Tag: daily Gospel readings

Friday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time

“Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Or what can one give in exchange for his life?”

In today’s Gospel reading from Matthew, Jesus repeats the word life four times, and the refrain of the responsorial psalm is “It is I who deal death and give life.” There is no doubt that today’s readings deal with life and death but also with death in life, the kind of death in which life given to the pursuit of amassing riches is self-destructive. To die to this life through self-denial for the sake of following God leads to greater life.

God, help me hear and understand you through today’s readings. It isn’t easy to read the words “deny himself, take up his cross and follow me,” and it’s harder to do than it is to read. Yet, when I dwell on your invitation to come after you, I know that’s what I desire, to whatever degree I act on that desire.

I know that God asks that I slow down and quiet myself enough so that I can recognize him and hear him throughout the day. It isn’t always clear to me what my cross is, but I ask for God’s grace to recognize it so that I can come after him and deny myself. “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

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.

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Memorial of Saint John Vianney, Priest

Then Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke him, “God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you.” He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.”

Fully divine and fully human, Jesus said first to Peter, “And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church” and next, “You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.” This is Jesus calling Peter to a higher standard, to be like God through his indwelling in us, as is expressed in the first reading from the book of Jeremiah: “I will place my law within them, and write it upon their hearts; I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” In that short passage, God speaks the word covenant four times. And what is that covenant but God’s commitment to us in his unfathomable mercy, found in its fullest expression in the incarnation? “All, from least to greatest, shall know me, says the LORD, for I will forgive their evildoing and remember their sin no more.” The cost of this to God? The cost was the suffering and death of his Son. For this reason, Jesus said to Peter, “You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.”

God, thank you for the gift of your covenant, your unending mercy. Help me understand what you need from me in order to please you. The responsorial psalm says, “For you are not pleased with sacrifices; should I offer a burnt offering, you would not accept it. My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit; a heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.” I can’t help thinking, God, that just as I try at times to be a people pleaser, I behave in the same way toward you. Give me the grace to avoid hollow sacrifices and instead be ready for you with a clean heart. “A willing spirit sustain in me, Lord.”

Lord, you are with me always. Even as I struggle to see that you are present in the quiet times of the day or amid the bustle of activity. Come, Holy Spirit. Be with me today and let me know you are present, not in ephemeral sensations but through the certainty of faith. Lord, give me the grace to turn to you during the day and acknowledge you in my thoughts, words, and actions. Help me think not as human beings do but as you do, relying on your covenant with me, which you have placed upon my heart.

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.

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Wednesday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time

At the beginning of today’s Gospel reading, Jesus withdraws to the region of Tyre and Sidon. Having just challenged the scribes and Pharisees in their questioning him about why the disciples break with tradition, Jesus says to them: “You have nullified the word of God for the sake of your tradition.”

These are warring words, so it makes sense that Jesus, a warrior whose Passion was all-out war against sin, would go on the offensive and then retreat strategically. Yet, this is the same God of Israel who says in the first reading from Jeremiah: “With age-old love I have loved you; so I have kept my mercy toward you.”

Help me understand, God, how today’s readings fit together into a larger picture. Jesus left one front where he fought against sin only to encounter another: the Canaanite woman’s daughter who was tormented by a demon. The woman begged for Jesus’ mercy, was challenged by him to test her faith (“It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs”), and then with her persistence, received his mercy (“O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish”). More than once, Jesus attempted to retreat to be alone with his Father in prayer but then saw the needs of those who came to him and met them where they were with his unconditional love. Again, from the first reading, God says: “As Israel comes forward to be given his rest, the LORD appears to him from afar.”

If I see that people came to Jesus no matter where he was or where he was on his way to (even to spend quiet time in prayer), let me not be afraid at that moment to bring my greatest needs to him. If my own plans lead to an unending cycle where I am never satisfied to rest, let me recognize like the Canaanite woman that even the scraps from the Lord’s table, like supersubstantial bread, would at last satisfy my longing and hunger to know God’s will and to do it. Today, Lord, I know you want me to come to you and that you will meet me where I am. Let me recognize that and be bold in standing behind you today in spiritual battle, asking confidently for what I need.

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Tuesday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time: Reflection

“Jesus made the disciples get into a boat and precede him to the other side of the sea, while he dismissed the crowds. After doing so, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray.”

The Gospel reading for today continues where yesterday’s reading left off. After the death of John the Baptist, Jesus intended to go off and pray alone, but the crowd followed him and his heart was moved to care for them and feed them. It is striking in today’s reading to see that Jesus dismisses the crowd and then goes up the mountain by himself to pray. His steadfastness is no surprise, yet this subtle detail reveals his desire and fidelity to be with the Father in prayer. When Jesus walks on water and grasps Peter as he begins to sink, he says to him: “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” Before that, only after Jesus finishes praying, uniting his identity with that of the Father’s, do the disciples say “Truly, you are the Son of God.”

