Matthew 16:24-28

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his disciples,
“Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself,
take up his cross, and follow me.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world
and forfeit his life?
Or what can one give in exchange for his life?
For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father’s glory,
and then he will repay each according to his conduct.
Amen, I say to you, there are some standing here
who will not taste death
until they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

Oratio (Responding)

What does it mean to deny yourself, and why did God give us so many wonderful things (love, sex, food, drink), if ultimately He wants us to deny ourselves? This must be because of our overwhelming urge to indulge. Humans always over do it, and so we must learn to dial ourselves back, lest we get lost in our gluttony.

When I think about the balance that God wants for us, I think about sunsets. They are beautiful, and we all should stop and look, and some of us delight in them, but they are fleeting, and go away as quickly as they come. God is telling us with things like these that we need to recognized god’s beauty and perfection, and even delight in it for a time, and then move on. But the true secret is recognizing it. When you get presented a pizza, or a dish of delicious lasagna, we should recognize how good it is, and that we are blessed with the ability to enjoy such things, but we should not eat the whole thing.

We must be like the grass. That when the summer showers come we can grow green and tall, but that water does not stay around for ever, it seeps into the ground and then rivers, and then lakes and oceans, so that it can be absorbed back up into clouds for the next storm. Recognizing that some times there will be abundance, and other times scarcity. But that we must not over indulge in the abundance, and not despair in the scarcity. God will always provide… but do you trust that? That is the question we must ask ourselves, and we must learn to trust, and then to recognize His great love when it happens.

What does it mean to take up your cross? Does it mean to sacrifice and suffer to the same degree as Jesus? No, we humans could not suffer as much as christ. The thought of imitating Jesus, in that way, is so unthinkable that we often ignore it as something that the lord would never ask of me, and so we think it does not apply to me. But Jesus did not mince words here, He DID speak directly to each of us to “pick up our cross daily.” So how do we understand this…? St Jerome said it best when he wrote

“When I say the cross, I am not thinking of the wood but of the passion…. Furthermore, what is the warning in the Gospel? ‘Unless you take up my cross, and daily follow me.’ Mark what it says: Unless your soul has been made as ready for the cross as mine was for you, you cannot be my disciples.”

That is a high call, but it is not a call that is beyond us. Each and every one of us is capable of this call. We must configure our hearts and minds to the call of the cross. This means being meek in the face of assault. It means returning love when you are hated, and it means sacrificing even after you feel you have given everthing that you can.

This is the economy of heaven and it is what we all will be called to when we die and go to heaven. But you cannot get that reward until you completely change your mind body and soul to this economy. You must start today. Because you will not enter heaven until you understand and desire His economy over the economy of this world. So take up your cross, whatever it is, put a smile on your face, and rest, happily, in the knowledge that your reward will be great in heaven.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, please help me today to see your great love for us in all that you provide, and to trust that you will never forget us and that you will always provide.

Matthew 16:13-23

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi
and he asked his disciples,
“Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah,
still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Simon Peter said in reply,
“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah.
For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father.
And so I say to you, you are Peter,
and upon this rock I will build my Church,
and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.
I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven.
Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven;
and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

Then he strictly ordered his disciples
to tell no one that he was the Christ.

From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples
that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly
from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,
and be killed and on the third day be raised.
Then Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke him,
“God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you.”
He turned and said to Peter,
“Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me.
You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Oratio (Responding)

This is one of those gospel readings that ties in directly with an old testament prophet (Isaiah 22:19-23). So, we will start by examining what we can learn about this passage from Isaiah. Isaiah introduces us to the role of the “steward” or “master of the house”, in the davidic kingdom. Scholars teach us that the steward litterally wore the keys to the kingdom on his shoulder. He controlled access to the king and no one had more power in the kingdom except the king. The steward with the keys would open and shut all of the things of the kingdom. Litterally the doors of the kingdom, but also the laws, and edicts that were levied on the kingdom. And very importantly, this postition in the kingdom, was a continuous position. It was not a role that was ever left unfilled. After it was established by the king, the position did not die with the holder of that role. It must always be filled after the death or disposition of the previous steward. Lastly, we know that the role of steward was a priestly role. The steward wore a girdle, which is a priestly garment, and carried the title “father”, and was always a son of the line of the Levites. So there is good reason to believe that this position was not only a political role but also a priestly one.

Now we move forward to Jesus. We are told that this reading takes place at Caesarea Philippi, why is this location important? This geographical region has several really important features. First it is the Source or Headwaters of the Jordan river, the same river that Jesus was baptised in. Second, It is a ruin of a pegan roman temple devoted to the worship of the god Pan. Pan was the god of fertility, nature, and the wild. These are all things that Satan loves, and Jesus wants to put under his feet. So it is very fitting that Jesus chooses this place to establish His kingdom. It will be the place that the baptismal waters will both literally and symbolically flow from, the place where the pagan worship of sex and nature lies in ruins, and His new church will rise above it both literally and physically. And it is on this foundation that Jesus is establishing His new church and placing Peter at the head of it.

Further it is important here to add a little more background… it is pious tradition (among the jews) that the old temple destroyed by the Babylonians, and then later rebuilt by Herod the Great was not only the center of Jewish worship, but it was also believed to be a location that contained the “Foundation Stone.” This spot is believe to be the place where all creation began, and the thus the center of the known universe. The Stone also capped off a great cavern called the “well of souls.” This cavern was thought to be the opening to hades (aka gahena). Pagans would sacrifice animals by throwing them down into that hole in order to appease their gods. This is the spot that God chose to build His temple, and this is the spot where Solomon built the “holy of holies” (where the ark of the covenant resided behind the veil). It was built here at the junction between the entrance to hell, and the place where the lord Himself would reside in the ark of the covenant. This stone marked the center of the known world, and also the junction between heaven and hell.

With all that background established, We now turn to Jesus, the new King of the line of David. The succession of Davidic kings was broken many years before this moment, by foreign kings conquering Israel and destroying the temple. But the line of David was never broken. The sons of David persisted, but did so in secret. If the Romans knew that they existed, they would have wiped them out, as they would not tolerate any challenge to their authority. And so it is in this moment that Jesus is reestablishing the long lost Davidic kingdom and taking his rightful place as the King. And every Davidic king needs a steward, who can bear the keys to the kingdom, and “open and shut” while the king is away. That steward is Peter. In the Catholic church we teach that the position of the steward is the pope, and Peter here is ordained as the first pope…, who will watch over the kingdom while the king was away, and whatever he binds and looses, would have the authority and imprimatur of the king. And as we learned from Isaiah, it is clearly also not a role that dies with the holder of the keys, it is a perpetual role that must always be filled until the king returns, and thus we have the long line of bishops and popes that have always held this role even until today.

And so it is in this moment that Jesus is establishing His new church. But it is not a temple in a fixed location. That temple would be destroyed in 70AD, and would never be rebuilt. Jesus is establishing his church in the whole world, among all of the faithful, and He is placing His steward, the Pope, at the center of it, as the new foundation stone. The pope will be the sentinel that guards the opening to hell, and he will be the guide that leads the faithful to heaven. This is what Jesus’ commission to bind and loose actually means. Just as the role of the ancient steward was to “open and shut,” by making the laws and edicts of the land that would carry the authority of the King. Jesus uses the terms of “binding and loosing” because these are technical terms in the jewish world that related to the deciding of matters of halakhah (literally translates: “how one behaves”), and with regard to the application of divine law. This teaching of Jesus literally means that when our popes make law on the matters of faith and morals, that their edicts will have the affect of actually being the law in heaven with the authority of God. But not everything that a Pope says or does has this authority, and many popes have been very wicked over the years. But Jesus promises that the holy spirit will protect the church from ever promulgating heresy as law.

And this is why it is so important that the church has an ultimate leader, and why we cant simply go straight to God? The evil one is constantly injecting himself and corrupting and destroying everything. Consider this example, imagine a church with two great leaders, both highly respected, both admired for their wisdom and understanding, but at some point find themselves at odds with each other over a teaching or a doctrine. The argument may be over interpretation, or pride, or actively being caused by the temptation of the devil. What are they to do, how do they reconcile this difference? In the protestant tradition they split, and create two new churches. To the end that now we have over a 100 denominations, and 100,000 non-denominational churches across the world all with different variations of doctrine. In the catholic church, however, the dispute is taken to the priest, and then the bishop and in some cases all the way to the pope, and eventually a final decision is made. And in the case of our two leaders, you either agree with the pope and the entire magisterium, and stay in the church, or you disagree, and are excommunicated from it until you can see the error of your ways. But excommunication is not a permanent status, it litterally means “outside of the church,” and the goal is always reunification, and reconcilliation, not division (that is the realm of the evil one). And that is why there is still one holy Catholic and apostolic church, today, 2000 years later.

Finally, we should discuss Jesus’ question to His disciples. He asks who do the people say that the son of man is? As with all questions Jesus asks, you should ask your self this question. it is a powerful examination of conscience. But there is also another really important reason for this question. Jesus starts by asking about what others say, they respond Elijah or a prophet, Jesus does not like this answer, so He asks His disciples who they say that He is. Peter fills the silence and says that He is the son of the living God. This is really important, the jewish people were all waiting for the return of Elijah, and following him, the subsequent return of God, so Jesus did not want them to think that He was just another prophet in a long line of prophets. He wanted them to understand very clearly that John the baptist was the return of Elijah, and that Jesus was the one that Elijah would prepare the way for…. That is God! A wise teacher, or a prophet is the only thing that Jesus could not be. Jesus claimed to be God, and He literally proved it in the resurrection, so if He was not God, that would make Him either a liar or lunatic. But if He claims to be God, and then subsequently proves it with miracles and by returning from the dead in His resurrection, then that means He actually is God. That is an important thing for these men to know, even if they will not fully understand it until after His death and resurrection.

And in the end, this is the most important part of this reading…, “Who do you say that I am?”, that is a question for all people then and now, because the answer to that question will determine your eternity. Think about it, ponder it…, the answer to it, is everything!

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Please lord today help all of your people have the courage and fortitidude to confront this question, and the wisdom to choose you.

Luke 9:28b-36

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus took Peter, John, and James
and went up a mountain to pray.
While he was praying his face changed in appearance
and his clothing became dazzling white.
And behold, two men were conversing with him, Moses and Elijah,
who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus
that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem.
Peter and his companions had been overcome by sleep,
but becoming fully awake,
they saw his glory and the two men standing with him.
As they were about to part from him, Peter said to Jesus,
“Master, it is good that we are here;
let us make three tents,
one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
But he did not know what he was saying.
While he was still speaking,
a cloud came and cast a shadow over them,
and they became frightened when they entered the cloud.
Then from the cloud came a voice that said,
“This is my chosen Son; listen to him.”
After the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone.
They fell silent and did not at that time
tell anyone what they had seen.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Jesus took Peter, John, and James and went up the mountain to pray. While he was praying his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white.

Oratio (Responding)

Any time we get to read about one of the mysteries of the rosary, there is so much that could be discussed. But today I am going to focus on the litteral transfiguration of Jesus. When Jesus changed before his disciples, I believe that He was giving them a foretaste of heaven. Some church fathers believe that Jesus was litterally transfigured before them, others believe that this was how Jesus was always, but that He kept the full vision of His full glory hidden from them until this moment (just like on the road to Emmaus). In either situation, it is clear that Jesus could not do his ministry if He was walking around glowing and dazzingly white. But this moment must have served as a great consolation to the apostles after the death of Jesus, and His accension. Confirmation, if you will, about the divinity of who Jesus really was.

But there is another aspect of this reading that I find extremely heartening. We, as christians, are also promised a new ressurected body at the end of time at the final judgement. We are not exactly sure what happens to the soul before the final judgement, But when we die, and go up to heaven, we might live like the angels, disembodied spirits, waiting for the end of time and final judgement. But When Jesus returns to earth, revelation tells us that all of the dead will rise, and be given new bodies, and stand before the lord for Judgement. The good and the evil will be separated, and the wicked will be sent to hell body and soul to suffer for all eternity, but the good will have their bodies glorified, and will join God in the restored world, and will live with Him forever in his Kingdom of Heaven.

What the gloried body will look like is unclear, but we know it will be human, and it will be a real, touchahable physical body. Will it be dazzling white, I dont know, but it will be perfect, without aches and pains, and it will be in perfect harmony with our minds and our will. This is such an exciting thing for me to contemplate. I dont like the aches and pains of daily life, and I hate feeling like I cant control myself with regard to food, and other pleasures. Thomas Aquinas has spoken about what he thinks this glorified body will be like, and he says that it will have certain attributes that our current bodies do not currently have. Glorified bodies are incorruptible (incapable of decay) and impassible (incapable of suffering), and impeccable (incapable of sin), but most importantly they will hold the form that is most in line with our vision of ourselves ordered by our relationship to God and His will for our lives. It is the perfect alignment of our will and Gods will at the same time.

But the most exciting thing about glorified bodies, is that we will get to walk with Jesus in the garden of heaven! To have a real person to person relationship with Him, and to physically know Him like I do any of my family or friends. This possibility fills me with so much hope and joy that I cant contain it. So many questions to ask, so many things to say thank you for, so much love to share.

As the song by macy grey goes, “love the life I’m given but Im lookin forward to the day I Die, Oh my god, I cant wait to meet you”. Until then lets look upon the dazzling white transfigured body of Jesus and pray for the same thing in our own lives.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, please help me today to make one change that brings me closer to you, and to that incredible plan you have for our lives. Amen.

Matthew 14:22-36

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus made the disciples get into a boat
and precede him to the other side of the sea,
while he dismissed the crowds.
After doing so, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray.
When it was evening he was there alone.
Meanwhile the boat, already a few miles offshore,
was being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it.
During the fourth watch of the night,
he came toward them, walking on the sea.
When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified.
“It is a ghost,” they said, and they cried out in fear.
At once Jesus spoke to them, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”
Peter said to him in reply,
“Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”
He said, “Come.”
Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus.
But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened;
and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!”
Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him,
and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
After they got into the boat, the wind died down.
Those who were in the boat did him homage, saying,
“Truly, you are the Son of God.”

After making the crossing, they came to land at Gennesaret.
When the men of that place recognized him,
they sent word to all the surrounding country.
People brought to him all those who were sick
and begged him that they might touch only the tassel on his cloak,
and as many as touched it were healed.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened; and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”

Oratio (Responding)

There has been much written about this passage, and most people focus on the interaction between Jesus and Peter. There is indeed, much to be learned about our faith in that portion of the reading. However today I want to share a new insight I found in this passage. I believe that this passage speaks to us about the difference between how the christian life is actually lived, versus how the God wishes us to live it.

Let’s start with the passage immediately proceeding this reading. It is the story of Jesus feeding the 5000. This feeding represents an early image of the eucharist that Jesus would give us after He was resurrected and rose into heaven. The Eucharist is the superabundant food that not only sustains us for the journey, but also protects us from the wiles of the devil. Today’s passage starts with the line, “after he had fed the people” meaning that He had just given them the eucharist, and they were leaving from the banquet, and Jesus was still with them.

So what happens after we receive the eucharist on Sunday, we go back into the world, and while Jesus is physically with us in the eucharist, His presence does eventually leave us, like Jesus does in this passage, and we are left alone, literally being tossed about in the storm. The passage clearly states that this is during the 4th watch, between 3am and 6am in the morning. This is the darkest part of the night, the part of the night when the devil is most active, and troublesome. But it is also the time right before the dawn, the time before the new day begins.

The storm literally represent the serious peril and trouble that this world can bring, but what Jesus reveals to us in this passage, is that the storm is really just an illusion! It is only temporary, and is ultimately not to be feared. And Jesus literrally demonstrates this fact by physically walking on the sea amidst the storm. There is nothing that this world can throw at you that Jesus is not above, and that He is not master of. We only need look at Him and trust in that fact.

Peter voices this belief when he asks Jesus to command him to come out on the water. This shows us that we too have the ability to rise above the storm and not be tossed about by it. We only need keep our eye on Jesus, and we too, will be able to walk on the water. But when we take our eye off of Jesus that is when we will begin to sink into the storm and be over come by it. We need to not look at the storm, but instead focus on Jesus.

But alas we are only human, and we often get overcome by the storm. Peter here, also shows us what to do, when you are lost and overcome by the storm. That is when you should stop what you are doing and cry out “Help me Jesus”. Many theologians have taught that this is the most perfect of prayers. Because it simply and clearly describes the set of circumstances we are in. We are lowly sinful creatures that are utterly in need the Lord’s help. And Jesus is God, who lovingly wants to pour out His mercy on us. “help me Jesus” clarifies that reality better than anything else that can be said. And He is always there to reach out His hand to us in our time of great need, you simply need to ask.

Finally they get back into the boat. Our sinful human-ness, once reunited with God, is joined back with Him in the boat, and all is calm again. Many theologians teach that the boat (or Bark) is an analogy for the church, litterally, the stable ground in the unstable sea of sin and trouble. This is why we need the church, because it sustains us in our time of need, and it is always a safe place to be in our time in the storm, and if we are in that boat (or chruch) with Jesus, then all will be fine, and the storm will be abated outside. It is also where we are fed, and given the courage, and protection we need to go out again and face another week in the storm. And we ultimately start this whole cycle over again. This passage beautifully describes the christian life and give us the tools we need to fight the fear in the time of the storm.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, please give us the courage to ask for your help, and reach into our lives and save us from our pain and sin. We are of little faith, but you are greater than everything, and you can overcome anything. Give us the faith to believe that, and to bring your light into the world.

Matthew 14:13-21

Lectio (Reading)

When Jesus heard of the death of John the Baptist,
he withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself.
The crowds heard of this and followed him on foot from their towns.
When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd,
his heart was moved with pity for them, and he cured their sick.
When it was evening, the disciples approached him and said,
“This is a deserted place and it is already late;
dismiss the crowds so that they can go to the villages
and buy food for themselves.”
He said to them, “There is no need for them to go away;
give them some food yourselves.”
But they said to him,
“Five loaves and two fish are all we have here.”
Then he said, “Bring them here to me,”
and he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass.
Taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven,
he said the blessing, broke the loaves,
and gave them to the disciples,
who in turn gave them to the crowds.
They all ate and were satisfied,
and they picked up the fragments left over–
twelve wicker baskets full.
Those who ate were about five thousand men,
not counting women and children.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds.

Oratio (Responding)

From 5 barley loaves, and 2 fish, 5000 people ate their fill and there were 12 baskets of fragments left over. This miracle is a fulfillment of the promise and abundance of God’s love, it prefigures the miracle of transubstantiation that Jesus will do at the last supper, and it foreshadows the miracle of the eucharistic that happens at every mass. The numbers mentioned here are very intresting to consider as well. The young boy represents the jewish people bringing their meager offering to the Lord, the 5 loaves represents the 5 books of the torah (the law), the 2 fish represents the teachings of the prophets, the 5000 represents a great multitude of the worlds people, and the 12 baskets represents the 12 tribes of isreal, and the new gathering in of the dispersed people of Isreal.

Yet despite these numeric metaphors, this miracle actually really happened. The modernist would like you to believe that the miracle was a metaphor too, and that it was only a miracle of all the people sharing what they had with each other. But this idea should not be considered seriously. These athiests do not believe that Jesus was God, and they desperately do not want you to believe it either. They eagerly try to find other ways to explain how miracles happen. But this is a blatant attempt to steal your faith away, and it must be rejected completely. This multiplication was indeed a miracle, and it actually happened. A great multitude of people witnessed it, 5000 men plus their wives and children, and it is recorded in the history books.

Many have tried to explain how this miracle happend. Some say it happened all at once, and Jesus took the small offering and multiplied it into a great pile of food which was then distributed. But here is how I have imagined that this miracle happened. Imagine someone hands you a whole loaf of bread, you break it in half, and then hand the other half to the next person, but as you hand over the loaf to the next person it is a whole loaf again. This miracle would then have been repeated over and over…until all personally witnessed the miracle, everyone was fed, and there was much left over. But regardless of how it happened, this had to be a truly miraculous thing to behold.

All of these moments foreshadow todays reading, and the future miracle of the eucharist but the ties between Elisha in the old testament, and Jesus at the last supper are very striking. They both occur close to the time of passover. They both consist of the people sitting down and reclining. They both consist of the great high priest saying the words of institution…, Takes the bread, says the blessing, breaks the bread and gives to all that are present. You do not have to be a bible scholar to see the connections, and it is truly remarkable when you really think about it. This moment had be planned and forseen by God from the very beginning.

But just as the todays reading is the fulfillment of the old testament typology, our eucharist today is the fulfillment of everything Jesus did and taught in His time on this earth. Our catechism says that the eucharist is the “source and summit of our faith,” and there is no more consise or acurate description of it than that. Jesus takes what little we have to offer, He multiplies it, and pours Himself into it, turning it into super-abundant food. We at mass bring our small offering of bread and wine, and Jesus turns them into His real pressence…, His body, blood, soul and divinity. The food that gives eternal life.

Lastly, this metaphor also points to the superabundant promises that God, in His infinite mercy has for us in heaven. We sinful humans can only offer Him a broken loaf, and a weak faith, but through His grace and unfathomable mercy, He turns that small offering into eternal joy and happiness with Him in heaven. If we would just set aside our pride and humbly give Him back a small portion of what He has already given us, He will in turn, lavish us with unimaginable gifts, and satiate every good desire we have.

These are promises that come directly from Jesus Himself. He said that those that eat this bread and drink this wine will never hunger or thirst again. He is not refering to the physical goods of this world but the spiritual ones. The Ignatious study bible says when we give away our spirtual gifts… “they all multiply when shared, in contrast to material goods like money and time and energy, which divide when shared.” When you give away God’s goodness, truth and beauty, you do not have less but you have more. Pope St. John Paul II called this principle the law of the gift.

Ultimately, most of us still need food to live, and our time in this world is often devoted to the procurement and consumption of these earthly goods. But with great faith “our daily bread” in the eucharist, is really all that we need to survive. And as proof of this, there are even miracles of saints that lived for years on only the bread and wine of the eucharist alone. But for the rest of us with a small faith, the gift of the eucharist will, over time, start to transform our small gifts into a superabundant food that will ultimately sustain us for all eternity.

So finally, we come to you and your walk with the Lord today. What are you bringing the the mass, what are you offering to the lord? He is simply waiting for you to bring your meager gift so He can multiply it. What are you waiting for, start today, He is waiting to feed you.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord Help me to see every gift given from god in the same way. Amen.

Luke 12:13-21

Lectio (Reading)

Someone in the crowd said to Jesus,
“Teacher, tell my brother to share the inheritance with me.”
He replied to him,
“Friend, who appointed me as your judge and arbitrator?”
Then he said to the crowd,
“Take care to guard against all greed,
for though one may be rich,
one’s life does not consist of possessions.”

Then he told them a parable.
“There was a rich man whose land produced a bountiful harvest.
He asked himself, ‘What shall I do,
for I do not have space to store my harvest?’
And he said, ‘This is what I shall do:
I shall tear down my barns and build larger ones.
There I shall store all my grain and other goods
and I shall say to myself, “Now as for you,
you have so many good things stored up for many years,
rest, eat, drink, be merry!”’
But God said to him,
‘You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you;
and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?’
Thus will it be for all who store up treasure for themselves
but are not rich in what matters to God.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

‘You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you; and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?’ Thus will it be for all who store up treasure for themselves but are not rich in what matters to God.

Oratio (Responding)

This is definitely not something I want to hear God say to me. This is the indictment of indictments. So how do we avoid facing this judgement. We must share our abundance with others in our lives. When you are child, you need to share your love and friendship with your parents and siblings, when you are a young adult, you need to find a mate, and share the little you have with them. When you are a parent, you need to share your wealth with your children, and when you are older, you need to learn to live simply again, and share whatever you have with all of those that come into your life.

You cant take it with you. You came into this world naked, and naked is how you will stand before God at the end of your life. He is not going to ask you how your stocks did or if you were able to get a good rate on your mortgage. God wants to know about the treasure that you stored up with Him in heaven. St Ambrose says, “the hands of the poor, the houses of widows, are storehouses that endure forever.” This treasure is the only treasure that God cares about. He wants to know how much you aligned your will with His, how much good you did to others in your life, whether you spoke the truth, and how much beauty you brought into the world. These things are what God cares about, and these things are by which you will be judged.

But it is important to note here that this is not a call to live in poverty. But if you are like the land owner in this parable. And you have more than will fit in your barn, then the abundance belongs to someone else. The previous barn was sufficient for all of the other years that you used that barn, and if it is full you know you will not need more than that this year. So be happy with what you have and do not hold on to more than you need. John Bergsma Sums this up nicely: “Wealth is not the problem, hoarding it is. — ‘The productivity of the land of the wealthy man could have been an indication of natural virtues: prudence, self-discipline, hard work.’” Thus the landowner’s sin is not wealth, it is not sharing the gift of abundance.

So today, we need to look hard at ourselves and figure out what abundance that God has given us, and instead of hoarding it, look to how you can share it with those that have less. Because as Jesus says in the Gospel of Matthew: “What profit is there for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?” But this does not mean that God is not generous. He wants to give you everything. St. Augustine said about this interaction with the young man: “he is interrupted by a man, who begs him to interfere in a temporal concern: deaf to every thing else, this man can think of his temporal interest only.—He begged half an inheritance on earth; the Lord offered him a whole one in heaven: he gave him more than he asked for.”

This too is God’s wish for you. He wants to give you everything, but He want to do it in the a way that is rightly ordered and in line with His will. So search your hearts, listen to what He is calling you to do in this moment. Whether it is your time, or your talent, or your treasure, it is not yours, it is only a gift from God, and He wants you to share it. Because when you share it and pour out the graces in your life to others, you will be filled up with more than you had before. This is the economy of God’s kingdom, and it is the promise of eternal happiness. It may not make sense in this life, but I promise that it does work, share what you have, and you too will see that God will not be outdone in generousity.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh, lord please help me today to learn to share my abundance.

Matthew 14:1-12

Lectio (Reading)

Herod the tetrarch heard of the reputation of Jesus
and said to his servants, “This man is John the Baptist.
He has been raised from the dead;
that is why mighty powers are at work in him.”

Now Herod had arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison
on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip,
for John had said to him,
“It is not lawful for you to have her.”
Although he wanted to kill him, he feared the people,
for they regarded him as a prophet.
But at a birthday celebration for Herod,
the daughter of Herodias performed a dance before the guests
and delighted Herod so much
that he swore to give her whatever she might ask for.
Prompted by her mother, she said,
“Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.”
The king was distressed,
but because of his oaths and the guests who were present,
he ordered that it be given, and he had John beheaded in the prison.
His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl,
who took it to her mother.
His disciples came and took away the corpse
and buried him; and they went and told Jesus.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.

Oratio (Responding)

Herod was a man of the world and only part Jewish. He was a usurper to the throne, and did not have a rightful claim to the throne of David because he was not even a decendant of david. He was placed on the throne by the romans, because the romans knew that they could control him with the trappings of royalty and wealth, and there is no doubt that Herod was deeply enthralled with these things.

Herod being king thought he could do anything he wanted and as such he took his brothers wife for his own. John told him this was unlawful, and would not sanction the marriage. John upset all involved especially Herodias, Herod’s brothers’ wife. John was placed in prison for his outspoken opposition to what Herod was doing and the embarrassment it caused him. But Herod would not execute John because he knew that there was something special about him. Something that he feared transgressing against. And it was because of this fear that he kept John in prison instead of killing him for his disrespect.

Thus we come to the reading today. Herod again lets his desire and pride get the best of him, and he makes a promise that he should not have made. Herod knows that what the girl asks is terribly wrong…, but because of his promise, and even more because of his pride, he does the one thing that he knows he shouldn’t, for fear of looking bad among his courtiers.

It seems insane, that you would kill a man for the sake of “saving face.” But in truth this is done millions of times a day on social networks, people slander and libel each other constantly, and say all kinds of horrible things to each other. Remember that the torah says that to kill a mans “name” is no different than killing his body. If you add in all of the aborted babies, and elderly people that were killed for convenience sake, it is not so hard to see the connection to what Herod did.

And so pride strikes again. it caused Satan to fall, it is the reason that many refuse to accept the truth of the Jesus Christ, and it still today is the source of so much pain and suffering. If Herod had simply said, “I let my delight get the best of me, and I made a promise that I clearly cannot fulfill, please accept my apology, and choose something else,” things might have gone very differently for John, but no, the devil was whispering in his Herod’s ear, saying, “what will they think of you, what will they say about you? They will all say that Herod is a boastful ass, and cannot be trusted.” And then pride took over.

This is the reality that we all must be on guard against, and we must all check our desires, before they get out of control, and this is a very good warning for us all to carefully heed. We should never allow the earthly things of this world and the trappings of power, to subvert our knowledge of what is right and wrong, and we should never boast of anything other than the lord. If we follow these warnings, then we can be more assured of living in gods grace, and we can hope in his mercy and forgiveness forever.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord give me humility and wisdom to always do what is right, and reject what is bad, no matter what the consequences may be. Amen.

Matthew 13:54-58

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus came to his native place and taught the people in their synagogue.
They were astonished and said,
“Where did this man get such wisdom and mighty deeds?
Is he not the carpenter’s son?
Is not his mother named Mary
and his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas?
Are not his sisters all with us?
Where did this man get all this?”
And they took offense at him.
But Jesus said to them,
“A prophet is not without honor except in his native place
and in his own house.”
And he did not work many mighty deeds there
because of their lack of faith.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and in his own house. And he did not work many mighty deeds there because of their lack of faith.

Oratio (Responding)

What does it mean that Jesus was “not able” to perform mighty deeds? Isn’t He the God of the universe? Yes, but this passage really shows a deep insight into God’s full nature. God respects our free will, He will never force Himself upon us. Peter Kreeft once wrote “A human act is either free and not forced, or it is forced and not free. It can’t be both unforced and forced, both free and unfree.” But even more than that love requires freedom. Love without freedom is not love…, it is more like slavery. It is like the crowds of people cheering gleefully in front of the North Korean dictator because they dont want to be the first one to stop, for fear of death. Jesus does not want love that does not come freely from the giver, because that is not actually love.

Further, this reading gives us insight into the power of prayer, and the affect that it has upon us. Prayer is not a transaction, where I say a prayer and God gives me a grace in return. Instead the grace is poured out equally onto all of us constantly, but it is prayer that actually makes us capable of recieving it. The point of prayer is to orient our mind and body to the Lord, and mostly to open our hearts to Him. The grace of God is guaranteed always, it is like the rays of the sun, poured out on everything. It is our nature that determines what those rays of sun do in our lives. If our nature is like wax those rays will soften us, if our nature is like clay, those very same rays will harden us. All we need do is to turn toward Him in prayer, with a nature that will allow his grace to work in our lives. Start by asking for His forgiveness, guidance, and help. Ask Him to enter into every part of your life, but be ready because He will listen, and His grace will seriously change you.

This is what is happening today in this reading, Jesus is “not able” to do much with these people because their hearts are like clay and not able to recieve the gifts that God wants to pour out on them. Grace is not a transaction, it is the result of trust and a humble request in faith. His kin see Jesus as just a man, that they have known since He was a little child. they don’t see Him as God, who can do anything for them. This is an extreme example, but it definitely rings true for many things that I have seen in my own life. Truth is often filtered by the person that is speaking it. If the person that is living a life that is contrary to the truth trys to proclaim the truth, we disregard the person and all of the truth that they may be saying. Not because we believe that the truth is false, but because that person is hypocrite. But when the person is good and upright, and they speak the very same truth, we tend to sit up and pay attention. Isnt it the same truth, though? Why does it matter who says it? Probably because we are sceptical and suspicious of everything, and because we generally have such a cloudy understanding of what truth is in the first place.

