do not be afraid.”
If we can learn to see Christ in all peoples, regardless of their race or lifestyle, we are beginning to leave prejudice behind. If we teach our children to respect the poor, the disabled, the homeless, we can help them to understand what James meant about God choosing the “poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom.” (Jas 2:5)
Tom Schmidt, Diocesan Publications
When someone mentions laws and/or commandments, we usually think of them as burdens that we have to bear to be good citizens or church members. But if you listen carefully to the first reading from Deuteronomy, you get the sense that the laws Moses presented to the people of Israel were gift from God, something to be proud of. Moses gives two reasons for this.
Moses presents the laws as wise and just, so much so that other nations would praise and envy the Israelites for having such laws. Some of the nations around at the time had kings who used the law to keep themselves in power and make them wealthy.
The second reason was that they showed how much God cared for his people, that he would guide them in their everyday lives and hear their prayers. Though God is greater than they could comprehend, he is also nearer than we think. This brings us to Jesus, who shows us the Father and who made the law both simpler and more challenging.
Jesus simplified the laws by showing us that loving God and loving our neighbors as ourselves was the basis of all God’s laws. The challenge is to do more than simply avoid hurting or cheating others. We are to love one another as Jesus loves us. That means reaching out to those in need, forgiving our enemies, caring for the sick or dying. And don’t forget about loving God: How often do we even think about Him, thank Him for all we have, or take time to listen to Him? Do we love Jesus so much that we want other people to know him too? If we are willing to accept the challenge to love God and neighbor, we will not have to worry about breaking laws.
Tom Schmidt
In the first reading, Joshua challenges the Israelites to choose whom they will serve. This decision is crucial for their identity and future. Joshua reminds them of God’s faithfulness and the many ways He has delivered them.
We, too, face choices about our allegiance. We can choose to follow God or be swayed by other influences. Our commitment to God shapes our lives and our actions. Choosing God means putting Him first in everything. It means trusting His guidance and following His commandments. This choice is a daily decision, and it requires faith and dedication.
In the Gospel, Jesus talks about the difficulty of His teachings. Many of His disciples find His words hard to accept and leave Him. Peter, however, reaffirms his faith in Jesus. Following Jesus is not always easy. It requires accepting difficult truths and making sacrifices. Some may find this too challenging and turn away.
Peter’s confession shows true discipleship. He recognizes Jesus as the Holy One of God and chooses to stay. The Gospel teaches us the importance of faith and commitment, even when the path is hard. It encourages us to choose God, live in loving unity, and face the challenges of discipleship and the importance of faith, commitment, and love in our lives. Let us reflect on these lessons and strive to live them out daily.
With permission form young-catholics.com
Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time | USCCB
“Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” (Mt 6:12) You could read that line as a warning that God only forgives those who forgive others. Paul reverses that conditional meaning to say that we forgive because God has already forgiven us. So which came first, the chicken or the egg?
In a sense, both are needed: Jesus died on the cross to show that God forgives sins you haven’t even committed yet. We have to want to be forgiven and accept that gift from God. And we also have to be willing to forgive those who have hurt us. There are many ways to do that.
One is to forgive in your heart. If it is someone you love, you know they didn’t mean to hurt you and so you don’t get angry at them. If you don’t love the one who hurt you, you still need to forgive, so you can let go of the hurt. (And be forgiven for not loving your neighbor!)
Paul also tells us to be kind and compassionate (Eph 4:32.) We can go to the next step after forgiving in our hearts: We show our forgiveness in our actions. A friend or relative might get a hug; others might get a handshake or words of forgiveness.
Jesus showed how much God wants to forgive us by his death on the cross. Because we are forgiven, we are then able to forgive others. While God’s love and forgiveness are always first, we must be able to forgive others so that we can accept it from God.
Tom Schmidt, Diocesan Publications
Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time | USCCB
It’s bad enough that the Israelites were grumbling against their leaders. But they also complain to God that they were better off as slaves in Egypt. After all God did to bring them to freedom, now they want to go back to slavery. Before we judge them too harshly, we might ask ourselves if we ever act like that. For us, it might be looking back on our slavery to sin.
