Gospel Reflections for Challenging Times

Friday – St. Monica Gospel - Matthew 25:1-13 Tough Love Church of Holy Sepulchre Anybody have one of those friends, someone who always seems to be in trouble or in need?   Someone who always runs to you for help, for money, for solutions, for bail, or maybe even an alibi!   And out of friendship, out of love, you always help them out.   I mean, face it, isn’t that the Christian thing to do? And let’s turn the tables around.   What about that one best friend who always tells you the truth.   They tell you what you need to hear and not what you want to hear.   They are honest and sincere.   They look out for your best interests even when you don’t want to hear the truth, much less follow their counsel.   Now that is tough love. I think that’s what’s happening today in the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins.   The foolish ones are asking for help; give us some of your oil.   But the wise ones say NO!   What? ...

  Thursday – 21 st Week in Ordinary Time Matthew 24:4-51 Ready or Not! Caesarea Philippi A lot of tears were shed yesterday morning at St. Roberts.   It was the first day of school for Pre-School and Pre-K kids and there was a very healthy supply of tissues in use.   It was a day of letting go and moving forward!   It was a day of ‘are they ready to start school?’ and ‘Am I ready to let go?’ Remember that first day of school when we were little? Maybe we were excited? Maybe upset that the summer was over? Maybe glad that we get to see our friends again or nervous about meeting new ones? Maybe worried about a new teacher, new classes, new homework! But do we remember all the work, all the preparation that our parents went through to get us ready for that day? Shopping for school supplies, new clothes/uniforms! Trips to the grocery store for extra food to make for school lunch! Maybe even getting us up early weeks before school started so that we were ba...

Wednesday -21 st week in Ordinary Time Gospel – Matthew23:27-32 The Interior Life Mount of Olives Cemetery I have a love/hate relationship with bananas!   Even though I eat them rarely, I generally tolerate their taste.   Please don’t tell Ginger – she thinks I hate banana bread!   The issue for me is simple.   The banana can look perfect on the outside, nice color and firmness.   But often all that disappears after I peel it and find the fruit inside is black-spotted and rotten.   Ugh!   It looked so nice on the outside and then the interior is a complete disappointment! It reminds me of Jesus’s words in today’s Gospel!   And if you thought He was blunt in yesterday’s Gospel, today goes way beyond!   The Pharisees and Scribes are like “whitewashed tombs” with only dead men’s bones and filth inside.   The Jews believed that contact with the dead automatically made you unclean; so the tombs were painted white to warn the peop...

  Tuesday –St. Bartholomew Gospel – John1:45-51 Shopping! Old City Market, Jerusalem I live in a divided house and it’s been going on for over 47 years.   No matter what I do, Ginger and I remain at odds with each other and no clear resolution seems possible, ever!   You see, I like to shop!   And Ginger?   Well, if she never has to set foot in a mall again, she would be thrilled! Now granted these days we do most of our shopping online.   And that creates a whole new set of hoops to jump through.   We are no longer just searching for a new coffee machine (for example).   We are looking for the best we can find and at the best price!   I guess this saves of gas but not necessarily on time. All of a sudden, it’s not just the destination anymore; it’s the search itself that is rewarding!   The search challenges us and engages us!   And when we do find that perfect item at a bargain price, we pat ourselves on the back f...

  Monday -21 st week in Ordinary Time Gospel – Matthew23:13-22 The Blind Leading the Blind Western Wall, Jerusalem According to Google, 93 million selfies are taken and uploaded every single day. Among adults 18-24, every third photo they take is a selfie!   The average person takes over 450 selfies every year.   Why do some people spend so much time on taking selfies?   Is it image?   Are they so intent on impressing others?   Are they so worried about perception?   Think about it!   With selfies, we are the ones who control our image.   We can appear any way we want, whether it’s truthful or fanciful!   We control how others see us! Is that any different with the Scribes and Pharisees in today’s Gospel reading?   Jesus calls them ‘blind guides’.   Consumed with pride and greed, they are more concerned with appearances and gold than with the faith of the people.   They maintain control over the Temple by de...