The Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time [C]
Sir 35:12-14,16-18  +  2 Tim 4:6-8,16-18  + Lk 18:9-14
October 23, 2016

“…the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

You might have read that the Pope recently named seventeen new cardinals, including three Americans.  These new cardinals have a big task ahead of them, not only in advising the Pope, but also as they follow in the footsteps of men who have recently served as cardinals.  Men like Raymond Cardinal Burke, Robert Cardinal Sarah, and in decades past Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger have put the Catholic faithful in their debt by serving the Church with great fortitude, wisdom, and zeal.

This past week as I attended our diocese’s annual priest conference, I found myself reflecting on one of these cardinals who is so faithful to Holy Mother Church.  Earlier this month Cardinal Sarah gave an interview about his newly published book, titled The Strength of Silence: Against the Dictatorship of Noise.  Unfortunately, the book itself has not been translated into English, but the interview has. Continue reading →

Mon. – 30th Week – Ord. Time [II]
Ephesians 4:32—5:8  +  Luke 13:10-17
October 24, 2016 

“Blessed the man who… meditates on His law day and night.”

In today’s Responsorial Psalm, we hear the first psalm of the Psalter proclaimed at Holy Mass, and it helps bring focus to our spiritual life.  If you were to ask one hundred Christians whether they knew any of the psalms by heart, you’d probably not garner many “Yes”es.  Among those “Yes”es, most probably have memorized Psalm 23.  But those looking for one of the psalms to memorize ought to consider Psalm 1. Continue reading →

The 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time [C]
Sir 35:12-14,16-18  +  2 Tim 4:6-8,16-18  +  Lk 18:9-14
October 23, 2016

“‘…the one who humbles himself will be exalted.’”

Last Sunday Jesus spoke about the need to persevere in prayer.  This week, however, he shows us that perseverance will do no good if we’re not praying with spiritual humility.

Humility is the foundation upon which we pray in four ways.  Each of these four expresses the covenant—or PACT—with Him that we entered through Baptism.  It is easy to remember these forms of prayer if we remember the letters P-A-C-T.  The example of a child before his parent is a good image through which to reflect on these four, although here in a different order. Continue reading →

Pope St. John Paul the Great
Ephesians 4:7-16  +  Luke 13:1-9
October 22, 2016

“And He gave some as Apostles, others as prophets….”

We who have vivid memories of St. John Paul II rejoice today on his feast:  not only because of his holiness, but also for his “talent” of helping us realize that we ourselves could possibly be called to the same holiness that radiated through his life and ministry. Continue reading →

Friday – 29^th Week – Ordinary Time [II]
Ephesians 4:1-6  +  Luke 12:54-59
October 21, 2016

“… live in a manner worthy of the call you have received….”

Saint Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians preaches about the nature of the Church’s as Christ’s Mystical Body.  Concretely, St. Paul describes the Church through examples of loving one’s neighbor:  this second of the two great commands of Jesus is the form that gives shape to the inter-relation of the varied members of the Body of Christ. Continue reading →

Thursday -29^th Wk. – Ordinary Time [II]
Ephesians 3:14-21  +  Luke 12:49-53
October 20, 2016

“No, I tell you, but rather division.”

Both the rhetoric and substance of Jesus’ proclamation in today’s Gospel passage are challenging.  It’s challenging to know how rightly to interpret His words.  The fire of His baptism is the source of the division that He has come to establish.  How can we understand these words and images in our own daily lives as disciples? Continue reading →

Sts. John de Brébeuf & Isaac Jogues, Priests, et soc., Martyrs
Ephesians 3:2-12  +  Luke 12:39-48
October 19, 2016

“‘Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.’”

St. Luke the Evangelist presents many “stewardship parables”.  Today’s Gospel passage offers two, one much longer than the other.  The upshot of both is an explicit moral that lets no Christian off easily:  “Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.”  How do these words apply to an ordinary Christian? Continue reading →

St. Luke the Evangelist
2 Timothy 4:10-17b  +  Luke 10:1-9
October 18, 2016

“Go on your way; behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves.”

On this feast day of Saint Luke the Evangelist, we can imagine that the First Reading was chosen for its brief mention of the saint.  The Gospel passage is taken from Luke’s account of the Gospel, but he is not mentioned there as he never met Jesus during His earthly life.  Nonetheless, today’s Gospel passage is about being appointed and sent by Jesus.  As such, each of us can directly relate it to his life as a disciple. Continue reading →

Saint Ignatius of Antioch, Bishop and Martyr
Ephesians 2:1-10  +  Luke 12:13-21
October 17, 2016

“You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you….”

In our little corner of the world, celebrations of harvests take place roughly this time of year.  Even if most in industrialized nations don’t live directly off the land, our celebrations of thanksgiving help us relate to today’s Gospel passage:  both Jesus’ interaction with the jealous brother, and His parable to the crowd. Continue reading →