We might confess the sin and say we’ll never do that again, but we often can’t resist the memory of our past sins. As we hold on to the past, the temptations come back and draw us to repeat our offenses. Even though we know we are better off putting it behind us, we sometimes find it difficult to move on.
So how do we free ourselves from the past? Should we look to the future, instead? If we want to make the world, or just our community, a better place we can make plans. If those plans are ever going to work, we have to begin now. Jesus doesn’t tell us to dwell in the past or dream of the future. No, he keeps us focused on the present moment, telling us to believe in Him now, His Father gives us true bread and Jesus is that bread of life.
Those words are just as true today. We may look fondly at the past, but if we don’t let Jesus be born again in us, and if we don’t take up our crosses each day—we are missing the chance to experience Jesus in us and in the people, we live and work with each day.
Tom Schmidt, Diocesan Publications
Readings: Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time | USCCB
If you want to compare miracles in the first reading and the gospel, Elisha did his first, but Jesus did it better. Elisha had a hundred people to feed with twenty barley loaves and a handful of fresh grain. Jesus had five thousand people and only five loaves and a couple fish. Was Jesus trying to show up Elisha?
Neither Jesus nor Elisha ever did a miracle for their own benefit. When Elisha cures the king’s servant, he refused to accept a gift, because it would imply that Elisha did the miracle, while the prophet knew that God had cured him. Jesus refused to let the crowds make him a king.
The miracle of feeding the five thousand was not done just for the crowd. He was using it to teach the disciples something important. He knew there would be times when they felt overwhelmed, so he showed them what God can do with our meager abilities.
There are millions of people hungry for the good news that Jesus brings to the world. Remember the miracle of the loaves when you only have a few dollars to give to the missions, or when you’re not sure you know enough to teach someone about Jesus. And remember that you do those things, not to make you look holy, but to let God show his loving power.
Tom Schmidt, Diocesan Publications
You probably know that the Jews in the first century did not particularly like the Gentiles. Paul addresses this problem by reminding them that Jesus died for all people, Jew and Gentile. And just as Jesus rose from the dead to a new life, the converts to Christianity were given a new life also. So why was that unity so hard to accept?
One reason is that as much as we complain about laws and regulations, many people like to live by them. Our decisions are simple if we have a law to cover each one. Hebrew Christians thought that they still had to keep the laws and regulations of the old covenant. There is nothing wrong with keeping the Ten Commandments: They are simply examples of Jesus’ command to love God with all your being and to love your neighbor as yourself. `So why not just do that?
The problem with only keeping commandments is that we can avoid doing evil things, but still not love God or my neighbor. For example, we can avoid using God’s name in vain and kick back and relax on the Sabbath, but still not really love God. Fortunately for us, God loves us first; we need only respond to that love. And if we base all our other actions on that love, we will not break any commandments, or even worry about breaking them. We will have the peace that Paul mentions in our reading, the peace that makes us all one in Christ.
Tom Schmidt, Diocesan Publications
The second reading from Ephesians is rather long and with only six sentences, it is not easy to follow. To put it simply, he is giving a description of the many blessings God has given us. First is Redemption, meaning that Christ saved us from punishment for our sins by forgiving them instead. Second is the plan of God for saving everyone, by making Christ ruler of the universe. We have to accept these gifts by letting go of the temptations around us and holding on to the love we have received from God. We then share that love with others, so that they know God loves them, too. As our experience of God’s love grows, we begin to understand the mystery of how God lives in all people.
Paul also reminds us that we are chosen and destined to help God bring his plan, his Kingdom, to completion. When we teach children how to love and share, when we are honest with customers or suppliers, when we are not ashamed to show our faith in Jesus, when we are respectful of the poor, elderly, or disabled, we are slowly building the Kingdom of God.
Paul mentions three times in this reading about “the praise of God’s glory.” (Eph 1:14) When we are able to help or forgive, or just be a good example to others, we want them to know that God is in all the good we do. Instead of taking credit for the results, we give God the glory. No, you don’t have to take off your glasses and put on a red cape before helping others. Just mention that God does the real work, we just try not to get in his way.