God, help me understand the divine identity of your Son so that when I am perturbed by the day or overtaken by apprehension and doubt, I can hear Jesus’ words to the disciples: “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” Thank you, Jesus, for your example of being steadfast in prayer. Give me the grace to follow that example when I see only my way of doing things. Help me understand how to make a return to you.

God, teach me to trust you. Show me that the day is not mine, but yours as a gift to me for the sake of giving it back to you to give glory to your name. The pressure of the day and its anxieties—what are they for if not to proclaim that you are over them—all over all? I ask that you stay near throughout the day and come to me to grasp my arm in the midst of the day’s turbulence and storms. Through your grace, give me the means to be steadfast in my desire to give to you little moments alone with you in prayer.

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Memorial of Saint Alphonsus Liguori, Bishop and Doctor of the Church: Reflection

“Taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds. They all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up the fragments left over—twelve wicker baskets full. Those who ate were about five thousand men, not counting women and children.”

Today’s Gospel reading shows Jesus looking in heaven toward God the Father as he blesses and breaks the loaves and then shares them. Matthew makes very clear in this description Jesus’ actions and demeanor as he prays. The feeding of the five thousand takes place after he has learned about the beheading of John the Baptist and tries to go off to a deserted place by boat. Yet, when he arrives, what does he find but a crowd who followed him? Matthew says about Jesus when he saw this: “When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, and he cured their sick.”

God, help me understand that being fully human, Jesus attempted to rectify himself in prayer with the death of John the Baptist. He tried to do what is understandable in such a situation by mourning and trying to understand God’s will. Yet, being fully divine, at seeing the crowd Jesus showed his limitless mercy in caring for them, curing the sick, and then feeding them. Thank you, Lord, for this example for those times when I try to understand your will but am so-called interrupted by the needs of others, whether family or strangers.

Lord, you sought prayer and solace with your Father in heaven, yet at the sight of the crowds, your heart was moved with pity for them. Rather than being interrupted, you made your work itself a means of uniting with the Father.

Today through the grace of God, let me be humble in what I see as the right direction. Let me be supple enough to know your will and accomplish it rather than stubbornly pursuing my own aims. Help me realize Jesus’ invitation throughout the day to care for others, to give them some food myself and allow God to take whatever good is in that and make it superabundant.

O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer you my prayers, works, joys and sufferings of this day in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world.

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Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time: Reflection

God said to the rich man in Jesus’ parable: “You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you; and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?’

The Gospel reading reflects perfectly the futility that Qoheleth expresses in the first reading: “Here is one who has labored with wisdom and knowledge and skill, and yet to another who has not labored over it, he must leave property.” The things of this world ultimately don’t belong to me; tearing down one barn to build another, as the rich man does in Jesus’ parable, what foolishness is that? Certain aphorisms come to mind: “Man proposes, God disposes.” And “The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.”

God help me to take in fully what I have heard in these readings. There is a certain comfort in knowing all of my restless efforts to succeed—to make more money, to make something take flight, to build a bigger barn—are all vanity. “Even at night,” Qoheleth says, “his mind is not at rest.” In that realization, there is rest. There is in it a moment for a world-weary sigh in which I can set my eyes not on material goods but on “what matters to God.”

Because I don’t always have the consolation of your presence, Lord, call me back throughout the day to rest in you. Let me walk by your side, and turn my gaze toward what you see, and attend to it. In some ways, today is a double chance for rest: first, in that I keep holy the Sabbath; and second, in that Jesus asks us not to toil in vain for the things of this world but to be rich in what matters to God.

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Saturday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time: Reflection

“The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and the guests who were present, he ordered that it be given, and he had John beheaded in the prison. His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who took it to her mother. His disciples came and took away the corpse and buried him; and they went and told Jesus.”

There is no part of today’s Gospel reading that is pleasant to dwell on. It’s all pretty grisly stuff. Yet, at the end of the passage, John’s disciples show love and respect for him by burying him and telling Jesus what had happened. In both the first reading and the Gospel, the figures in them are afraid and act out of fear. Although he was speaking the truth and asking them to repent, the princes and people of the city fear putting Jeremiah to death because they don’t want to bring innocent blood on themselves. In the end, they release him. In the Gospel, Herod the Tetrarch is described as afraid and distressed as he acts this out by not killing John but finally being pressured to “because of his oaths and the guests who were present.”

Thank you, God, for today’s examples from the readings. We have the people in the first reading and King Herod in the Gospel, who show us how not to live: in fear. And we have Jeremiah and John, who spoke the truth and faced death because of their belief in God. As uncomfortable or threatening as it is sometimes, I should never be ashamed to speak in truth to others about what is good and true, as revealed by your Son and through the teachings of the Church.