This needs to change, and it starts in the hearts of each and every one of us. We must change our nature to be disposed to God and His teaching. We must then learn our faith, so that we can know and see what is good, true, and beautiful, and we must be ready and able to recognize it whenever, and where ever it appears or is proclaimed in this world. We also need to transform our lives as well, to be guided and informed by the truth fully, so that when people hear us proclaim it they will hopefully sit up and pay attention. But we must always remember, that even under the best circumstances, some did not listen, even to Jesus. So we must accept that many will likely not listen to us either. But if you are a hypocrite, I guarantee they definitely will not hear you at all. So start today, change your life, and get to know your faith. The future of our church and its people depends on it.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, I spend a great deal of time studying and learning about you, and those closest to me only seem vaguely interested. Please give me today, the words to peak their interest, and to open their minds to you.

Matthew 13:47-53

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to the disciples:
“The Kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea,
which collects fish of every kind.
When it is full they haul it ashore
and sit down to put what is good into buckets.
What is bad they throw away.
Thus it will be at the end of the age.
The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous
and throw them into the fiery furnace,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.”

“Do you understand all these things?”
They answered, “Yes.”
And he replied,
“Then every scribe who has been instructed in the Kingdom of heaven
is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom
both the new and the old.”
When Jesus finished these parables, he went away from there.

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus proposed a parable to the crowds.
“The Kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed
that a person took and sowed in a field.
It is the smallest of all the seeds,
yet when full-grown it is the largest of plants.
It becomes a large bush,
and the birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches.”

He spoke to them another parable.
“The Kingdom of heaven is like yeast
that a woman took and mixed with three measures of wheat flour
until the whole batch was leavened.”

All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables.
He spoke to them only in parables,
to fulfill what had been said through the prophet:

I will open my mouth in parables,
I will announce what has lain hidden from the foundation of the world.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

The Kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a person took and sowed in a field. It is the smallest of all the seeds, yet when full-grown it is the largest of plants. It becomes a large bush, and the birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches.

Oratio (Responding)

The mustard seed while not the smallest of seeds in this world, is smaller than a poppy seed, but when fully grown can be 15 feet wide and 10 feet tall. That is a pretty big bush. The only seed that I know of, that has a bigger difference, is the giant redwood. The redwood seed is about that size of the tip of a sharpened pencil, but the jews would not have gotten that reference, because the redwoods were on the other side of the planet from them. But the mustard seed analogy is still very apropos.

Nevertheless, I always sit up and take notice when mention of the “kingdom of heaven” are made. These moments provide incredible insight into the mind of God, and of Jesus’ teachings. So what is He saying here? This seed is Jesus, and when He is planted in the ground, He dies, and then rises. He then grows so large that all humans come and live in the branches of His kingdom.

This is the metaphor for Christ’s life, and for His ministry on earth, and it is an analogy that perfectly describes what happened in christianity after Jesus’s resurrection. The world has never seen anything like it. Christianity has spread to every corner of the globe, and millions of people live according to His teachings, and follow His ways. And when the final judgement happens, and all of the world’s righteous people are invited into the beatific vision, then this will be the fulfillment of the mustard plant, and the completion of the vision that is the Kingdom of Heaven.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to find your mustard tree, and the dwell in its branches, keep me lord from wandering in the wilderness. Amen.

Luke 11:1-13

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished,
one of his disciples said to him,
“Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples.”
He said to them, “When you pray, say:
Father, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come.
Give us each day our daily bread
and forgive us our sins
for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us,
and do not subject us to the final test.”

And he said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend
to whom he goes at midnight and says,
‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread,
for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey
and I have nothing to offer him,’
and he says in reply from within,
‘Do not bother me; the door has already been locked
and my children and I are already in bed.
I cannot get up to give you anything.’
I tell you,
if he does not get up to give the visitor the loaves
because of their friendship,
he will get up to give him whatever he needs
because of his persistence.

“And I tell you, ask and you will receive;
seek and you will find;
knock and the door will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks, receives;
and the one who seeks, finds;
and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
What father among you would hand his son a snake
when he asks for a fish?
Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg?
If you then, who are wicked,
know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will the Father in heaven
give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

Oratio (Responding)

I wonder if we actually believe this. The gospel about the mustard seed comes to mind here. That parable teaches, if we simply unite our prayer with God we can do great things. But when we make petitionary prayer, and ask God for His blessing and favor, we don’t always get what we want, when we want it. So what does this gospel actually mean.

God is the good Father, and He wants to give us everything…, He loves us all so much, but He also knows that some gifts might be wrong for us, or even actually be a curse, either to myself or to others if we were to recieve them. Think of the movie Bruce Almighty. In the that movie Bruce is given the power of God, and because he is human, he cant handle all of the prayer requests coming in, so he grants all of the requests at once, everyone gets what they pray for, and it was a calamity for the world. Clearly not all prayers could or should be granted, and when we reflect back on our lives I am sure that you too will recognize the wisdom of some of your unanswered prayers.

But what about the important ones, what about the prayers for healing, or the end of suffering? This is where the big picture of God comes into play. We cannot understand why God allows innocents to be harmed or the evil to be healed, but I do know that it will all be revealed at the end of time, and I guarantee, that the plan will be greater and more awesome then we could possibly imagine. I know that that does not answer the question, but we have to understand the God’s ways are bigger than our ways, and we must learn to trust that He has our best interest at heart at all times and in all things.

But I think that the most important message of this gospel comes at the end. He says “I tell you, if he does not get up to give him the loaves because of their friendship, he will get up to give him whatever he needs because of his persistence.” I think St Basil the Great sums this up nicely “Our petitions are frequently not immediately granted, that our earnestness and assiduity may be increased; that we may learn to esteem the gifts of God, and preserve them with care, for whatever we procure with labour, we preserve with care, lest by losing it we lose our labour also.” This is a simple adage of life we value the things in life that we work hard to earn.

And while that is always true, there are other times when we have to wait because we are not ready to recieve the gifts that God wants to give us.. Augustine once said that “sometimes God does not grant your prayers right away because He needs time to help you prepare your heart and soul to receive it.” And isn’t this true, as children, we often dont understand the importance or responsibility of certain gifts, like a bike or a bb gun, and we have to wait until we are old enough to handle them responsibly. As adults we often have to wait for the gifts of marriage or children, because we are not ready to devote our lives to them. These times of waiting are hard, and often do not make sense to us, but God has a plan.

We might disagree with His plan or His timing, but God knows, and He is waiting as a good Father eager to give you everything you could ever want as soon as you are ready to recieve it. So, if you have an important petition, pray for it constantly. Pray without ceasing. Pray and God will hear you, and then wait, and trust, and He will provide, in His time, and in His way, and you will see miracles happen!

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Please lord help us today to find a way to reject our own pride, and to seek you above all things, so that we can find what we ultimately want above all else the peace that surpasses all understanding.

Matthew 13:24-30

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus proposed a parable to the crowds.
“The Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a man
who sowed good seed in his field.
While everyone was asleep his enemy came
and sowed weeds all through the wheat, and then went off.
When the crop grew and bore fruit, the weeds appeared as well.
The slaves of the householder came to him and said,
‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field?
Where have the weeds come from?’
He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’
His slaves said to him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’
He replied, ‘No, if you pull up the weeds
you might uproot the wheat along with them.
Let them grow together until harvest;
then at harvest time I will say to the harvesters,
“First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles for burning;
but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

No, if you pull up the weeds you might uproot the wheat along with them. Let them grow together until harvest; then at harvest time I will say to the harvesters, “First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles for burning; but gather the wheat into my barn.

Oratio (Responding)

Today’s gospel is one of the rare parables that Jesus actually explains a bit. He does so in the verses that immediately follow this passage. But even with that explanation this parable still needs a little more explanation. The parable of the weeds, is the story of the evil one sowing weeds along side the wheat, and the master deciding how to deal with this attack on his good wheat.

Some may wonder why they did not just pull the weeds when they were tiny, but the generally accepted understanding of this parable is that this particular weed was called tares (aka, darnell). This weed was especially insidious because as a small plant it looked just like wheat. And it was not until the wheat was full grown that you could tell the difference. So if you tried to pull up the weed as seedlings, you would invariably be pulling up wheat by accident. It was also well known that the darnell was particularly adept at wrapping its roots around other plants making it so the two plants would very much be intertwined. So pulling them up later, when you could tell the difference, would also result in pulling up the wheat before it was ready to be harvested. So the only real solution is to wait until harvest and separate the good from the bad then.

Further, this passage is proceeded with the enigmatic line, “the kingdom of heaven, can be likened to…” How are we to understand this? Are we to believe that God’s kingdom was meant to have a saboteur that would come and sow evil in our midst, or is there another explanation? I suggest that the point is that because of free will, that some of us will reject God, and even go the extra mile to try to subvert the plans of God. But humans are complex and not all are 100% evil or 100% good. We are surrounded on all sides by evil, and it is even intertwined within us. God cannot come and just eradicate the Evil from our midst, without badly damaging the good good that is in us, because we would not understand why it is happening.

This is because, in this world, we do not have the full context and understanding of what is truly evil and what is actually good. And we will not be able to fully comprehend God’s justice, until we have that full understanding. So from our limited perspective removing evil from our midst would likely seem capricious and totally unfair. But at the end of time (at God’s harvest), the angels will separate the good wheat into the barn and the weeds will be thrown into the fire.

At the time of the final judgement this full context and understanding of evil will be made known to all and we will then know and fully understand how God sees our sin. And then, when we look at God’s justice we will see that it is perfect, and we will not feel as if we are are being punished by an unfair and capricious God. And even if some of those that we love are thrown into the fire, we may be sad for their souls, but we will know that they made that choice for themselves, and in God’s perfect justice they recieved the eternity that they most wanted.

There is one last aspect to this that is so important. That is that there is one big difference between us and the wheat. And that is that the we have the ability to fight the tares before harvest. We are not innocent victims of the evil infestations of our lives. We have the ability to fight back. We must hack away at the evil tendrils that surround and infest us. We are unique in God’s creation in that we have the ability to live as a perfectly uninfested peice of wheat in a field that is overrun by tares, but the choice is completely ours, no one else can do it for us. While is it true that at the end of time God will do it for us, and He will decide if we have chosen to fight or if we have allowed ourselves to be corrupted. But until that great day of perfect jsutice, we toil side by side with evil.

Many people struggle with the question of why God allows evil in this world in the first place, and I truly believe that is because He wants us to fight for our own eternal souls. We are not helpless little plants that have to wait for the Gardener to assist us, we are called to fight for ourselves. When you finally understand this parable with the explanations given above, this apologetic becomes one of the best explanations we have of why god allows evil in this world and why we are left to deal with it everyday.

The ultimate answer is that God loves us, even all the evil ones, and He wants the best for us, and as such He has given us time to set right the error of our ways, and to get right with Him before the end. So now is your turn to accept this offer, and do what you can to remove the tares that are wrapped around the good things of your nature, and make yourself into good wheat that bears much fruit. We do this so that when the harvest comes you will be ready to be taken into the kingdom with god, and not cast out into the eternal fire.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord please help me today to be good and produce good fruit. So that when the harvesters come they will recognize me as wheat, and not as weeds.

Matthew 20:20-28

Lectio (Reading)

The mother of the sons of Zebedee approached Jesus with her sons
and did him homage, wishing to ask him for something.
He said to her,
“What do you wish?”
She answered him,
“Command that these two sons of mine sit,
one at your right and the other at your left, in your Kingdom.”
Jesus said in reply,
“You do not know what you are asking.
Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?”
They said to him, “We can.”
He replied,
“My chalice you will indeed drink,
but to sit at my right and at my left, this is not mine to give
but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”
When the ten heard this,
they became indignant at the two brothers.
But Jesus summoned them and said,
“You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them,
and the great ones make their authority over them felt.
But it shall not be so among you.
Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant;
whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave.
Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served
but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?

Oratio (Responding)

These apostles definitely did not fully understand what Jesus was saying here, The “cup” and “baptism” that the apostles probably thought Jesus was referring to were the seats of power and the trappings of being close friends of the king (ie. the royal chalices, and baths that the kings enjoyed). Jesus though, is referring to the cup of His passion, the torturous death that He would experience, and the baptism of His own blood, the full immersion in the suffering that he would experience as a result. As such I think it is pretty clear that there is no way that these disciples would have responded “we can” if they actually fully knew what Jeus was referring to. They all would likely have cowered and retracted in fear.

But Jesus knew something that they didn’t. He knew that in the months and years after His death the Holy Spirit would be working on them, and strengthening them, and preparing them for the martyrdom that they too would eventually experience. All except John, he was not martyred, but was nonetheless, tortured all the same. I often muse to myself about this moment, and wonder if their answer here actually determined their destiny to martyrdom. Jesus says “You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?” Why else would He have asked this question in this way? I wonder, if they had said no, if Jesus would have protected them from this fate. Jesus responding that “My chalice you will indeed drink” is almost a surprise, and almost as if He did not know if they would have the courage to die in defense of His truth, until that moment. In either case, I don’t know that they fully understood, but I do believe that their lives were forever changed by this moment.

Nevertheless, any time Jesus asks a group of people a question in the bible, He is also asking all of us readers today the same questions. He is asking us today, can you drink my cup? It has been incorrectly believed, for a long time, that the age of martyrs was over, but it is becoming clearer and clearer that we are right now, in greatest age of martyrdom that the church has ever known. In fact, there have been more martyrs in the last 100 years then in the previous 1900 combined, greatly due to the murderous rampage of communism all around the world. Are you able to stand by Jesus, and die for what you believe in? This is a question that may soon become a real question in your life.

But take heart, the God promises in the bible that in that time, if you are faithful, that He will give you the words and the courage you need to stand up for His truth. To die a martyr is not a sad thing, it is a gift from God, and if you are so blessed to be given this gift, you will be rewarded with a crown in heaven, and will be scooped up straight into Gods presence at your death. I think that we could all be grateful to go this way. I just pray that, if this is what is asked of me, that I will have the courage to listen to the Holy Spirit and to witness to God’s greatness and truth.

Viva Christo Rey!

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Today as we ponder this question, let us have the courage to accept the cup that Jesus offers us, and to live out his plan for our lives.

Matthew 13:10-17

Lectio (Reading)

The disciples approached Jesus and said,
“Why do you speak to the crowd in parables?”
He said to them in reply,
“Because knowledge of the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven
has been granted to you, but to them it has not been granted.
To anyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich;
from anyone who has not, even what he has will be taken away.
This is why I speak to them in parables, because
they look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand.
Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says:

You shall indeed hear but not understand,
you shall indeed look but never see.
Gross is the heart of this people,
they will hardly hear with their ears,
they have closed their eyes,
lest they see with their eyes
and hear with their ears
and understand with their hearts and be converted
and I heal them.

“But blessed are your eyes, because they see,
and your ears, because they hear.
Amen, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people
longed to see what you see but did not see it,
and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Because knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been granted to you, but to them it has not been granted. To anyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; from anyone who has not, even what he has will be taken away.

Oratio (Responding)

I always used to cringe at statements like this from the lord. This is indeed a hard saying: “from anyone who has not, even what he has will be taken away.” It seems like the opposite of what a loving God would say or do. The truth is though, that these are not the actions or choices that a loving God makes for us or does to us, but it is instead a choice we make for ourselves.

St. Thomas Aquinas said: “In order that the mind of man may assent to the things of faith, a movement of God is necessary… God moves the soul interiorly to believe, by the infusion of grace.” This means that God will grace you all the wisdom and understanding you will ever need to understand all of his mysteries, but you must first choose to have faith in Him. And when you do turn to him, He will run to you like the father in the prodigal son story, and He will lavish you with gifts and wisdom.

But until you turn to him, you will find yourself lost and frustrated and the wisdom you have achieved will be clouded by pain and suffering. And you might even lose everything. In Alcoholics Anonymous they call that “rock bottom,” but you see it is not something that God did to us, but something that we did to ourselves. I think that might be why we have to suffer in order to find true faith, we need to purge the human need to do everything our own way, before we can see the wisdom of doing things God’s way. When we find ourselves completely lost and alone, when we are at rock bottom, then we will finally look up, and see what all of our stubbornness, and selfishness has brought us… Nothing.

It is at that moment that we will finally look to God for help, but He is not angry or haughty at us, He is only grateful that we are now with Him as His beloved child. He will then put a ring on your finger, and the finest cloak over your shoulders, and He will say you… you were lost but now are found. And then everything (and I mean everything) will begin to make sense, even the greatest mysteries of our religion. So turn to Him, allow the Holy Spirit to stir in you, and you will see, and come to understand all of the mysteries of God and His divine nature. Do it today, your eternity depends on it.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Please lord help us today to choose you in everything, help us to expunge the need to do things in our own way. Help us lord to see with eyes that honor and love you. Amen.

Matthew 13:1-9

Lectio (Reading)

On that day, Jesus went out of the house and sat down by the sea.
Such large crowds gathered around him
that he got into a boat and sat down,
and the whole crowd stood along the shore.
And he spoke to them at length in parables, saying:
“A sower went out to sow.
And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path,
and birds came and ate it up.

Some fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil.
It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep,
and when the sun rose it was scorched,
and it withered for lack of roots.
Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it.
But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit,
a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.
Whoever has ears ought to hear.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

“A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep, and when the sun rose it was scorched, and it withered for lack of roots. Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it. But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit, a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.”

Oratio (Responding)

I love this parable. It is so indicative of different types of human nature. We humans, are so much like this in actual practice.

Thinking about your spirtual life specifically. Some look at faith as a fad or a temporary thing, and they are easily snatched away by the evil one. Some go to a retreat, and get revved up and then when they go back to their lives, they quickly return to their old bad habits. Some truly faithful people are raised around pagans or allow the lure of riches to pull them away, and their faith is choked out…, it is so sad! But some are able to go to that retreat, and come home and make lasting changes, in their lives, and the faith blossoms and blooms into a beautiful thing producing much fruit.

Some context on the harvest…, the Palestinian farmer was normally happy with with 7 to 10 fold on their planting. Meaning for every seed planted you would get back 7 to 10 fruits at harvest time. So a harvest of 30 / 60 / 100 would be completely unbelieveable, but this is what God promises us through our works of evangelization, and it is what we should strive for in our lives and ministries.

The important thing that we need to consider for this parable is that just because your soil is not receptive at this moment, it may be rocky or infested with weeds, and the seed does not find its purchase right away, it does not mean that your soil always has to be that way. We must learn to cultavate our soil. If we find ourselves in rocky soil, or in thorns, you might have to do some weeding and raking to be ready to recieve the seed of God’s word. If you are on the hard path you may need a jackhammer, to break up the rocks and get down to rich soil…, but we need to do whatever we can to prepare ourselves to be open to what God has for us, and make ourselves into rich soil.

This may mean changing with whom you live or hang out with, it may mean changing what you read, or watch or browse. It may mean dedicating your daily routine to prayer, and fasting. But you must do something, because God’s seed is waiting for you to recieve it.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Please lord help me today to figure out where I am planted and what I need to do to find rich soil. And give me the courage to make the move. Amen.

John 20:1-2, 11-18

Lectio (Reading)

On the first day of the week,
Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early in the morning,
while it was still dark,
and saw the stone removed from the tomb.
So she ran and went to Simon Peter
and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them,
“They have taken the Lord from the tomb,
and we don’t know where they put him.”

Mary stayed outside the tomb weeping.
And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb
and saw two angels in white sitting there,
one at the head and one at the feet
where the Body of Jesus had been.
And they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?”
She said to them, “They have taken my Lord,
and I don’t know where they laid him.”
When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there,
but did not know it was Jesus.
Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?
Whom are you looking for?”
She thought it was the gardener and said to him,
“Sir, if you carried him away,
tell me where you laid him,
and I will take him.”
Jesus said to her, “Mary!”
She turned and said to him in Hebrew,
“Rabbouni,” which means Teacher.
Jesus said to her,
“Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father.
But go to my brothers and tell them,
‘I am going to my Father and your Father,
to my God and your God.'”
Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples,
“I have seen the Lord,”
and then reported what he told her.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

She thought it was the gardener and said to him, “Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you laid him, and I will take him.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni,” which means Teacher.

Oratio (Responding)

This appears at first, to be a funny and cute mistake, but in truth it was not a mistake. The Lord is the great gardener, and this world is His special garden. He created the whole universe and tends to it like any good gardener would. At the begining of time He created everything, setup the extents of the universe, He put the planets and stars in motion, and He created the laws of the universe that governs its motion. Then He created Earth, and put mountains and trees and rivers and oceans, and created the seasons, and the cycle of life of all things.

He planted, watered, pruned and cultivated, all of the livng things in His garden. And finally He created man, to be His stewards, and to tend to the garden while He is away. But man is more than all of the things He created, because man is capable of being in loving relationship with God, and in intimate communion with Him for all eternity. This is the greatest gift He ever bestowed on the universe, the opportunity to love and be loved by God.

This is why the garden was created in the first place. Can you even comprehend that thought. That God created everything around us, everything you see, and everything that is light years away out in space, and He created it so He could have a personal, loving, relationship with YOU, and me, and all of the people of this world. He planted you in His garden, and He is waiting for you to bear the fruit of faith and love in Him. That is your task right now, to bear fruit, because at the end of time He will come to harvest His fruit, and you dont want to be found barren when He comes. So fullfill the plan that God has set forth, for you and your life, and thank Him for His garden, and for His tender care.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Dear lord, help me today to leave my sinful nature behind, and to run into your open arms. And to love you in the way that Mary Magdalene Loved you.

Matthew 12:38-42

Lectio (Reading)

Some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Jesus,
“Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.”
He said to them in reply,
“An evil and unfaithful generation seeks a sign,
but no sign will be given it
except the sign of Jonah the prophet.
Just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights,
so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth
three days and three nights.
At the judgment, the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation
and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah;
and there is something greater than Jonah here.
At the judgment the queen of the south will arise with this generation
and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth
to hear the wisdom of Solomon;
and there is something greater than Solomon here.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

An evil and unfaithful generation seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it except the sign of Jonah the prophet.

Oratio (Responding)

The people ask for another sign. The greek word for “sign” is “miracle”. This scene happens after many miracles, including the feeding of the 5000 and even the transfiguration, but these people are not looking for a sign of faith, they are looking for another spectacle. Jesus at this time has given many signs, and yet it still does not convince them and so He says the only sign they will be given is the sign of Jonah.

So what is the sign of Jonah? This is where our Disney-fied culture has done us a great disservice. The story of Johan is not about a man just hanging out in a whale for 3 days, and then popping out. It is a story that prefigures the death and ressurection of Jesus, and the whale is just the metaphor for death. In the story Jonah is told to go to Ninevah and preach repentance. Jonah (and all the Jews) hated the ninevites, and he does not want to go, and he even begins travelling in the opposite direction. He is then swallowed up by the whale, litterally dies (in the bible it says he is dead), and in 3 days is resurrected. Afterward he goes to the Ninevites, and preaches to them, and as a result the Ninivites repent, he and saves the whole city.

So what is Jesus telling these people with His statement? He is saying that His death and resurrection will be the new sign of Jonah. That when this happens they will know that Jesus is Lord, and God of all people. Jesus will die and in three days He will resurrect Himself, and like Jonah, He will bring His word to all the nations and they will repent. It is a beautiful analogy, and it was not lost on the jews of this time. He is rebuking them for their lack of faith, but telling them that soon they will have the ultimate sign, and at that point they will have to make a choice between good and evil, right an wrong, and their choice will be a true act of faith and not just a response to another miracle.

This is our call too, are you looking for a miracle in order to believe. Well the truth is that Jesus did many miracles. He is the 2nd person of the trinity, was incarnated as a man Jesus (through mary), he lived for 33 years, taught us the gospel, suffered, died, and resurrected Himself. Those are true facts, it has been attested, confirmed and re-confirmed, it is beyond doubt. So that fact puts a claim on you, are you going to believe it, are you going to reject it, or are you going to walk away unchanged? The first two are the only logical reactions, the 3rd is utterly ridiculous. What will you do? You must decide, but be aware, your eternity depends on it…, choose wisely.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

O lord, today, help me to see your signs in my life, and to follow them to the end you have planned for us. Help me to not get distracted from hate or pride, and help me to do your will in this world. amen.

Luke 10:38-42

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus entered a village
where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him.
She had a sister named Mary
who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak.
Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said,
“Lord, do you not care
that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving?
Tell her to help me.”
The Lord said to her in reply,
“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things.
There is need of only one thing.
Mary has chosen the better part
and it will not be taken from her.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Jesus entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him. She had a sister named Mary who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak.

Oratio (Responding)

Many people have allowed themselves to get worked up about this reading over the years. Feminists point to it being an example of chauvanism. Others have said it as an example of Jesus being unfair and unequal in His treatment of His followers. But the primary reason that theologians give as explanation of this reading is that they say it is meant to describe the difference between the active life (Martha) being of service, and making sacrifices for others, versus the contempletive life (Mary), communing with God, and setting Him at the center of your life.

I used to think that that last one was the obviously correct one, but recently in a Bishop Baron commentary and learned that while it is that, it is also more than that. What I have now come to understand is that this passage is telling us is that the goal of our lives, the thing that we were made for, is to make every aspect of our lives an act of communion with God. When we do our chores do it with God, when we do our work, do it for God, and when we study and pray place God at the very center of our worship. One of the church fathers summarized it like this: “we must do the works of Martha but in the spirit of Mary.”

But it should not go unnoticed that Mary was breaking the rules of social decorum in this moment. By sitting at Jesus’ feet as He was teaching, she was taking the role of man, and abandoning her duties of helping manage the household. Mary had completely renounced her pride, she recognized Jesus for who He was and because her need to be near Him she accepted the shame of being out of place socially. Martha on the other hand, was consumed by her responsibilities and allowed her pride to cloud what was actually the most important thing at that moment.

I like to imagine that if Martha had sat at Jesus’ feet as well, the story would have ended differently. Please understand that Jesus is not, and would not ever say that the meal was not important. The entire old testament is full of stories of shared meals. When God made a covenant with the great patriarchs they would share a meal. When He saved them from slavery in egypt, that act began with a meal. In fact, every meal that we share with family and friends is, in small part, a renewal of all of those covenants. I suspect that if Martha had sat with her sister and listened to what Jesus had to say, that after He was done they would have all gotten up and made the meal together.

And that is what I think the point is for us today. We are all called to sit at His feet and to listen to Him teach, whether it is in the form of study or prayer, or in the chores and work of our daily lives. This is how we commune with God and listen to what He has teach us today. And so we must reflect every day, in everything we do, on what Jesus is calling us to, in each and every moment of our lives? His truth demands a response from us…, what will you do? Will you sit at His feet despite all of the consequence? Or will you only go so far, and then fall back into your pride, and focus instead on the things of this world? This is the question that God is calling you to answer right now.

We are given this time and these moments of our lives to figure all this out, to learn to choose the “better part” and to do the “works of Martha but in the spirit of Mary.” And after we die, if we have properly learned these lessons, and if we are blessed to be with Him in Heaven, then we will all be sitting at His feet and listening to His wisdom and knowledge, and adoring the Lord God in this same way for all eternity. That is a dream that I can hope for, will you join me?

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Please lord help me today to reject the trials and tribulations of this world, and choose you instead.

Matthew 12:14-21

Lectio (Reading)

The Pharisees went out and took counsel against Jesus
to put him to death.

When Jesus realized this, he withdrew from that place.
Many people followed him, and he cured them all,
but he warned them not to make him known.
This was to fulfill what had been spoken through Isaiah the prophet:

Behold, my servant whom I have chosen,
my beloved in whom I delight;
I shall place my Spirit upon him,
and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.
He will not contend or cry out,
nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets.
A bruised reed he will not break,
a smoldering wick he will not quench,
until he brings justice to victory.
And in his name the Gentiles will hope.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Many people followed him, and he cured them all, but he warned them not to make him known. This was to fulfill what had been spoken through Isaiah the prophet:

Oratio (Responding)

This reading brings up the request by Jesus to not tell of the miracles that they are witnessing to anyone. This request, in theology circles, is called the Messianic secret, and sadly it does cause confusion for many people. But there are two very good reasons why would Jesus want people to keep His work quiet. The first is logistical, and the other is prophetical.

The first and most obvious reason is that His work was not done yet. The prophesied Messiah was believed to do four things when He returned. He was to gather the tribes of Isreal, and to bring all of the enemies of Isreal under His feet, and to rebuild the temple, and to reign as king forever. Jesus gathers the tribes by first preaching to the Isrealites, fullfilling all of the prophecy that proceeded Him, and then sending His diciples out into the whole world to proclaim the good news. He brings the enemies of Isreal (the devil and all of his minions) under His feet by taking all of the sins of the world onto Himself, in the great sacrafice of dying on the cross. He restores the temple on the 3rd day, the temple of His body, when He ressurects Himself from the dead. And lastly, He reigns forever as king of the universe, both now and forever. It is incredible to think that Jesus accomplished all of that in His short time on this earth, but the point of His requests is that none of that can happen if He is stopped before His “gathering” is complete.

The second reason, I believe is more important and related to all of the prophecy that proceeded him. Jesus was sent as the great messiah that was going to fulfill all of the prophecy of the old testament, and in order to fulfill all of that prophecy it required that the jews be the ones to kill Him. This was because this is what the jews always did with prophets. They would argue that they were false prophets, kill them because of their blasphemy, and then not realize that they were true prophets until much later on. Jesus even foretells all this (to the pharisees), as a prophecy of His own, in His parable of the unworthy tennants. This parable talks of a landowner that gives his vineyard to his tennants to watch over while he is gone. The tennants sieze the vineyard for themesleves, they kill all of the landowners representatives one-by-one, and eventually even his own son.

Thus it was necessary, in this case as well, for Jesus to fulfill all of the prophecy of the messiah, and for His prophecy to be eventually heard by all of His people after His death, His blood had to be on their hands. So If word got out (to the romans) that Jesus was claiming to be God, the romans would kill Him immediately without thought. The romans eliminated all threats to ceasar because they thought only ceasar was actually God, and so anyone else making a similar claim would be considered a threat to the empire. Jesus mission required that the romans did not do the dirty work for the jews. His death must be at the hands of the Jews not the Romans.

So what is the message in this reading for us today? I think it is simply to ask yourself…, do you believe that Jesus is who he says He is? Do you believe that He is the Son of God, the great High priest of God’s church, the Heir to the great kingdom of David, and the fortold messiah? If you don’t, you are litterally crucifying Him all over again, you are killing Him because your are more attached to the things of this world, over the promises of the next, and your are lost to the lies of the evil one. But if you do believe this, if you do believe that Christ is King, then you must change your life, in accord with His teachings, and you must take that message out into the whole world. It is a simple message, but for some it can be a daunting request, but you are called to it all the same… how will you respond?

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Please lord help me to see the signs that you are giving me, and to follow them correctly and not choose my wants and needs over yours.

Matthew 12:1-8

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus was going through a field of grain on the sabbath.
His disciples were hungry
and began to pick the heads of grain and eat them.
When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him,
“See, your disciples are doing what is unlawful to do on the sabbath.”
He said to them, “Have you not read what David did
when he and his companions were hungry,
how he went into the house of God and ate the bread of offering,
which neither he nor his companions
but only the priests could lawfully eat?
Or have you not read in the law that on the sabbath
the priests serving in the temple violate the sabbath
and are innocent?
I say to you, something greater than the temple is here.
If you knew what this meant, I desire mercy, not sacrifice,
you would not have condemned these innocent men.
For the Son of Man is Lord of the sabbath.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

If you knew what this meant, I desire mercy, not sacrifice, you would not have condemned these innocent men. For the Son of Man is Lord of the sabbath.

Oratio (Responding)

While walking in the countryside, Jesus’ disciples started plucking grain from the heads of wheat because they are hungry. But this particular day in todays reading was the sabbath, and as such the pharisees believed that this type of action (plucking grain) was considered work, and was thus considered a great offence against jewish law. Now think about how and where the pharisees must have been in order to witness this act, I believe that they must have been lying in wait, spying on Jesus and His disciples, in order to catch them doing something they were not supposed to be doing. Jesus recognizes this and He responds perfectly with a reference to David in the old testament…, where David took the show bread from the temple for his soldiers, because they were hungry.