Tom Schmidt, Diocesan Publications
Is Paul serious? Can you imagine being content with “weaknesses, insults, hardships, and persecutions?” (2Cor 12:10) Paul could have been proud of all that God revealed to him, and of all that he accomplished in spreading the gospel. But instead, he boasts about his weaknesses. He knows that all the good work he has done have been accomplished by Christ. So, he accepted suffering, rejection, setbacks and persecution because they helped him see how much Christ was doing through him.
We can learn a lot from St. Paul. Remember how Jesus said to love your neighbor as yourself. Paul loved himself in the good sense of accepting his faults and weaknesses. He was always aware that he once persecuted Christians. But that fault enabled him to experience God’s forgiveness.
St. Paul says that when he is weak, then he is strong. He knows that God will still work through him, showing God’s power to heal the sick and draw converts to Christ, in spite of Paul’s weaknesses. Paul did what he could to encourage others to follow Jesus, but he knew the results of his preaching and healing were up to God. When you think that you would fail at spreading the faith, remember Paul and give your weaknesses to God. Then see what he can do!
Tom Schmidt, Diocesan Publications
Does the Christian duty to help the poor seem to be overwhelming? We hear more and more about the homeless and jobless. Even in St. Paul’s time there was more than enough poverty to go around. He was trying to build interest (in our second reading) in a project to help the Christians in Jerusalem. We see two of his reasons here.
First, he tells what fine Christians they are, and hopes that they will be just as good in giving to his collection. Paul is challenging them to continue to show their love for God in their support for fellow Christians. The second reason was to show a good example: By helping the church in Jerusalem, they would show that Christians were united in faith and love for each other.
The main example he uses is Jesus, who made himself poor (i.e., human) so that we could be rich in grace and forgiveness. Paul challenges them, and us, to follow that example in giving from our wealth so that others can survive. Note that he doesn’t expect them to live in poverty, just to share what they have out of love for Christ.
Today, we can ask ourselves, “Do I give to the poor because I feel guilty about all that I have? Or do I want to show my love for Jesus when I see him in the poor?” By looking at why we give to charities, we may find ourselves being even more generous than we expected.
Tom Schmidt, Diocesan Publications
It is so easy to complain when things don’t go our way. We don’t understand why certain situations have to be so hard or why family members have to suffer. If anyone ever had anything to complain about it was certainly Job, but in today’s first reading God called him out on it rather strongly.
God himself teaches us with this passage just how much he dislikes complaining. Our Psalm proclaims: “Give thanks to the Lord, his love is everlasting.” And that sums it up right there. Period. We have the love of God, what more do we need? Thanks be to God!
Our second reading only confirms this thought. “The love of Christ impels us…whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come.” Everything on this earth will pass away. Yet we should not fear, because we are a new creation in Christ and his love impels us forward.
In today’s Gospel, the disciples fell into fear, and Jesus reminded them of his great power and love by calming the storm with just three words: “Quiet! Be Still!” When we call on him in faith, he can calm our storms as well. No matter how strong the winds or how tall the waves, Jesus can help us.
Whenever life’s many trials and tribulations get you down, remember that complaining won’t get you anywhere. Instead, lift your heart and mind to our all-powerful God and give thanks to him, whose love is everlasting.
Tami Urcia, Diocesan Publications
We hear about the Kingdom of God in many of Jesus’ parables. In today’s passage, he uses parables to describe how the kingdom will spread. What is interesting is that they are not so much about our actions as they are about how God builds his kingdom.
Let’s start with the second parable: Jesus exaggerates a little, with the mustard seed being the smallest seed and the bush being the largest plant. Like the birds on the branches, Jesus implies that the growing kingdom will attract outsiders to be members. His point is that the kingdom may look small at first, but it will keep growing. We need not be discouraged when it seems the kingdom is not growing: We might be limiting it to people who think and act just like ourselves. We might see attendance at church in our parish declining. So Jesus is reminding us to think of the bigger picture.
