Tag: kingdom of God

“You are not far from the kingdom of God.” | Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time

From the responsorial psalm: “I love you, O LORD, my strength, O LORD, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer. I love you, Lord, my strength.”

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark (Mk 12:28b-34)

The scribe said to him, “Well said, teacher. You are right in saying, ‘He is One and there is no other than he.’ And ‘to love him with all your heart, with all your understanding, with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself’ is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

A scribe approaches Jesus, encouraged to hear more of what he says. The scribe asks Jesus which commandment is the most important of all. Jesus responds by quoting the Shema: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” And he tells the scribe, the second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. In acknowledging the response Jesus gives, he affirms that loving God and one’s neighbor is more important than burnt offerings and sacrifices. Jesus tells him: “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And no one, Mark tells us, dared to ask Jesus any more questions. What does Jesus mean by telling the scribe he is not far from the kingdom of God, and what does it mean to be near to it?

God, help me understand the commandments not as legal ties that bind but your gift to allow a wholehearted response to your love. To love you with my whole heart, soul, mind, and strength is to begin to understand the love by which you loved me first. What other gift is acceptable to you, Lord, but my whole heart? I wonder at the words of Jesus to the scribe, why the scribe is “not far from the kingdom of God” when he seems to fully understand. Yet, I see my own distance from the kingdom when I fail altogether to love you and those around me. Give me the grace, Lord, to bring forth your kingdom in these two great commandments, not by my own doing but with the help of the Holy Spirit through Jesus Christ your Son.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Perpetual adoration live stream Kolbe Shrine.

“Strive to enter through the narrow gate.” | Wednesday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time

From the responsorial psalm: “The LORD is faithful in all his words and holy in all his works. The LORD lifts up all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down. The Lord is faithful in all his words.”

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Lk 13:22-30)

Jesus passed through towns and villages, teaching as he went and making his way to Jerusalem. Someone asked him, “Lord, will only a few people be saved?” He answered them, “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough.”

Jesus invites all who hear him to enter into the kingdom of God. Some will reject the invitation, and some will not be strong enough. For those who first hear the Gospel and reject it, the choice is theirs to remain outside the kingdom. But the invitation to come into the kingdom is not indefinite, and there will be a time when people knock but are not admitted. Remaining strong in faith and trusting in the call of Christ to follow him, we are called, as the Gospel acclamation says, “to possess the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ” now and in the life of the world to come.

God, you are faithful in all your words and holy in all your works. How can I not strive to enter in and remain with you, the God who “lifts up all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down”? Give me the grace today to recognize that the unique gifts you have given me are the same means by which I give glory to you. Help me be a doer of your word and not a hearer only. Strengthen my faith, and help me recognize your divine power to work all things for the good. As Saint Paul says, “We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.”

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Perpetual adoration live stream Kolbe Shrine.

“Give to the one who asks of you.” | Monday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time

From the responsorial psalm: “At dawn I bring my plea expectantly before you. For you, O God, delight not in wickedness; no evil man remains with you; the arrogant may not stand in your sight. Lord, listen to my groaning.”

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 5:38-42)

Jesus said to his disciples: “You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one to him as well. If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic, hand him your cloak as well. Should anyone press you into service for one mile, go with him for two miles. Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow.”

Don’t count the cost. That’s what Jesus seems to be saying, even in response to those who don’t like you, demand much of you, and press you unfairly into service. Instead of following the Old Testament law of “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth,” Jesus instructs the disciples that the way to fight evil and aggression is with love, forgiveness, and a willingness to go the extra mile. Turning the other cheek does not mean being a doormat but instead means to overcome evil with good and hatred with love through the strength of God’s grace and mercy. The gifts God gives are ours to give away.

God, I hear what Jesus is saying, yet all of my being resists showing love, generosity, and forgiveness to those who make aggression and malice their way of communicating their wants and needs. Give me the grace to be selfless in the face of this and respond with mercy and compassion to people who have suffered hatred from others and in turn lash out in kind. Help me give your gifts without counting the cost and go the extra mile without expecting anything in return. Lord, hear my prayer and help me.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

“The seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how.” | Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

From the responsorial psalm: “It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praise to your name, Most High, To proclaim your kindness at dawn and your faithfulness throughout the night. Lord, it is good to give thanks to you.”

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark (Mk 4:26-34)

Jesus said to the crowds: “This is how it is with the kingdom of God; it is as if a man were to scatter seed on the land and would sleep and rise night and day and through it all the seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how. Of its own accord the land yields fruit, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. And when the grain is ripe, he wields the sickle at once, for the harvest has come.”