Let me add a little background on this…, Jesus is making reference to a story that all of the pharisees would know: The story is of the time when Saul was unjustly pursuing David, trying to kill him because he was jealous of David and his popularity among his soldiers, and because Saul was afraid that David was going to use his popularity to take the kingdom away from Saul. But David was a righteous man, and this was not his intention, he simply wanted to serve the Lords anointed (Saul) as best he could. In this story David, on the run, takes his soldiers to the temple and he goes into the temple and takes the show-bread from the altar and gives it to his soldiers to eat. The show bread was a sacrificial offering to God, and even then, when David took it, it was considered total sacriledge by the temple priests to even touch it. But David had no other options, and God allowed it because of David’s love for God, and because of the unrighteousness of Saul’s persecution.

So Jesus here is reminding the pharisees of this scripture, to both show them that if David could take the show bread on the sabbath, how much less is a head of grain from a field nowhere near the temple. But He was also showing the Pharisees that they are like Saul, unjustly pursuing Jesus and His men, to destroy them because of their jealousy. This reference did not go unnoticed, it was a deep repudiation of their actions. But even more offensive to the pharisees, is that Jesus, in this reference is claiming the priestly perogative. Claiming to be the Lords annoited Heir, and the new King David. And to fully make this point, and so there is no misunderstanding, He drops the bomb on them. Jesus claims to be lord of the sabbath. This is not a small thing, the only person in the whole universe that can make that claim is God Himself.

For the Pharisees, there was no greater offence in the jewish law then to claim to be God, that is of course unless you are God. But they did not believe this about Jesus, and so they set out to kill Him after this statement. Jesus was not afraid of confrontation, He was a brave and strong fighter for truth, and He never backed down to His accusers. He always confronted them and showed them their hypocrisy and their faults. We should all strive to do the same in our own lives. If you are living an upright life, and choosing good over evil, then you have nothing to fear, and should not allow the evil temptors of this world to discourage you. The only thing they can do to you is kill your mortal body, but then your eternal soul goes straight to heaven. There is nothing in this world that is more important than your eternal soul, and as such there is nothing else that matters. So, never back down to evil, because Jesus will always have your back.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Please lord today, help me to discern the difference between god’s law and man’s law, and help me to follow only you. Amen.

Matthew 11:28-30

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said:
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,
for I am meek and humble of heart;
and you will find rest for yourselves.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.

Oratio (Responding)

What does Jesus mean that His yoke is easy? The yoke used during Jesus’ time was used mostly for Oxen. Two Oxen were placed side by side, and the yoke was placed over both of their haunches. The plow or other tool was then attached to the yoke and when the oxen both pulled on the same yoke they were a very powerful and effective team. Now if they did not pull equally, all of the weight of the plow would be on the shoulders of the ox pulling the hardest, and that would make the yoke easy and light for the other oxen. Many farmers would often place a young oxen with an older one specifiaclly for this purpose, so that if the yonger one tried to do all the work by themselves that they would quickly tire and eventually learn to work together as team, and thus be more effective.

So what Jesus is saying here is that if you yoke to Him, he will carry most of the load and you will have a much easier time, but if you try to do it all yourself, then you will tire and not be able to continue. If instead, you work together with Jesus, and try to split the load with Him you both will be much more effective. But most importantly, I think the message of this passage is that to walk the way of Christ will be a burden, and not easy. You will have to labor and work alongside jesus to achieve the good fruits you desire, because Jesus cannot do it for us, and we also cannot do it without him. But if you are yoked to Jesus, you will be a very powerful team.

There is also a different, but very interesting connection in this reading to 1st Kings, Chapter 12. This book tells of the time when Solomon has died and his sons are vying for control of the kingdom. This is an incredibly important moment in the history of the chosen people. Solomon had many sons, but his designated heir was Rehoboam. Another son Jeroboam also wanted to take over the kingdom. In 1st kings, Rehoboam is now king. The people of isreal came to him and asked for him to lighten the burden and labor that Solomon had placed on them. Rehoboam told them to return in 3 days, and in the interim, he sought counsel. First, he consulted the elders of the kingdom, and they advised that if he lessened the burden then all of isreal will be his servants forever. Next he consulted his sicophant (bootlicker) entourage, and they advised the opposite. Rehoboam did not follow the wisdom of the elders, and told isreal that he would not lessen, but instead increase their burdens and labor.

The people of isreal revolted, they assigned Jeroboam as their new king, and ten of the tribes fled to the north with their new king. Two tribes (Judah and Benjamin) stayed with Rehoboam, in the south. This is really important to understand because the north became pagan, mixing their jewish faith with the pagan culture of the surrounding areas, and this people became known as the samaritans, hated among the jewish people in the south. The two tribes in the south maintained the temple ritual, they kept the true jewish faith, even though they fell short of gods call in many ways. Nevertheless, this is important because the line of David comes from the tribe of Judah, and since Jesus is the great king from line of David, it is crucial that Judah was one of the tribes that kept the faith. This is ultimately why Jesus is called the lion of judah.

So why is this relevant to todays reading, and our discussion of yokes. Well if Rehoboam had listened to his elders, then he might have accomplished what Jesus ultimately comes here to do. He would have made their yoke easy and they would have been his servants forever. But alas Rehoboam did not do that, and so Jesus comes to do what the greedy boy could not. Jesus comes to accomplish the work of reuniting the kingdom, by lightening the load and the burdens we all carry. Jesus is making a bold statement here. He is saying that he is the true king of Isreal, the lion of judah, and in clear words, he is claiming the title of God. The yoke represents the fulfillment of the historical prophesy, while at the same time, showing us how He can help us in the here and now, with our day-to-day struggles. Will you yoke yourself to Him?

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh Lord help me today to carry my portion of the weight. amen.

Matthew 11:25-27

Lectio (Reading)

At that time Jesus exclaimed:
“I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
for although you have hidden these things
from the wise and the learned
you have revealed them to the childlike.
Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.
All things have been handed over to me by my Father.
No one knows the Son except the Father,
and no one knows the Father except the Son
and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike.

Oratio (Responding)

The wise and learned are not able to see the things of God, but the child like can. The reason is that there are things that we know to be true and we dont even have to consult our intellects about them, because they are written on our hearts. This is very convicting to me, because I have spent a lot of my adult life trying to learn my faith, and as a result, I have come to that faith through my studies. But what God is asking for here is simple childlike faith. The kind of faith that believes without trying to understand. When I tell my todler not to touch the oven because it will hurt them, they trust and obey without question. But as they get older, they find that they have to touch it, so that they can know for themselves.

When we try to understand what Jesus is telling us today, I believe that His message is best understood by considering His teachings in the bible as a whole. The main message that the bible repeats over and over is that we must love God and love our neighbor as oursleves, and to trust Him in all things. God wants us to simply believe that and follow those axioms in our lives. The wise and learned get in trouble when they ask Jesus to define “what love is” or “who is my neighbor.” We convolute things because we want to distill everything down to its most basic parts, pull every little thing apart so that we can reduce the law to the one thing that we have to do to be saved. But God doesn’t care about any of that, He simply wants us to love everyone, and to trust him above everything.

We know this because God wrote this simple truth directly onto our hearts, and the knowledge of what is love, how to trust, and who is our neighbor, is as natural to us as our own understanding of ourselves. But we often overlook these things that we “know” in favor of the things that our intellectual rationalizations fabricate. We need to seek the faith and trust of a child, and be content with what we know to be true without the assistance of our minds and intellects. And when we do we can rest in the protective embrace of His love. Because in the end all of the things of this world will pass away, and they will at the end be nothing. Only His love, and our relationship with Him will matter. So lets be like little children, cast off your intellectual rationalizations, and rest completely in His love, and trust Him in all things, because in the end nothing else matters.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Please lord today help me to gain the wisdom and understanding of simple childlike faith. To not over think things, and to trust completely in you. Amen.

Matthew 11:20-24

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus began to reproach the towns
where most of his mighty deeds had been done,
since they had not repented.
“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida!
For if the mighty deeds done in your midst
had been done in Tyre and Sidon,
they would long ago have repented in sackcloth and ashes.
But I tell you, it will be more tolerable
for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.
And as for you, Capernaum:

Will you be exalted to heaven?
You will go down to the netherworld.

For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Sodom,
it would have remained until this day.
But I tell you, it will be more tolerable
for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would long ago have repented in sackcloth and ashes.

Oratio (Responding)

This reading reminds me of contrast between the the story of Jonah and the Ninevites, and Jesus and his failure to preach in His own hometown. Johan hated the Ninevites, they were pagans and they were not worthy of His time and attention. But eventually He listens to God’s call and the whole nation of Nineveh converts. Contrast that with Jesus in His own home town, He could not do miracles there, because they did not believe that He was anything more than just a young carpenter.

These stories bring into focus the fact that those people that should know better and should believe often dont, while on the other hand those that you would think might be the least likely to believe can often become the very best Disciples. This is what is happening in todays reading as well. Rabanus Maurus explains it this way:

“Chorazin, which is interpreted ‘my mystery,’ and Bethsaida, ‘the house of fruits,’ or, ‘the house of hunters,’ are towns of Galilee situated on the shore of the sea of Galilee. The Lord herefore mourns for towns which once had the mystery of God, and which ought to have brought forth the fruit of virtues, and into which spiritual hunters had been sent.”

Tyre and Sidon on the other hand were given over, as Jerome reminds us “to avarice and vice,” and “had abandoned all things holy, and had resorted to living under natural law alone.” And yet these people heard the message of Jesus and repented. The pride of tradition and knowledge can often block our minds from being able to see Jesus standing right before us or the miracles that He wants to bring into our lives. But conversely, those that find themselves stuck in the total abandonment to sin, often times are ripe for conversion, and can become some of the greatest of God’s disciples.

It makes you wonder how many signs that the Lord has done in our own lives, that have either not been noticed or outright ignored. How many times has God reached into our lives to help us repent and our pride prevents us from seeing it. We should all take this question to prayer, and use this meditation as an examination of conscience for our lives. I do indeed believe that God is constantly working in our lives, and we need to be aware of that, we need to be open to that, and we need to seek it out on a day to day basis. Jesus is there trying to become part of your life, all you need to do is to answer the call.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Please help us lord today to see what it is that you want us to see, and how you want us to live, and help us to accomplish those changes in our lives.

Matthew 10:34 — 11:1

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his Apostles:
“Do not think that I have come to bring peace upon the earth.
I have come to bring not peace but the sword.
For I have come to set
a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
and one’s enemies will be those of his household.

“Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me,
and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me;
and whoever does not take up his cross
and follow after me is not worthy of me.
Whoever finds his life will lose it,
and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

“Whoever receives you receives me,
and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.
Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet
will receive a prophet’s reward,
and whoever receives a righteous man
because he is righteous
will receive a righteous man’s reward.
And whoever gives only a cup of cold water
to one of these little ones to drink
because he is a disciple–
amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward.”

When Jesus finished giving these commands to his Twelve disciples,
he went away from that place to teach and to preach in their towns.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Do not think that I have come to bring peace upon the earth. I have come to bring not peace but the sword.

Oratio (Responding)

This statement is one of Jesus’s hard sayings. It is sometimes really difficult to deal with the fact that being a faithful disciple might necessarily mean that you will bring division among the members of your family. But whom among us does not know this to be true. Pick a subject like abortion, and we all know that we have family members that will defend it. But we also know that we cannot call ourselves catholic and defend the killing of the most innocent among us for convenience.

So as hard as this saying is, it is perfectly accurate. What then are we to do when we are divided as such? Do we just sit back and watch our loved ones happily walk down the path to destruction, or do we stand next to them and show them the right way to go? We have to show them the right way, and we do that by living our faith, and by not ever making excuses for what we believe, and by not allowing our desire for peace to over-power our knowledge of the truth.

We must become beacons of righteousness to all of those around us. Bright lights of truth that makes clear to all that there is a right and a wrong way to live. That their is a way that leads to the greatest peace, and that we must all walk that way, in order to get to heaven and eternity with the lord.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Help us today lord to be strong in our faith, and to be that beacon on a hill that everyone will look to. When we are confronted by family that thinks we are old, and stodgy, and out of touch, let us not equivocate, amen.

Luke 10:25-37

Lectio (Reading)

There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test Jesus and said,
“Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Jesus said to him, “What is written in the law?
How do you read it?”
He said in reply,
“You shall love the Lord, your God,
with all your heart,
with all your being,
with all your strength,
and with all your mind,
and your neighbor as yourself.”
He replied to him, “You have answered correctly;
do this and you will live.”

But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus,
“And who is my neighbor?”
Jesus replied,
“A man fell victim to robbers
as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho.
They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead.
A priest happened to be going down that road,
but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.
Likewise a Levite came to the place,
and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.
But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him
was moved with compassion at the sight.
He approached the victim,
poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them.
Then he lifted him up on his own animal,
took him to an inn, and cared for him.
The next day he took out two silver coins
and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction,
‘Take care of him.
If you spend more than what I have given you,
I shall repay you on my way back.’
Which of these three, in your opinion,
was neighbor to the robbers’ victim?”
He answered, “The one who treated him with mercy.”
Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.

Oratio (Responding)

The rabbis in Jesus’ time liked to play this game, like lawyers they wanted to understand the law down to the letter, and know exactly what the legally right thing to do was in every situation. It was done both for fun and pride, as an exercise to see who knew the law best. But it was also done to help them all figure out how to best navigate the law that had grown to be so large and unwieldy. God’s law was simple, But the jewish leaders had added many man-made laws on top of it, and it had grown to be so complex and intricate, that it had become very difficult to not transgress it on a daily basis. So they would play this game to see if they could figure out the least thing they needed to to to still make it to heaven.

They would scour the torah and the teachings of the sages, and strive to break down God’s law further, and further, and further, until they finally distilled it to simply this: “love god and love your neighbor as yourself.” The first part “love God” comes from the holiest prayer in Judiasm, “the Shema.” It starts like this: “Hear, O Israel! The LORD our God is one LORD; and you shall love the LORD your God.” The second part “love your nieghbor…,” comes from Leviticus 19:18: which reads “You shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.” The jewish leaders clearly knew these prayers and scriptures, and as you can see from their answer they had obviously been working on this for some time.

But this exchange with Jesus was all just a pretext for their ultimate goal in this reading. The Pharisees here are once again trying to trick and trap Him. After they establish the two greatest laws, they lay their trap by asking Jesus “Who then, is my neighbor?” They want to get him on record saying something they can hold against him. If Jesus says “only the jews are His neighbor” then He will upset His disciples and all of the followers, who come from all walks of life to follow Him. If instead, He says the gentile or the samaritan are His neighbor, then He will upset the pharisees, and they will claim that He is not a faithful Jew, teaching heresy, and they can then expell Him from the temple. Jesus responds in the usual way, both answering the question perfectly, while at the same time showing the hypocrisy of the pharisees.

He does this by reciting the good samaritan story, showing clearly what is the right and godly thing to do. There are are some really intersesting things about this story that we should explore a little further. The road from Jerusalem to Jericho was a rugged and dangerous one, it descended 3200 vertical feet in 17 miles and it was a place that robbers and bandits would target unwitting passers by. The Priest and the Levite were also traveling that route, going from the temple and into the desolate area of jericho. They would not help the man because they were not family and did not want to be made unclean by touching him. The Samaritan on the other hand, did not have attachment to those laws and did what was right in the circumstances. St. Augustine, nicely sums up the entire parable like this: “the parable signifies Christ’s restoration of mankind. Adam is the man attacked by Satan and his legions; he is stripped of his immortality and left dead in sin. The priest and the Levite represent the Old Covenant and its inability to restore man to new life. Jesus Christ comes as the Good Samaritan to rescue man from death and brings him to the inn of the Church for refreshment and healing through the sacraments.” And so it is, the parable reveals the truth about what the law of Leviticus is getting to… and answers the question “who indeed is my neighbor” perfectly.

And as a result of telling this story, Jesus puts the pharisees on the defensive, forcing them to begrudgingly admit that He is right. It also shows the hypocrisy of the pharisees. They are making the same callous calculation about gentiles as the preist and the levite did in the story, by crossing the street from the beaten and robbed man, they show that they were more concerned with their law and their ritual cleanliness, than attending to what God really wants from them, loving kindness…, and ultimately following the teachings of the prophet Hosea: “For I desire mercy and not sacrifice; the knowledge of God, rather than burnt offerings.” As such, Jesus once again turns the tables on them. And not only perfectly answers the question, but shows that the pharisees are truly hypocrites, in trying to trap Jesus. And reveals to all that are watching that the pharisees only love and follow their own laws, and ultimately, do not understand god’s law at all.

The message for us today is to not only recognize the hurt and injured and in need of help, amongst us, but to also see them as our neighbor. I often find the first part easier than the second. Offering help is one thing, but treating them like, a brother and a friend, can be much harder. I think we all need to do a better job of the later. But even more, God says you must love those that hate you, equally with those that love you. This is a very high call, and it requires a great deal of humility, but it is what God wants of all of us, and that record of how you best carried out this call in your own life will essentially be your golden ticket into heaven. That is what God really wants from all of His children, and that is what He deserves.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Please lord help me today to love all of your children more, and with the humilty that you did. Even if they drive me crazy. Amen.

Matthew 10:24-33

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his Apostles:
“No disciple is above his teacher,
no slave above his master.
It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher,
for the slave that he become like his master.
If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul,
how much more those of his household!

“Therefore do not be afraid of them.
Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed,
nor secret that will not be known.
What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light;
what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops.
And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul;
rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy
both soul and body in Gehenna.
Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin?
Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s knowledge.
Even all the hairs of your head are counted.
So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
Everyone who acknowledges me before others
I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father.
But whoever denies me before others,
I will deny before my heavenly Father.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Therefore do not be afraid of them. Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known. What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light; what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.

Oratio (Responding)

This passage, on the the surface, seems very confusing. We are told by many scholars that God does not (but more importantly will not) destroy souls. God is the author of all things good, true and beautiful. Your soul was created by God good, and as such God cannot and will not destroy something good that He lovingly created. But if that is true, our minds might naturally ask, who is it then, that can destroy body and soul in Gehenna? There are many scholars that hold that it is the devil, and it is not a bad position to take, but that theory holds one flaw. The devil also is a created being. He does not have the power to destroy souls. He can lie, and tempt, and lead souls down the road to destruction but he is not the final arbiter of that end, and he cannot destroy something good that God will not allow him to destroy.

So who is the one that can destroy body and soul in Gehenna? My friend Bruce explained it to me like this. We humans have free will. We can freely choose good or we can freely choose evil. We can believe the lies of the evil one, or we can rest in God’s truth. We can prefer the ugly or revel in the beautiful. We humans, in our free will have the complete control over the final disposition of our body and souls. The body and the soul are a composite, one cannot exist without the other. If we corrupt our souls, our bodies will also be damaged. When we damage our bodies our souls are hurt as well. So we are the ones that can destroy our own bodies and souls in Gehenna, and it is completely our own choice.

At the end of time gods justice will be known by all, and our choices we make will be revealed for all to see. The reason that some make it to heaven and that others go to hell, will be known by all, and God’s justice will finally be understood universally. As it is now, we cannot understand why anyone would choose hell, over heaven. Mother Mary in the revelations of Fatima, told the seers that “souls are falling into hell like snow falls on the ground.” This means that many are falling into hell, and will not make it to heaven. When you combine this with Jesus’ own statments that many choose the wide road that leads to perdition, we can be certain that hell is real, and that many souls are going to dwell there.

But why would anyone choose hell? The answer is most likely pride, but also lust and greed. The Catholic church teaches that hell is not a punishment, it is a choice that one makes of their own free will and knowledge. It is the ultimate disposition of your soul. If you love God you want to be near Him, and that is Heaven. If you hate Him or love yourself more than Him, then you cannot stand to be near Him, and that is hell. People dont end up in hell by accident, or because they made a wrong turn. They are there because they cannot fathom living the life of service, humility, and sacrificial love that God demands of all that love Him.

But at the final judgement this will all become clear to everyone, all at once. I dont know how, but God is God, and he can do anything…, even vulcan mind meld with all souls, all at once. So we must take care of our bodies so that our souls can flourish, and we have to guard what we let into our souls, so that are bodies can be the best version of ourselves. And by doing this we can, in the end choose the goodness, truth, and beauty of God, over the lust, greed, and pride of this evil one. And this choice will determine your eternity. But that day will be extraodrinary, and while I am not ready for it to happen today, I look forward to an eternity with God in Heaven. I hope you choose the same.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Please lord help me today to learn the humility and find the strength to be the servant that you want me to be in the lives of those people I touch in this world.

Matthew 10:16-23

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his Apostles:
“Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves;
so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves.
But beware of men,
for they will hand you over to courts
and scourge you in their synagogues,
and you will be led before governors and kings for my sake
as a witness before them and the pagans.
When they hand you over,
do not worry about how you are to speak
or what you are to say.
You will be given at that moment what you are to say.
For it will not be you who speak
but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
Brother will hand over brother to death,
and the father his child;
children will rise up against parents and have them put to death.
You will be hated by all because of my name,
but whoever endures to the end will be saved.
When they persecute you in one town, flee to another.
Amen, I say to you, you will not finish the towns of Israel
before the Son of Man comes.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

You will be given at that moment what you are to say. For it will not be you who speak but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

Oratio (Responding)

This is Jesus encouraging the 72 before they set off to proclaim the kingdom. In the gospel of Mark it is only the 12 that make this journey and proclaim the gospel two by two. I have read this passage many times before but never fully understood what it means that the spirit will speak through you. But many years ago, at a cursillo, I gave a talk where this exact thing happened to me.

For weeks, I prepped and practiced for that day, and had my talk well rehearsed. I knew my stuff, but the day of the talk, I got up out of my chair, started my talk, and 40 minutes later, I sat down, and I sincerely do not remember anything I said. I remember people telling me later that my talk was great, but I dont remember it. All I felt was a tremendous exhaustion as a result. I felt Like I could have slept for 12 hours. But all these years later I have been told by friends in the church that I am the reason that they came back to the church or something similar. I find these moments very uncomfortable, and deflect all of the credit to God for their conversion. But it is clear that the Holy Spirit does indeed use us to be His instruments in this world.

It is an amazing thing to allow yourself to be a conduit for the Holy Spirit, to do His work in this world. I don’t know what Gods plan was that day, but maybe he used me to get through to one of those men that was too hard hearted to listen to anyone else. I do not take credit for it, but I will never forget that experience. So this passage today is very clearly a message to us to learn and know our faith, to practice it everyday, so when the time comes that the spirit needs you, you will be ready. The only thing left is to allow yourself to be open to let Him work through you, who knows, you might actually help change someone’s eternity.

Lastly the main message of this reading is to trust in the Lord. God will give you what you need when you need it. There is no way that any of us could possibly prepare for every possible encounter that we might have. But if you know your fiath, and can discern right from wrong, and if you are open to the Holy Spirit working in your life, then He will provide you with everything you need along the way. The answer is to do as St. Paul said and “make your life a prayer,” and approach every situation with prayerful humility. Ask God to give you the words you need at the moment. Dispose your will to His, and wait for the Spirit to move you, and you will do miracles in this world.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Help me today to be the servant and conduit you need me to be to bring others to you and to increase your kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 10:7-15

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his Apostles:
“As you go, make this proclamation:
‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’
Cure the sick, raise the dead,
cleanse the lepers, drive out demons.
Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.
Do not take gold or silver or copper for your belts;
no sack for the journey, or a second tunic,
or sandals, or walking stick.
The laborer deserves his keep.
Whatever town or village you enter, look for a worthy person in it,
and stay there until you leave.
As you enter a house, wish it peace.
If the house is worthy,
let your peace come upon it;
if not, let your peace return to you.
Whoever will not receive you or listen to your words—
go outside that house or town and shake the dust from your feet.
Amen, I say to you, it will be more tolerable
for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment
than for that town.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons.

Oratio (Responding)

In todays passage, we are focusing on the power that Jesus gave His apostles to heal and exorcise. He gives us all that same power, through our baptisms. When we are baptized we participate in the same offices of priest, prophet, and king that Christ established in His ministry. So when we act in faith, in Jesus’ name, we carry the power of these offices, and we too have the ablity to heal, to prophesy in Jesus’ name, and even drive out demons. But there is a limit, we cannot do anything that Jesus did, the difference between us and Him is authority. Our authority is limited to those people and things that God has given us jurisdiction over in this world. In order to be effective you need both. Power gives you the ability to do something in God’s name, but it is only under the correct authority that your powers will actually be effective.

Jesus’ apostles were the predecessors to our current popes and bishops. A Pope has the full power of Jesus for healing and exorcising over the whole world. A bishop has that same authority, but it is limited to the jurisdiction of his diocese, and every single soul that is under their protection and anyone that he also bestows that power on (ie an exorcist). The bishops and their designated exorcists are the only ones that have the authority to drive out deamons in other people within their jurisdictions. The father of a catholic home has the same power and authority, as a bishop, but his jurisdiction is limited to his own home and his own spouse and children, and even sometimes his place of work, if he serves as the patriach of that workplace.

Without the proper authority though, or if you swerve outside of your authority, you will attract the attention of other demons and possibly receive retaliation. Everything in God’s kingdom is governed by power and authority, and if you do not have both the power to do so through christian baptism, and the proper authority over the thing or person in question, the demons will notice and retaliate against you. Exorcist Chad Ripperger says that demons are like “lawyers from hell,” and they follow Gods law to the letter. It is funny, but they respect God’s law better than most humans do, because they are literally bound by natural law, and do not have a choice. But they also know all the loopholes in human behaviour, and they will exploit them all, to punish us dearly if we dare to step out from under God’s protection.

Nevertheless the message for us today is clear. That with the proper authority, we have the power to heal, prophesy, and to exorcise…, In our homes, in our families, and in our places of work if they are under our jurisdiction. And more than that we are called to this vocation, it is not optional. If we have this opportunity, and are properly authorized, we must not fail to act. You must act toward the end of saving the souls of those that God has put into your life, and do not allow the forces of darkness to corrupt and destroy them…, the Kingdom of God depends on it.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Please lord help me today to find a way to evangelize, and spread your kingdom in this world, and to accept and properly use the authority given to me from above, amen.

Matthew 10:1-7

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus summoned his Twelve disciples
and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out
and to cure every disease and every illness.
The names of the Twelve Apostles are these:
first, Simon called Peter, and his brother Andrew;
James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John;
Philip and Bartholomew,
Thomas and Matthew the tax collector;
James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus;
Simon the Cananean, and Judas Iscariot
who betrayed Jesus.

Jesus sent out these Twelve after instructing them thus,
“Do not go into pagan territory or enter a Samaritan town.
Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.'”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Do not go into pagan territory or enter a Samaritan town. Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’

Oratio (Responding)

So what does it mean for Jesus to say that the kingdom is at hand? All of known time is measured two great ages (epochs). The time before Jesus and the time after His death. When jesus was born He ended the last age, and began the new one. But all things proceed in God’s time, and even though it has been 2000 years since Jesus ascended into heaven, the kingdom is still at hand, but I do believe that it might be near the end. We are indeed living on the cusp of something truly incredible, and whenever this age ends, we will enter into eternity and the kingdom of heaven forever.

Saying that the end is soon can be really confusing though…, does that mean that the end is now (or in the near future), or does that mean that we still have to wait for the end of time and the final judgement. Some mystics have claimed that before the end, there will be a time of great peace, and that it will be called the reign of the immaculate heart, and the kingdom of the divine will. They say that It will be a time of great peace, and it will resemble the garden of eden in many ways. And Jesus even confirms this probability in the lords prayer… He says: “thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” When this time comes, the evil one will be restrained, there will be no sin, and we will all more fully delight in the goodness truth and beauty of the Lord. No one knows if this will be one year or a thousand, but I do believe that much is yet to come until the final end.

But regardless of what the future holds, I do also believe that this message holds a lesson for us in the here and now as well. I believe that we are called to help build the kingdom now as best we can. That we need to proclaim the gospel to all of the lost sheep, to the lost souls of the world, and to let them know that a time is coming soon where they will have to choose between themselves and the Lord, and get their affairs in order before that time comes. I believe that this is our call, and that time is now, because “The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Help me discern further what it means to prepare for the kingdom of heaven, and to share that knowledge with all of the world around me.

Matthew 9:32-38

Lectio (Reading)

A demoniac who could not speak was brought to Jesus,
and when the demon was driven out the mute man spoke.
The crowds were amazed and said,
“Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.”
But the Pharisees said,
“He drives out demons by the prince of demons.”

Jesus went around to all the towns and villages,
teaching in their synagogues,
proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom,
and curing every disease and illness.
At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them
because they were troubled and abandoned,
like sheep without a shepherd.
Then he said to his disciples,
“The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few;
so ask the master of the harvest
to send out laborers for his harvest.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.

Oratio (Responding)

The harvest is truly abundant, getting bigger every day, and at the same time, there are less and less laborers. Not only are they getting fewer in number, but they are getting less and less zealous as well. The culture of our time is indeed very strong, and the pull of it is very very powerful. It is not cool to be faithful, and obedient to the Lord. Maybe it never was, but upon studying history, it does seem worse now than ever before, but I dont know what it was like to live in worlds run by dictators, and tyrants.

Nevertheless, I feel the strength of the pull of culture on our young people today and it is very powerful. They are atheists, because it is cool, they are questioning their identity because they want to be seen as an ally of those friends who are desperately confused. Families are being torn to pieces and being replaced with same sex marriages. And all the while the culture cheers this dissordered nonsense on from the sidelines. What are we to do?

What this passage is saying is that if we are laborers, and we choose to work in God’s vineyard, we have to go out and work. We need to start with our families, teach them, help them and give them the tools they will need to reject the pull of the “spirit of the times.” And when you get done with that, move out to the community, and then the state, and the government, and then once you get all that figured out, you can set out to change the world, but I suspect most of us will not get past working on our families first.

But that is all that is really needed to change the world. If all mothers and fathers set out to work on their faith and that of their children, most of the worlds problems would be solved. But alas, this is not so, and so we are all called to work all the harder. You may not see success in this world, but you will see it in the next. And hopefully then God will say to you “well done my good and faithful servant. I cannot think of another 7 words that I would rather hear.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

So lets get to work, and not let the harvest rot in the fields.

Matthew 9:18-26

Lectio (Reading)

While Jesus was speaking, an official came forward,
knelt down before him, and said,
“”My daughter has just died.
But come, lay your hand on her, and she will live.””
Jesus rose and followed him, and so did his disciples.
A woman suffering hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him
and touched the tassel on his cloak.
She said to herself, “”If only I can touch his cloak, I shall be cured.””
Jesus turned around and saw her, and said,
“”Courage, daughter! Your faith has saved you.””
And from that hour the woman was cured.

When Jesus arrived at the official’s house
and saw the flute players and the crowd who were making a commotion,
he said, “”Go away! The girl is not dead but sleeping.””
And they ridiculed him.
When the crowd was put out, he came and took her by the hand,
and the little girl arose.
And news of this spread throughout all that land.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

A woman suffering hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him and touched the tassel on his cloak. She said to herself, “If only I can touch his cloak, I shall be cured.”

Oratio (Responding)

These stories of Jairus’ daugher and the woman with the flow of blood, are full of parallels, and intersting juxtapositions. Lets explore. It begins and ends with a father’s plea for his sick and dying daughter…We know his name is Jairus and a lot more detail about this gospel because of the parallel story in the Gospel of Mark. But along the way they are delayed by a large crowd and the bleeding woman. Jesus handles both perfectly. We start with Jesus wanting to heal the girl by traveling to Jairus’ home, and laying hands on her. But they quickly gets swamped by a crowd and we have the encounter with the bleeding woman, wanting to lay hands on Jesus. The sybmolism and meaning in today’s passage is vast, and there are several ways that this reading has been interpreted over the years.