In the first parable about the man who scattered seeds, Jesus says that those seeds produce a harvest, even though the farmer doesn’t know how or why those seeds can grow. We too can be doing things that help the Kingdom to grow, without knowing how we are helping. But God is making the kingdom grow in his own way and in his own time. Like the farmer, we can help it grow by loving each other, teaching our children about Jesus, caring for the poor and the sick.
But we can also hinder the kingdom by being stingy with our love, or hurting people with our anger. So let us ask God to trust him as we do our part to help the kingdom to grow.
Tom Schmidt, Diocesan Publications
If you spend any amount of time around young children, you will quickly realize that they like to pass the blame. What are they trying to accomplish with this behavior? They are trying to get out of trouble, but where do they learn this behavior?
The short answer is from our first parents, the founders of Original Sin. In today’s first reading, we see Adam passing the blame to Eve, who then passes the blame to the serpent. While neither of them were untruthful, they were definitely trying to avoid punishment.
Although we might be tempted to let this first reading get us down, the second reading reminds us of God’s promise of redemption: “the one who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also…Therefore, we are not discouraged…”
That is why we can exclaim with joy, “Oh happy fault, Oh necessary sin of Adam, which gained for us so great a Redeemer!” Because of Adam’s sin, Jesus came down from heaven to save us. But not only did he save us, he made us members of his own family: “For whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”
Knowing we are members of God’s family should motivate us to end the cycle of blaming. It should encourage us to humbly accept our faults, confess our sins and seek to be blameless in God’s sight. It should drive us to instead lift others up by sharing the good news of God’s unconditional love. Let’s take one small step toward making that happen today.
COMMUNION REFLECTION FOR ST. BRIGID’S DAY
From the Diocese of Kildare & Leighlin.
Legend holds that Brigid made her first cross from rushes she picked from the floor as she visited a pagan chieftain who was dying. While sitting by his bed she began to weave the rushes into the shape of a cross and tell the stories of her Christian faith. The cross became a symbol of peace and protection, protection of animals and protection from fire and disease, and a blessing for home and hearth. Crosses were exchanged too in times of clan feuds as a sign of reconciliation. From that time Irish people have never ceased to weave these crosses. These rushes represent our hopes, our dreams, our gifts, and our efforts in working towards a more caring society.
She gathered the dreams to weave something new. She gathers our rushes of sorrow and gladness, of happiness and pain, tears and laughter, kindness and caring, of voluntary groups and organizations, of families, relations and friends, of schools and hospitals, of work and sport and recreation, and all the little words and deeds offered in hope, in faith, and in love. She weaved them all with loving hands into a new form, a richer and more beautiful creation. God too weaves patiently and persistently with the rushes of our lives. He invites us to keep offering him the shreds of our suffering and the stuff of our dreams and to take our place beside him to weave the shape of new creation.
February 1st is the Feast Day of Saint Brigid of Kildare, Ireland. (452 – 525) We celebrate this special day within our Sunday Mass liturgies this year. The prayers, scriptures, and hymns will be those of the Feast rather than the 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time.
Special Reading for this Feast Day:
First Reading: Sirach 2:7-11
A reading from the book of Sirach.
You who fear the Lord, wait for his mercy; turn not away lest you fall.
You who fear the Lord, trust in him, and your reward will not be lost.
You who fear the Lord, hope for good things, for lasting joy and mercy.
You who fear the Lord, love him and your hearts will be enlightened.
Study the generations long past and understand: has anyone hoped in the Lord and been disappointed?
Has anyone persevered in his commandments and been forsaken? Has anyone called upon him and been rebuffed?
Compassionate and merciful is the Lord: he forgives sins, he saves in time of trouble and he is a protector to all who seek him in truth.
Second Reading: Ephesians 3:14-19
A reading from the Epistle of Paul to the Ephesians.
Brothers and sisters:
I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that he may grant you in accord with the riches of his glory to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner self, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the holy ones what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
The word of the Lord.
GOSPEL : Matthew 22:34-40
+ A reading from the Gospel according to Matthew.
