Gospel Reflections for Challenging Times

  Thursday - 6 th Week of Easter Gospel – John 16:16-20 In A Little While Streets of Jerusalem I am tired!   Tired of non-stop newscasts with endless stories of violence and bloodshed!   Tired of hearing gunshots in the middle of the night!   Tired of seeing processions of families and friends on their way to lay a loved one to rest! Tired of lighting candles for young lives cut short by violence when we should be celebrating and cherishing the living!   Tired of seeing children physically separated from their immigrant parents and family!   So much heartache in Gaza!   So many tears in Ukraine!   How many young lives have to be lost to violence; how many families are torn apart by unfathomable grief, before we all agree that this is wrong! Jesus talks about ‘a little while’ in today’s Gospel.   A little while and you will not see Me and again a little while and you will see Me.   As parents, we know from experience that o...

  Wednesday - 6 th Week of Easter Gospel – John 16:12-15 Make Me Proud! Frere’s Store Over the 21 years since my Dad’s passing, there have been a number of events in my life (Ordination, a heartfelt homily or just being a good husband, son or grandfather) where my Mom would say to me “Dad would be so proud of you.” I’d like to think that was true; I hope it is!   Many are the times when I would look up into the heavens and wonder – did you see that, Dad?   Am I making you proud?   There are certainly moments when I realize I sound/act just like my Dad, especially my corny punny sense of humor.   And that makes me smile!   And so I wonder how much of my Dad is in me!   His compassion, his sense of humor, his love of family, his self-sacrifice and his calm in the midst of the storm!   Which leads me to today’s Gospel.   “Everything that the Father has is mine.”   It echoes Jesus’ words earlier in John – I am in the Fat...

  Tuesday - 6 th Week of Easter Gospel – John 16:5-11 Good Grief Holding Hands Just over a year ago, Ginger and I sat by the bedside of her mom, Shirley, holding her hand and saying our last goodbye.   6 days later, the same scene occurred as we bid a sad farewell to her dad, Bob!   There are no words possible to encompass all the conflicting emotions we felt as we stood there holding hands.   Tears were abundant and words were few!   But the grief, the sadness, the loss and the very real pain of realization that this was their last moments here on earth – that was almost unbearable!   I would not wish that experience on anyone.   And yet most of us have probably had a similar memory and still carry the sorrow with us even today.   I wonder how much the Apostles felt something similar in today’s Gospel reading.   Jesus has just told them He is leaving; it is clear that they understood He was referring to His coming death. ...