The first interpretation is rather metaphorical and is found in the number 12 which traditionally represents the 12 tribes of isreal, the 12 disciples, and is considered the number of completion. This interpretation is based on a belief that these two incidents represent the dreadful state of the jewish leadership and its people (the 12 tribes of Isreal) at that time. The temple was being run by the pharisees, who were not levites, and they were using their power over the temple to gain authority and wealth from the Jewish people, and as a result the temple and the faith was dying. While at the same time the average jewish citizen was lost, and persecuted and exiled. They had no righteous teachers to guide them to right worship and because of the corruption and desecration of the temple they were very much separated from true and full worship.

The parallels here of Jairus (the synagogue official) to the temple leaders, and between the hemoraging woman (exiled by illness from right worship) to the persecuted jewish people are profound. But what is even more profound is how in each situation they found the answer to their problems… they both turned to Jesus (in faith) for His healing touch. Jesus is the great high priest, and the rightful leader of the temple. He is the last and greatest king of the line of David, and the rightful leader of the jewish kingdom. And He is the great teacher and prophet of all of god’s law and love in this world, and the last and only rabbi (teacher) that we ever need. In all things, Jesus is the answer.

The next interpretation is much more personal, and aimed at how we are to approch God in faith for our pettitions and healing. Jairus shows us the power of a parents prayers for those that they love, and the Bleeding woman shows us that simple humble faith is all that you need. And finally that God has power over death, and that His healing grace is always available to us if we simply and humbly ask for it.

The bleeding woman was a faithful jew, but she had suffered greatly due to her perpetual uncleanliness, and the traditions of ritual washing that kept her on the outskirts jewish life, almost as if she was a leper. It is clear that she did indeed, believe that Jesus was the messiah that was promised by all of the prophets. And she showed it in her faith that if she could simply touch the hem of Jesus’ garment she would be healed. This is interesting because in Jewish tradition, the rabbis and great teachers of the jewish world, wore tassels that hung from the hems of their cloaks. These tassels were a sign of the torah. So this woman is saying, incredibly, that if she could but touch the law, that she could be healed too. It was the jewish “law” that was keeping her from fully practicing her faith but it was the Law (Jesus) that could save her. And as such Her faith was rewarded, and she was in fact healed, because Jesus is the fulfillment of the all the law and all of the prophets.

The scripture says that Jesus knew this had happened, because he said that power had left him. This too, is remarkable, because it means that the healing happened without Jesus’ fore-knowledge or intention. That fact serves as a hope for us even today. That if we simply reach out to Jesus for help, we too can be healed. But why was her “touching” of Jesus, different than all of the rest who were pressing in on him? The answer is simply because, she touched him with faith, and that is what we are called to as well, to reach out to Jesus with faith.

Now getting back to Jairus, this whole escapade must have been a very unbearable delay for him, and ultimately heart-breaking, because he is told along the way that his daughter had died. I suspect that God allowed this so as to increase even more the miracle that He was planning on doing for this family. Jesus encourages Faith not Fear, but the crowd condemns Him because the girl is “dead.” But He brings the father and mother in and raises the daughter, putting all of the scoffers to shame. And He shows us all the power of a parents prayer for their children. We should never forget this, and we should never stop praying for our children, no matter how old they become. One other thing that is amazing about this girl’s resurrection is that the words He says to the girl “talitha koum,” which means “arise.” These are the same words used in the bible for resurrection of Jesus, 3 days after his passion. I believe that this similarity is used, on purpose here, because it reveals the plans that God has to restore us all, body and soul at the end of time, and jairus’ daughter is just a foretaste of what we can expect, in our own resurrection.

Finally, our last interpretation is the juxtaposition of 12 years, and the power that prayerful sacrifice has on the world, even for those we do not know. The child was 12 years old, and that is the same amount of time that the woman had the bleeding hemorrhage. The meaning of this may not be immediately clear, but I like to think that it points to the existence and need in this world for offering up our suffering for the good of others. This is not official church teaching, but I think that this woman suffered with dignity, and offered up her suffering, in faith, for those that are less well off than her. That maybe Jairus’ daughter would have already have died, long before, if it were not for the bleeding woman and the sacrifice that she bore quietly and faithfully for all those years. But through faith not fear, Jesus heals both, and glorifies God at the same time. This is a hope and promise for us all, that there is a purpose and dignity to all suffering, and it is our duty to offer up our hardships as best we can, for the good of the whole body of christ and the communion of saints.

So despite the fact that these interpretations are so different, they all have one thing in common, and that is the answer to their suffering…, Jesus! We are called to turn to Him in everything. In our joys, in our trials, and even in our great suffering. He has the power to heal you, but only you can make it happen. You have to choose to turn to Him, to trust Him in all things and to have faith that He will heal you when the time is right and will do so in the way that will most glorify the lord Father in heaven. This is not easy, and this is why patience is considered a virtue, because great rewards await those who persevere to the end. We will not understand this mystery in this life, but we will be amazed by it in the next. So please have faith not fear, and trust in the Lord for all things.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Please lord today help all of those poor lost souls find the humility to choose you, and to put away their pride. So that we all can be with you in heaven.

Luke 10:1-12, 17-20

Lectio (Reading)

At that time the Lord appointed seventy-two others
whom he sent ahead of him in pairs
to every town and place he intended to visit.
He said to them,
“The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few;
so ask the master of the harvest
to send out laborers for his harvest.
Go on your way;
behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves.
Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals;
and greet no one along the way.
Into whatever house you enter, first say,
‘Peace to this household.’
If a peaceful person lives there,
your peace will rest on him;
but if not, it will return to you.
Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you,
for the laborer deserves his payment.
Do not move about from one house to another.
Whatever town you enter and they welcome you,
eat what is set before you,
cure the sick in it and say to them,
‘The kingdom of God is at hand for you.’
Whatever town you enter and they do not receive you,
go out into the streets and say,
‘The dust of your town that clings to our feet,
even that we shake off against you.’
Yet know this: the kingdom of God is at hand.
I tell you,
it will be more tolerable for Sodom on that day than for that town.”

The seventy-two returned rejoicing, and said,
“Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name.”
Jesus said, “I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky.
Behold, I have given you the power to ‘tread upon serpents’ and scorpions
and upon the full force of the enemy and nothing will harm you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you,
but rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Jesus appointed seventy-two other disciples whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit.

Oratio (Responding)

Today we hear of Jesus’s first evangelization campaign. Before He started His personal ministry effort He sent out the 72 to announce His gospel (the good news). It is interesting here to stop and consider the number 72. There is some debate among the translators of the bible over the years as to whether the actual number is 70 or 72. This is because of how the words in Aramaic are not abundantly clear as to one number or the other. The same confusion (among translators) happens later when Peter asks Jesus how many time we are to forgive, and the translators argue about whether the number was 77 or 70 times 7.

But the Haydock bible commentary makes the point that the actual number in today’s reading must be 72. Primarily because only the number 72 is divisible by 12. And this is important because it meant that each of the 12 disciples were assigned 6 disciples to work with them. The Apostle would serve as the first bishop, and the disciples would serve as the first priests and deacons. And they would then be sent out two by two under the governance of each apostle (bishop) to proclaim the good news.

This number 72 also has other interesting meanings as well. It is also a direct reference to Moses at the beginning of the law. Moses had assigned a leader from each of the tribes of Israel, and 72 elders from among each of the tribes as well to serve as the prophets of the Israel. These men brought the law of God (given to Moses) to all of the people of Israel and served as the governors of the disputes that came up among the people.

Lastly the number 72 represents the known kingdoms of the ancient world. This number is disputed, but the debate is not entirely important as to which is the accurate number. I do believe, however, that 72 is the accurate number because in another gospel, after Jesus’ resurrection, He helps Peter with a large catch of fish containing 72 fish, representing the all of the known kingdoms of the world. The number here then is actually becomes very important, and because it is repeated multiple times throughout the entire of scripture, we must acknowledge what this number means, and that is what Jesus says in the great commission before His ascension. That the faithful of Christ are to go out into the whole world (all 72 nations) and preach the gospel of Jesus.

And that mission started with today’s reading. Jesus is sending them out to these nations, so that these disciples can whet the appetite for the message of the gospel to all of the people. Then later when Jesus embarks on His mission to these same nations, the people will then choose to follow him. I believe that this is one reason why people were so ready to hear Him and why later in His ministry, He attracted such large crowds. And this is why, after His resurrection and before His ascension, He would then send these same disciples back to all of the world to proclaim the fulfillment of the Gospel message, and the consummation of His promises through His death, resurrection, and ascension.

And that is our message as well today. We must all strive to have this same trust, and to go out into the whole world without money bag or sack or sandals, completely trusting the providence of the lord, and to proclaim the gospel of the lord, to everyone. There are still people that don’t know who Jesus is, and they need us to tell them. And there are lost sheep out there that need to be found and brought back into the fold. Will you go? And who will you meet? Only God knows, but you must make that first step.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord help us today to better love and trust you, while we proclaim your word to all of the people of the world.

Matthew 9:14-17

Lectio (Reading)

The disciples of John approached Jesus and said,
“Why do we and the Pharisees fast much,
but your disciples do not fast?”
Jesus answered them, “Can the wedding guests mourn
as long as the bridegroom is with them?
The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them,
and then they will fast.
No one patches an old cloak with a piece of unshrunken cloth,
for its fullness pulls away from the cloak and the tear gets worse.
People do not put new wine into old wineskins.
Otherwise the skins burst, the wine spills out, and the skins are ruined.
Rather, they pour new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Jesus answered them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.”

Oratio (Responding)

What it must have been like for the disciples to be with Jesus. They clearly did not understand what they had or who He was, but still, it must have been amazing. That kind of closeness is what He wants with all of us, He yearns to be our friend, to hear our problems and to help us along our journey, but we reject Him and think that we dont need Him, and we fool ourselves into misery.

But the secret to this entire problem is to simply open your mind and heart to Him. “No matter how many steps you take away from Jesus, it is only one step back”, and if you do take that step, you will find Him running to you like the father of the prodigal son.

So be humble, suck up your pride, and turn to Him, now, today, dont wait another minute. This decision will forever change your life. If you have already turned back to Him, continue that way, and dont fall away again. And if you are already there, in His loving embrace, then you need to go our and find others to help them get back to God as well. It is a lifelong journey, and we have only just begun. But start your journey today!

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to recognize you and who you are in my life. Help me to have the courage to pursue you the way you pursue me. Amen

Matthew 9:9-13

Lectio (Reading)

As Jesus passed by,
he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post.
He said to him, “”Follow me.””
And he got up and followed him.
While he was at table in his house,
many tax collectors and sinners came
and sat with Jesus and his disciples.
The Pharisees saw this and said to his disciples,
“”Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?””
He heard this and said,
“”Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do.
Go and learn the meaning of the words,
I desire mercy, not sacrifice.
I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.””

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. Go and learn the meaning of the words, I desire mercy, not sacrifice. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”

Oratio (Responding)

Jesus tells the pharisees “Go and learn the meaning of the words, I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” But like all things that Jesus says and asks in the bible, He is also telling this to us as well, today. But doesn’t that statement seem contradictory when compared to the long history of the Jewish people, and even Jesus’ own teachings? It seems at times, that the whole jewish story is all about sacrifice, The entire book of Leviticus is devoted to how that sacrifice is to be done. The great patriarchs like Abraham and David, made enormous sacrifices out of devotion for the lord, and Jesus even says that there is no greater gift than to lay down ones life for another.

So how do we reconcile this? The answer is that Jesus’ mission was not to compell us to give up everything for Him, He does not want anything we have, because it is all His already anyway. What God really wants is to save souls from slavery to sin. He wants us to turn away from our sins, and seek right relationship with Him over everything else. For us humans this is hard, because we are tied to this physical world, and things like pride, and lust and greed, have a powerful effect on us, and make us turn inward, and act selfishly. The answer to these sins is sacrifice. For pride the answer is prayer, for lust the answer is chastity, and for greed the answer is generosity. God does not desire our sacrifice, because He is a good Father, and wants nothing but joy and happiness for us. He wants us to enjoy the good things of this world. But because He is a good father, He also knows that sacrifice is the best way that we have to rightly order our hearts, minds and wills toward Him, and away from the temptations and snares of the devil.

God’s whole mission is to sinners, His desire is for mercy. He wants more than anything for us to turn away from our sin, and to join Him in eternity, and the way that happens is though sacrifice. Even the greatest among us like St. Joseph and Mary, John the baptist and some of the saints, were all called to make great sacrifice. Some like Mary, who was un-able to sin, was called to give everything, she was made to watch her son be sacfriced, in the worst imanginable way, for the salvation of the whole world. How much more are the rest of us, all great sinners, called to atone for our sin, to find our way back into reconciliation with God? We are in dire need of rescuing, and we owe a dept we can never pay back. The answer is to align our lives with that of Jesus and the salvation that he has won for us on the cross. When we do that then our lives then become an ongoing struggle to stay in right relationship with Him, and the lifeboat that He has thrown us, to hang onto, during our journey is sacrifice. But Sacrifice is for us, to help us reorient our lives back to Him. He does not need it, He only wants to offer us Mercy, but that mercy requires our sacrifice.

He is calling us sinners to Him, He wants our conversion, and He wants to live eternally with us. God, creator of the universe wants to have a personal deep relationship with you. And it is His mercy that allows that to happen. A mercy that is greater than all of our sin, and a love that is so selfless that He forgives all of our sins, the moment we ask for it. Can you even contemplate how amazing that is, I cant. But it is true. And He desires that reconciliation more than anything else. Fulton Sheen wrote it best when he said “God paid a price he did not owe, because we owed a dept that we could not pay.” The price He paid is mercy, and it is a more generous gift than all of the riches of the whole world. And He gives it freely to any and all that ask for it.

The devil’s only happiness comes from enslaving us in sin, and consequently depriving the Lord God of our conversion and forgiveness. And the favorite lie, that he loves to tell us is that your sin is too big, and that God will never forgive you for it. The devil wants you to believe that, and fall into despair. The Lord want to offer you mercy, redeem you, and bring you into His Kingdom. It may seem today, that the evil one is winning. But we know who wins in the end, and to that end Jesus is calling you to a better life, calling you to be righteous, calling you into eternity…, Will you answer His call?

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to hear your call, and to seek righteousness over sin.

Matthew 8:28-34

Lectio (Reading)

When Jesus came to the territory of the Gadarenes,
two demoniacs who were coming from the tombs met him.
They were so savage that no one could travel by that road.
They cried out, “What have you to do with us, Son of God?
Have you come here to torment us before the appointed time?”
Some distance away a herd of many swine was feeding.
The demons pleaded with him,
“If you drive us out, send us into the herd of swine.”
And he said to them, “Go then!”
They came out and entered the swine,
and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea
where they drowned.
The swineherds ran away,
and when they came to the town they reported everything,
including what had happened to the demoniacs.
Thereupon the whole town came out to meet Jesus,
and when they saw him they begged him to leave their district.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

And he said to them, “Go then!” They came out and entered the swine, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea where they drowned.

Oratio (Responding)

This passage teaches us of the Garesene Demoniacs. In mark it was only one demoniac, in Matthew it is two. But the story is the same. These demoniacs were large and powerful strong men. This man was a large and powerful strong man. He was possessed by many demons. In the Roman army, a legion was a 100 men. So this already strong man was probably almost superhuman, because of the demonic possession. There are two very interesting things that Jesus is telling us here, Lets dig into it.

First, Jesus is making reference to the previous chapter, where He accused the pharisees of binding up the strong man (ie. the jewish people) with many rules and heavy burdens, in order to plunder them of all of its treasures. In this passage Jesus is showing us that He is the one that has come to unbind the strong man, and free it to be how it was meant to be all along.

The other thing that is happening here, is to me, much more interesting. The deamons all thought that Jesus was there to destroy them, and as such, they wanted to escape that fate. They thought that they could trick Jesus by going into the swine, but Jesus was not a tricked. Instead Jesus wanted to both, deal with the deamons, while at the same time, teach these jews an important lesson.

These were Hellenistic jews. These Jews had made their living as hosts to pilgrims visiting the greek shrines and idols. These jews had forgotten the law and were living sinful synchonistic lives. The swine were illegal for jewish people to own, or even touch. So, tending to swine made them unclean too, and thus they were all sinning against the law.

So Jesus sent the demons into the swine, so that he could deal with both problems at the same time. First the demons, would be humiliated, being forced to stop possessing a strong man, and instead possess pigs, but the swine would also be destroyed to remind these jews of the Law and their first commitment to the Lord.

Losing the pigs (approximately 2000), would be the same as destroying their whole economy. Jesus killed their illegal economy (swine), but He gave them a new economy, an economy based around the law and the worship of the lord. If they do this instead, and trust in Him, they will be more prosperous than ever before, and they will be stronger too.

We don’t know what happened to these Garesenes, or if the Helenistic Jews ever repented, but it will be an interesting thing to ask God about when we meet him in heaven.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to see you and your will for my life, help me to put away my petty offenses, and to reconcile with those that I have hurt. Amen.

Matthew 8:23-27

Lectio (Reading)

As Jesus got into a boat, his disciples followed him.
Suddenly a violent storm came up on the sea,
so that the boat was being swamped by waves;
but he was asleep.
They came and woke him, saying,
“Lord, save us! We are perishing!”
He said to them, “Why are you terrified, O you of little faith?”
Then he got up, rebuked the winds and the sea,
and there was great calm.
The men were amazed and said, “What sort of man is this,
whom even the winds and the sea obey?”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Why are you terrified, O you of little faith?

Oratio (Responding)

Today’s passage takes place on the sea of Galilee, in Peter’s Boat (aka. the “Bark of Peter”). For centuries, the “bark” (or boat) of Peter has been a metaphor for the church of christ, of which St. Peter was placed at the head. This is why most of the ceilings, inside old gothic church’s were designed to look like a boat turned upside down. In this scene, all of Jesus’ disciples are with Him in His church, inside the bark of St. Peter. They are safe in the boat, but the world outside the boat is tossing them about, and is in a terrible state of chaos, threatening their destruction. Amusingly Jesus is asleep in the stern.

The story then, progresses to the point that the disciples decide to wake Jesus, and ask Him if He cares if they all perish. Rembrandt painted a wonderful depiction of this scene, I suggest you take a minute and click this link, and view the painting. In it you will notice that those disciples closest to Jesus are the most calm, and those further away, are struggling while they fight the storm. This is a metaphor life and a direct representation of the trials in the church and world today. Those that are farther away from God are struggling helplessly, all by themselves, to fight the storms of the world. They are being consumed by the struggle, and are not be able to see the break in the storm, and the blue skies on the horizon. Peter is at the front of the boat fighting to trim the sails, John is at the back of the boat, on his knees before God praying his way through the ordeal.

There is a great message for us here too. In life we will often become blind to what is most important, and because our feeling of power and/or responsibility to the people or things of this world, we can often miss the one thing that Jesus most wants for us at that moment, Faith! To remind us of this fact, Rembrandt painted himself into the painting, he is the 13th disciple in the boat, the one in the painting, breaking the 4th wall, looking directly at you. Rembrandt in this depiction, is basically asking you, “where are you in this storm?” This is a really important question for us all to ask ourselves, Put yourself into the storm and imagine yourself in the scene, and ask yourself…, “where are you in the storm of your own life?” Your answer will determine how you should respond.

Jesus finally gives us the answer at the end of the passage. He asks “why are you afraid?” This too, is a fine question to ask yourself, especially when you are in the storm of your own life. If you are in the front of the boat, and afraid that you will perish, you need instead to get on your knees and pray for God’s providence. He is faithful in all things, and He will deliver you from this ordeal, if you are faithful. If you find yourself in the back of the boat, and you are still afraid, it means that you need to pray all the more fervently. God will be faithful, but not always in the time you expect, and not always in the way you were hoping. But the storm will eventually break, and you will see blue skies again…, As king Solomon would say “this too shall pass,” And it is faith that will get you there.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me to have faith in you, even in the midst of the great storm. Amen.

Matthew 8:18-22

Lectio (Reading)

When Jesus saw a crowd around him,
he gave orders to cross to the other shore.
A scribe approached and said to him,
“Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.”
Jesus answered him, “Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests,
but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.”
Another of his disciples said to him,
“Lord, let me go first and bury my father.”
But Jesus answered him, “Follow me,
and let the dead bury their dead.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.

Oratio (Responding)

This is one of the most enigmatic things that Jesus has ever said in the bible. But the enigma is intended for us to figure it out. Peter Kreeft in his sunday comentary on this passage, says that this means that these disciples do not know what they are getting themselves into, and that the task of discipleship is long, hard, and often there is no rest, and it will require everything they have. They cannot be a disciple and hold anything back.

When one is called to service or sacrifice, and it is often normal for many to not want to follow that call. We claim that we have other things to do first. The Scribe in todays reading, seems willing to answer the call, but does not actually know what following Him acually means. You could argue that the other disciple did, and that is why he balked, and claimed that he had to deal with the burial of his father first.

But in either case, I would argue that no human ever actually understands fully what it means to be a disciple of the Lord. But just as it is a mistake to hedge when God calls you, it is also a huge mistake to be over-eager, because the zealous will often quickly burn themselves out. So in order to be in it for the long haul, you must become fully aware of what god is calling you to, and then to embark on that mission with care and humility and total determination.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Please lord today, give me the knowledge, humility, and wisdom to follow your call, and to eventually succeed if bringing a small amount of glory to your kingdom.

Matthew 16:13-19

Lectio (Reading)

When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi
he asked his disciples,
“Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah,
still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Simon Peter said in reply,
“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah.
For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father.
And so I say to you, you are Peter,
and upon this rock I will build my Church,
and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.
I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven.
Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven;
and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Oratio (Responding)

With all that background established, We now turn to Jesus, the new King of the line of David. The succession of Davidic kings was broken many years before this moment, by foreign kings conquering Israel and destroying the temple. But the line of David was not ever broken. The sons of David persisted, but did so in secret. If the Romans knew that they existed, they would have wiped them out, as they would not tolerate any challenge to their authority. And so it is in this moment that Jesus is reestablishing the long lost Davidic kingdom and taking his rightful place as the King. And every Davidic king needs a steward, who can bear the keys to the kingdom, and “open and shut” while the king is away. That steward is Peter. In the Catholic church we teach that the position of the steward is the pope, and Peter here is ordained as the first pope…, who will watch over the kingdom while the king was away, and whatever he binds and looses, would have the authority and imprimatur of the king. And as we learned from Isaiah, it is clearly also not a role that dies with the holder of the keys, it is a perpetual role that must always be filled until the king returns, and thus we have the long line of bishops and popes that have always held this role even until today.

And this is why it is so important that the church has an ultimate leader, and why we cant simply go straight to God? The evil one is constantly injecting himself and corrupting and destroying everything. Consider this example, imagine a church with two great leaders, both highly respected, both admired for their wisdom and understanding, but at some point find themselves at odds with each other over a teaching or a doctrine. The argument may be over interpretation, or pride, or actively being caused by the temptation of the devil. What are they to do, how do they reconcile this difference? In the protestant church they split, and create two new churches. To the end that now we have over a 100 denominations, and 100,000 non-denominational churches across the world all with different variations of doctrine. In the catholic church, however, the dispute is taken to the priest, and then the bishop and in some cases all the way to the pope, and eventually a final decision is made. And in the case of our two leaders, you either agree with the pope, and stay in the church, or you disagree, and are excommunicated from it until you can see the error of your ways. But excommunication is not a permanent status, it litterally means “outside of the church,” and the goal is always reunification, and reconcilliation, not division (that is the realm of the evil one). And that is why there is still one Catholic church 2000 years later.

Finally, we should discuss Jesus’ question to His disciples. He asks who do the people say that the son of man is? As with all questions Jesus asks, you should ask your self this question. it is a powerful examination of conscience. But there is also another really important reason for this question. Jesus starts by asking about what others say, they respond Elijah or a prophet, Jesus does not like this answer, so He asks His disciples who they say that He is. Peter fills the silence and says that He is the son of the living God. The jewish people were all waiting for the return of Elijah, and the subsequent return of God, so Jesus did not want them to think that He was just another prophet in a long line of prophets. He wanted them to understand very clearly that John the baptist was the return of Elijah, and that Jesus was the one that Elijah would prepare the way for…. That is God! A wise teacher, or a prophet is the only thing that Jesus could not be. Jesus claimed to be God, and He literally proved it in the resurrection, so if He was not God, that would make Him either a liar or lunatic. But if He claims to be God, and then subsequently proves it with miracles and by returning from the dead in His resurrection, then that means He actually is God. That is an important thing for these men to know, even if they will not fully understand it until after His death and resurrection.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh, lord, grant me the wisdom and understanding to humbly accept the teachings of the church and your vicars in this world. Amen.

Luke 2:41-51

Lectio (Reading)

41. Each year his parents went to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover,

42. and when he was twelve years old, they went up according to festival custom.

43. After they had completed its days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it.

44. Thinking that he was in the caravan, they journeyed for a day and looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances,

45. but not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem to look for him.

46. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions,

47. and all who heard him were astounded at his understanding and his answers.

48. When his parents saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, “, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.”

49. And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”

50. But they did not understand what he said to them.

51. He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?

Oratio (Responding)

Jesus gives this answer (“Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”) as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. This is because to be in the Father’s house, is the desire of every soul in the world, whether we know it or not. The innocence of this question is beautiful though. It is the response of a child, but He is also God. I love this because it clearly shows the dual nature of the incarnate Jesus, better than anything else. Jesus was 100% God, and 100% man, I know that the math does not add up, but it is the simplest way, I have found, to understand this mystery.

Many books have been written trying to explain this mystery of the incarnate God, and what He did and did not know. God the father is infinite, His will encompasses everything and everyone in the universe. He holds all of creation in existence in His mind, He is in fact, existence itself. Mankind is much much smaller. We are finite, we are weak, and we are fallen, but we are made in gods image. And it is this fact alone, that gives us the most insight into the essence of the incarnation. Human beings are infinitely weaker and less powerful than God, but were made for communion with Him. Think of that, God creator of the universe made us to be in relationship with Him. To be made in His image is to be capable of that relationship, and to be in relationship with God is to be eternally wedded to Him forever. Nothing else in the universe has that ability, not even the angels.

This relationship though, requires that we reach our full potential as Humans, and that full potential is to be espoused to Him, fully and completely. But to achieve that kind of connection and relationship requires that we strive for perfection. To do good and resist evil, and to trust completely in God’s love and providence. As humans, we have the potential to aspire to this perfection, and many saints have shown us that it is possible. But while many of us will never even get close, Jesus did it perfectly.

The incarnate God Jesus Christ, was able to achieve this perfection, perfectly, at every stage of His life. I like to think of it this way. When Jesus was in infant, He was the most perfect infant that ever lived. When He was a toddler, He was the most perfect toddler that ever was. And so on, for every stage of His life. As an infant, the human body and mind are simply not capable of deep complex thought, but they are able to love, and to receive love, almost perfectly. And so we understand that this is the point of the incarnation, it was to show us how we are to live with each other, and how we are to commune with God, at every stage of our lives.

In today’s reading we have a young Jesus. He knows that He needs to be with His Father, and He knows that the temple is where He can be closest to Him, and so that is why He stayed behind with the rabbis. A child’s mind is not fully developed, it cannot process the complex ideas of His divinity inside this little developing human body. But the child Jesus understood His mission, He understood who God was, and He knew where He needed to be. But He did not yet understand that family relationships would be harmed by Him not being with them, and He had to learn that as a Human we have obligations to each other as well. This is the mind of a child, processing His place in the world, but He is also God, and processing what He has been called to do. It is so beautiful, and it shows us His two natures better than anything else.

God somehow figured out a way to shoehorn His infinite omnipotent being into a human form, and the result is a child that knows that He must be with God, but has not yet learned the idiosyncrasies of human relationship yet. Thank you for this vision into your incarnation, and how you were truly a man, and while at the same time still truly God.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me to achieve sanctity in my life, so that I can more perfectly commune with you, both here and someday in heaven.

Luke 15:3-7

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus addressed this parable to the Pharisees and scribes:
“What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them
would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert
and go after the lost one until he finds it?
And when he does find it,
he sets it on his shoulders with great joy
and, upon his arrival home,
he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them,
‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’
I tell you, in just the same way
there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents
than over ninety-nine righteous people
who have no need of repentance.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it? And when he does find it, he sets it on his shoulders with great joy

Oratio (Responding)

If a man has a 100 sheep and one strays away. Would you leave the flock and go lookging for it…? In a word no, this would be totally crazy. The idea that any shepard would leave the rest of the flock at risk to predators or poachers, to go seek the lost sheep is not only crazy but negligent. Shepherding is a business like any other, and you do not put your entire business at risk for fear of the loss of 1% of it.

But you are not a normal sheep, and Jesus is not a normal shepard. Jesus is the good shepard that loves and watches over his flock from afar. He is ever vigilant and mindful of the one sheep straying away. He is not in the business of making money off of His sheep, He is in the business of saving souls, and protecting every sheep that is in His flock from being taken by the evil one.

But we humans are not exactly like sheep either, We are not completely helpless and vulnerable to the attacks of the evil one. We have the ability to choose not to stray, and we have the ability to fight off predators, on our own. But we must stay with Jesus, in His flock. When we stray from his flock, we put ourselves at the most risk, and make oursleves most vulnerable to the evil one and his minions. But that is when Jesus comes looking for you! That is how crazy in love with us He is. We dont deserve to be loved this much. but we are, and I am so grateful for it.

The world is full of so many lost sheep and we should never forget that, He is out looking for every one of them. If you are a lost sheep call to Him, and run to Him when you see Him. He is waiting to bring you back into the fold. If you are already in the flock, be vigilant and watch over your fellow members of the flock, the wolves are always out there looking for someone to devour. But never forget that He is crazy in love with you, and He will do anything for you. You simply need to call to Him.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, thank you for being crazy in love with us. I feel unworthy, but I am so grateful. Help me today to stay close to your flock, and to help you track down those that have strayed away, amen.

Matthew 7:21-29

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’
will enter the Kingdom of heaven,
but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.
Many will say to me on that day,
‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name?
Did we not drive out demons in your name?
Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?’
Then I will declare to them solemnly,
‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.’

“Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them
will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.

The rain fell, the floods came,
and the winds blew and buffeted the house.
But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock.
And everyone who listens to these words of mine
but does not act on them
will be like a fool who built his house on sand.
The rain fell, the floods came,
and the winds blew and buffeted the house.
And it collapsed and was completely ruined.”

When Jesus finished these words,
the crowds were astonished at his teaching,
for he taught them as one having authority,
and not as their scribes.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.

Oratio (Responding)

Jesus says that if we do the will of the Father, then we will enter the kingdom of heaven. And if we do, it will be as if we have built our lives on the foundation of rock and it will not be damaged by the storms and trials of this world. This does not mean that the storms will not come, we will all find ourselves in many different storms in our life, no one can escape that, but when our lives are built on the foundation of God, then these storms will not destroy us.

So what does it mean to say you are doing God’s will versus actually doing so? The former is going to church on Sunday, singing loudly, and appearing to be holy, but then honking and curseing at people in the parking lot after mass. The later is much harder. It means taking Jesus’ teachings to heart, and incorporating them into every part of your day. It means loving those that persecute you, turning the other cheek, sacrificing, and being of service, but doing it all with love and charity…, if not for them then at the least for God.

When you change your life to live in God’s divine will…, then when the person cuts you off in traffic, or singles you out because of your beliefs, or persecutes you because you will not go with the flow, you will be standing on the firm foundation of the truth and goodness of God. You will know that you are doing what is right, and God will give you the words and courage you need to persevere, and the evil one will not be able to sway you. The evil one will not give up though, and he may even throw more and worse trials at you, but because of your faith and trust, you will not be moved.

