The Vigil of Our Lady, Mother of Divine Grace
July 22, 2017

One of the unfortunate changes made to the Sacred Liturgy following the Second Vatican Council (note that I said “following” and not “by” the Second Vatican Council) is the elimination of commemorations at Holy Mass.  For example, July 16 is the feast day of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.  This year, however, that date fell on a Sunday, and so at Holy Mass in the Ordinary Form, on her feast day she could not be commemorated liturgically (unless you were in a Carmelite parish, friary or convent, or a parish named after her). Continue reading →

The Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time [A]
Wis 12:13,16-19  +  Rom 8:26-27  +  Mt 13:24-43
July 23, 2017

“‘Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.’”

Weeds and wheat.  Jesus’ first parable in today’s Gospel passage is simple.  But like the grain of wheat itself, it can bear much fruit.

Saint Augustine of Hippo, the greatest teacher of the Catholic Faith in the Church’s first millennium (at least, after the close of the apostolic age), wrote one of his three greatest works on this parable’s theme.  While On the City of God grows from the simple truths heard in today’s brief parable of seven verses, it is a massive work of 22 books.  In this work St. Augustine shows how complex and messy the world can be as weeds and wheat grow amidst each other.

St. Augustine’s masterpiece is in fact a contrast between “the city of God” and “the city of man”.  This contrast is analogous to the parable’s consideration of the wheat and the weeds.  But it’s not a simplistic contrast between Heaven and earth:  a contrast that condemns this world in which we live.  Nor is it a simplistic contrast between the Church and the state, with the Church being presented as flawless. Continue reading →

Divine Intimacy § 235 is titled “Infinite Love”.
The following reflection is based upon Father Gabriel’s meditation:

The older one gets, the more one is tempted to look backwards at one’s past.  Although the adage claims that “hindsight is 20/20”, each sinner looks at his past in the same way that he looks at the present moment, and also at the possible futures that lay before him:  that is, with jaundiced, self-serving sight.  That sight may be 20/20, but that doesn’t mean that it’s not colored by self-interest. Continue reading →

St. Mary Magdalene
Songs 3:1-4  +  John 20:1-2,11-18
July 22, 2017

“…while it was still dark….”

Early in the morning on the first day of the week… that is to say, in the beginning… we see Mary Magdalene huddled at the tomb weeping.  We must give her credit for this, since the apostles themselves were not faithful to the Crucified Lord in this way.  For ourselves, we pray for the grace to persevere in the midst of suffering, to allow our souls to thirst for Our Lord and God without despair in the midst of that suffering.  We pray for the ability to hope during those times when we cannot see the Lord present before us. Continue reading →

The Carmelite Feast of Saint Elijah, Prophet
July 20, 2017

Both branches of the Carmelites today honor the Old Testament prophet Elijah as a saint.  The Order of Carmelites celebrates the Sacred Liturgy today as a solemnity, while the Discalced Carmelites honor the prophet with the rank of feast. Continue reading →

Friday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time [I]
Exodus 11:10—12:14  +  Matthew 12:1-8
July 21, 2017

“‘This day shall be a memorial feast for you….’”

During Lent we hear many passages in the Sacred Liturgy about the Exodus of ancient Israel.  During these days of Ordinary Time in which we are hearing of Moses’ vocation, there is more hop-scotching through these narratives.  From yesterday’s to today’s weekday Mass, we jump from Moses in front of the burning bush to the final of the ten plagues by which God forced the hand of Pharaoh. Continue reading →

Divine Intimacy § 234 is titled “Infinite Wisdom”.
The following reflection is based upon Father Gabriel’s meditation:

Wisdom can be difficult to define for many reasons.  In our own day, one such reason is that wisdom is so rare.  We can’t recognize what we don’t see. Continue reading →

Thursday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time [I]
Exodus 3:13-20  +  Matthew 11:28-30
July 20, 2017

“God replied, ‘I am who am.’”

We often take for granted the power of names.  Two examples can illustrate this simple truth.  Many of us had the experience when little of our parents calling us by our full name:  first, middle, and last.  This was generally not a good thing.  Secondly, when someone is angry with you, it’s a very powerful expression of anger when that person calls out your name in anger.  Hearing your name called out in anger can easily rattle you. Continue reading →

Reflection based upon
Divine Intimacy 233:  God’s Infinite Goodness Is Diffusive

Among what are called “the divine perfections” are God’s goodness, wisdom, justice, and beauty.  Arguably, goodness is the simplest of these perfections.  Parents and teachers talk even with little children about goodness:  not only for loftier reasons, but also for practical reasons, so that there’s harmony in the home and the classroom.  And what’s one of the most difficult lessons for little children to learn about how to be good?  It is how to share.  The look on a little boy’s face, when with arms folded across his chest he refuses to share, suggests something important about goodness and its opposite. Continue reading →