Gospel Reflections for Challenging Times

  Tuesday 7 th Week in Ordinary Time Gospel – Mark 9:30-37 I’m the Greatest; No, I Am! Church of Holy Sepulchre, Jerualem A little boy was overheard talking to himself as he strutted through the backyard, wearing his baseball cap and toting a ball and bat. “I’m the greatest hitter in the world,” he announced. Then, he tossed the ball into the air, swung at it, and missed. “Strike One!” he yelled. Undaunted, he picked up the ball and said again, “I’m the greatest hitter in the world!” He tossed the ball into the air. When it came down he swung again and missed. “Strike Two!” he cried out. The boy then paused a moment to examine his bat and ball carefully. He spit on his hands and rubbed them together. He straightened his cap and said once more, “I’m the greatest hitter in the world!” Again he tossed the ball up in the air and swung at it. He missed. “Strike Three!” “Wow!” he exclaimed. “I’m the greatest pitcher in the world!” We all want to be the best at so...

  Monday – 7 th Week in Ordinary Time Gospel – Mark 9:14-29 Faltering! Jordan River, Caesarea Philippi The Tlingit, an indigenous people of Alaska and Canada living in the Pacific Northwest, have a word in their native language that I find rather appropriate for today.   KAWDIGOO!!   Literally it means "The water has settled clear."   The real meaning has more to do with life than just the rolling of a river. When life gets tangled, you follow the river until the chaos falls away. When life gets complicated, it can be helpful to step back and let go of distracting thoughts. By taking a moment to breathe and be patient, one can gain clarity and find a path forward.  It’s an attitude, a philosophy of life if you will, that takes faith.   But it also takes the realization that sometimes, perhaps more often than we admit, we all falter, we all lose faith!     And that is what I hear in today’s Gospel when Jesus questions the fa...

  7 th Sunday in Ordinary Time Gospel – Luke 6:27-38 Turning the Other Cheek Church of the Beatitudes, Galilee I remember as a young father the times I would go outside after hearing the neighborhood kids arguing or fighting about something.   I felt somehow that it was part of my job as a parent to be a peace-maker.   So I would go out, gather the kids together, have them all say they were sorry and shake hands.   And I would get the dumbest looks from all of them.   And for a very good reason!   By the time I got outside, they had already moved on.   They had already completely forgotten what they were arguing about and just went back to playing together.   Forgive and forget!   I can only remember getting into one actual fight.   It was after school, probably 5 th or 6 th grade.   Details are rather sketchy.   I don’t remember the reason, my combatant or cause.   What I do remember is we were circled by...