Seventeenth Sunday of the Year - 2024

A Meditation

Don’t’ you often wish that the Lord would perform some mighty signs like this miracle in today’s gospel; a sign to shake things up, to cause people to finally wake up and believe again? But, there is a problem with miraculous signs. People easily become attached to the miracle and miss the purpose behind the miracle. This is exactly what we see happening in today’s gospel. Jesus is the fulfillment of all the prophets and prophesies, he is the true High priest, he is the King of the kingdom of God. But the people see a prophet for Israel only, a priest for the temple of Jerusalem only, and a king to rule over Israel only – all of which is only a shadow of why he has come. So Jesus must hide from them and their mistaken identity about him. Yet, the miracle still goes on – in plain sight – all-be-it in a hidden way so as not to be misunderstood. And we here today gathered around this altar, are going to witness this hidden miracle take place before our very eyes. So how does this miracle appear to us today, how does it resemble the miracle in today’s gospel? For example, where is the small boy with the five loaves and two fish? When I was a young boy in school, sister would teach us about the Mass by having us perform all the parts of the Mass in the classroom. I was chosen to play the part of the priest. Little did I know at the time that that is exactly what God had planned for my life. So here is your small boy. [myself] Now if you cut up five loaves into host size pieces you could easily fill several ciboria, with lots of hosts left over. You bring these breads to the small boy, (a little older now) and he – I – bring them to Jesus, here on the altar. And the greatest miracle of all miracles takes place, through the words of Jesus, before our very eyes. And we all shall come and be fed and filled beyond all satisfaction. But wait, this miracle here cannot be seen visibly like the one in today’s gospel? Let me take you to a small inn in the village of Emmaus “… and their eyes were opened, and they saw Jesus with them in the Breaking of the Bread.” Lk. 24:35 The miracle is visible to those with the eyes of faith. We have an even greater miracle then the multiplication of the loaves – here in our churches today. What we need is the same thing that the people in today’s gospel needed – the eyes of faith to see and the grace of understanding to believe. Pray for these graces to be given us and to all who gather in our churches today. Oh, and about the two fish …? Among the earliest Christian communities, the fish was a symbol placed over the doors of places where Christians, true believers, gathered. We are to be that sign today.

Sixteenth Sunday of the Year - 2024

In the days of the prophet Jeremiah, Israel was descending into a time of crisis, their leadership has failed, their institutions are collapsing, people are scattering far and wide. But all is not lost – there is a plan, and the prophet has been sent with God’s word to announce this plan – God will not allow his people to be destroyed. We are witnessing today the Christian faith facing a time of trial, with plenty of blame to go around. So is there a prophet like Jeremiah for this age, a prophesy announcing a divine plan to save the faith? There is, and in today’s gospel there is a beautiful picture of that One, and of the plan at work. The plan is a person. His name is Lord, the Lord who makes things right and true. His name is Jesus. We have a lot of things that need fixing, as individuals, as families, as groups, as churches, as political entities. And the fixing starts when people realize that the first thing that needs fixing is our relationship with him who is God’s plan for us, Jesus. The people we see along the shore pictured in today’s in gospel must become us; the seekers of this generation. Look for a moment at the beautiful imagery we see in today’s gospel passage and how it is to represents us. o   The sea that is the deep waters of our failings. o   The boat which is called evangelization, the instrument able to navigate the waves of our confusion. o   Its mast forming the shape of a glorious cross. o   Its sail full blown, driven by the mighty wind of the Holy Spirit. o   And Jesus coming ashore, not in judgement but full of compassion for us gathered waiting, searching. o   And now Jesus himself beginning to teach us many things; the very things we must learn from him personally, if we are to be restored and healed of our brokenness. People are even now gather at that shore. Let us get up and go to join them.

Fifteenth Sunday of the Year - 2024

You may have heard the report recently of the televangelist who asked his followers to buy him a 54-million-dollar private jet airplane. He already his three planes but he said God told him that he needed a much faster, more efficient plane to carry the gospel around the world. He said, “If Jesus was physically on the Earth today, he wouldn't be riding a donkey, He'd be in an airplane preaching the Gospel all over the world.” Apparently, he must have missed this passage of scripture which is today’s gospel. Of course, this is the preaching of the “prosperity gospel” – believe, pray, and pay, and God will make you prosperous in material ways. Last Sunday I spoke about our common vocation with all Catholic believers to engage in the Church’s mission to evangelize, and how we may feel wholly inadequate for such a calling, being neither theologians or scripture scholars. In today's gospel, Jesus is sending out the first evangelist striped down to just a tunic and the sandals on their feet. Clearly, the gospel of Jesus is not a prosperity gospel but a gospel of salvation for all who are of humble heart and true poverty of spirit; directing us to detach our hearts from worldly possessions so we may embrace the true blessings of heaven. Jesus does not want his evangelists to use just words, he wants them to "resemble" what they preach – not only a gospel to be heard but a gospel to be seen – the beatitudes on display in real persons. In 2017, a book containing a collection of addresses by Pope Francis was published, entitled: With The Smell Of The Sheep. As ministers of the gospel, preachers must be seen among the people, must be among them, knowing them, loving them, and like any shepherd they will necessarily smell like them. As Catholics in today's secular society, we face the view that religion with its beliefs and practices should remain a private matter, confined to its own space, lest it interfere or offend others in what is deemed a pluralistic society. But as evangelists we must first be seen if we are to be heard. Peter tells us: “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” 1 Peter 3:15 . But if they do not see the virtues of a faith fulfilled in a truly holy life, there in their midst, how will they ever know to ask? And to those who are offended by our witness, Peter concludes the verse with, “… keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil." Vs. 16-17 So let us put on our sandals and get out there and be seen.

Fourteenth Sunday of the Year - 2024

Let us focus for a moment on the 2nd Reading of today's Liturgy of the Word. Paul is writing to the Church in Corinth, and he is defending his reputation as a preacher of the gospel, which is being challenged. He said in the previous chapter 11, verse 5; “I do not think I am in the least inferior to those “super-apostles.” 2 Cor 11:5. Some preachers have come to Corinth who are very skilled and persuasive preachers – which Paul admits he himself is not. Paul is not questioning their silver tongues but the accuracy of their message. “For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you submit to it readily enough.” Chp 11:4 In his defence, Paul points to the profound revelations he has been given. But he lays claim not to these but his weaknesses, to his imitation of the Cross of Jesus. And one weakness above all others is Paul’s personal “thorn in the flesh.” So what exactly was this “thorn in the flesh” that Paul suffered? There is no clear consensus among scripture scholars to exactly what Paul is referring to. Perhaps it is something physical or something spiritual; perhaps a person, a nagging adversary. Given the context of preaching here, maybe it was some kind speech impediment. “Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would leave me, but he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” Chp. 12:8 This is a most powerful lesson for each of us to grasp, a lesson for our generation. The church has been calling the faithful to be active evangelist in today’s secularist society. Secular humanism is casting a grave dark shadow over the message of the gospel today. But we say, what could I possibly say or do that might have the slightest value for such evangelization? Here, Paul shows us that evangelization is not about “silver tongues” it’s about witnessing. It is about “knowing Jesus, personally, and living a truly holy life in imitation of Christ. Every good work, every work of mercy we manifest in this world speaks volumes. When this generation sees real, living examples of the message of the gospel which Jesus taught, the work of evangelization is accomplished. Let none of us say I are not qualified to be an evangelist, little weak thing that I am, let us remember these words of Paul:  "For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” 1 Cor 1:26-31