I know you want me to stay close to you, God. There is real evil in the world that wants to put to death those who love and serve you. Stay with me today because I know I will forget you when I hear of those who live in fear and see those who follow you as their enemy. I know you have many good gifts in store for me today because of your unsearchable generosity and mercy—a joy to carry with me throughout the day even as the truth is called into question. From the responsorial psalm, let me remember: “Lord, in your great love, answer me.”

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Memorial of Saints Martha, Mary, and Lazarus: Reflection

Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and anyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world.”

Before Jesus said these words to Martha, she said to him: “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” How else is Martha presented in the Gospel but as one who, while her sister Mary sits at Jesus’ feet, is anxious and worried about many things. Yet, after Lazarus dies, Mary sits at home, while it is Martha who heard that Jesus was coming and “went to meet him.” Here, as she mourns the death of her brother, her anxiety and grief are evident but brought to Jesus because she knows he is the Son of God. Help me understand, Lord, that you present me with many opportunities each day to test my faith. Rather than say, “If you had been here . . . ,” give me the grace to believe that with you, anything is possible.

Lord, let me rest in you as I try my best to make a worthy dwelling for you. Having received you in the Eucharist, let me come back throughout the day to find with complete trust that you are always present.

What Jesus said to Martha long ago, he says to all who would hear him today: “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and anyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” Jesus is not satisfied to broadcast a public service announcement for all who wish to follow him. Just as Jesus came to meet Martha, he comes to meet each of us wherever we are. When I go out to meet him in the midst of the day, will I say “Lord, if you had been here . . .” or “You are the Christ, the Son of God.”

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Wednesday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time: Reflection

“Jesus said to his disciples: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.’ ”

The appeal of the parable of finding a treasure hidden in a field is irresistible. Who would not want to find a treasure and claim it? Yet, the man in the parable finds it, buys the field, and then buries the treasure again. If faith is the field and buying is completely abandoning oneself to the will of God, what could it mean that the treasure is again hidden?

Thank you, God, for the daily treasure of faith. Thank you for your extraordinary gift of abundant grace and mercy hidden in the day-to-day unfolding of life. Here on earth these gifts bring to each moment the Kingdom of heaven. Help me understand, Lord, that to find and hide the treasure of faith seems contradictory when the apostles were to go out to all the world and proclaim the Gospel. My gut tells me that within the heart of those who desire to be close to you through the sacraments, through prayer, and through their lives have hidden in the recesses of their heart a private joy, a one-to-one intimacy that finds fullest expression between you and them—love that ultimately overflows. How can the joy of this kingdom, inexpressible except between the beloved and the lover, be spoken? It is this treasure “which a person finds and hides again.” Yet, how can that joy be contained?

“Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised: and of his greatness there is no end.” God, give me the grace to invite you into all situations. If I have that grace, there is no consolation I want other than to know you are present, guiding me. I know well enough that I am likely to forget you if I do not have you grasp me by the hand.

Today let me show that joy in some way—not a showy, preachy way—but more like a certain something that makes others wonder what’s at the bottom of it, what lies hidden there.

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Memorial of Saints Joachim and Anne, Parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary: Reflection

Jesus dismissed the crowds and went into the house. His disciples approached him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”

The disciples spent private time with Jesus, which is made clear in today’s Gospel reading as he dismisses the crowd. He went on to explain to the disciples the parable of the weeds. Teaching the disciples behind closed doors was an essential part of Jesus’ ministry, just as parents spend time with their children to explain the ways of the world.

God, help me understand that there are certain things you will have to spell out to me time after time. “Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father.” When you say this, Lord, you are speaking not in parables but in truth. Can I overlook my actions day after day when you say, “The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his Kingdom all who cause others to sin and all evildoers”?

In prayer, I can’t help wondering about how the disciples tested Jesus’ patience just as Abraham tested the extent of God’s mercy in dealing with the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. Was Jesus tired and irritable as he dismissed the crowds, or did he want the intimacy with his disciples through which he taught them everything? Imagining Jesus dismissing the crowds, I can’t help thinking of John Paul II among crowds. Rather than dismissing crowds, he moved among them eye to eye so that he could see and embrace people. Yet, he also needed quiet time in prayer to let the word of God grow and thrive within him.

Today, the Memorial of Saints Joachim and Anne, I want to be present to those closest to me. Let me remember not to dismiss others close to me—or people I might meet throughout the day—but to set time aside to talk together about the world now and the world to come. That attempt to sow good seed is essential now and in the life to come. “The seed is the word of God, Christ is the sower; all who come to him will live for ever.”

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