In the Gospel, Jesus echoes the words of the LORD as spoken in the first reading from Ezekiel. “It shall put forth branches and bear fruit, and become a majestic cedar. Birds of every kind shall dwell beneath it, every winged thing in the shade of its boughs.” So it is with the kingdom of God. The little effort we put forth in bringing about his kingdom is supernaturally fortified and imbued by God himself with love of his people, love that in turn goes out horizontally and veristically for the sake of his glory. God’s kingdom is by its authentic definition, bringing low what is high and lifting up what is low. “And all the trees of the field shall know that I, the LORD . . . , make the withered tree bloom.”

God, help me pause throughout the day and hear the words of Jesus as he describes the mystery of your kingdom. Everywhere outside, I see the wild growth of plants under the summer sun and rain. Tomato plants that were no bigger than my hand now stand at waist level. The tiny seeds I planted just weeks ago now have taken root and begin to blossom. As I hold fast to you, Lord, seeking you in the Church and its sacraments, help me remember to be thankful for all your gifts and faithfulness and to witness to it. Glory to you, Lord. As the psalmist prays: “They that are planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. Lord, it is good to give thanks to you.”

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

“One among you whom you do not recognize.” | Third Sunday of Advent

A reading from the holy Gospel according to John (Jn 1:6-8, 19-28)

Some Pharisees were also sent. They asked him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ or Elijah or the Prophet?” John answered them, “I baptize with water; but there is one among you whom you do not recognize, the one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.” This happened in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

When John answers the Pharisees by saying that there is one among them whom they do not recognize, he refers to Jesus, who would soon appear to John to be baptized. John was not the light, the evangelist tells us, “but came to testify to the light.” The religious leaders of Jesus’ time questioned the identity of John and Jesus, holding them in obscurity rather than recognizing them. Despite that, John declares Jesus’ divinity at his baptism: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” He is the light of the world; John came to testify to that light.

God, just as you sent John to call people to repentance, help me also hear John’s message and prepare my heart to behold the one who is to come, the Lamb of God. The Pharisees questioned John and could not see the truth right before their eyes. Help me see the one John pointed to, that before me in the Eucharist is the same body and blood of the Lamb, the one Isaiah speaks of in the Gospel acclamation: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor.”

From the second reading: “Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.” God, be the joy of my soul!

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

“Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him.” | Saturday of the Second Week of Advent

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 17:9a, 10-13)

As they were coming down from the mountain, the disciples asked Jesus, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” He said in reply, “Elijah will indeed come and restore all things; but I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him but did to him whatever they pleased.”

Jesus speaks to the disciples after coming down from the mountain, where they had just witnessed his transfiguration. During the transfiguration, Moses and Elijah appear and speak with Jesus. When the disciples ask Jesus about Elijah’s coming, the question must have been burning in their hearts, having just seen him face to face. Yet, it is also John the Baptist Jesus refers to when he says, “Elijah has already come.” Jesus tells them that just as John suffered at the hands of persecutors, “So also will the Son of Man suffer at their hands.” In preparing the hearts of the people, John readies them for the coming of the Messiah and the fulfillment of his mission.

God, strengthen my faith to understand what I need to know. Just as the disciples ask Jesus questions in order to comprehend the role of Elijah in salvation history, I sometimes question how you work in my life through the lives of others. “Elijah will indeed come and restore all things,” Jesus tells the disciples, “but I tell you that Elijah has already come.” You work in time and outside of time to bring about goodness, a mystery beyond human understanding. Let me learn to trust you in momentous events as well as ordinary ones, the mountaintop moments as well as the ones where I tread level ground.

From the Gospel acclamation: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths: All flesh shall see the salvation of God.”

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

“To what shall I compare this generation?” | Friday of the Second Week of Advent

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 11:16-19)

Jesus said to the crowds: “To what shall I compare this generation? It is like children who sit in marketplaces and call to one another, ‘We played the flute for you, but you did not dance, we sang a dirge but you did not mourn.'”

Jesus goes on to tie this comparison to the people of his day: “For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they said, ‘He is possessed by a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking and they said, ‘Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.'” Hearkening back to the first reading, Jesus sums up all of this by saying, “But wisdom is vindicated by her works.” In that reading, all human conjecture aside, it is God who leads and teaches, regardless of contradictory social expectations. “I, the LORD, your God, teach you what is for your good, and lead you on the way you should go.”

God, help me trust in your ways. I often try to see beyond what I understand; in doing that, I’m timid to act when I should boldly follow where you lead. I can’t know your will fully if I fully understand where it is you are leading; if I do, then I’m acting more on plans comprehended than on plans that teach me to trust you. Jesus mentions calls to one another in the marketplace, not a dated image but one very relevant today. So many messages to manage and filter through, an exhausting mental task. Give me the peace and wisdom to know how to shut out the nonessential calls from the marketplace, how to find quiet. “The Lord will come,” the psalmist says, “go out to meet him! He is the prince of peace.”

