Gospel Reflections for Challenging Times

  Sunday – Feast of the Most Holy Trinity Gospel – John 3:16-18 God Above, Beside, Within Us Tennessee Sunrise! So let me tell you a story! There were once six blind men who stood by the roadside every day and begged from the people who passed. They had often heard of elephants, but they had never seen one ; for, being blind, how could they? It so happened one morning that an elephant was driven down the road where they stood. When they were told that the great beast was before them, they asked the driver to let him stop so that they might touch him.    The first one happened to put his hand on the elephant's side. "Well, well!" he said, "now I know all about this beast. He is exactly like a wall." The second felt only of the elephant's tusk. "My brother," he said, "you are mistaken. He is not at all like a wall. He is round and smooth and sharp. He is more like a spear than anything else." The third happened to take hold o...

  Saturday – 8 th Week of Ordinary Tim Gospel – Mark 11:27-33 Who’s In Charge? Chapel at Cana It happens much more than we realize.   We get up in the morning full of ideas and plans for the day – work, clean, cut the grass, do the dishes, prepare dinner, etc.   And then we get that call.   Maybe it’s a friend whose car just died and they need a lift.   Maybe it’s a family member with a medical emergency or a sudden need for you to watch the kids.   No matter what, we drop our plans and meet the need!   No matter what we plan to do or want to do, life happens!   We like to think we are in charge but that is not always the case.   The Pharisees in today’s Gospel ask a valid question of Jesus.   Where are all your teachings and ministry coming from?   Is it just your thoughts and ideas?   Are you a prophet?   Are you a follower of John the Baptist?   Are you proclaiming that you are doing God’s work?   Who...

  Friday – 8 th Week of Ordinary Time Gospel – Mark 11:11-26 I Don’t Give a Fig A Bountiful Harvest Jaime and Josh have been very busy the last couple of weeks putting in their garden for the season – all sorts of veggies and herbs.   That also means zucchini! Woo Hoo!   Last year didn’t work so well but I have high hopes for a good crop of zucchini.   And then, comes August and September and maybe I can harvest a couple zucchini and do a bit of baking.   But there is a lot to do in-between now and then.   You can’t just plant the seeds one day, wait 3 months, and voila there it is!   It takes work, weeding and watering, time and a bit of faith.   But in the end, it is worth it to go out into the raised beds and gather the crop. That is not what happens in today’s Gospel.   Jesus is looking for something to eat.   He goes to a fig tree but there was nothing but leaves.   It was not the season for figs.   The same holds...