When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them, a scholar of the law, tested him by asking,
“Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?”
He said to him,
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment.
The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
The whole Law and the Prophets depend on these two commandments.”
+ The Gospel of the Lord.
Since we are still at the beginning of the season of Ordinary Time, it’s important to understand this transition from the Old Testament prophets, of which John was the last, to the New Testament preaching of our Lord.
As Jesus begins His preaching, His words are challenging but also very hopeful. By saying that “the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” Jesus stirs interest and holy curiosity among His first listeners. His call to repentance was softened by His new proclamation about the Kingdom.
Oftentimes, when we see someone living in serious sin, we want to judge and condemn. But usually what they need the most is hope— hope that there is something much greater that comes from repentance, the HOPE of the Kingdom of God. True fulfillment is only found in the Gospel, the message of Truth that Jesus shared during His three years of public ministry.
How do you try to satiate this desire in the fulfillment of life?
Do you allow the evil one to trick you into thinking that fleshly desires, pride or wealth are the answer?
Readings: Third Sunday in Ordinary Time | USCCB
God calls each of us but does not force us into service.
We must…
– Ask God to speak to us
– Remember to listen
– Tell him that we desire to do his will
God desires one thing: a humble heart willing to serve.
The Father has made us temples of his Holy Spirit and vessels to carry his message forward.
Just as Jesus invited Andrew to come and stay with him, he also beckons us to an intimate friendship with him.
As Andrew evangelized his brother Peter after his experience with Jesus, we too should bring Jesus to our families, friends, and neighbors by our own example.
Readings: Second Sunday in Ordinary Time | USCCB
Amen, Amen, I say to you. What You Did Not Do For One of These Least Ones, You Did Not Do For Me.
The Lord rules the earth yet He comes to us through the least among us. He shows us that His kingdom is a reality; not just an idea.
We are offered entrance to the realm through our care of those in need: the hungry, the sick, the naked, the impoverished, the imprisoned, and the unborn.
Such care and outreach are work toward the gift of paradise. Is your focus aligned with the Lord’s?
Can you recognize His brothers among you?
Readings: The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe | USCCB
I wonder what that third servant in the Gospel was doing all that time after he buried the talent he was given. Probably nothing. What strikes me is that the word for money in this reading is “talent,” which in our language is an ability or skill. Maybe this parable can remind us to use our abilities and not let them go to waste. A person might be strong and fast, but if she exercises and practices, she could be a great athlete. The same with spiritual gifts. Just having one doesn’t make you a saint. So how do you know what gifts you have?
First, ask God in your prayers to show you what gifts you have been given. Read the scriptures, especially the Acts of the Apostles or the Letters of Paul (e.g., 1 Corinthians 12:1–11). Listen humbly to friends or loved ones who can tell you what strengths they see in you.
Second, look for ways to use your gifts. Check the parish bulletin or website or your diocesan newspaper for activities and organizations that you could take part in. Hospitals, schools, shelters, and nursing homes frequently offer opportunities for volunteers. Or you may see a need for some service that you can get started in the parish or community.
Just remember that you are called to service by your baptism and confirmation. Don’t bury that calling by procrastinating or being afraid to try. Remember the “useless servant” with the one talent who was fearful and lazy (Matthew 25:25–26). At least he can remind us to use it or lose it.
Tom Schmidt, Diocesan Publications
Procrastination can be bad in all parts of our lives.
Paying attention to everything except God can be particularly dangerous.
Every day is a chance to start anew and to prepare for our encounter with God.
He has invited us to the feast but we need to respond to Him.
Do you have a pen and paper, or can you just talk to Him?
Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/111223.cfm
Jesus gives a lesson in humility in this week’s Gospel.
At the heart of Jesus’ criticism of the scribes and Pharisees was their tendency to exalt themselves in the eyes of others.
Many would do things in public to get recognition, but Jesus said instead to be humble servants.
The greatest among them would be those who serve the rest.
That was the example Jesus himself left for us, so we as his followers must also become humble servants.
Humility begins by seeing yourself in the light of truth.
How does God see you?