Augustine said that “peace is the tranquility that comes from order.” This is the secret to life. Strive to order your life with Gods will for you, and you will find perfect peace. I wish this for everyone, I wish that we can all rest assured in our salvation, so that one day we can revel in the glory of the presence of God forever in heaven.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord help me today to put you first, to order all of my life to your will, so that I can rest assured in your protection and security. And in the ways that I struggle to do this please give me the wisdom and understanding for how to change. Amen.

Matthew 7:15-20

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing,
but underneath are ravenous wolves.
By their fruits you will know them.
Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
Just so, every good tree bears good fruit,
and a rotten tree bears bad fruit.
A good tree cannot bear bad fruit,
nor can a rotten tree bear good fruit.
Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down
and thrown into the fire.
So by their fruits you will know them.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but underneath are ravenous wolves. By their fruits you will know them.

Oratio (Responding)

This is so true, maybe even more so today than ever. This is how I see the “catholic” politicians in Washington. They claim the mantle of catholic, but out of the same mouth they condone and even promote the most horrific things…, even the murder of innocent children. Ravenous wolves, who are literally devouring souls, and leading sheep from the flock and into certain slaughter. But they are not the only ones, we all have this fault to some extent in our own lives. We go to the salad bar of faith and we pick and choose what we want believe and follow and then ignore the rest, as if they do not exist. We cannot pick catholic teachings that conform to our own political and social beliefs and just ignore the ones that don’t.

The church’s job is to help us get to heaven, and as such, that means that you cannot disagree with the church on those sins that can never be good under any circumstances. The Church calls these sins, it’s non-negotiables. Those are abortion, homosexual marriage, euthanasia, stem cell research, cloning, and religious liberty. These sins literally cry out to heaven for justice, and there is no way that they can ever be seen as a necessary evil. Good people can disagree on the other issues, like global warming, or immigration, but you cannot and must not allow yourself to be indifferent on the non-negotiables.

When we die and stand before the lord in judgment, he is not going to ask us how much we agreed with him, and how much we followed the laws we liked, He is going to ask you how much you loved. It is easy to love those that love you, and love the laws that are easy to follow. But it takes faith to love those that hate you, and to do the right thing in the face of great resistance. So we must ask ourselves how much am I falling into this trap, how much am I ignoring Gods laws because they are uncomfortable to me, and how much am I being a wolf leading sheep away from the flock in my own life. The devil loves a hypocrite, because they are easily controlled, but the good and upright man is like smoke in the clutches of the evil one. So be just and upright, and choose to do the right thing despite the consequences. Be a saint, what else is there.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Please lord today help me to examine my life, my faith, and my beliefs, and to reconcile them with you and your church, so that I can be a sheep following the good Sheppard, and not a wolf stealing souls away from you.

Luke 1:57-66, 80

Lectio (Reading)

When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child
she gave birth to a son.
Her neighbors and relatives heard
that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her,
and they rejoiced with her.
When they came on the eighth day to circumcise the child,
they were going to call him Zechariah after his father,
but his mother said in reply,
“No. He will be called John.”
But they answered her,
“There is no one among your relatives who has this name.”
So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called.
He asked for a tablet and wrote, “John is his name,”
and all were amazed.
Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed,
and he spoke blessing God.
Then fear came upon all their neighbors,
and all these matters were discussed
throughout the hill country of Judea.
All who heard these things took them to heart, saying,
“What, then, will this child be?”
For surely the hand of the Lord was with him.
The child grew and became strong in spirit,
and he was in the desert until the day
of his manifestation to Israel.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

“No. He will be called John.” But they answered her, “There is no one among your relatives who has this name.” So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called. He asked for a tablet and wrote, “John is his name,” and all were amazed.

Oratio (Responding)

To best understand this reading we must remember in a previous reading, wherein Zachariah is punish with muteness because of his lack of faith regarding the forthcoming miraculous conception of John. Today’s reading marks the fulfillment of that promise. John is born and the elders come to circumcise, and name the newborn boy. The elders originally scoff at the name John, and did not think that it was a good name for the son of the High Priest. But Zachariah and his wife were told, by the archangel Gabriel to name him John, and in an act of faithful trust, they confirm that his name would be John. And this faithfulness is rewarded with the restoration of Zachariah’s voice.

I cannot emphasize strongly enough how important a voice is to a priest. There is no way to do the job of priest without a voice. it would be like a priest today offering the liturgy of the eucharist without hands. it is unthinkable. So the Birth of the this little boy John restored not only his voice, but it also restored Zachariah to the priesthood, and allowed him to serve, proclaim and prophesy once again.

Secondly, it is important to note that the name “John” means “graced by God.” And John was indeed graced, by God. Some of the church fathers have even taught that John was given the gift of freedom of sin. It is not a dogmatic teaching of the church, but some of the wisest church elders have held this pious tradition. Mary was “conceived” free of sin and lived her whole life free from sin. But, John on the other hand, it is believed, was conceived in the state of original sin, but was graced (by God) with the freedom of sin, at the moment he heard Mary’s voice and leapt in his mother’s womb.

This belief is not a required dogma, but it is considered true by many people. But when you ponder it, it is too perfect to not be true. The angel Gabriel told Zachariah and his wife that “his name shall be John”. So it is safe to assume that that name is what God calls him in heaven, and if that is indeed God’s name for him, then I believe it is safe to believe that John was indeed graced by god with freedom from sin.

John was indeed a very faithful and righteous man. He lived as an essene in the Desert, He owned no possesions, and he devoted his whole life to the watchful waiting for the coming of the messiah. When Jesus arrived, John spent his entire ministry pointing to the one greater than him. And he spoke truth, at all times, even when it would eventually cost him his life. After he died, Jesus Himself said that no one among men was greater than John the Baptist.

So whether or not John was graced with the gift of “freedom from sin” we should always look to him as a model for our lives…, watchfully waiting, preaching the gospel of the Lord, and speaking the truth despite the consequences. St. John the Baptist, Pray for us!

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Please lord help me today to be a small voice that proclaims your word and your second coming into the world.

Matthew 7:1-5

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Stop judging, that you may not be judged.
For as you judge, so will you be judged,
and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you.
Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye,
but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye?
How can you say to your brother,
‘Let me remove that splinter from your eye,’
while the wooden beam is in your eye?
You hypocrite, remove the wooden beam from your eye first;
then you will see clearly
to remove the splinter from your brother’s eye.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove that splinter from your eye,’ while the wooden beam is in your eye You hypocrite, remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter from your brother’s eye.

Oratio (Responding)

In commentary on this Gospel, Dr. John Bergsma summarizes the meaning of this gospel concisely: “There are three topics addressed in our Gospel: the importance of a teacher as a model, the danger of hypocrisy, and the mark of a good person.” These three things are made abundantly clear when you read the gospel from this perspective.

Jesus’ is the greatest of all teachers, and He is the perfect role model. The early christians said that following Jesus was called “the way.” and that is completely true. If you model your life after Jesus, and follow His teachings you will be less likely fall into the pit of temptation and sin. Everything that Jesus taught was meant to lift our souls up to God, and to rightly order our lives to be in full communion with Him. And everything he did in His life on earth was to show us the proper response to all temptation and sinful things that happens in a Human life. His response was always virtue, and humility, and righteousness. and that is how we are to live our lives as well.

But alas we are humans and we fall all of the time. Sin is a part of our existence. But Jesus tells us today that hypocrisy is especially dangerous. It is one of those things that we don’t need to be taught, because we all instinctively understand what it is. Hypocrisy is one of those things that we humans are hyper-aware of. It is almost lke a super-power we have to be completely oblivious about our own faults, and hyper critical of everyone elses. Hypocrisy dwells in pride. It comes from that same serpent that tells you you are better than, and that you don’t need anyone else, and so you start to think less of your own faults, and become hyper aware of everyone else’s.

The only antidote to hypocrisy is introspection. We need to take time to sit and reflect. But even leisure time is in short supply these days. We are all constantly on our phones, and screens, and some are on social networks endlessly, which is another constant source of attack and threat. Humans are becoming more and more reactive, and less and less reflective. And as a result we are becoming a much more callous and hard generation. There was a reason that God made one day a week a mandatory day of reflection, because we cannot be constantly on defense, we need time to be introspective, and to be at rest from the onslaught.

And thus, the mark of a good person, is the fruits that come from following the example of the good teacher, resisting the temptation of hypocrisy and pride, and ordering your life toward righteousness, and goodness. We do that by never forgetting to take time, every day, to pray and to reflect on our lives, and our families, and on our relationship with God. And we must take one day a week (Sunday), to not work at all, to be with family and God, and to take time to reflect on things bigger than ourselves, and upon our relationship with Him and all of the people in our lives that we love. And we must always resist the temptation to judge others, without first reflecting on our own sins first. This is crucial to the balance and happiness that God wants for all of us. Make the time in your own life and you will see the fruits.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Today lord help me to judge with right judgement, and to be fair and impartial to all of those that fall under my authority.

Luke 9:11b-17

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus spoke to the crowds about the kingdom of God,
and he healed those who needed to be cured.
As the day was drawing to a close,
the Twelve approached him and said,
“Dismiss the crowd
so that they can go to the surrounding villages and farms
and find lodging and provisions;
for we are in a deserted place here.”
He said to them, “Give them some food yourselves.”
They replied, “Five loaves and two fish are all we have,
unless we ourselves go and buy food for all these people.”
Now the men there numbered about five thousand.
Then he said to his disciples,
“Have them sit down in groups of about fifty.”
They did so and made them all sit down.
Then taking the five loaves and the two fish,
and looking up to heaven,
he said the blessing over them, broke them,
and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd.
They all ate and were satisfied.
And when the leftover fragments were picked up,
they filled twelve wicker baskets.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Then he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of [about] fifty.” 15 They did so and made them all sit down. 16 Then taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing over them, broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd.

Oratio (Responding)

From 5 barley loaves, and 2 fish, 5000 people ate their fill and there were 12 baskets of fragments left over. This miracle is a fulfillment of the promise and abundance of God’s love, it prefigures the miracle of transubstantiation that Jesus created at the last supper, and it forsadows the miracle of the eucharistic that happens at every mass. The numbers mentioned here are very intresting to consider as well. The young boy represents the jewish people bringing their meager offering to the Lord, the 5 loaves represents the 5 books of the torah (the law), the 2 fish represents the teachings of the prophets, and when you add them up we get 7, the number of perfection, completeness, divine fullness, and sabbath rest. Meaning when you live life by the law and the prophets, you will find divine completeness, and can rest in the God’s divine will. The 5000 represents a great multitude of the world’s people, and the 12 baskets represents the 12 tribes of Israel, and the new gathering in of the dispersed people of Israel.

Yet despite all of these metaphors, this miracle of the multiplication of bread actually really did happen. The modernist would like you to believe that the miracle was a metaphor too, and that it was only people sharing what they had with each other. But this idea should not be considered seriously. These athiests do not believe that Jesus was God, and they desperately do not want you to believe it either. They eagerly try to find other ways to explain how miracles happen. But this is a blatant attempt to steal your faith away, and it must be rejected completely. This multiplication was indeed a miracle, and it actually happened. A great multitude of people witnessed it, 5000 men plus their wives and children, and it is recorded in the history books.

Many have tried to explain how this miracle might have happend. Some say it happened all at once, and Jesus took the small offering and multiplied it into a great pile of food which was then distributed. But that seems too gratuitous and show’y for Jesus. I believe that God is more subtle than that. Here is how I think that this miracle might have happened. Imagine someone hands you a whole loaf of bread, you break it in half, and then hand the other half to the next person, but as you hand over the loaf to the next person it is a whole loaf again. This miracle would then have been repeated over and over…until all personally witnessed the miracle, everyone was fed, and there was much left over, I think that is more in line with How Jesus taught us when He was in the world. But regardless of how it happened, this had to be a truly an incredible thing to behold, and unquestionably a miracle.

But there is much more to this event than simply the miracle of multiplication, it is actually a fulfillment of the all of the care and protection that God provided the Jewish people in the old testament, and a prefigurement of the future and how God will provide all that we need in the eucharist? There are many times in the old testament that stories have foreshadowed this moment of the 5000, and the future feeding of the whole world in the eucharist. You could start with Joseph storing up grain in egypt for Pharoah, and then feeding the whole world when the famine came. Also with Moses in the desert, asking for God to give them food, and the Lord sends down manna in the morning, and quail in the evening, and all were fed. Or you could look to 1st Kings where Elisha feeds 100 people from 20 barley loaves.

All of these moments foreshadow todays reading, and the future miracle of the eucharist but the ties between Elisha in the old testament, and Jesus at the last supper are very striking. They both occur close to the time of passover. They both consist of the people sitting down and reclining. They both consist of the great high priest saying the words of institution…, Take this bread, give thanks, break the bread and distribute to all that are present. You do not have to be a bible scholar to see the connections here, and it is truly remarkable when you really think about it. This moment had be planned and forseen by God from the very beginning.

Lastly, this metaphor also points to the superabundant promises that God, in His infinite mercy has for us in heaven. We sinful humans can only offer Him a broken soul, and a weak faith, but through His grace and unfathomable mercy, He turns that small offering into eternal joy and happiness with Him in heaven. If we would just set aside our pride and humbly give Him back a small portion of what He has already given us, He will in turn, lavish us with unimaginable gifts, and satiate every good desire we have.

Ultimately, most of us still need food to live, and our time in this world is often devoted to the procurement and consumption of these earthly goods. But with great faith “our daily bread” in the eucharist, is really all that we need to survive. And as proof of this, there are even miracles of saints that lived for years on only the bread and wine of the eucharist. But for the rest of us with a small faith, the gift of the eucharist will, over time, start to transform our small gifts into a superabundant food that will ultimately sustain us for all eternity.

So finally, we come to you and me and our walk with the Lord today. What are you bringing the the mass, what are you offering to the lord? He is simply waiting for you to bring your meager gift so He can multiply it. What are you waiting for, start today, He is waiting to feed you.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord Help me to see every gift given from god in the same way. Amen.

Matthew 6:24-34

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his disciples:
“No one can serve two masters.
He will either hate one and love the other,
or be devoted to one and despise the other.
You cannot serve God and mammon.

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life,
what you will eat or drink,
or about your body, what you will wear.
Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?
Look at the birds in the sky;
they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns,
yet your heavenly Father feeds them.
Are not you more important than they?
Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span?
Why are you anxious about clothes?
Learn from the way the wild flowers grow.
They do not work or spin.
But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor
was clothed like one of them.
If God so clothes the grass of the field,
which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow,
will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith?
So do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat?’
or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear?’
All these things the pagans seek.
Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.
But seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness,
and all these things will be given you besides.
Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself.
Sufficient for a day is its own evil.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides. Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil.

Oratio (Responding)

It is said that the one thing that God repeats in the bible more than any other thing is “do not be afraid” or some variant thereof. It is said 366 times, one for every day of the year plus leap year. Why does He repeat this so often, because humans are perpetual worriers. We worry about everything, our children, our homes, our communities, our countries, the world! We are constantly worrying. This is why Jesus tells us “Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil.”

We are not to worry about the future, today has enough things to deal with. Further, He is telling us that if you only think about the future when will you have time to think about God. The church father Theophylact of Orchid explains it this way: “‘The evil of the day’ means the crushing burden and pressure [of life]. It is sufficient for you that you are afflicted by today’s burden. If you also take thought for tomorrow, and continually burden yourself for the sake of bodily things, when will you have time for God?”

Jesus does not want this for us. Worry is detrimental to our happiness, especially worry about the future. Worry betrays a lack of trust…, in ourselves, in our station, but mostly in God. In this passage He talks about the birds of the air and the flowers of the field, and how they live without worry, God feeds them and cares for them, they thrive, and are adorned in beauty every spring. How much more is His love for us? And how much more does He want to have an even greater relationship with us?

But how do we reconcile this teaching with Genesis, when God told Adam and Eve that they would toil and work every day of their lives. They actually had a relationship in the garden with God, that is very similar to how the birds and the flowers live. They were completely taken care of. But when they sinned they broke all of that, they chose themselves over God, and they lost their trust in Him. They brought all of this pain and struggle and worry into their own lives.

But that does not mean we have to have the same fate. We don’t have to choose ourselves, but we can instead trust in God, and break that cycle of original sin. That is what Jesus is teaching us today, the way to find our way back to the garden, and our way back into relationship with Him. We only need to put down our sin, choose His will for our lives, over our own, and to trust that in all things He has our best interest in mind at all times. This seems so hard, and almost impossible in today’s world, and the world will call you crazy for believing it, but it is what we are called to do, and despite all the claims to the contrary, it is possible!

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh Lord, help me today to trust in you in all things, and to worry less.

Matthew 6:19-23

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth,
where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal.
But store up treasures in heaven,
where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal.
For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.

“The lamp of the body is the eye.
If your eye is sound, your whole body will be filled with light;
but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be in darkness.
And if the light in you is darkness, how great will the darkness be.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth…, But store up treasures in heaven…, For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.

Oratio (Responding)

What is “treasure” in heaven? It is not gold or jewels, or a silo full of grain. God’s treasure is love and the effects of our love. It is the souls in this life that you touch and change, the children you procreate and raise. The good deeds you do that bring joy and happiness to others. The prayers you offer in sacrifice for others, and the life you forfeit for the sake of god and his church.

At the end of your life, when you die, if you are in a state of loving friendship with God, then you will go to purgatory to be cleansed of your last attachment to sin. And when you finally get to heaven you will be given a crown that corresponds to the treasure in heaven that you have saved up in your mortal life. Martyrs, saints, and even you, all get crowns, and that crown reflects your closeness to God.

But it is important to point our here, that these different crowns are not a punishment or a reward, it is a gift that is requisite to how much your heart is disposed toward God. God is a burning flame of love. The closer you get to him the harder it is to be there if you have anything closing off your heart to him. Gods flame does not burn away matter and flesh, but it burns away sin. Purgatory is there to remove the last attachments to sin we have in our lives, because if we were to be in god’s presence in a state of sin, we would not be able to stand the pain.

But after the sin is burned away, the only thing left is your openness to the lord. Jesus and Mary were totally open to God and His will, and thus it makes sense that they are at His right hand. The rest of us are all at different states of openness to God and His will, and thus we will all find that we are all at different levels of closeness to the lord. But in the end our closeness to God in heaven is completely our own free choice, not something that is imposed on us from above. So choose well, don’t allow anything to come between you and His eternal love.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me to come closer to you, and your will for me in this world, so that I can be with you in heaven for eternity. I pray for this lord, it is the greatest desire of my life.

Matthew 6:7-15

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his disciples:
“In praying, do not babble like the pagans,
who think that they will be heard because of their many words.
Do not be like them.
Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

“This is how you are to pray:

‘Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy Kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.’

“If you forgive others their transgressions,
your heavenly Father will forgive you.
But if you do not forgive others,
neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.

Oratio (Responding)

The our father is probably the most well know prayer in christianity. All christians pray it, and all use the version found here in the Gospel of Matthew. But the line “Forgive us our traspasses as we forgive those that traspass against us.” has always seemed to alude me and most people.

We recite it all the time, but I wonder how many of us have actually contemplated what it means. The answer is found in the line directly after the “our father prayer” (Matthew 6:14-15). In it Matthew repeats the message of forgiveness, but repeats it in a very clear way. Stated simply, it says you will NOT be forgiven, unless you forgive. So simple, but sometimes that may seem like a very high bar to get over.

Humans invariably hurt each other. Sometimes so badly that we may think forgiveness is not possible. But this forgiveness is crucial not only to the plan god has for us in his kingdom of heaven, but right now in our own pain and suffering. Withholding forgiveness really only harms one person, You! Half of the people that have harmed you don’t know, and the other half don’t care. So carrying that resentment only harms you, and prevents you from the freedom and happiness that God really wants for you.

The other reason is that in Gods Kingdom, you will not be allowed to carry resentment. All souls in heaven must understand that love is the highest law, and the hurt, if it happens, must not be allowed to fester, it must be dealt with immediately, so that the healing grace of love can flow back into all of our relationships. This is our call in heaven, and it is our call now. So we need to forgive everything…, from the worst of horrors, down to the slightest offense. For both their sake and ours.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to find that loving forgiveness that you so want for us, so that I can be healed, and all those I have hurt can be healed too.

Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Take care not to perform righteous deeds
in order that people may see them;
otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.
When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you,
as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets
to win the praise of others.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you give alms,
do not let your left hand know what your right is doing,
so that your almsgiving may be secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

“When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites,
who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners
so that others may see them.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door,
and pray to your Father in secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

“When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites.
They neglect their appearance,
so that they may appear to others to be fasting.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
so that you may not appear to others to be fasting,
except to your Father who is hidden.
And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you…, When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites…, When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites.

Oratio (Responding)

These proscriptions are meant to foster humility in our souls. Humility is the antidote to pride, and the cornerstone of Jesus’s teaching. Humility in prayer means that you are doing it only for God, and not for credit or acknowledgement.

Our whole world runs on the questions “Who is responsible for this?” or “Who deserves credit for that?” Humans are always making sure they know who did what, or who’s fault it is. But God only cares that we develop a personal relationship with Him, and “personal” means that it is just between you and Him. No one else need know about it.

Another way to look at this is that you should never judge the person that seems to not to be prayerful at all, you have no idea what their prayer life might be actually like. It is not for you to know or for them to tell you, you need to mind your own business.

So what does it mean to have a personal relationship with Jesus. Well first you need to get to know Him. You need to read about Him, learn about Him, and when you think you know Him a little better, you need to talk (aka, pray) to Him. And finally, when you are done praying, you need to listen to what He is trying to tell you. This last part is the hardest for me. I find it very difficult to slow my brain down long enough to hear something other than my own thoughts, but it is just as important as everything else.

Personal relationship does not mean that you will be best friends immediately. Like all of our relationships, it is a journey, and there will be times that you feel really close to Him and there are others that you will feel very far away. But that is the point, He wants to be be part of our lives, at all times, good and bad. It is on you to decide how that will look in your life, and how much you will let Him in.

So decide today, ask Him into your life, and turn to Him at all times. Look to Him for help and guidance with whatever you might need. He is waiting for you, you just need to ask.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, Please help me today to hear what you have to tell me.

Matthew 5:43-48

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his disciples:
“You have heard that it was said,
You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.
But I say to you, love your enemies
and pray for those who persecute you,
that you may be children of your heavenly Father,
for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good,
and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.
For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have?
Do not the tax collectors do the same?
And if you greet your brothers only,
what is unusual about that?
Do not the pagans do the same?
So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Jesus said to his disciples: “You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you

Oratio (Responding)

This passage has one of the most difficult commands in the bible…, “Love your enemies.” This teachings picks up from yesterday’s reading where Jesus is essentially progressing the law forward. Yesterday, we spoke about the law of an eye for an eye, today we discus how we relate to our enemies. The law of Moses was indeed a major social change in the way that the world viewed justice. Before Moses the world was not “eye for eye” it was “your life for an eye.”

The world was run by strongmen, and was brutal and hopelessly unfair. When the Lord established the law of requisite justice, He changed how the world looked at life and the inherent dignity and worth of all humanity. But that was just the first step. If the Lord told Moses, 2000 years ago that he should not respond to any aggression with violence, and that we should love those that persecute us, it would likely not be possible for humans to understand or even accept. So that was phase one of shifting peoples minds to equal justice, and today’s reading is phase two, of not returning violence for violence.

But even now, in this modern age the idea of non-violence and loving enemies is hard to accept, or even sometimes understand, but Jesus has shifted the way that the world looks at these subjects. And while we have not been able to fully achieve these things in this world, we will in the next, and that will be the phase three. Heaven will be a place where the beatitudes will be lived out in daily life, and these teachings will not be a “pie-in-the-sky” dream, but the real lived experience of all of the blessed in heaven.

That is the point of this life, to convert your heart to the wisdom of this teaching. And the joy and love that comes from sacrifice and service to others. Hatred, vengeance, and sin are paths only to suffering and pain, this world and this time that you have been given is God’s gift to you to get your mind right, and to stop thinking as humans do, and to start thinking as God does. When you accomplish that, you will be ready to enter the pearly gates of heaven. Love your neighbor and pray for those that persecute you. That is the law of heaven, get used to it, and start following it now, so you will be ready when you get to heaven.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh Lord, purify my mind, clarify my understanding, and pacify my will to your plan for my life. I want more than anything to be with you in heaven, help me make the next steps I need to make to be there with you. Amen.

Matthew 5:38-42

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his disciples:
“You have heard that it was said,
An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.
But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil.
When someone strikes you on your right cheek,
turn the other one to him as well.
If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic,
hand him your cloak as well.
Should anyone press you into service for one mile,
go with him for two miles.
Give to the one who asks of you,
and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil.

Oratio (Responding)

For 1000s of years before the Jews, the rule that all people lived by was the “law of the strongman.” If you had money or power, your life was worth more than those without, and all people sought these things over everything else, and at the expense of everyone else. When God, on the mountain, gave His law to the Moses, He changed everything. “Eye for Eye,” elevated all of human life to the same level. It meant that all were equal, all were valued as persons in God’s kingdom. I cannot emphasize enough how different this thought was from the way people lived at that time. This law progressed society more than any other thing that humans have done up to that time.

But god was not done there. In Jesus’ teachings here, He changed people again with the command to turn other cheek. Important note here is that Jesus was not changing the law here, He was expanding it, or progressing it for the next evolution of morality. “Eye for an eye” was intended to help make society more moral and equal. “Turn the other cheek” was intended to help people learn to not return violence with violence. This teaching did two things that were ground breaking. First it caused people to not think of revenge on a personal level. Eye for eye was about equality, turn the cheek was about justice.

In those times, powerful people often struck their servants and lower class people with an open palm on their right hand, and sadly this was accepted and allowed. So in order to strike someone on the other cheek required the use of back of your right hand. The left hand was not ever used because the left hand was considered unclean and to strike with the back of the right hand was to treat someone the way a master would treat a slave or an animal, which was not permitted in Jewish law. So if you turned your other check to your aggressor, it meant that you were daring your attacker to strike you again, and to do it in an unlawful way.

Jesus then is clearly teaching us here to not return aggression with more aggression, but more importantly he is teaching a new type of resistance, saying to his attacker, I will not return violence with violence, but I will also not allow you to treat me like a slave or an animal. This teaching thus again moved society forward, raising the bar, teaching people the inherent dignity and worth of all human beings, and teaching that God commands that we treat all people as if they are our brothers and sisters, and not our possessions.

Morality is a reflection of how things will be in the kingdom of heaven, and since we humans are so far from that high call, that high love. God has chosen to slowly moved society forward and show us how to evolve from living like animals to being beloved sons and daughters in the kingdom of heaven. That is our call too, to follow Christ Jesus, and learn how to be a saint, and then conform our lives to that call. Nothing unclean can enter heaven, so this is our life’s work, to do good and resist evil, and reconcile our sins with God before we die. You must accomplish this before the end of your time. It is better to start now, while you still have time, don’t wait to the end when it will be too late.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to see and treat my fellow man as if they were my brother or sister, and to love them the way you do. Amen.

John 16:12-15

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his disciples:
“I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now.
But when he comes, the Spirit of truth,
he will guide you to all truth.
He will not speak on his own,
but he will speak what he hears,
and will declare to you the things that are coming.
He will glorify me,
because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.
Everything that the Father has is mine;
for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine
and declare it to you.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. Everything that the Father has is mine; for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.

Oratio (Responding)

How can God take from what is Jesus’ and declare it to us. This seems impossible considering that Jesus is divine and we are not. How is it that we could do anything that Jesus’s did? But we can, and that in the end is God’s great desire. Imagine that! God is the source of all goodness truth and beauty, and He desires that we all join Him in Heaven for all eternity, and enter into relationship with Him forever. How is this possible?

Let me start by describing love. Love is a gift, freely given and freely recieved. There are many kinds of love, in fact, the greeks have 8 words for love. But the 4 higher loves are represented as an exchange between persons, and a relationship. The 4 high loves are philio, storge, eros, and agape. Philio is the the love among friends. Storge, is the love among family members, Eros, is the deeply intimate, romantic love shared between spouses, and finally Agape is the selfless, sacrificial love given without expectation of anything in return. But all of the first three are shared in relationship between members of those groups, but ultimately, in their highest form, are also in exchange with agape. All love starts as relationship, and as the love grows it becomes selfless, and sacrificial, to the point that the relationship is identified by the love exchanged between friends family, or spouse. But love is ultimately cemented in how it is exchanged with agape.

This exchange, and relationship, is how St. Augustine explained the trinity. The trinity is one of the hardest mysteries of God to understand, and in truth we will never fully comprehend it completely, but that does not mean that we cannot understand anything about it. St. Augustine said that in order to understand the trinity we must start with the mind. God in heaven is a mind and will. He has a perfect mind and a divine will. Thomas Aquinas described this mind and will as not just a being, but being itself. God, in his most fundamental form, is existence, and all things in the universe are held together in existence through His divine will and His perfect mind. This mind and will are what we humans have in common with God, and they are what it means to be made in His image. We possess a will and a mind of our own but they exist only insofar at they are part of His perfect mind and His divine will.

But getting back to Augustine. The mind of God is the source of everything in the universe, it is perfect in every way, and everything that is good, true, or beautiful that we find in the world is poured out from that one source, God Himself. When God thought of Himself considered His being, using His perfect self knowledge of Himself, He recognized the ultimate goodness of Himself, the perfect truth of Himself, and the beauty of Himself and He instantly fell in love. We are talking here about perfect self love, which is actually the beginning of all love. This is NOT narcissism, or self-aggrandizing self love, We are talking about God acknowledging the good that is inside of His own mind and loving the goodness of it. This external projection of Himself is the second person of the trinity, Jesus, The word incarnate. Jesus is not any less than the Father, He is not created from the Father, He is the perfect, and total reflection of the father in every way. Jesus then, as a separate person, one in being with the father looked back at the Father and recognized the same perfect goodness, and poured out His love back on the Father. That love share between them is the Holy Spirit, the Third person of the Trinity.

The trinitarian relationship and exchange of love is the model for the perfection of love, because God at his ultimate core, is love and the source of all love. He is the perfection of love, and perfect love requires relationship. Love cannot exist without relationship. There must be a giver, a recipient, and the gift exchanged between them, or as Aquinas put it, the Lover, the Beloved, and the Love exchanged between them. If all three are not present, then it is not Love, it is something else, something less. Love without a gift exchanged, is selfishness. Love without a recipient, is just feelings. And love without a giver is just luck. This is why God is a trinity. Because if God is the source of all things, including love, He must exist as a trinity, because it is only in the perfection of this exchange and relationship, that we find real and true love.

So with all that said, here is the most amazing thing…, and this will completely blow your mind. Jesus says the the Holy Spirit will guide you to “all truth”? God, creator of the universe, loves you so much that He is going to send Himself, in the person of the Holy Spirit, to each and every one of us, to guide us to Himself. As He says in todays reading He is going to take those things that are Jesus’ and declare them to you. Do you know what that means? God, the trinity, the perfection of divine love is inviting you into that same relationship. He wants to pour his love out onto you, totally and completely, and He desires to recieve your love totally and completely in return. WOW!

We humans, instincutually reject that this might be possible. We often think of God like Zues, with his lighting bolts, and his capricious anger. We think to ourselves “How could God care about me?” But He does…, He created you, He knows every hair on your head, and wants only the best for you. He loves each of us so much that He came here to show us that love, and He ultimately died because many could not accept it. But make no mistake, He died for you!

Today, though Jesus is not here in flesh anymore, and so He sends us the Holy Spirit (His complete and total love) as a guide to lead us back into communion with Him. He is infinitely forgiving and merciful, He gives us one chance after another for reconciliation. What did we do to deserve such affection? I dont know, but I am grateful for it. But now that you know about this God, and His endless generosity, what are you going to do? Are you going to go about your day as if nothing has changed, are you going to ignore this, or are you going to radically change your life, and live in gratitude for His great gift and love? This is the call that we are all forced to encounter today, what will you do?

