Gospel Reflections for Challenging Times

  Fri day – St. Jerome Gospel – Luke 10:13-16 Turning Back! St. Jerome’s Cave, Bethlehem I was standing in line at the Costco checkout a couple of days ago and a woman just stepped/cut right in front of me.   It was as if I was invisible.   She knew what she was doing; she never once turned around and said anything.   That was frustrating and it definitely tried my patience. But it makes me wonder how often we do the same thing.   I don’t mean being lost in thought and inadvertently bumping into someone.   I mean the times when we deliberately ignore or snub someone.   Whether it’s out of anger or jealousy or vanity, it is a clear choice to turn away and treat someone as if they were not worthy of our attention. That is what we hear in today’s Gospel.   The people of Tyre and Sidon, Chorazin and Bethsaida, even Jesus’ hometown of Capernaum, feel the brunt of Jesus’ words of condemnation.   They heard Jesus’ message; they ha...

  Thursday – Sts. Michael, Gabriel & Raphael, Archangels Gospel – John 1:47-51 Angels Among Us   Western Wall, Jerusalem A fellow was stuck on his rooftop in a flood. He was praying to God for help.   Soon a man in a rowboat came by and the fellow shouted to the man on the roof, “Jump in, I can save you.”   The stranded fellow shouted back, “No, it’s OK, I’m praying to God and he is going to save me.”   So the rowboat went on. Then a motorboat came by. “The fellow in the motorboat shouted, “Jump in, I can save you.” To this the stranded man said, “No thanks, I’m praying to God and he is going to save me. I have faith.” So the motorboat went on. Then a helicopter came by and the pilot shouted down, “Grab this rope and I will lift you to safety.” To this the stranded man again replied, “No thanks, I’m praying to God and he is going to save me. I have faith.”   So the helicopter reluctantly flew away. Soon the water rose above t...

  Wedn esday – St. Wenceslaus Gospel – Luke 9:57-62 Looking Back, Moving Forward Christmas in Bethlehem Given all the streaming services available these days – Prime, Peacock, Netflix, Tubi, you name it – it boggles the mind all the shows available to watch (and binge)   So many options, so little time!   Sometimes it makes me long for the good old days of just 3-5 channels and no option other than watch it live.   It reminds me too of some of my favorite shows from my childhood – all the westerns and classic comedies and all the non-stop cartoons on Saturday morning.   Waxing a bit nostalgic!!!! Jesus almost seems nostalgic in today’s Gospel.   Everyone else has a home, a place to lay their head and He does not.   It’s as if He is looking back, as we are, to those days when life was normal, simpler, calmer.   A life in Nazareth with His parents, a home, family time! But life has changed!   Priorities have changed!   A...

  Tuesday – St. Vincent de Paul Gospel – Luke9:51-56 Move On St Peter’s Church, Capernaum A boy was born to a couple after eleven years of marriage. They were a loving couple and the boy was the apple of their eyes. When the boy was around two years old, one morning the husband saw a medicine bottle open. He was late for work so he asked the wife to cap the bottle and keep it in the cupboard. The mother, preoccupied in the kitchen, totally forgot the matter. The boy saw the bottle and playfully went to the bottle and, fascinated with its color, drank it all. It happened to be a poisonous medicine meant for adults in small dosages. When the child collapsed, the mother hurried him to the hospital, where sadly he died. The mother was stunned. She was terrified how to face her husband. When the distraught father came to the hospital and saw the dead child, he looked at his wife and uttered just four words..   What do you think were the four words? The husban...