Gospel Reflections for Challenging Times

  Saturday – 17 th Week in Ordinary Time     (revisited) Gospel – Matthew 14:1-12 Gotcha! Old City of Jerusalem Remember when you were little and you did something wrong?   Maybe you broke something and then tried to hide the evidence.   Maybe you stole something or played with matches.   Maybe you lied to your parents, maybe more than once!    And nothing happened!   You thought you got away with it and you breathed a sigh of relief.   And then later on, days even months, suddenly the truth comes out and bites you in the rear.   You thought all was well and then it all comes back to haunt you. That’s what happens to Herod Antipas in today’s Gospel.   He hears about Jesus, the preacher, the miracle worker.   And his first thought is – oh no, John the Baptist is risen from the dead.   He has come back to torment me again, even though I had him beheaded. Herod had let his insecurities, his fear...

  Friday – 17 th Week in Ordinary Time    (revisited) Gospel – Matthew 13:54-58 Going Home Synagogue in Nazareth A father passing by his teenage son’s room was astonished to see that his bed was neatly made and everything picked up off the floor. Then he saw the envelope propped up prominently on the pillow. With a sickening feeling he moved in closer to investigate. The letter was addressed to him. With the worst premonition, he opened the envelope with trembling hands to read what was within. Dear Dad, It is with great regret and sorrow that I’m writing you. I had to elope with my new girlfriend, because I wanted to avoid a scene with Mom and you. I’ve been finding real passion with Stacy, and she is so nice. However, I knew you would not approve of her because of her piercings, tattoos, and tight motorcycle clothes. Also, she is so much older than me.     Stacy said that we will be very happy. She owns a trailer in the woods and has a stack...

    Thursday – Feast of St. Martha, Mary and Lazarus     (revisited) Gospel – John 11:19-27, Luke 10:38-42 Family Matters The Family! We celebrate today the Feast of Sts. Martha, Mary and Lazarus.   And we actually have 2 options for the Gospel reading.   One is from Luke where Jesus visits the town of Bethany and comes to dinner at Martha’s home.   Mary spends her time sitting and listening to Jesus while Martha spends all her time cooking and serving the meal.   She then complains bitterly about Mary not helping her out with the chores. The second Gospel is from John and tells of Jesus’ other visit after the death of Lazarus.   Martha, hearing that Jesus is on His way, doesn’t wait for him to enter the house but rushes out to greet Him on the road.   She unloads her grief and a bit of anger at Him, complaining that, if He had been there earlier, Lazarus would not have died.   And, in the end, she also profes...

  Wednesday – 17 th Week in Ordinary Time Gospel – Matthew 13:44-46 My Precious! Altar of Crucifixion, Church of Holy Sepulchre I am (no big secret) a huge Lord of the Rings fan.   Give me a completely free day (fat chance) and I will spend it watching the entire trilogy – extended edition of course!   Just last month I got to share the experience with one of my grandsons for the first time!   There are certainly a number of heroic figures in the story.   But I want to focus on one of the more tragic characters – Smeagol/Gollum.   He is so obsessed with possessing the “One Ring” that he murders his own relative to get it.   From that point on, he refers to the ring as ‘my precious.’   While it extends his life, it consumes it as well.   He loses any outward appearance as a human.   His only appetite is for the Ring and he will do anything to keep it!   Today’s Gospel tells the story of the treasure in the field and ...