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, Help me hear the call of your holy spirit, and help me to bring it fully into my life.

Matthew 5:33-37

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his disciples:
“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors,
Do not take a false oath,
but make good to the Lord all that you vow.
But I say to you, do not swear at all;
not by heaven, for it is God’s throne;
nor by the earth, for it is his footstool;
nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.
Do not swear by your head,
for you cannot make a single hair white or black.
Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’
Anything more is from the Evil One.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No. Anything more is from the Evil One.

Oratio (Responding)

A little context is needed here to better understand why Jesus is saying this. For the jewish people oaths were taken only for the purpose of covenants. An oath would call down God’s participation into the covenantal union being established. Meaning, those that fulfilled the oath would be blessed by God and those that broke the oath would be cursed by God. An oath required, faith and love and commitment, and it was understood that it was not to be taken lightly.

Jesus here reminds of this fact, invoking the law and saying “Do not take a false oath, but make good to the Lord all that you vow.” This comes from the Law given to Moses on the mountain, directly from God. An oath if made can only be made in the name of God, anything else will not be recognized. But many jews of this time were out making oaths in the name of heaven, or the earth, or Jerusalem, or even on their own heads. These oaths were fraught with error and deceit. They were erroneous, because they were not valid, and not recognized by divine law, and they were deceitful, because they appeared on the outside to have authority, and power behind, them but they were actually just empty hollow promises. This practice essentially allowed people to claim that they would do something, with no assurance that there would be any follow through.

There was great temptation in using this practice. You could gain power and authority, without any consequences for not keeping your oath. St. Cornelius of Lapide said that the temptation could either come from the devil directly trying to tempt you into perjuring yourself, or maybe even personal vice, or irreverence toward Gods law and his commandments. In either case being and oath-breaker was punishable by death, and so by making an oath in the name of heaven, or earth, or even your own head, would not hold you to that same standard and consequence.

But Jesus in today’s reading says “Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No. Anything more is from the Evil One.” Because He hates lies and deceit, and He wants you to not allow yourself to fall for these temptations, and instead be upright, and truthful, and keep your word whether it is a simple promise or a covenantal oath. Anything short of that is a demonic lie.

I believe that this message is one that speaks directly into our time today. The devil has succeeded in separating so many of God’s people from Him, and His divine will. We have vast numbers of people that have stopped looking to God for answers to what is right and wrong, and have instead decided to look inside themselves for the truth. They tell us that “you have your truth, and I have my truth,” and “you do you.” The whole world has it all backwards. There is only one truth and it is God, and you can only swear an oath or make promise by one name, and that is Jesus. Anything that is less than that is a lie from the devil.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to be upright, and truthful in all that I do and say, amen.

Matthew 5:27-32

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his disciples:
“You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery.
But I say to you,
everyone who looks at a woman with lust
has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
If your right eye causes you to sin,
tear it out and throw it away.
It is better for you to lose one of your members
than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna.
And if your right hand causes you to sin,
cut it off and throw it away.
It is better for you to lose one of your members
than to have your whole body go into Gehenna.

“It was also said,
Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of divorce.
But I say to you,
whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful)
causes her to commit adultery,
and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away.And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away.

Oratio (Responding)

Should the bible be read literally or metaphorically? Many christians will fight very hard on both sides of this question. But the answer is not exactly obvious, and like most things in the catholic faith, it is “both, and…” Meaning both apply in different ways and at different times. We have to read what is happening in the passages before for and after any particular reading. When we do this, and also study what was happening to the people in and around the time of the passage we will come to understand more fully the truth about what Jesus is trying to teach us.

In today’s reading, the Lord Jesus has already gathered his first disciples. He is healing multitudes of people and He is teaching all those that are flocking to Him about God’s law and what is required of them to come into the kingdom. Jesus is using a technique here that the jewish people were familiar with. In temple the rabbi would read from the scrolls and then would sit down and teach about the law and what the reading meant. Rabbi’s would often use this technique of “exaggerating for the sake of emphasis,” in order to teach the importance of the message being given.

It is abundantly clear that today’s message is meant to be taken symbolically, for if we all followed this teaching to the letter, the world be left deaf and blind. And we can know for certain that a good and loving God does not want this, and I can prove it. Jesus clearly taught us in another passage that if we teach and live by the law of “an eye for an eye,” then the whole world will be left blind. God does not and cannot contradict Himself, so we can conclude that this is metaphor, and we can rest assured that Jesus clearly does not want all of His beloved sons and daughters to be rendered blind and mute.

And to further the explanation, if you contrast today’s teaching with that of John 6 you can see the difference between when He teaches metaphorically vs. literally. In John 6 where the lord clearly says, “unless you eat my body, and drink my blood, you cannot have eternal life.” Jesus was not using metaphor in this instance. He said it plainly, He was challenged directly, and He did not back down, in-fact he doubled and tripled down on His previous statement. And as a result many of His followers left Him, and He neither said nor did anything to stop them from leaving.

Nevertheless, today’s reading has an important message for us to understand even today. It shows us that it is not the big temptations of this world, like lust and pride, and anger, that cause us to sin. But it is actually the little things along the way, the small sins that weaken us and lead us to the big sin. It is like the bull that is charging matador. It is not a single cut of the sword that kills the bull. It is the many small slashes along the way that weaken the bull to the point where it simply just lays down, and the matador casually walks up and delivers the final “coup de gras.”

Jesus taught in another reading that “The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones; and the person who is dishonest in very small matters is also dishonest in great ones.” So we must guard ourselves at all times to be on the look out for the little sins that soften our defenses and weaken us against the big ones. And we do that by being faithful in the small things. That means that you need to devote time to pray the rosary every day, go to mass every week, do good and resist evil. Living this way will bring you into God’s kingdom, and it will make the world a better place along the way. This is our call, how will you answer.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh Lord, help me today to resist the small sins, that lead to destruction, and instead follow you, and to be faithful to you in all things.

Matthew 5:20-26

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his disciples:
“I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that
of the scribes and Pharisees,
you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven.

“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors,
You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.
But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother
will be liable to judgment,
and whoever says to his brother,
Raqa, will be answerable to the Sanhedrin,
and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna.
Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar,
and there recall that your brother
has anything against you,
leave your gift there at the altar,
go first and be reconciled with your brother,
and then come and offer your gift.
Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court with him.
Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge,
and the judge will hand you over to the guard,
and you will be thrown into prison.
Amen, I say to you,
you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, ‘Raqa,’ will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna.

Oratio (Responding)

This is a high bar for most of us that are not saints yet. But we are all called to forgive without consideration of anything in return. Rhuminating on past slights only leads to anger, anger then leads to hate, and hate finally leads to suffering. Most people dont have the ability to deal with these emotions, and ultimately lash out with words or violence, which perpetuates the cycle. Jesus’ commandment here, short circuits this cycle by ending it before it even begins. Forgiveness, heals not only you but the one that is hurting you, and that is why it is the perfect answer to the problem of anger.

We have all had the experience where something that was making us angry, when we find out the source is an innocent mistake, that we are immediately not angry anymore. If it is so easy to not be angry in those situations why is it so much harder when it is intentionally done to us…? Yhe answer is that we choose it, whether it is pride, or injustice, or some other combination of sins, we choose to be angry, and respond according to that choice. It is not rational, or acceptable, but we must, with God’s help try to choose to forgive instead of being angry. This is not something we can do on our own, but with God’s help we can be better at it.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Please lord help me today to respond with love and forgiveness instead of reacting with anger.

Matthew 5:17-19

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets.
I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.
Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away,
not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter
will pass from the law,
until all things have taken place.
Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments
and teaches others to do so
will be called least in the Kingdom of heaven.
But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments
will be called greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law.

Oratio (Responding)

This reading always used to bother me, because I thought that it meant that God was changing His mind, which is impossible! I used to think that this passage was proof of God replacing divine law in the bible (eg eye-for-eye), with new law (turn the other cheek). But I now know that it is not replaced, but is fulfilled.

The law of “an eye for eye” was a ground breaking law in the history of this world. It brought justice into the world for the lowliest and most persecuted, and made visible the most invisible people in the world. The “turn the other cheek” is a law for how the individual is supposed to deal with other people that hurt and persecute them individually. One is societal and the other is personal.

But even beyond that difference there is another big difference, and that is the evolution of our consciences. When you start to see souls, as humans, then it quickly becomes apparent that you cannot treat them like animals or trash, and so when society is finally changed by the first law, then it is ultimately ready to be confronted by the second law. This is the natural progression of building conscience and fulfilling God’s law of love.

The final stage of this progression is the kingdom of Heaven. The law there is love God, and love your neighbor as you love yourself. For most of the world this is not possible yet. We can barely deal with the “turn the other cheeek” law. But that is not how it will be in Heaven. In Heaven, the law will be love, and we will be called to love each other as we love ourselves, and how we love God. It seems impossible in the here and now, but it is what we will be called to do when we get there.

So we need to start practicing now, and with all of those people that the Lord has put into our lives. And even if we cannot complete it here and now, we need to at least try so that Jesus can then perfect it in us completely, in Heaven. This is fullfillment of the law, and it is beautiful when you finally understand it.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh Lord, thank you for loving us enough, and being patient enough, to teach us how to love you, and each other. We are not worthy of such great love, but we are so grateful.

Matthew 5:13-16

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his disciples:
“You are the salt of the earth.
But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned?
It is no longer good for anything
but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
You are the light of the world.
A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden.
Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket;
it is set on a lampstand,
where it gives light to all in the house.
Just so, your light must shine before others,
that they may see your good deeds
and glorify your heavenly Father.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

You are the salt of the earth…,You are the light of the world.

Oratio (Responding)

What does this parable mean? There are several ways to look at this analogy, and they are all deeply meaningful. Salt and light both enhance everything around them. They give of themselves to make the things around them better, meaning that they both make the things they come into contact with more like that thing. Salt makes the food it is on taste more like that food. Light makes a thing more clearly visible, and not hidden in darkness.

Salt and light also have the ability to purify. When meat is salted, the salt preserves the food, preventing bacteria, and other things from corrupting and rotting the food. Light as well has similar properties. Dark and wet places grow bacteria, and disease, but places that are in direct sunlight are the opposite, they are dry and sterile. With enough time, anything placed in the light will be purified.

Finally, Salt and light both have a spiritual warfare aspect as well. Conquering armies would use salt to kill farm fields of their enemies, and it has always been used as a sacramental that can be used for protection from evil spirits. So too with light, Consider the metaphor of the cockroaches scurrying away when the lights come on. The devil and his demons are just the same, they love to live in the darkness and shadows, and they hate light, they hate having their ugliness exposed for all to see.

So today Jesus is saying that we have to be like salt and light in the world. We have to enhance the world around us, shining light on it, and making it better. We have to use our nature and our connection with Jesus to purify those that we come into contact with every day. And we have to fight off the evil in our midst, conquering our worlds, claiming them for christ, and making them intolerable places for the evil forces of the world to ever return. It may seem like a tall order to fulfill, but with God all things are possible. So go out into the world and be salt and light.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to be salt and light to the world, helping to enhance those around me, to purify those that you have given me to work on, and give me the courage to fight evil and send it off into the darkness.

John 19:25-34

Lectio (Reading)

Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother
and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas,
and Mary of Magdala.
When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved,
he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.”
Then he said to the disciple,
“Behold, your mother.”
And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.
After this, aware that everything was now finished,
in order that the Scripture might be fulfilled,
Jesus said, “I thirst.”
There was a vessel filled with common wine.
So they put a sponge soaked in wine on a sprig of hyssop
and put it up to his mouth.
When Jesus had taken the wine, he said,
“It is finished.”
And bowing his head, he handed over the spirit.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Woman, behold, your son. Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother.”

Oratio (Responding)

Today we celebrate Mary as the mother of the church. When God commanded us to honor our Father and Mother, He not only meant our earthly fathers and mothers, but also our spiritual father and mother. God is our Spiritual Father, and Mary is our spiritual mother.

Mary is unique among Gods creation, she is 100% human, but she she is uniquely special to God because of her intimate relationship with every person of the trinity. She was a beloved daughter of the father (protected from sin). She was the Spouse of the holy spirit (when she said “let it be done to me”). But she is also mother of Jesus Christ, in that she carried the Lord Jesus in her womb, bore Him at the nativity, and raised Him into manhood.

Mother is one of her most important titles because she literally mothered Jesus Christ. But as we see in todays reading, when Jesus died, she also became the mother of the whole church. When He said to John “son, behold your mother” In giving her to John, Jesus was not only protecting his mother from being widowed and childless, a desperate fate for women at this time, but He was also giving us all His mother as our spiritual mother, and the protector of the body of christ, the holy church.

How do we know this? The old testament show us…, It is in the job description of the mother of the davidic king to be the spiritual mother of the whole nation. David’s son Solomon, did not make any of his 700 wives queen of the Davidic kingdom, but instead he crowned his mother Bathsheba as queen. The mother of the king held the second highest position in the kingdom, she sat as His right hand, and was the only person in the kingdom that the king could not refuse audience, and the Davidic queen was responsible for hearing the cries of the poor, and carrying those pleas directly to the ear of the king, and she would interceed on their behalf.

Mary is the mother of God, She is the queen of God’s heavenly kingdom. She is the first intercessor for us with Jeus in heaven. She carries the cries of the poor, our humble petitions directly to the throne of Christ the King of Heaven. She pleads our case directly to ear of the Lord, and interceeds on our behalf. Does this mean that God cannot hear our prayers, NO! But it does mean that you have someone pleading your case, someone that the king cannot refuse. That is a powerful intercession and you would be a fool to not take advantage of it. If you can convince Mary of your petition, you know that the lord will hear your prayer, and hear it in a way that is far more convincing, than you could accomplish on your own.

She is the most holy human that has ever lived. She is the model for how we are to relate to our father She is the most beloved disciple, she is the queen of heaven, and she is our mother. Look to her as your guide and model, and trust that she will always love and protect you.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Virgin most powerful, pray for us.

Matthew 5:1-12

Lectio (Reading)

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain,
and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him.
He began to teach them, saying:”Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you
and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.
Rejoice and be glad,
for your reward will be great in heaven.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.

Oratio (Responding)

The beatitudes (meaning blessings) are thought of, by many scholars, as the extension of the law given to Moses. But I feel that it is more accurate to say that the 10 commandments are the law by which we order our lives. The beatitudes on the other hand, are the simple instructions for how we love our neighbor as ourselves, and by doing so Loving God. Confused, I was at first too, but a couple years ago I heard a homily that helped me to better understand this truth. The priest explained that the beatitutes are actually the steps all of us sinners take on the journey toward sainthood. One leads to the next, and it is a beautiful progression toward sanctity. Let me explain….

“Blessed are the poor in spirit” – better understood as “poor for the sake of the Spirit.” This is the first step on the journey to God. It is recognizing your sin and deciding to change. Just like the prodigal son that looks into the feeding pots, and was jealous of the pigs. It is allowing the stirring of the holy spirit inside of you to help you recognize that you are a sinner, and that you are incomplete without God in your life. This recognition is the first step, and often times the hardest and most important one, because this is often the moment where the sinner finally turns toward God, and starts their journey back to Him.
“Blessed are those who mourn” – once you know that you are a sinner and need Gods help, the next thing is to understand how far you have fallen from God’s glory and His plan for your life. Sorrow and mourning are the just and righteous response to this introspection and self-realization. But this is not a perpetual time of mourning, because God will comfort you, and lead you to the next step.
“Blessed are the meek” – Meekness is specifically defined as power under control. Aquinas described it as a thoroughbred stallion that allows a man to put a saddle on him and ride. The horse could easily buck the man off, but out of obedience and humility he allows it. Meekness, can be more easily understood as humility. Humility is the realization that you are a fallen sinner, and that you are no better than anyone else. We are all sinners, and we all have fallen short of the glory of God. But humility is mostly the acceptance that you cannot be a beloved son or daughter of God without His help and His loving grace…, like the stallion, humility is allowing yourself to be yoked to Jesus, and in that union be directed by God’s will for your life.
“Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness” – After you humbly accept that you are a sinner and need Gods help, you will begin to yearn for God’s grace to lift you up and justify you. We yearn for this because we realize we do not have it in ourselves to achieve this righteousness on our own, and that we can only receive it from God. – Fasting is also a part of this step, because fasting truly helps orient our body and soul away from this world and direct it towards God, Direct it in a way that is most ready to accept the grace that God wants to pour out on you.
“Blessed are the merciful” – When your heart is yearning toward righteousness, you humbly look out on the world and you see that the world is suffering from the same ailment we all are, and you begin to empathize with other sinners and want to show mercy to them, because you recognize your own sinfulness and emptiness in the way others around us relate to God and each other. If you are honest with yourself you will understand that you are no better than any of them, and thus mercy is the logical response, and that mercy leads to the out-pouring of grace from God through you. That mercy may be just the thing that they need to start the journey for themselves and recognize their sin and separation from God.
“Blessed are the clean of heart” – Clean of heart is a person that is trying to reject temptation, and keep their minds securely on the lord. This drive comes from the interior pain that is caused by the recognition that my sin is what causes my separation from God, and is what is causing my spiritual poverty. That interiour pain, purifies the heart and steels the will from attachments to the world, because your love for God, is greater than any pleasure or promise that the world could offer.
“Blessed are the peacemakers” – Peace is the natural result of a person that is humbly seeking righteousness, rejecting temptation, and offering mercy to all those that you encounter. War is the result of people taking what is not theirs, or protecting what is “yours” from an aggressor. Peace is the detachment from the things of this world, and the lack of response to the agressor. This is the promise of heaven that when we are all brought up to heaven, the citizens of the Kingdom will no longer fight and make war, because the possession of having God in our lives is infinitely more valuable than any thing or temptation that this world can offer. St. Augustine said: “peace is the tranquility that comes from order,” and when you live in God’s divine order, peace is the natural response, that pours out of you into the world.
“Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness” – The people of this world, that are slaves to temptation and attachment to sin, will hate those who live by the virtues of the beatitudes. Your mere existence, serves as a living reminder of how far they have fallen from God. They will accuse you of being self-righteous, they will say that you think you are better than them, and they will hate you because they know in their sub-conscience, that you actually are. Not because you are better, but because you have something they cannot have, because to have it means they will have to give up everything else they hold dear. Since they cannot do that, they hate you and persecute you, because they cannot give up their attachment to this world.
“Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.” – This is the ultimate end of the journey. You cannot be in a state of grace amongst the sinful and fallen and not be persecuted for it. But the difference between you and them is Hope. They have none, and you have perfect hope, in the perfect and loving father. That hope is greater than all the slings and arrows that this world can throw at you. And as St. Teresa of Avila said, “the pains of trials of this world, when compared to the glory of heaven will seem like a night in a bad hotel.” They will hate you for your hope, and persecute you even more, but they cannot take your hope away from you. They might be able to take your physical life, they can never take your eternal soul. That is why the Christeros were able to yell “viva christo rey” at the moment of their execustion, becuase they knew that **_that day_** they would be with God in Heaven, and their faith and fidelity would be greatly rewarded, and that Jesus would greet them at the gates and say, “well done my good and faithful servant, enter into my kingdom”

The beatitudes are a lifelong journey. You will not always be at the bottom of the ladder, and you will not always be at the top. Sometimes you will get to the top and the persecutions will cause you to lose faith, and you will find yourself at step one again. But as long as you are on the ladder, loving God and earnestly taking one step after another, you will ultimately find your way to Heaven. Just don’t ever give up, and know that all along, that the lord is waiting at the gates to meet you, and bring you into His kingdom.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to find my place on the steps of this ladder, and help me to make the next step toward you, amen.

John 21:20-25

John 17:11b-19

Lectio (Reading)

Lifting up his eyes to heaven, Jesus prayed, saying:
“Holy Father, keep them in your name
that you have given me,
so that they may be one just as we are one.
When I was with them I protected them in your name that you gave me,
and I guarded them, and none of them was lost
except the son of destruction,
in order that the Scripture might be fulfilled.
But now I am coming to you.
I speak this in the world
so that they may share my joy completely.
I gave them your word, and the world hated them,
because they do not belong to the world
any more than I belong to the world.
I do not ask that you take them out of the world
but that you keep them from the Evil One.
They do not belong to the world
any more than I belong to the world.
Consecrate them in the truth.
Your word is truth.
As you sent me into the world,
so I sent them into the world.
And I consecrate myself for them,
so that they also may be consecrated in truth.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

I speak this in the world so that they may share my joy completely. I gave them your word, and the world hated them, because they do not belong to the world

Oratio (Responding)

These two lines tell us so much about the world and God’s plan for it. The world today is ruled by the evil one, and the pain and suffering that we experience is the the result of our sin, and the repercussions of it. This was our free choice, and not Gods plan for us. He wanted us to live in blissful peace and harmony with each other, to provide us everything that we would ever need, and to delight in our happiness and joy. But we instead chose to sin and do things our own way. And thus the world, is a hard and broken place, full of sin and the evil one’s lies.

It is up to the followers of Jesus, His original apostles, and all of His disciples for the last 2000 years, that have tried to live in the friendship of God, to walk that line between living in this world, but not being subject to it. That is what Jesus is praying for, and hopes that we will accomplish. Not to save us from this world, because this world is passing away, but instead to protect us from the Evil One, so that we can live in this world, and while at the same time, do the work that He has called us to do.

So what is that work? Simply…, to save souls, and slay error. We are called to live in this broken world, and to find souls that are lost, and bring them back in to the fold. And if we do that, then not only us, but all of the Lords discilples will be able to share in the Lords joy completely…This is His plan for all time, and it is what will eventually happen at the end of time, but until then we have work to do. We need to stay close to the sacraments, learn our faith, and teach and help others that are lost to become disciples as well, so when the final time comes we will all be able to share in God’s joy completely.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to save souls, and to help prepare your world for your return. Amen.

John 17:1-11a

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and said,
“Father, the hour has come.
Give glory to your son, so that your son may glorify you,
just as you gave him authority over all people,
so that your son may give eternal life to all you gave him.
Now this is eternal life,
that they should know you, the only true God,
and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ.
I glorified you on earth
by accomplishing the work that you gave me to do.
Now glorify me, Father, with you,
with the glory that I had with you before the world began.

“I revealed your name to those whom you gave me out of the world.
They belonged to you, and you gave them to me,
and they have kept your word.
Now they know that everything you gave me is from you,
because the words you gave to me I have given to them,
and they accepted them and truly understood that I came from you,
and they have believed that you sent me.
I pray for them.
I do not pray for the world but for the ones you have given me,
because they are yours, and everything of mine is yours
and everything of yours is mine,
and I have been glorified in them.
And now I will no longer be in the world,
but they are in the world, while I am coming to you.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are one.

Oratio (Responding)

This whole passage is a beautiful loving prayer for our protection. We tell each other that God loves us, and that He is watching over us. but that God is a distant mystical being. But Jesus, in this reading, really loves us, and is offering a beautiful, passionate prayer of protection and love upon those He gave his word to, and by proxy all of us that follow and read that word today. This prayer is the point of His entire mission on earth, to perfect our souls on earth, so that in heaven we could be one with Him in heaven, as He and the lord are one.

This does not seem possible in a world of hopes, wishes, dreams and desires. We are all too easily hurt, and we all too easily hurt others. This disconnectedness, makes us turn inward, and separates from each other and from God. I wish that we could connect our minds like the Vulcans do in the Star Trek movies, so that we could fully understand each other… to be one, as you are one. I would love to be able to understand my wife in that way, to be able to love and support her completely in her hopes dreams, and fears.

But alas we only have words, and so we must rely on communication, and try to understand each other. But on both sides of the veil, I think Aquinas’ words are the most apropos. That “love is to will the good of another.” This is so important, because you can’t will the good of another even if you don’t first know what that good is. God knows what is best for each of us, and we must hope and pray that the Lord will be able to manifest that good in us and in the lives of those we love. That is how it will be, in the next world, and it is the expectation of our lives in this world.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to strive for the good of all of the souls that I may meet today.

John 16:29-33

Lectio (Reading)

The disciples said to Jesus,
“Now you are talking plainly, and not in any figure of speech.
Now we realize that you know everything
and that you do not need to have anyone question you.
Because of this we believe that you came from God.”
Jesus answered them, “Do you believe now?
Behold, the hour is coming and has arrived
when each of you will be scattered to his own home
and you will leave me alone.
But I am not alone, because the Father is with me.
I have told you this so that you might have peace in me.
In the world you will have trouble,
but take courage, I have conquered the world.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

I have told you this so that you might have peace in me. In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world.”

Oratio (Responding)

Jesus has conquered the world, what does this mean? He conquered it by His death and resurrection. In His great sacrifice, He ended death for all those who love Him. I am not talking here about physical death. That has not ended, and will continue until the final judgement. But then, at the final judgement, we all will be given an eternal body and will be sent to our eternal justice.

But here in this reading, I am talking about the death that Adam and Eve brought into the world, the death of Sheol, also know as the Limbo of the Fathers. The Jews argued constantly about what this death might be. The pharisees argued that there was a place where a soul would go and wait for the coming of the Lord to release them. The good would go to Abraham’s Bosom, and the evil would go to Gahena. The sadducees argued, that there was no afterlife at all, and that the when you die, you die.

In the three days before His ressurction, Jesus went to Sheol, and He brought judgement to those souls waiting for Him. The evil he sent to hell, and the good He took with Him into Heaven. Thus opening the doors of heaven, to all those that would come after Him and follow Him. Jesus gave us the way and the truth and the life, and insodoing, he made it plain that His way was the new way, and the true way to God.

It is now possible to live a life in loving friendship with Jesus, that will end with Him in Heaven for eternity. The world can only offer pleasure for a short time, followed by an eternity of hell. Only Jesus offers true lasting happiness, and this is what He now gives us. A new way, a priveledged way, a way to ultimate happiness with God in heaven. All we have to do is follow where He leads us. There may be a short time of suffering, but the reward for faithful obedience, is an eternity of perfect Joy and Happiness. That is a bargain that I can accept. I hope you will too.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, today lead me back on to the way, that you have opened the doors to and help me to be a deciple of your kingdom and not of this world.

Luke 24:46-53

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer
and rise from the dead on the third day
and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins,
would be preached in his name
to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
You are witnesses of these things.
And behold I am sending the promise of my Father upon you;
but stay in the city
until you are clothed with power from on high.”

Then he led them out as far as Bethany,
raised his hands, and blessed them.
As he blessed them he parted from them
and was taken up to heaven.
They did him homage
and then returned to Jerusalem with great joy,
and they were continually in the temple praising God.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

As he blessed them he parted from them and was taken up to heaven.

Oratio (Responding)

Today we celebrate the ascension of our lord into heaven. I want to focus on two things in today’s reflection, first is the word “taken” and second the “direction” in which the Lord Jesus was taken. There is much exegesis that needs to be explained here so that we can get to the heart of what is actually happening, and to better understand the full significance of the ascension.

First, this passage today reads “he parted from them and was taken up to heaven.” The word “taken” here is sadly very confusing. Does this mean that God the Father lifted Him up, does it mean Jesus lifted Himself up? Or does it mean something else? It is very important here that we not take the english translated words as the definitive. Translations are difficult things and languages change and evolve over time. But words, when translated, are chosen for very specific reason and those reasons can vary from author to author. And while we can debate as to whether or not the right word was chosen, when we find ourselves confused by scripture we should not immediately assume that what is written is the literal word of God, and instead read other translations and dig more deeply into what the original writer actual intended us to understand.

So to fully understand what is being written here, we must explore the etymology of the words to learn their full meaning. If you look up the greek word that “taken” is translated from, it is “anaphereto”. This word’s full definition is to “carry something through its sequences, to reach its needed consummation.” Further the common usage of this word in greek is to (a) carry up, lead up, or (b) offer up (on a high altar) as a sacrifice, or to offer up to God on high. The word in this later context makes a lot of sense because it means first, that it is a action that Jesus is doing, it is something being done by Himself to Himself, not something being done to Him, and second that it is a word that connotes consummation and priestly sacrifice. These are all things that are distinctive to the person of Jesus, and unique to this moment in time.

Second we have the ascension itself. Have you ever wondered why God ascends into heaven. We learned earlier in the Passion that Jesus descends into Sheol to save the souls waiting there. But why down to hell and up to Heaven? Have you ever pondered that question? The first answer is that it seems most natural to us. When we look up we see the marvels of God’s creation, the trees, and mountains, and sunsets, and the sun, the moon and the stars. When we grow we move upward. When we sing our hearts are lifted up, and even when we ponder and think about the mysteries of the world our eyes instinctually glance upward. On the other hand when we die, we go into the ground, when we are afraid, we cower and shrink, and when we are sad or ashamed our eyes look down to the ground. Everything about our lived experience expresses these natural reactions.

But I think that there is still more to it than just that. On a spiritual level, connection between souls depends on looking outward and upward, and division instead causes us to selfishly look inward and down. Our souls are most fulfilled when we think of ourselves less and instead focus on others more, and our souls are most broken when we only think about ourselves, and neglect or even persecute others. And that fact is most true when we to relate to God Himself, in heaven. That is why our churches have high ceilings, and that is why the altar is placed on high above everyone else in the room, and that is why the incense and music and bells are used… to elevate our senses, and that is why we should be on our knees when we receive the eucharist from hand of God’s divine mercy.

So with all that being said, why is the ascension important. For this we have to go back to the Garden of Eden. When God created man, He created them perfect and without sin. But they “fell” from that grace. They chose themselves and their own will over what God had willed for them. Their sin would cause sickness and disease, it would cause sadness and suffering, and it would lead ultimately to the death of the body, and even death of the soul for some that would die in hatred of God.

When Jesus was incarnated, in the womb of Mary, He came to restore what was lost in the fall of man. In His sacrifice on the cross He would restore what was lost by Adam’s original sin. In Jesus’ obedience He would reverse what was lost by Adam‘s disobedience. The consequences of Adams fall were threefold… man lost fellowship with God, the hope of eternal life, and gift of God’s grace. The ascension is significant because it is the consummation of His mission and the restoration of all of those gifts. In the ascension He show us that His passion is now complete and that He has restored our relationship with God and we are now able to find communion with Him again through the eucharist. By ascending with His body, He opened the gates of heaven and showed us that our bodies are a good thing, created by God, intended for our happiness and joy, and which are necessary for our full happiness in heaven. And in the ascension, He brought His time in this world to an end, and sends us the the holy spirit to work in our souls and bring us the grace of God that we need to convert from our sins, and turn to the Lord.

And so we come to the end of this passage and the end of the Gospel of Luke. It concludes with the apostles looking into heaven, and two angels come and ask them what are you looking at. This seems funny at first because the answer is obvious, Jesus our Lord is leaving us. But that is not the answer the Angels are looking for. They are essentially saying to the apostles, “don’t you understand what just happened? Jesus has just handed over to you His church, and charged you with the job of saving souls, why are still here? It is now time for you to get busy, and go out into the whole world, proclaiming the Gospel of the Lord and baptizing souls in the name of the Father, and or the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Get to work!”

And that is the message for us as well. We are not to look to the sky’s waiting for His return. But instead, we are to be about the work of bringing souls to the lord and using our knowledge of the scriptures to slay error. So I ask you “what are you looking at?” Are you focused on your life or your job, or your phone? Or are you about the work of saving souls? This is our call too, we need to learn to listen to the voice of the holy spirt, we need to learn our faith and teach it to our spouses and children, and be about the work of staying close to the Lord, through frequent participation of the sacraments of eucharist, reconciliation and anointing of the sick. And by doing so, we prepare ourselves for the end, and for our eternal disposition…, either in heaven or in hell. I sincerely hope you choose Heaven!

