Seventeenth Sunday - 2019

In today’s gospel we have Luke’s account of Jesus’ teaching on prayer. The disciples see Jesus continually praying and they want to learn Jesus’ way of prayer. Jesus begins with an example of the kind of elements that prayer may include – adoration, thanksgiving, petition, reparation for sin. In today’s gospel we have Luke’s form of the “Our Father”.  Matthew’s version (we say in the liturgy) is found in Chp. 6 with the wording we commonly use when praying the “Our Father”. Luke continues with Jesus pointing out the need for perseverance as a necessary character of prayer. This follows with Jesus guaranteeing with certainty the efficacy of prayer. How often have you heard others complain, or even yourself, that God never answers my prayers? James in his letter points out (. . . you do not receive because you are asking for all the wrong things. Chp. 4:) Look, if you want to win the lottery buy a ticket and cross your fingers. Prayer is not about lotteries. For Jesus prayer is all about learning and knowing and understanding the will of God – who is God – who am I – why am I here – what is God’s plan for my life – what do I need to do to cooperate with his will for me; Lord show me. “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness Jesus says in Matthew, and all these things will be added unto you. Mtt. 6:33 Our world today is so materialistic, believing that real value is found only in things, in wealth, in power, in material security. Is this not at the heart of why so many are turning away from religion – growing in a knowledge of God and God’s will – how will that help me to have a better life is their question? I encourage you to go to Matthew chapter 6: read and reflect on Jesus words about prayer where we hear . . . . .         Vs.19 Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal;          Vs.21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also          Vs.24 No one can serve two masters – God and money.         Vs.25 Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?    Vs.33 But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. For Jesus, prayer is a relationship, a dialogue between us and our loving Father who wills only our good. “. . . for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Mtt. 6:8” It is we who do not know what we really need as we go to prayer. Prayer is discovering how the Father plans to take care of us. Vs.34 "So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today's trouble is enough for today.

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Sixteenth Sunday - 2019

Once again – visit this tender story of Jesus with Martha and Mary. We know from John’s gospel that Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus – here, Luke may be telling us about the beginnings that relationship. It is from John that we learn that this “certain village” is Bethany. To better understand the dynamics of this scene it helps to have some understanding of the importance of hospitality in the Jewish culture of this time. Hospitality to travelers was a religious obligation – it was God’s way of caring for those who must travel. Hospitality would include lodging, food, water for man and animals and to be given in as spirit of welcome and genuine kindness. Luke does not tell us exactly who of Jesus’ disciple may have joined him – but Martha clearly felt the pressure facing her. Those of you who have been the hosts for major family gatherings know what it’s like. But remember, Martha could not simply go to the freezer and fridge for what she will need, or call “Skip-the-Dishes.” Preparations of food where new from scratch every day. But here is Mary, siting at Jesus feet; a place only for disciples, a place that was not allowed for women. Martha seeing her sister Mary neglecting her religious obligations of hospitality, sitting among the men where she should not be, and leaving her to do all the preparations complains to Jesus; “do you not care . . . tell her to help me!” The way Jesus repeats Martha’s name no doubt was a tender expression. But now for Martha and for all Jesus’ disciples to come, a new obligation is given superseding all else – that of devoted attention to every word that Jesus speaks. Recall Jesus’ response to the Devil’s temptation in the desert: "It is written: 'Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" Harvesting from the world’s abundant resources for our daily needs is a real necessity. But to understand who provided them for us, what they are meant for, and how to use them wisely and well must take priority. When people of this world neglect to seek first the Wisdom from God, the negative consequences will surely be evident in a disordered world – a reality quite evident in our world today. Here in the liturgy of the Mass we have a perfect model laid out. We come seeking the Lord our God. We listen attentively to the Wisdom of God revealed to us in the Liturgy of the Word We come to the Lord’s table to have or hearts transformed by entering into communion with the God’s Divine Will. We go forth, to invite others into this Divine hospitality of salvation by our service to them. We come as Mary's' and we go forth as Martha's'.

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Fifteenth Sunday - 2019

The three Evangelists, Matthew, Mark and Luke include this encounter with Jesus and the Scribe and the Pharisee in their gospels. Mark’s version suggests that the scribe questioning Jesus is impressed with Jesus’ teaching and wants to see if he and Jesus agree on the popular question of which is the most important of the commandments. But in Matthew as well as Luke, our gospel text for today, those questioning Jesus are trying to discredit Jesus’ teaching with trick questions about the commandments. First, they ask a popular question, ‘which is the most important commandment of the law’, and Jesus’ answer seems to agree with theirs. So, they try to entangle Jesus in the highly disputed question of ‘who is my neighbour’. It’s Luke who includes the Parable of the Good Samaritan in Jesus’s answer. There are some important lessons here for us Catholics who may consider ourselves to be truly devout believers because we go to church every Sunday no matter what. The Priest and the Levite in Jesus’ parable are no doubt on their way to fulfill their obligations of service at the temple or returning from doing so. But to do so they must be ritually clean. Coming into contact with blood would make them ritually unclean and unable to perform their religious duties in the temple. So they pass by the bleeding victim laying on the side of the road. Our coming here to Mass on Sunday is a most profound religious act of which there is no greater. But we must come with hearts that are worthy. Consider these words of Jesus,  “So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift.” Mtt. 5:23-24 Our religious practice must come from hearts that are humble and true. John, in his first letter asks how you can say you love God whom you have never seen when you fail to love your brother or sister right before your eyes. (1 John. 4:20) Jews at the time of Jesus’s parable hated the Samaritans for not following all the prescripts of the Law. But in Jesus’ parable it was the Samaritan who got it right, who fulfilled the essence of the Law. As we come seeking God’s forgiveness here before the altar of God today, let us ask that our hearts be filled with forgiveness and reconciliations for others. Our world is plagued by brokenness and division. It needs healers not haters. The Samaritan got it. Am I getting it?

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Fourteenth Sunday - 2019

The seventy-two returned rejoicing, and said, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name." Jesus said, "I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky.” Lk. 10:17 The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has released a new book of Pope Francis’s teachings on the history of the devil, “his empty promises and works” and “how we can actively combat him.” Titled Rebuking the Devil, the book is meant for a wide audience and “shows us how to recognize the tricks of the enemy, avoid his traps and defeat his efforts through the power of God in Jesus Christ,” said a May 29 USCCB news release. “In this important book, Pope Francis tells us how to use powerful tools of spiritual combat against the devil,” said Bishop Michael F. Burbidge of Arlington, Virginia, who is chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Communications. Those tools, he said, include “the word of God, adoration of God in the Blessed Sacrament, participation in the sacraments, fasting, prayer and the intercession of Mary, Mother of God, through the most holy rosary.” “We must recognize that there is a devil who is alive and active, but there is also a shield against him through the power of Jesus Christ!” Burbidge said. CRUX. Click image to the LINK

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