From the responsorial psalm: “He is like a tree planted near running water, That yields its fruit in due season, and whose leaves never fade. Whatever he does, prospers. Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.”

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

“I am the LORD, your God.” | Memorial of Saint John of the Cross, Priest and Doctor of the Church

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 11:11-15)

Jesus said to the crowds: “From the days of John the Baptist until now, the Kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent are taking it by force. All the prophets and the law prophesied up to the time of John. And if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah, the one who is to come. Whoever has ears ought to hear.”

Jesus makes clear to the crowds that he is the one who is to come, the Messiah. In the first reading, the voice of God is distinct; there is no question who is speaking: “I am the LORD, your God. . . . I will help you.” In the same way, Jesus claims his divine identity by saying that John is Elijah—the one who precedes the coming of the Messiah. In that coming, he opens the Kingdom of heaven to all who are willing to accept it. This is the same Lord whose Kingdom is a Kingdom for all ages, and whose dominion endures through all generations.

God, in Isaiah I hear you speak in a booming voice that echoes throughout the world: “I am the LORD, your God.” In the Psalms, you stoop to meet me where I am, the God who is “gracious and merciful; slow to anger, and of great kindness.” In the Gospel, I hear your mild, insistent invitation to enter the Kingdom of heaven: “And if you are willing to accept it . . . whoever has ears ought to hear.” Now that I have heard you, give me the grace today to continue to hear you speak in the events and the people I encounter today. I want to be merciful and kind, but I know moments will come that I’m anything but that. Help me remember throughout the day whose divine assistance I call on: “That all may see and know, observe and understand, that the hand of the LORD has done this, the Holy One of Israel has created it.”

From the first reading: “I am the LORD, your God, who grasp your right hand; It is I who say to you, “‘Fear not, I will help you.'” Saint John of the Cross, pray for us!

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Memorial of Saint Lucy, Virgin and Martyr

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 11:28-30)

Jesus said to the crowds: “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”

In speaking to the crowds, Jesus invites us to come to him to find comfort and rest. The invitation is also an example. When we see those who are burdened with many cares, Jesus shows us how to enact compassion by lightening their load. But there is a paradox here as well: “Take my yoke upon you.” No one with the intention of helping lighten a fellow human’s load would say, “Take on this additional burden.” Yet, that’s just what Jesus says. In taking on his yoke and burden, we find in the one who is fully human and fully divine humility of heart and supernatural rest from our labor.

God, my ways are not your ways. Just as you spoke to crowds, saying, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,” you say the same to me. Each person who hears these words hears you call them by name. You are the God who gives strength to the weary: “They that hope in the LORD,” Isaiah says, “will renew their strength, they will soar as with eagles’ wings; they will run and not grow weary, walk and not grow faint.” Lord, give me confidence that in coming to you and taking on your yoke and burden I will find inner peace and renewed strength and the grace to ease the burdens of those around me.

From the first reading: “The LORD is the eternal God, creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint nor grow weary, and his knowledge is beyond scrutiny. He gives strength to the fainting; for the weak he makes vigor abound.” Saint Lucy, pray for us!

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

“Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” | Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (LK 1:26-38)

The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.”

In today’s reading for the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Luke tells us in concrete detail about the annunciation. At a specific time and place in history, through the overshadowing power of the Holy Spirit, Mary would conceive and bear the Son of God, Emmanuel. At another specific time and place in history, Mary appeared to Juan Diego. She identified herself to him in relation to God, who transcends all times and all places: “I am the perfect and ever virgin Holy Mary, Mother of the God of truth through whom everything lives, the Lord of all things near us, the Lord of heaven and earth.” God, who entered human history once long ago, never ceases to be present. In the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, we have an abundance of God’s gifts so that we are free to respond by living lives full of grace in the presence of the Lord.

God, just as Gabriel found Mary, you find me in the ordinariness of this specific time and place. Help me realize that you are active in my life, that you are with me, and that through your Son I have all I need to receive the fullness of your grace. I have in Mary the example of life lived in complete abandonment to your will; without the stain of original sin, Immaculate Mary experienced the unobstructed fullness of your grace. Help me see in Mary a model for eliminating the things in this life that prevent me from receiving all of the grace you desire to give me for the sake of your glory. Help me always be ready to say yes to you in recognizing your will.

From the Gospel acclamation: “Blessed are you, holy Virgin Mary, deserving of all praise; from you rose the sun of justice, Christ our God.” Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us!

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.