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord thank you for giving me the ability to explore your word and to more fully understand what it is that you want to teach me. Help me to understand all your mysteries more completely, and give me the wisdom to choose eternity with you in Heaven.

Luke 1:39-56

Lectio (Reading)

Mary set out
and traveled to the hill country in haste
to a town of Judah,
where she entered the house of Zechariah
and greeted Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting,
the infant leaped in her womb,
and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit,
cried out in a loud voice and said,
“Most blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
And how does this happen to me,
that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears,
the infant in my womb leaped for joy.
Blessed are you who believed
that what was spoken to you by the Lord
would be fulfilled.”

And Mary said:
“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.

He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm,
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever.”

Mary remained with her about three months
and then returned to her home.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.

Oratio (Responding)

This story of the visitation is so full of typology, that I could write 10 pages about it, But we will try to stick to the highlights.

What makes this moment so incredibly amazing is its close relation to the history of the ark of the covenant and the Presence of the Lord in the old testament. The ark was where the Presence of the Lord would reside when the jews were wandering in the desert for 40 years. By day the Shekina Cloud would lead them through the desert, and at night a pillar of fire. But when they made camp the Presence would retreat into the ark.

When the temple was finally built the ark was moved into the inner sanctum of the temple behind the veil, where it resided for centuries, until the ark was stolen by the invading Babylonians. Eventually David recovered the ark and returned it to Jerusalem. When the ark was finally found, David said “who am I that the ark of the Lord should come to me?” Then we have the unfortunate incident with Uziah, touching the ark and dying. So in reparation, David decides to send the ark into the hill country while he prepares a proper reception of the ark into Jerusalem, this is the same hill country where Elizabeth and Zecchariah resided in today’s reading. And then when David finally brings the ark into Jerusalem, he dances and leaps before it. Does this sound at all familiar? If not, you need to re-read today’s reading.

Later in Ezekiel, before the temple is destroyed the first time, the presence of the Lord leaves the ark and the temple completely, never to return, for centuries. Even after King Herod build a new temple, the presence of the lord never returned. Elizabeth and John represent the new david receiving the ark in the hill country. And in an upcoming chapter, Mary will ultimately bring the infant Jesus back into the temple, thus returning the presence of the Lord, and completing the temple’s full restoration.

The typology here is remarkable, and it shows us how everything is connected between the old and new testaments. It shows that God has been planning His return, and our salvation from the very moment we fell, if not well before. We should reflect on the never ending love of God, and His plan for us. We should also reflect on Mary, and this beautiful story of a faithful young girl trusting completely in the Lord, and the adults in her life recognizing how big of a thing that was.

It cannot be understated how important Mary’s yes was, and how the salvation of the world pivoted on that decision. Today let us reflect on Mary’s yes, and what God might be calling us to say yes to today…, are you ready to respond?

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh Lord, Help me today to say yes, and to do your will, Amen.

John 16:20-23

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Amen, amen, I say to you, you will weep and mourn,
while the world rejoices;
you will grieve, but your grief will become joy.
When a woman is in labor, she is in anguish because her hour has arrived;
but when she has given birth to a child,
she no longer remembers the pain because of her joy
that a child has been born into the world.
So you also are now in anguish.
But I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice,
and no one will take your joy away from you.
On that day you will not question me about anything.
Amen, amen, I say to you,
whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

When a woman is in labor, she is in anguish because her hour has arrived; but when she has given birth to a child, she no longer remembers the pain because of her joy that a child has been born into the world.

Oratio (Responding)

The gospel writer John in his conversations with Nicodemus, speaks of being born again, and in fact many traditions, and church fathers write about an analogy…, that birth from this life into the next is similar to birth from the womb into this life, and I think that that analogy is apropos to today’s reading. Before we are born we are in darkness, and relatively happy, but when we are born, there is some pain and crying, but when that subsides, we find ourselves in an incredible place, with light and wonders. Things to see, and touch, and taste, the difference is stark and stunning, and even somewhat overwhelming.

As we get older and older, the world becomes smaller, and our understanding of it becomes darker. We sadly grow comfortable in it and we fear or even dread leaving it. But if we die in friendship with God, what awaits us in the next life, is outside of our ability to understand. St Paul, once wrote that “eye has not seen, ear has not heard, and the mind has not contemplated what God has planned for those that love Him.” There will indeed be pain, and there might be some suffering until you are fully cleansed of your attachment to sin purgatory, but when you enter into His glory, it will be the most incredible thing that you could ever imagine.

This world is very dark indeed and it feels like it is missing something very important, because we are surrounded by suffering and sin on all sides. But we are not as alone as we might think. The Holy Spirit is active everywhere we go, and in every thing we do. The Lord Jesus is available to us in the Eucharist at Mass, and the Father is always listening to our prayers and petitions. But it is important to remember, in this passage, that Jesus is telling us that there will be a time of labor, and suffering, before we are delivered into this new world of joy.

I believe that we are in that time now. The world is very dark indeed, and things have never been so completely out of control. That only means that we need to pray all the more, I pray for this world, and all the people that suffer so much because of choices of others. Persevere, in all trials, and through your faithfullness and suffering you will survive that birth into the new life in heaven with God for all eternity.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord Please help your people to listen to the image of you that is placed on our hearts. It is only through your grace, and the intervention of the holy spirit that our hearts can be changed. I pray that this happens, soon.

John 16:16-20

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his disciples:
“A little while and you will no longer see me,
and again a little while later and you will see me.”
So some of his disciples said to one another,
“What does this mean that he is saying to us,
‘A little while and you will not see me,
and again a little while and you will see me,’
and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?”
So they said, “What is this ‘little while’ of which he speaks?
We do not know what he means.”
Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them,
“Are you discussing with one another what I said,
‘A little while and you will not see me,
and again a little while and you will see me’?
Amen, amen, I say to you,
you will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices;
you will grieve, but your grief will become joy.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Amen, amen, I say to you, you will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices; you will grieve, but your grief will become joy.”

Oratio (Responding)

Jesus said “while the world rejoices; you will grieve.” I cannot think of a better description of the end times. It is said that the world will descend into war, and many will die, but then one man will rise on the world stage and all of the world will be united in peace, under him. This man will be the “antichrist.” The whole world will be materially “happy,” and think mistakely that this false leader is the messiah. But this leader will bring suffering, not joy.

The church, and those that believe in Jesus and the prophecies of this time, will become very small, but will be extremely faithful. This remnant will mourn the state of things, and will be deeply hated by the world, and its new “great” leader. Persecutions, and even martyrdoms will likely happen. But after that time, when the Lord returns and brings justice, we faithfull few will become joyful at the justice of the Lord.

But this teaching also has a meaning for us right now. If today, the world rejoices, it is because it has relied on worldly things. Look at the state of the world, this is one of the most “me-centered” self indulgent generations of all time. This is not something that we should be part of, or even indulge in. We must trust in the Lord and wait for His promises. In that faith and trust is the true happiness that God wants for us, and what I want to wait for.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh Lord, help me not to fall into the lures and temptations of the world, but instead trust solely in you, and in your great mecy and love for us. Amen.

John 16:5-11

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Now I am going to the one who sent me,
and not one of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’
But because I told you this, grief has filled your hearts.
But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go.
For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you.
But if I go, I will send him to you.
And when he comes he will convict the world
in regard to sin and righteousness and condemnation:
sin, because they do not believe in me;
righteousness, because I am going to the Father
and you will no longer see me;
condemnation, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

And when [the Holy Spirit] comes he will convict the world in regard to sin and righteousness and condemnation:

Oratio (Responding)

I am sometimes tempted by this reading to think that this means that no one had a conscience before this point in world history, but that would be a mistake because the Holy Spirit and the entire trinity, have been one God for all time, and have always been working in our lives. But it is true that after Jesus accends into Heaven, from that moment on, the Holy Spirit would be taking a much more prominent role in our lives.

God created the universe, and created a perfect Eden for us, but in our free will, we were weak and sinned. Then God became incarnate as man to show us the proper way to live, but we were unfaithful, and rejected and killed him, finally God comes in spirit, to convict our souls to live better lives, not because we are afraid but because the spirit speaks to a part of our soul that reflects Himself, and we know this voice is true.

This is the true point of conversion, when the spirit talks to our soul, and we listen because we know it is true because it is part of our very own nature. Our conscience knows it and we either accept it or reject it. The Holy Spirit is called the advocate, and the evil one is called the accuser. When you think about your conscience, which of the two are you listening to. Which of the two is most prominent in your lives. If it is the accuser, then you need to stop listening to him, and turn to the lord. Turn and your life will be forever changed.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, I pray today that the people of this world will stop listening to the accuser, and start believing the advocate.

John 15:26 – 16:4

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his disciples:
“When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father,
the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father,
he will testify to me.
And you also testify,
because you have been with me from the beginning.

“I have told you this so that you may not fall away.
They will expel you from the synagogues;
in fact, the hour is coming when everyone who kills you
will think he is offering worship to God.
They will do this because they have not known either the Father or me.
I have told you this so that when their hour comes
you may remember that I told you.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

They will expel you from the synagogues; in fact, the hour is coming when everyone who kills you will think he is offering worship to God.

Oratio (Responding)

I cannot think of a more painful indictment then to have the lord of the universe say that the Jews that will kill him, do so thinking they are worshiping God. But in fact, they never really knew God in the first place. So what did they know instead. Was it the evil one? Was it pride? Was it a miss-understanding of the prophecies? Probably a combination of all three. But we know it was not God that put these ideas in their head, because these are not righteous thoughts, but more importantly, because Jesus said so.

So what does it mean to not know God? on some level it is not possible to not fully know Him, because He created us, and we are made in His image. We should be able to recognize Him like we recognize our own hand, but many reject and many others believe the lies that evil one whispers in their ear about God. And because of this they are so separated from the true God, so clouded in shadow, that they would not see Him if they were standing right beside Him.

This is bad, but it is far worse to once, know God, and then reject Him This is what happened to the jews of this time. They had replaced their rightful worship, with a worship of their own design, and a faith of their own liking. Like the pharisee talking about the tax collector and saying that he is glad he is not like him…, these jews were worshiping themselves. This is the difference between never knowing something and knowing fully, and then turning away. The first is ignorace, the later is rejection. But no matter, the one truth that we must hold onto, is that God is the just judge and He alone knows the truth of every person and the desire of every heart.

At the end of time, the only thing that will matter is whether you know and love God. Justice will be handed out perfectly, and if you suffer in this world, you will be exalted in the next, and the opposite is also true. If you persecute others in this world you will be persecuted in the next. So we must not focus on the worlds view of justice, and instead focus on trust in God’s perfect justice, faith in His fidelity, and love for His goodness. and at the end of time if you are in freindship with Him, you will find the peace and perfect happiness that is currently impossible in this world, but it will be your fate for all eternity.

If instead you choose this world and the lies of the devil, you will find yourself lost in the eternity of pain and suffering in hell. So choose wisely, and help those around you to make the same choice. Paul said that the gates of hell would not prevail against the church, and God is counting on you to break down those gates and save the lost souls in hell. We need to proclaim the gospel to these people, and open their minds a bit so that the Holy Spirit can do the rest. This is your call, will you respond?

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to find a way to proclaim your word to someone that needs to hear it, and a proclaim it in a way that pulls them out of the hell of this world, and into the eternity of joy in heaven with you.

John 14:23-29

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Whoever loves me will keep my word,
and my Father will love him,
and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him.
Whoever does not love me does not keep my words;
yet the word you hear is not mine
but that of the Father who sent me.

“I have told you this while I am with you.
The Advocate, the Holy Spirit,
whom the Father will send in my name,
will teach you everything
and remind you of all that I told you.
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.
Not as the world gives do I give it to you.
Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.
You heard me tell you,
‘I am going away and I will come back to you.’
If you loved me,
you would rejoice that I am going to the Father;
for the Father is greater than I.
And now I have told you this before it happens,
so that when it happens you may believe.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Jesus said to his disciples: “Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words;

Oratio (Responding)

Jesus says in today’s reading that “Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him…” Our atheist friends will tell us that God is suggesting a “quid-pro-quo” here…, that God only loves those that love Him. But in fact the exact opposite is happening, a “quo-pro-quid” is actually what is being offered. The offer is that if you align your will with that of the Father, essentially willing for your own life what God has always willed for you, that you will find your greatest happiness, and as a result will grow to love Him, and in that love you will experience the full love that the Father has for you in return.

It is important to note here that God in Heaven does not need your love, He is perfect, and complete in all things. He does not need it but in His divine wisdom knows that we do! Love is not a feeling, it is an action. The greeks had 8 words for love, they ranged from selfless divine love, to brotherly and familial love, all the way down to affection, passion and attraction, etc. But in all of its names these loves are not feelings. Certainly feelings accompany all of these acts, but the feelings follow the actions. The actions are sacrifice, kinship, friendship, desire, duty, etc, but the feelings only come after those actions are pursued, and the “love” is actually exchanged.

But here is the most amazing part, When you receive God’s love and return it, the love in the world is multiplied. Thus the love that God offers us is magnified in our acceptance and return, and both parties benefit from the increase. There is literally nothing in the entire realm of existence that we can give to God that He does not already possess…, except our love! When we allow God’s love into our hearts, and return it to Him (and others), we are in-fact doing something completely new in the universe. Something that God cannot do for us, or even compel us to do. Our love (when freely given) is a new creation, uniquely our own, and God delights in it. And in doing so, we get to participate in making God’s joy more complete. How incredible is that?!?

This exchange of love with the Father is the convergence of love and obedience. Obedience is probably the hardest of all of the virtues to fulfill. For many years we had a pope that spread confusion, and division. Our presidents and politics have done the same. Even our local bishops and priest may ask us to do or accept things that we do not like or want to do. But obedience to the authority of the office compels us to abide. However, the difference between all of those humans and God is that God is the good Father, and His will is perfect, and He only asks us (whether we like it or not) to do things that are actually the best thing for us. And in that obedience, aligning our will to His, is where we will find the greatest peace, and in that peace, is where we will find the fullest expression of His love.

The way we accomplish this convergence is through entering into relationship with the lord, and the way that relationship is nurtured is through intimacy. Peter Kreeft, in his commentary on this passage wrote:

“The goal of love is always intimacy, and God becomes more and more intimate with us as he reveals himself in three stages: first, the Father reveals himself in the Old Testament; then, the Son, in the New Testament; and then, the Holy Spirit, in the Church. First God is above us and then he is with us and then he is in us. First, he is outside us; then, he is beside us; and finally, he is inside us.”

So the goal is to have His love inside us. We do that by studying his word, and listening to His ’ Teachings. Walking “the way” and staying close to the sacraments, of confession, and the eucharist. When we do these things we will find ourselves in His love, and in return our mind and our actions will be loving Him in return.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord help me to seek the peace that is not of this world…, your peace! The peace that comes from the tranquility of order.

John 15:18-21

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his disciples:
“If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first.
If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own;
but because you do not belong to the world,
and I have chosen you out of the world,
the world hates you.
Remember the word I spoke to you,
‘No slave is greater than his master.’
If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.
If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.
And they will do all these things to you on account of my name,
because they do not know the one who sent me.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world, the world hates you.

Oratio (Responding)

We are not of this world, we are in this world. The Lord has a great plan for each and every one of us, and that plan is far greater than any of us can ever imagine, and we must never forget that. In the garden Adam and Eve actually lived in the perfection of what God had planned for their lives. They had glorified bodies. They were strong, and happy. They had infused knowledge about all things. They could create many things with their own hands, they were at peace with all of the animals of their world. Their preoccupation was to explore the gifts of the world that God had given them. They willed the good, desired the truth, and they enjoyed the beautiful.

This was the plan God had for all mankind. But free will led to temptation, temptation led to sin, and sin separated us from God. St Paul says in his epistle, ‘that nothing unclean can enter heaven.’ The full glory of God is a fire that burns away only one thing… sin! Thus the pain of being in the direct presence of God, while in a state of attachment to sin, would be pain so unbearable that we cannot even imagine it. It would be like being burned alive. Thus, Adam and Eve were expelled from the garden of eden by their own actions. But their expulsion and the eventual death was not a punishment per se, but instead a gift from God, a mercy because eternity in this unbearable state of pain would truly be hell.

But God did not abandon us after being expelled into the world, But instead He created a new path for us to walk. This path is the path of redemption. The story of salvation that was completed with Jesus’ great sacrifice on the cross. Our job is to walk that path, to reconcile our sin with God in confession, and then hopefully, at the end of our lives to die in a state of friendship with God. If we do, then after we are purged and purified of all of our final attachment to sin, in purgatory, then, and only then will we be able to enter into the beatific vision and finally take up our place in His kingdom that was lost in the garden because of sin.

If adam and eve had not allowed their concupicense to over-power their joy in the Lord, we would not have to suffer the way we do, and we would be in the garden, right now, with God. But instead, they rejected Him, like we all do in our own way, every day. And so we walk through this crucible in order to find our way back into the garden. We walk this journey because it is only by this path that we come to realize that this world is not the destiny of our souls, and that the world will always let you down. We have to learn to detach ourselves from this world and its lures and temptations. And when we finally realize that an eternity of joy in heaven with God is our true destiny, then that is when the world will begin to hate you. And when we dare to tell others that this destiny awaits them as well, that is when the world will go crazy to stop us.

This is the message that Jesus wants you to know in this reading. We must not let fear keep us from storming the gates of hell and trying to save as many souls as we can from the clutches of evil, and the snares of the world. Jesus told us that ‘the gates of hell will not prevail against His church,’ so we must not be afraid, and we must pray our rosaries, and we must never give up trying to save our brothers and sisters. Gods plan was for every one of His children to be with Him in the garden, like voices singing in unison in church, each one of them has an important role to play in His kingdom and we cannot allow any of them to be lost. Amen.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh Lord, Help me today find a way to tell another about the world and its evil designs on each of our souls, so that souls can be saved and your kingdom can be as glorious as you always intended it to be.

John 15:12-17

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his disciples:
“This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.
No one has greater love than this,
to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
You are my friends if you do what I command you.
I no longer call you slaves,
because a slave does not know what his master is doing.
I have called you friends,
because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father.
It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you
and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain,
so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you.
This I command you: love one another.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

Oratio (Responding)

Life is the most precious of all of God’s gifts. We inherently know that without having to be told by anyone. No sane person wants to die. We know in the deepest part of our souls that life is not something to be discarded so easily. We cling to it and protect it, and we spend most of our time trying to improve the quality of it.

The incredible thing though, is that the devil has convinced the world that other peoples lives are not all that important. Whether it is old people, the sick, the unborn, many people have convinced themselves that it is loving and compassionate to snuff out the life of the weakest and most helpless around us. It is an abominable lie! The murder of babies in the womb is the greatest genocide in the history of the world, dwarfing all of the other forms of death in both brutality and immensity. Many more people die of abortion every year than all other forms of death combined.

We self-righteously look back on the Aztecs and gasp in horror at what they did. But today, our atrocities though hidden from view by our medical culture and abstracted away in sterile medical offices are far, far worse. Everything is clean and simple, but the death count of our current abortion industry (over 60 million dead babies), makes the Aztecs look like pikers by comparison.

Life CANNOT be thrown away, the lord will not hold blameless any one that does so. So what is Jesus trying to tell us in this passage? Is He too throwing his life away? Absolutely Not! the exact opposite. Jesus says that there is no greater sacrifice then to lay down our lives for those that we love. What is the difference? This is not Jesus recklessly forfeiting His life, but instead making a pure sacrifice, saying “I give my life in exchange for theirs.” Jesus took the most precious of all of Gods gifts and said that I will sacrifice this gift so that you ALL may live.

Jesus knows all this, and knows that His death will be the way that the doors of heaven will be opened, but He also knows that this death is going to be the most painful death that a man could ever endure, yet He willingly does it. It is truly an awesome sacrifice. Meditate today on how incredible this reality is, the gift of life that we have been given, and the sacrifice of Jesus, giving His life, so that we may live.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord help me today to find a way to suffer for those that I love, and thank you lord for loving me enough to suffer so greatly for me.

John 15:9-11

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his disciples:
“As the Father loves me, so I also love you.
Remain in my love.
If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love,
just as I have kept my Father’s commandments
and remain in his love.

“I have told you this so that
my joy might be in you and
your joy might be complete.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.

Oratio (Responding)

This on the surface seems like a one way dictatorship, and does not seem like a relationship that would lead to much fruit. Yet he doubles down a bit later saying “You are my friends if you do what I command you.” That does not sound like friendly relationship, but a master / slave arrangment. But what we must consider is that God knows our nature, and our concupicense. He knows that we will more likely choose sin over blessing, hate over love, evil over goodness.

So if that is our inclination, and Jesus knows that, he is telling us this so that we can learn the discipline of following his way instead of our own way. And in truth, our way always leads to pain and suffering, and his way always leads to joy and happiness. So Jesus talks to us like little children, and simply says if you do this you will be happy, and we will be friends. We only reject it, because it gets in the way of our plans, and it seems less interesting than doing what we want. We need to reject our inclination and take up Jesus’s way instead.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, Help me to do this, to follow you, and reject what I want, so that I can find the true happiness that resides in your love, and friendship.

John 15:1-8

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his disciples:
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower.
He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit,
and everyone that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit.
You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you.
Remain in me, as I remain in you.
Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own
unless it remains on the vine,
so neither can you unless you remain in me.
I am the vine, you are the branches.
Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit,
because without me you can do nothing.
Anyone who does not remain in me
will be thrown out like a branch and wither;
people will gather them and throw them into a fire
and they will be burned.
If you remain in me and my words remain in you,
ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you.
By this is my Father glorified,
that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and everyone that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit.

Oratio (Responding)

This parable is one of my favorites, it points to a reality that we all know instinctually, but often struggle to fully grasp. When we live according to Gods will, and align our lives with His natural law…, our lives are just easier. When we do things our own way, you will find yourself experiencing one difficulty after another. This is because God is the source of all things good, true and beautiful. You can only have these things in your life to the extent that you are giving them away, and allowing them to flow through you, like a divine river of grace. Pope St. John Paul II called this the “law of the gift” and it speaks to a beautiful reality that is being addressed here in today’s parable.

The vine represents this perfectly. It wanders throughout the garden, and provides nutrients to all of the branches. But the vine only has one set of roots, and the whole plant stems from that one source. As branches we are connected to the vine, the true source of life, and we only thrive and bear fruit as long as we are connected to that one source.

If we try to do things by ourselves we disconnect ourselves from the source of life, and we then wither and fade, and cannot bear fruit. Or if we stay connected but try to do everything by ourselves, without the source then we will die on the vine and become useless. If this happens, then God the vine-grower will come prune you, cut you away from the source and throw you into the fiery furnace.

But if you remain on the vine, connected to the source, the vine grower with take great care with you to make sure you have every opportunity to thrive. The word “remain” here is interesting. It comes from the word “meno” and many scholars like Peter Kreeft, have suggested that this word would be more accurately translated as “live with”. The word “remain” has a negative connotation, like “dont go away” but “meno” instead has a positive connotation, like “live in a home” or like the word “abide” from the old king james translation.

And that is the point here, that Jesus wants us to thrive and grow and bear much fruit, but He wants us to do it through and in direct connection with Him, and the life force that His vine provides to all that are part of His body. Not as workers, or subjects, but as part of Him, like the organs of a body make the whole of a person, and are not useful all by themselves. We all can accomplish so much more if we work together as a cohesive unit, rather than trying to do everything on our own rejecting the help of all those around us.

So stay close to the source of life, make sure you frequent the holy sacraments and go to mass weekly. If you do, God the vine grower will care for you, and help you attain the success and happiness you most desire, and you will bear much fruit. What else is there.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to stay close to you, to seek the will and design you have for my life. And help me to be the best possible version of myself.

John 14:27-31a

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.
Not as the world gives do I give it to you.
Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.
You heard me tell you,
‘I am going away and I will come back to you.’
If you loved me,
you would rejoice that I am going to the Father;
for the Father is greater than I.
And now I have told you this before it happens,
so that when it happens you may believe.
I will no longer speak much with you,
for the ruler of the world is coming.
He has no power over me,
but the world must know that I love the Father
and that I do just as the Father has commanded me.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.

Oratio (Responding)

So what is the difference between the world’s peace, and God’s peace? I suggest that the world’s peace is like a shelter from the storm, You are struggling, and troubled but find a short respite. Gods peace is perfect, and infinitely complete. Gods peace comes from the fact that you are with the lord, in his full beatific vision. And to be in this pressence is to be utterly happy and joyful, for He is the fulfillment of every desire; utterly loved because he is the perfection and completion of all love; and utterly at peace, because there is no pain, suffering or fear. That is the peace that god wishes for us all. Paul said that eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, and the mind has not conceived of what god has planned for those that love him.

So how do you get to heaven? You must surrender and align your will with God’s will for your life. You must seek to trust, and have faith in God that He will provide all that you will ever need. And you must place this trust over your desire for freedom, and independence. You must seek to give everything you have to others, and must not worry about what little you have being lost. You must seek to serve others, and not concern yourself with being served. It is only then that you will understand the economy of God’s kingdom, and prepare your soul for being part of it.

Having doubts, taking from others, and subjecting others to your will only separates you from God and His people, and ultimately only causes pain and anxiety. Selfless trust is truly the only way to have lasting and perfect happiness. That is how it will be in heaven, and that is what we must do here on earth to prepare our hearts and minds for the future that God has planned for us in heaven. I truly cannot wait to see what God has planned for me, if I am deemed worthy to join Him in heaven. But I know I must begin now and continue for the rest of my life, so that I will be ready when He decides to call me home.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord help me to seek the peace that is not of this world…, your peace! The peace that comes from the tranquility of order.

John 14:21-26

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Whoever has my commandments and observes them
is the one who loves me.
Whoever loves me will be loved by my Father,
and I will love him and reveal myself to him.”
Judas, not the Iscariot, said to him,
“Master, then what happened that you will reveal yourself to us
and not to the world?”
Jesus answered and said to him,
“Whoever loves me will keep my word,
and my Father will love him,
and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him.
Whoever does not love me does not keep my words;
yet the word you hear is not mine
but that of the Father who sent me.

“I have told you this while I am with you.
The Advocate, the Holy Spirit
whom the Father will send in my name–
he will teach you everything
and remind you of all that I told you.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him.”

Oratio (Responding)

This is the paradox of faith right here in one line. As long as you don’t believe, and give your heart and mind to the evil one instead, the beauty, love and truth of the Lord will remain illusive and even seem impossible. The Lord will not force Himself upon you. He is the gentlemen of all gentlemen. But when you open you heart and mind to Him, and love without expectation of anything in return, that is when His full message and His full plan of salvation starts to become clear.

St. Thomas Aquinas, said: “We can’t have full knowledge all at once. We must start by believing; then afterwards we may be led on to master the evidence for ourselves.” This means that God will forever remain mysterious to you, until you first make the choice to move toward Him, and to be open to what He has to tell you. You only need open our heart to Him, and ask for His help, and He will pour all of these graces upon you, and more.

It will not happen all at once, as that is too much for our minds to comprehend, but slowly, one thing leads into another, and the understanding starts to build on top of understanding. This is what happened to me, and continues to happen to me the more I read and study the mysteries of God’s plan. It is a lifelong journey, and it is the most interesting and fulfilling thing I have ever devoted my energy to. But once you give your mind and energy to that journey…, then that grace will then draw you into a love affair more powerful than anything possible in this world. That is when you will find true faith, and that is when you will know what it truely means to be alive.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord please continue to pour out your grace on me today, so that I can continue to learn and get closer to your heart.

John 13:31-33a, 34-35

Lectio (Reading)

When Judas had left them, Jesus said,
“Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him.
If God is glorified in him,
God will also glorify him in himself,
and God will glorify him at once.
My children, I will be with you only a little while longer.
I give you a new commandment: love one another.
As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.
This is how all will know that you are my disciples,
if you have love for one another.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Oratio (Responding)

Today’s reading follows the last supper and the moment where Jesus identifies Judas as His betrayer. Judas has just left, and Jesus says that it is now that the Son of Man is glorified. How is it that Jesus is glorified at the moment of His greatest betrayal. I like how Peter Kreeft comments on this passage, he says: “When we think of glory, we think of joy and light and beauty and triumph; and when we think of suffering and death, we think of misery and darkness and ugliness and failure and loss. Jesus seems to put everything upside down and backward.” And indeed He does invert everything.

If we consider what he is doing in His passion, the answer becomes more clear. God because He is good and just and loves us more than anything chose to suffer to save us. God is all powerful and can do anything He wants, but if He came down from heaven, destroyed the evil one, and forced us all to love Him, that would be a tyrannical act, it would turn us all into slaves and it would negate his goodness and His justice and His love. He wants us to love Him because of our free choice, not because He forced us to and that can only happen if we have the freedom to do so.

So instead He sent His son, as an offering to the Devil to ransom us away from an eternity of suffering in Hell. Jesus offered to suffer and die in exchange for all of the souls that were held by the devil as a result of their temptation and sin. The Devil accepted this offer, because he mistakenly thought that he was going to be able to be the master of Jesus in hell. But Jesus is God, and God cannot be held slave by of one of His own creation. So Satan’s pride blinded him to the folly of his greed, and he stupidly accepted a wager that He could not possibly win.

But from Jesus’ perspective the wager was everything. Because if He could suffer and die for us, He could save us. He wanted to make sure that as many of us as possible were included in that one saving act. Not only all that had died before, but everyone that would be born and die for the rest of time. And so it happened. The sacrifice on the cross, and the simple exchange of His life for ours, is the act that saves everyone and anyone that accepts the gift that God is offering us.

But what is more incredible is that Jesus is most glorified in His greatest suffering. The more people that accept the gift of salvation from Jesus, the more He is brutalized and punished. And the more our sins are poured out on him, in the form of His suffering and torture, the more he is glorified! He is glorified because His suffering means our redemption and salvation. And in the eyes of a loving father, there truly is no amount of pain or suffering that you are not willing to endure if it means your children will be safe, and protected from the evils of this world.

And that is what is happening in this moment. Jesus the Lord is recognizing that the time for His passion has come. Judas is going to go fetch the people that will carry out His torture and execution, and they will bring Him to the moment of His greatest triumph and the highest glory that any Father could do for His children. It is at this moment that He accepts this reality. But I dont think that He fully realized what suffering He would have to endure, until he was in the Garden of Gethsemane, and He began to feel the weight of all of the worlds sin being poured out upon Him. That weight caused him to sweat blood. But He would not know the full pain of man’s depravity until He spoke His last words on the cross and He said “forgive them Lord, for they know not what they do.”

So what is the message for us today? I think it is that Jesus is asking us to accept His gift of Salvation, to change our lives in accordance with His teachings, and to offer our sins to Him in the sacraments of reconciliation and the eucharist, and to receive the healing salve, that is offered in His forgiveness. Fulton Sheen once said that “Jesus paid a price He did not owe, because we owed a debt that we could not pay.” And He still pays that price for you even today. All you have to do is give Him everything, let Him carry the weight of all your sins, and He will save you from the clutches of the evil one. And in your salvation, He will be even more glorified!

St. Augustine once wrote that: “The justification of the ungodly is something greater than the creation of heaven and earth, greater even than the creation of the angels.” Do you understand what that means? God is saying that your salvation, your rejection of sin, and turning to Him instead, is a greater thing than everything else He has ever made, and it is because everything He ever made was made to hopefully bring you to that moment. And if you do turn to Him, and reject the world, the flesh, and the devil, it will have made everything else that He has ever done worth it, because it will mean that He gets to spend eternity with you in Heaven.

