Gospel Reflections for Challenging Times

  Wednesday – 17th 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 the pearl of great price! In both cases, a man finds it and hides it (so no o...

  Tuesday – 17th Week in Ordinary Time Gospel – Matthew 13:36-43 And I Will Walk “500 Miles”……. Church of Holy Sepulchre I am not the greatest at asking for directions or for help. I am more of a ‘learn from my mistakes’ kind of guy. Give me a project like assembling a 400-piece bookshelf/office work-station and I will go at it completely on my own. Who needs directions? In the process, I must admit, it probably takes me twice as long to complete but then I tell myself – I did it all by myself! So in the end, I feel what I lack in wisdom is made up for with brute force, not always a good thing! The disciples in today’s Gospel are in a much better frame of mind. Jesus has just shared the Parable of the Sower and the Seed. And they don’t understand! They don’t get it! But give them credit; they ask Jesus to explain it to them. For once, I think Jesus’ explanation takes a back seat to the attitude of His disciples. They are honest – they are willing to admit that they don’t...

  Monday – Feast of St. James, Apostle     (revisited) Gospel – Matthew20:20-28 Sons of Thunder Synagogue Church, Nazareth Years ago when our daughter was in grade school, I remember some sort of honors ceremony where she was hoping to get an award (don’t remember what) but she didn’t.   And she was upset!   So like any loving dad, I went out and bought her a generic trophy to help her feel better.   Yeah, I was one of those parents!   But let’s face it – we all want the best for our kids; we would do whatever it takes for them, and I still do!   But, in reality, there is only so much we can do for them; most of the time they need to learn and to grow from their successes and failures on their own. As we celebrate today the Feast of St. James, Apostle, we see in the Gospel a mother who demands that Jesus give her 2 sons, James and John, thrones of authority to rule the Kingdom alongside Jesus.   Jesus shows incredible restr...

  17 th Sunday in Ordinary Time     (revisited) Gospel – Luke 11:1-13 Knock, Knock Praying At Church of Holy Sepulchre I wonder how many times, when we were younger, that our parents sat us down for a chat.   “Let’s talk!   Tell me what’s going on.”   And how often have we have done the same with our own kids?   Uncomfortable?   Sure, but also a sincere attempt to get us to open up and grow our relationship!   And that is what is happening in today’s Gospel. “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” We know from experience we don’t always get what we ask for when we pray to God. He does work in mysterious ways, not always responding to us how we want or even when we want.   But He does respond.   And He does want us to keep knocking on His door. And it’s not just about asking for something or making a prayer of petition.   In simplest terms,...

  Saturday –   16 th Week in Ordinary Time     (revisited) Gospel – Matthew13:24-30 Tied Up in Knots! Many years ago, I remember one summer when it was time for our daughter Jaime to learn how to ride a bicycle.   So I took off the training wheels, she climbed onto the bike and proceeded to take off.   I followed close behind, holding onto the back bumper, trying to keep the bike upright and trying to make sure she didn’t fall.   It was exhausting for both of us.   I thought I was being a good dad by doing everything I could to keep her from falling.   But it didn’t work.   We were both getting frustrated.   Finally, she had had enough and she banished me to sit on the front porch while she worked it out on her own.   It took time and it took a lot of patience, something neither one of us had much of at the start of the process. I was getting impatient with the process and she was getting impatient with me. ...

  Friday – St. Mary Magdalene     (revisited) Gospel – John 20:1-2, 11-18 A Rollercoaster of Emotions Mary Magdalene, at Magdala I am recalling a quote from Bishop Barron I’ve cited before– every saint has a past and every sinner has a future.   There is no better example than Mary Magdalene whose feast we celebrate today.   Tradition holds her to be a former prostitute, probably the one who washed Jesus’ feet with her hair and whom Jesus forgave and told to sin no more.   She was a faithful disciple of Jesus. And today’s Gospel portrays her at the tomb on Easter Sunday morning.   Consider this – she is the first witness to Jesus’ Resurrection – not Peter, not John, not even Mary His Mother.   She is the first Evangelist – she is the first to proclaim the Good News that Jesus is risen from the dead! Consider also the all too painful range of emotions she experiences.   The utter grief and despair as she finds the stone...