T.S. Eliot said that living the christian life is: “a condition of complete simplicity costing not less than everything.” The simplicity is the giving and accepting of love, the cost is letting go of the world, its temptations, and our attachment to sin. It is actually a paradox when you think about it. We must let go of everything that this world is offering us, in the form of pleasure and power and greed, but the reward is more than everything, it is eternity with God in Heaven forever. It might seem impossible, but it is a simple choice. But I promise you the rewards outweighs the loss by a factor of infinity. So what will you choose? It is the most important decision you will ever make, so choose wisely, your eternity awaits.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me to learn how to give up everything in exchange for eternity with you in Heaven forever.

John 14:7-14

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his disciples:
“If you know me, then you will also know my Father.
From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
Philip said to Jesus,
“Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.”
Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time
and you still do not know me, Philip?
Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.
How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?
The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own.
The Father who dwells in me is doing his works.
Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me,
or else, believe because of the works themselves.
Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever believes in me will do the works that I do,
and will do greater ones than these,
because I am going to the Father.
And whatever you ask in my name, I will do,
so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father. And whatever you ask in my name, I will do

Oratio (Responding)

How on earth is this possible. How can we as mere humans do miracles? We do not have super powers, we are not gods. But Jesus said it is so, so we must sit up and pay attention. The answer is in the second part of this reading, He said “whatever you ask in my name I will do” this is how this is possible, through the power and mercy of the Lord. We see in acts that even the shadow of peter had the power to heal. This is not something that is special about peter, but rather the Lord using peter as a vessel to bring forth His healing salvation.

This too is our call. we need to be open to the Lord and allow Him to work through us. To be His hands and His feet in this world, doing His will, not our own. If we succeed at this task then we will be the “bringers” of great miracles, and even more… But what could be greater than a miracle? Some of the Church’s greatest theologians have insisted that the resurrection of Lazarus pales in comparison to the power of the confessional. St. Augustine wrote “The justification of the ungodly is something greater than the creation of heaven and earth, greater even than the creation of the angels.”

Indeed what miracle could possibly be greater than helping a sinner become free of his attachment to sin, and what could possibly be more important than helping a person walk out of hell, and enter into an eternity with God in heaven. Finally St. James said “My brothers, if anyone among you should stray from the truth and someone bring him back, he should know that whoever brings back a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.”

This is what we are here on this world to do. Whether it is raising our families, working in church ministry, or standing up for the truth in our workplaces and communities, we are called to save souls and slay error. Allow the Lord to use your shadow to change peoples hearts, and convert their souls. There is no greater call, and there is no greater gift than to be a vessel of Gods mercy here on earth, and to be in the flow of Gods grace as He works miracles in this world.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me to be your hands and feet in this world. Help me to help others to return to you, and reconcile their sin with you, and hopefully enter into the eternity of joy and happiness with you in heaven. amen.

John 14:1-6

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Do not let your hearts be troubled.
You have faith in God; have faith also in me.
In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places.
If there were not,
would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?
And if I go and prepare a place for you,
I will come back again and take you to myself,
so that where I am you also may be.
Where I am going you know the way.”
Thomas said to him,
“Master, we do not know where you are going;
how can we know the way?”
Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way? Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Oratio (Responding)

This last line appears in other liturgies as the first line of that passage. I find it very interesting how the same line can speak to us in different ways on different days. I am sure that there are more than just 2 ways to take this line, but today, I am struck by this: Thomas feels lost, and does not know how to follow the resurrected father, he says “how can we know the way?” And Jesus’s answer is so powerful, because His message, His teaching, and His ministry are not just words on a page, they are the answer and “Way” to live your life. If you choose to follow His way, believe His truth, and model your life after Jesus, then you will find the path to Jesus’ kingdom open before you.

So many ask what about where the Jews, Muslims, and the eastern religions stand? Are they walking the wrong path? In a word…, YES! Does that mean that god’s grace cannot overcome their error? Of course not! The church fathers always said that even though we are subject to the laws that God has given us, He is not. And as such we should never, ever forget that God’s grace and His mercy are greater than our sin. And He always wants to be more generous with His mercy than He is with His judgment.

But we cannot deny that Jesus’ is making it abundantly clear in this reading that His way is, what Thomas Aquinas called the “privileged way.” It is not “privileged” because it affords us something that others cannot attain…, but instead it means that if you follow His way, believe in His truth, and live in His life, then you will most likely die in friendship with Him, and can be reasonably assured that you will find your way to heaven.

This is indeed the best and most certain way of getting to heaven, but clearly not everyone chooses it. We as Christian’s are called to make those that are on a different path aware of their error, and show them “The Way.” If we do this, if we work to get others off of the path to hell, and onto “the way”, then Jesus assures us that the gates of hell will not prevail against us. Vatican II says that there are many lights that lead to heaven, and this statement while misleading points to the fact that we can not ever account for God’s grace and mercy, but do you really want to bet your eternity on this “nice thought” and presume in His grace and forgiveness.

Presuming in god’s forgiveness is a sin, and I for one don’t want to risk my eternal soul or the souls of those I love on a hopeful wish. So we must speak to those whom we love, evangelize them, and show them the way. If you don’t then who will, and do you want to risk not having them with you in heaven forever? That is a gamble that I am not willing to wager, I want you all in heaven with God, in an eternity of happiness and joy. What else matters, certainly nothing this world has to offer could ever compare. So turn to Him today, and start walking “the way,” and I’ll hopefully see you in heaven.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Please lord help me find a way to catechize the people in my sphere of influence to follow the and way, and turn to the one true faith.

John 13:16-20

Lectio (Reading)

When Jesus had washed the disciples’ feet, he said to them:
“Amen, amen, I say to you, no slave is greater than his master
nor any messenger greater than the one who sent him.
If you understand this, blessed are you if you do it.
I am not speaking of all of you.
I know those whom I have chosen.
But so that the Scripture might be fulfilled,
The one who ate my food has raised his heel against me.
From now on I am telling you before it happens,
so that when it happens you may believe that I AM.
Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send
receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Amen, amen, I say to you, no slave is greater than his master nor any messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you understand this, blessed are you if you do it.

Oratio (Responding)

In this broken and sinful world this statement does not make any sense. Many masters on earth are horrible evil men, and their slaves are often much better people than their masters. But in the kingdom of heaven, it will not be that way. Because in the kingdom of heaven, God is our master, and he is all perfect, all loving and all just. He will not ask us to do things that are wrong evil, and he wont ask you to do more than what is right and just to do. Further, because our master is the good shepherd, we will know His voice and want to serve Him, and do His will.

This is why Jesus says that those that do this will be blessed. Not because we are simply doing what the master says, but because what the master wills is actually what is best for us. And what is best for us is to live a life of service, and selflessness. In Gods kingdom the first will be last and the last will be first. So we must learn to become servants, because that is the order of things in Gods kingdom. We must at all times be humble, in our service and in our own opinions of ourselves.

Hell is the opposite. All souls in hell will only be thinking of themselves. they will take, subjegate, and hurt each other. The master in hell is not good, not loving and not just. Satan’s mindset leads to only separation, and pain and suffering. The lowest on the totem pole suffer the wrath of those at the top, and those at the top, never get to enjoy the spoils of their position, because everyone below them is scheming and plotting to overthrow them. This is hell, never a moment of peace, always hating, always hurting each other, and always cursed.

So what does it take to get to heaven, and not fall into hell? You must live the beatitudes. You must put other people first, and yourself last. You must offer to be of service, and not seek to be served. You must be humble and love when every part of your body suggests the opposite. If you can do that then you will be blessed. If you cannot then you will be cursed. Decide today, because your eternity begins today.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord help me to be more humble, and to put my pride in check.

John 15:9-17

Lectio (Reading)

“I have told you this so that my joy might be in you
and your joy might be complete.
This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.
No one has greater love than this,
to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
You are my friends if you do what I command you.
I no longer call you slaves,
because a slave does not know what his master is doing.
I have called you friends,
because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father.
It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you
and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain,
so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you.
This I command you: love one another.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy might be complete. This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.

Oratio (Responding)

Something miraculous is happening in this reading, Jesus is inviting us into the circle of divine love which is the Trinity.” St. Augustine describes the trinity like this. God the Father poured out his love completely and fully onto the Son. The Son completely and fully receives it, and returns His love completely and fully back to the Father. And the love shared between them is the Holy Spirit. This is divine perfect love and it is the model and source from which all love flows.

I would like to explain a little more what it means to fully and completely give and receive love. The greeks have 8 words for love. Four are what we call the lower loves, and there are four which we call the higher loves. The higher loves are: eros (romantic love), storge (familial love), philio (love of friends), and agape (selfless sacrificial love). The last three are pretty self-explanatory, but eros I think gets a bad rap. It gets lumped in with erotic pleasure, but when you study the greek meanings of these words, you come to understand that eros is far, far more than that. It is the total and complete reception of love. This is not selfish, it is the understanding that love is a gift, and that gifts need to be given & received.

So when you fully and completely receive love you validate the gift, and you honor the giver, and that exchange of that gift creates new life. This is why marriage is model of perfect trinitarian love. When a spouse fully and completely pours out his love on his spouse and she fully and completely recieves it, the love exchanged becomes a new creation. Marriage is a bond that unifies two people in a relationship that is closer than any other thing in the world. The husband and wife are no longer individuals but one being, bonded in the atomic connections of love. And this new creation often, and eventually results in a new life, in the form of a new baby. This is why the family is so important, and also why the evil one so desperarelty wants to destroy it. This is also why broken marraiges are like nuclear explosions, because it breaks something apart that was bonded and fused together at an atomic level, and the result is catastrophic destruction.

But beyond the love of the marraige, there is another love that is being proposed here. Our Lord, God the Father, is inviting us into the trinitarian, divine love as well. God wants to be wedded to us, just like a wedding among spouses, and wants us to participate in the exchange of divine agape, and divine eros, with Him. This is remarkable among world religions, and utterly incomprehensible when you ponder it. God, creator of the universe, omnipotent and omniscient, wants to be bonded to you at that same atomic level, and to have as intimate a connection with you as is humanly possible. Think of that, it is incredible. And that is what it means, in this reading, to “complete your joy”

When God created you, he created you with a purpose, and in His divine will, He hoped that you would fulfill it. He hoped that you would take your place in His divine kingdom, and participate in that purpose that he willed for you. There is a role that you will play in His kingdom, a role that only you can completely fulfill, and that role will be missed if you reject God, and using your free will decide to do what you want to do instead. If you reject His will for your life, you will end up in hell, and your absence will be noticed in heaven.

But if you do choose to wed yourself to Him, and take your place in heaven and live out your purpose as God willed it, you will get to do something that I think is the most amazing thing of all…, you will get to help complete Gods joy as well. Everything in this world, every person you know, even your own life is a gift from God. All you have to do to thank Him for His generosity, is to turn to Him, bond your heart with His, and by helping to complete His Joy, you will at the same time, complete your own. Amazing!

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Thank you Lord for all of the gifts of my life, Help me to complete your joy, by finding my own in you.

John 10:22-30

Lectio (Reading)

The feast of the Dedication was taking place in Jerusalem.
It was winter.
And Jesus walked about in the temple area on the Portico of Solomon.
So the Jews gathered around him and said to him,
“How long are you going to keep us in suspense?
If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.”
Jesus answered them, “I told you and you do not believe.
The works I do in my Father’s name testify to me.
But you do not believe, because you are not among my sheep.
My sheep hear my voice;
I know them, and they follow me.
I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish.
No one can take them out of my hand.
My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all,
and no one can take them out of the Father’s hand.
The Father and I are one.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

I told you and you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify to me. But you do not believe, because you are not among my sheep.

Oratio (Responding)

This is a devastating line to hear from the Lord. To be told you are not one of His sheep is probably the worst thing that God could ever tell you. It is like when He said “get away you evil doer I never knew you.” Jesus does not pull any punches, you must follow him to be one of His sheep. But the amazing thing is that when you begin to follow Him, you will begin to recognize His voice, and He becomes more familiar to you than any other voice, and following becomes easier.

Help me lord to hear your voice to follow you. To choose good and resist evil. But more than that, please help me to guide my family to you as well. Many are totally lost, because they do not know your voice yet, but I know that they really need you. I don’t know what to do to help them find their way, please help me Lord to help me. They don’t follow me, and I can only assume that it is because I am not following you properly. Help me to be a better role model that shows them the way to you.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Please help me lord to follow you better, so that my kids will follow you too.

John 10:1-10

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said:
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever does not enter a sheepfold through the gate
but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a robber.
But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.
The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice,
as the shepherd calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
When he has driven out all his own,
he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him,
because they recognize his voice.
But they will not follow a stranger;
they will run away from him,
because they do not recognize the voice of strangers.”
Although Jesus used this figure of speech,
the Pharisees did not realize what he was trying to tell them.

So Jesus said again, “Amen, amen, I say to you,
I am the gate for the sheep.
All who came before me are thieves and robbers,
but the sheep did not listen to them.
I am the gate.
Whoever enters through me will be saved,
and will come in and go out and find pasture.
A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy;
I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture.

Oratio (Responding)

This reading makes more sense when you understand the life and daily practices of a shepherd in Jesus’ time. At the end of the day the shepherd would lead the sheep into a small pen. The pen usually only had a single opening, about 3-4 ft wide. There usually was not gate on this pen, so what the shepherd would do, would be to sleep across the opening. That way if anything wanted to get in, or get out they would have to climb or step over the shepherd. Sheep are not good jumpers and so they would stay put. If a wolf had come to steal the sheep he would likely not go through the gate because he would wake the shepherd and have to deal with the shepherd’s crook, so they would have to jump or climb over the fence, to steal the sheep away.

The metaphor is best understood like this. We people are the sheep, the fence is the protective wall of Gods kingdom, and when you are inside the walls of God’s law the Lord will watch over and protect you. Jesus is the gate, and no one gets into the kingdom of God without going through the gate. The robbers and thieves are those that do not have rightful authority, who are trying to steal away the sheep. These would be the last kings of Isreal, and the Herod’s, that were not descendant from david, and the high priests of the temple that were not descendant from the tribe of Levy. None of them had authority to rule, and they were all usurpers that were stealing the jewish people from their jewish roots, and leading them all into sin.

Jesus is the good shepherd, He knows us all by name, and we know His voice. We must learn to follow that voice and not the voice of the robbers and thieves…, to stay within the walls of His law, and under the protection of the laws of His kingdom.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me hear your voice, and follow you into good pasture. Amen.

John 10:27-30

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said:
“My sheep hear my voice;
I know them, and they follow me.
I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish.
No one can take them out of my hand.
My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all,
and no one can take them out of the Father’s hand.
The Father and I are one.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

Oratio (Responding)

Today is traditionally known in the church as Good Shepherd Sunday. Tending sheep is one of the oldest professions in the world, and there are many kinds of shepherds. There are the kind that walk behind the flock, barking orders, and using sheep dogs, and their shepherds crook to keep the flock in line. These tend to be the shepherd that is hired to do the job of watching over the flock and they have little care about the sheep because to them, they are simply livestock, and watching over them is just a job.

The other kind of shepherd is the one that leads from the front. He knows his flock and they know him. They know his voice and they follow him. This shepherd does not need sheepdogs, and does not even need a crook, except to fight of the wolves and predators that might come to steal away the sheep. This shepherd loves his flock, and tending them is not a job, but instead an act of love. He watches over them because they belong to him, and he wants to keep them safe, and He will defend them with his own life.

So, what is a “good” shepherd? Obviously it is the second kind, that is how Jesus always talked about His sheep. But there is more to being a “good” shepherd, than simply loving, leading and protecting them. In the book of revelation we see Jesus depicted as a lamb. But in the book of Ezekiel chapter 34, Ezekiel prophesied of the coming Good Shepherd. That God Himself will come and shepherd His people. That he will take his flocks out of the hands of the false shepherds, and lead them to good pasture and that they will “walk through the valley of death” and eat their meals “in the presence of … enemies” The same sentiment is made in Psalm 23. So who is the good shepherd? He is a lamb, and He is a shepherd at the same time.

The idea of a lamb-shepherd, is a truly fascinating idea. The lamb is not a shepherd, and the shepherd is not a lamb, but in Jesus they are one and the same. Jesus is the lamb of christ! He did not come into this world as an all powerful king. He came as the humble son of a carpenter. He did not come to cast fear on His Sheep, and to destroy the wolves. He came to be one of the sheep, to lead them to good pasture, and then ultimately to lay his life down in exchange for them. He loves His flock, and He leads them as one of them.

Do you understand how profound that is? God creator of the universe loves you so much that he came to this world, became one of us, leads us to the green pasture, and all the while the predators of the evil one look on, snarling and drooling, waiting for their opportunity to steal us away from the flock. He does not destroy them, or scare them away, instead He lays his life down in exchange for us. That is who the “good” shepherd is, and that is who He still is.

He continues to do that for us even today. He calls to us out of time, and tries to get us to follow Him. He leads us in the ways of truth and shows us that there is a better way. All the while the evil one prowls around looking for one of us to devour. But If we hear His voice and stay in the flock, and he will protect us, and He will even continue to give His life for us. That is what the Eucharist is. The Eucharist is His sacrifice on the cross to save us from our sins. It is Jesus laying down His life in exchange for ours. And it is the ONLY way to find green pasture.

Do you know the voice of the good shepherd? He is calling to you right now. Come into the flock and allow Him to love you and protect you and lead you into good pasture, and to an eternity of happiness and joy with God in Heaven.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Help me lord today to choose your way, and to find the less traveled road that leads to eternity with you.

John 6:60-69

Lectio (Reading)

Many of the disciples of Jesus who were listening said,
“This saying is hard; who can accept it?”
Since Jesus knew that his disciples were murmuring about this,
he said to them, “Does this shock you?
What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before?
It is the Spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail.
The words I have spoken to you are Spirit and life.
But there are some of you who do not believe.”
Jesus knew from the beginning the ones who would not believe
and the one who would betray him.
And he said, “For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me
unless it is granted him by my Father.”

As a result of this,
many of his disciples returned to their former way of life
and no longer walked with him.
Jesus then said to the Twelve, “Do you also want to leave?”
Simon Peter answered him, “Master, to whom shall we go?
You have the words of eternal life.
We have come to believe
and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.

Oratio (Responding)

This reading comes directly after Jesus telling us that He is the new bread from heaven, and that we must eat His body and drink His blood if we want to have eternal life. This is NOT a metaphor, it is a true saying from the true Lord of the universe. He did not hedge, or equivocate in any way. He repeated this message more than 4 times in the full text of John 6, and In todays reading, when His disciples respond that this is a hard teaching and they cannot follow it, He lets them leave. This cannot be a metaphor, otherwise Jesus would have clarified and urged them to come back. It is a clear teaching and it is plain as day.

But everything in their culture at that time, Jewish, roman, or greek, made them think that this was cannibalism and for these men and women at that time, it was more than their sensibilities could handle. But it is not cannibalism! We know this because Jesus was a devout Jew and loved God’s Law, and would not have ever taught anything that was contrary to it, and cannibalism was absolutely forbidden in Gods Law. But we also know it because Jesus was God, and He said so!

Jesus was born of a virgin, the incarnate Son of God. He lived a perfect life, taught the Law of God, performed miracles, and He even claimed to be God on multiple occasions. That is in fact the reason why they crucified Him. But the difference between Jesus and all of the lunatics and liars that came before and after Him, is that Jesus proved that He was God. He Prophesied His Death and ressurection on multiple occations, was captured, and lead like a lamb to the slaughter. But then after 3 days He rose from the dead. This is not just the testimony of His disciples, His ressurection is one of the most well documented miracles in History…, by many people, including Jews, Greeks, and Romans, that had nothing to gain by documenting it.

So when Jesus says that He is the new bread of the covenant, the new covenant that Jesus brought into the world, we have to believe it. You cannot call yourself a christian and at the same time ignore the most clear and consistent teaching that He ever made. You must believe it, you must participate in it (the eucharist), and you must accept that it is only Jesus’s appostles and those that the appostles ordained as priests and bishops that have the power and authority to confect this eucharist in this world. And those priest and bishops only exist in the catholic church and the churches that are in full communion with it. This is not an arogant, or hateful statement, it is the truth as taught by Jesus Himself in the four gospels.

Jesus named Peter as His Pope, and His apostles as His first bishops, and in them alone did He give the power and authority to “bind and loose,” and in them alone did he give the power and authority to ordain more priests and bishops. Luther was a catholic priest, but when he committed his protestant heresy, he broke that apostolic line of succession, and all of the protestants that came after him were outside of the apostolic succession as well. This is not the selfish opinion of a self-righteous catholic, it is the plain teaching of our Lord Jesus, and His successors.

Lastly we need to address this line from todays passage. Jesus says: “It is the Spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail. The words I have spoken to you are Spirit and life.” This line is used by some protestants to claim that Jesus was actually trying to bring back those that were leaving by saying it was just a metaphor. But when you actually understand the real meaning of the translated word here, you will understand that this is actually a fourth time that Jesus reaffirms his message of the eucharist and that you must eat it to have life. The word used here for “flesh” here is “sarx”, which translated means “fallen mortal flesh”, the word for “spirit” is “pneuma” which means the “holy spirit” or “the breath of life”, and the word for “life” is “zoe” which translated means “supernatural life” the life that we hope to have in heaven with God. When you also notice that Jesus says here “the flesh” not “my flesh” it is clear that He is saying, that nothing in this world will give you eternal life, It is only His words, and the clear teaching He has given, that you must eat His real body, and drink His real blood, that will give you eternal life.

So summarizing, Jesus says 3 times that he is the bread and you must eat it if you want eternal life. The jews grumble and challenge this teaching and finally leave, and as they are leaving he tells them that it is only these words that will give eternal life. I do not know how it is possible that any christian could ever read this and think it is actually a metaphor.

So what is the answer, how do we respond to this hard saying. Well Peter shows us the way. He says in response, “you have the words of eternal life, to whom would we go.” And this is in fact, the only way to respond to any of Jesus’ hard sayings, by making a spiritual act of trust and faith. It is the only answer that we can give, when we confront a mystery or hard saying. Jesus is the Lord of the Universe, God creator of all things, and we are asured of this fact by His ressurection, and so when He says that He is the new bread from Heaven, I believe it! When He says that you must eat His real body, and drink His real bloood, I believe it! And when He says that His words are true and that they are the only words that give eternal life, I believe it. Because He is God, and I am not, and because there is nowhere else to go.

God keeps the whole universe in existence in His mind. His plan is so vast, so huge, so completely beyond our ability to comprehend, that we simply must just respond, in awe that we cannot possibly comprehend. So we must simply just have faith. And trust that the one true powerful and loving God has our best interest at heart. As Augustine said, “I do believe Lord, Please help my unbelief.” He does want the best for all of us, and He wants us to be happy with Him for eternity. And when we can’t understand why or how this is possible, we must ask ourselves where would we go? Every other world religion is simply just the creation of man trying to understand the metaphysical, but you Lord are true God and true man. And there is truly no where else to go.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh Lord, help me to love and trust in you, in all things that I do and believe.

John 6:52-59

Lectio (Reading)

The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying,
“How can this man give us his Flesh to eat?”
Jesus said to them,
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood,
you do not have life within you.
Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood
has eternal life,
and I will raise him on the last day.
For my Flesh is true food,
and my Blood is true drink.
Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood
remains in me and I in him.
Just as the living Father sent me
and I have life because of the Father,
so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me.
This is the bread that came down from heaven.
Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died,
whoever eats this bread will live forever.”
These things he said while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

For my Flesh is true food, and my Blood is true drink. Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood remains in me and I in him.

Oratio (Responding)

This is a hard saying, probably one of the hardest. Jesus lost most of his followers as a result of this saying. In the next sentences it says that most of His disciples left him. But He did not say “hey you misunderstood me, I was just being symbolic and talking in metaphors…, come back!” He actually doubled down, and he said that this is a true saying and you must believe it.

Many of our protestant brothers and sisters have trouble with this reading, and often skip this chapter in their studies, or claim that it is just a metaphor. But it is not metaphor! This teaching is the whole reason that Jesus came here to save us, and the whole of our faith hangs on this truth, because if this is not true then nothing else in the bible matters, or as Flannery O’Connor once said, “If it’s just a symbol, to hell with it,”

There are other places in the bible where He does use metaphor… Like “if your tongue causes you to sin cut it out, and if your eye causes you to sin pluck it out”, It is abundantly clear that this is meant to be taken symbolically, otherwise the world be left deaf and blind. One of the things that God clearly taught us in the Old Testament said was that if we teach an eye for an eye, then the whole world will be left blind. God does not contradict Himself, so it is clear that Jesus does not want us blind and mute. But this is not so with today’s reading. We must understand that this is a real command, and not symbolic.

But Why? Because we believe the constant and ongoing participation in the sacrifice of the last supper and Jesus’ death on the cross. Scott Hahn in his book “the fourth cup” explains that Jesus’s mission on earth was to free us from sin. His life was about teaching us how to live in His divine will, His sacrifice and death on the cross was to provide a new exodus. This time for all of the people of the world, and this time he would lead us all to freedom from slavery to sin, and out of this world and into the promised land of God’s kingdom in heaven.

But it does not happen at one moment in time, His sacrifice was not just for those that were alive at that time, it was for all of us, all that have ever lived, and all that ever will live. And so the eucharist is how we participate. At mass we do not re-crucify Jesus, we are actually transported back in time, to that moment 2000 years ago, we break bread with him, and we stand with Him as he dies for us to free us from our sin. And He does that by making Himself truly present in the eucharist at mass. We eat His real body, and we drink His real blood, and we participate in that same meal at the last supper, and we are then saved by His loving sacrifice on the cross. A symbol cannot do that, only the real presence of Jesus can, body, blood, soul, and divinity!

This is the celebration of the eucharist that we catholics re-participate in at ever mass. This is a required teaching of Jesus, we must do it, and He is dead serious about. As such, we as His followers have to take this very seriously too. Even if we dont understand it, we must still believe. And as a result of doing so, you will come to believe. And you will be lead out of slavery and into the promised land of heaven. Alleluia!

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, I belive, help my unbelief. Help me to overcome that things I dont understand, with trust and love and faith. Amen.

John 6:44-51

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to the crowds:
“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him,
and I will raise him on the last day.
It is written in the prophets:They shall all be taught by God.Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me.
Not that anyone has seen the Father
except the one who is from God;
he has seen the Father.
Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever believes has eternal life.
I am the bread of life.
Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died;
this is the bread that comes down from heaven
so that one may eat it and not die.
I am the living bread that came down from heaven;
whoever eats this bread will live forever;
and the bread that I will give
is my Flesh for the life of the world.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my Flesh for the life of the world.

Oratio (Responding)

The “living bread from heaven” is the Eucharist. But how is this bread living? Because it is truly the body blood soul and divinity or our our Lord God Himself, it is the actual source of life itself. It is important to note here that in greek There are a couple words for life, the first is the bodily physical life of our human existence (pnuema), and the other is supernatural spiritual life (zoe), the life that god gave us and was made for eternal communion with Him.

When Jesus speaks of life here, He is not speaking of the temporary natural life of this world, but the eternal supernatural life that is promised to those that make it to heaven. The eucharist is litterally a foretaste of that heaven, but it is also the medicine that we need now in this physical world to heal our souls, to transforms our broken fallen nature, and to prepare our souls for an eternity with God in heaven.

The eucharist is the real presence of God, and when we partake of it, we become one with Him (for a short while). We unite with the God of the universe, body, blood, soul and divinity. He becomes part of us, and we for slight time become transformed by Him into Him. It is only a short time while here in this sinful world, but it is a glimpse of what eternity in heaven will be, an eternal and perfect marriage with Him forever. This is an amazing reality…, mind boggling when you actually think about it.

But the eucharistic host is just a piece of bread, how can we believe that it is actually transformed into the real Body of our Lord Jesus Christ? This is the challenge of our faith, and it is not easy. But we do have some help. Thomas Aquinas explains it by noting the difference between substance and accidents of a thing. The accidents of a thing are its attributes, a red ball has the accidents of redness, roundness, and bounciness. But the when you add all of those accidents together, you get the substance of it, a bouncy red ball. The accidents can change, the shade of red, the size or shape of the roundness, the degree of bounciness, but the substance stays the same. But with the Eucharist, the accidents of bread remain the same, but the substance changes. This is a great mystery, and while we cant understand it perfectly, we are able to understand it somewhat. But at the end of the day the reason for why we believe always comes down to faith. To understand that concept a little better, we turn to the Ignatious study bible, which explains faith in the eucharist like this:

There are two ways of viewing the bread of life, and they both depend on faith. The first is that Eating is seen as a metaphor for believing in Jesus and that by eating you will be eventually lead to believing. But in John 6 Jesus is 100% clear that the eucharist is His Body and His blood. And eating human flesh is so contrary to our nature as humans, and is rightly seen as abhorent to do so. Thus we are somewhat stuck. Thus the second view is that you must first believe before you can eat. But how can we believe something that is so unnatural? In either case the answer require trust in God and faith that His words are true. So when we combine all of this together we understand that “If eating is believing, then believing leads to eating” and “If believing leads to eating, then eating is believing”

In philosophy this is called a tautology, and is often seen as a logical falicy, but that is the point. The eucharist is not logical, it is not something that you can fully understand with your natural human mind, and scientific study…, it requires faith. But just because it requires faith does not mean that it is not real. The transformative nature of the eucharist, is absolutely real and verifiable, the evidence is everywhere. Just Search on the web for “eucharistic miracles” and you will be astounded by what you find. Jesus said that you will know them by their fruits, and the fruits of the eucharist are legendary.

The mystery of the eucharist may be hard to understand with our human mind, but it is not impossible. It requires an open heart and God’s grace, but it is totally possible, but it begins with faith. Thomas Aquinas said (paraphrasing): “the mysteries of the faith will forever remain elusive to those that do not have faith, but if you simply open your heart to Him, and make the move toward God and ask for His grace, He will pour down onto you all that you need and more to begin to understand.” But if you hate or reject God, then nothing He says or does will ever make sense to you. But He is waiting for you to ask Him to increase your faith, what are you waiting for, start right now? Your eternity awaits.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, Help me to fully believe this miracle, so that I can help others to understand it as well.

John 6:35-40

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to the crowds,
“I am the bread of life;
whoever comes to me will never hunger,
and whoever believes in me will never thirst.
But I told you that although you have seen me,
you do not believe.
Everything that the Father gives me will come to me,
and I will not reject anyone who comes to me,
because I came down from heaven not to do my own will
but the will of the one who sent me.
And this is the will of the one who sent me,
that I should not lose anything of what he gave me,
but that I should raise it on the last day.
For this is the will of my Father,
that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him
may have eternal life,
and I shall raise him on the last day.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him on the last day.

Oratio (Responding)

This is one of Jesus’ most encouraging statements in the bible. “To see and to believe, and you will have eternal life.” Sounds like a good deal. But does this mean that it is a one time transaction? You might believe it is like looking at the sky, seeing it is blue, and believing it will always be blue. Sadly it is not the same as seeing God in all his glory. Satan did that, he knew God in all of His glory, and he still rejected Him.

So what does is mean to see and believe? First seeing God is to recognize His power, to know that He is the creator of the universe, that He created all things, and holds them in existence in His will and His undying love. Believing means that while recognizing who God is, all good, and all loving, that you then make an act of the will to lovingly and trustingly submit every aspect of your life to Him, in devotion, and as a perpetual gift of gratitude, and adoration.

Lastly, you must then look all around you, and you do the same for all of Gods creation, because this world, and ALL of the people on it, are as much a part of Him as He is Himself. This humility and love is what Satan could not do, and that is why he fell. But you can do it, and you must maintain it until your last days. Then, at the end of time, He will raise you up to be with Him for all eternity. What more could you ask for, and what more could you want?

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh, lord, help me to see you and believe, and where I fall short help my unbelief, amen.

John 6:30-35

Lectio (Reading)

The crowd said to Jesus:
“What sign can you do, that we may see and believe in you?
What can you do?
Our ancestors ate manna in the desert, as it is written:

He gave them bread from heaven to eat.”

So Jesus said to them,
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
it was not Moses who gave the bread from heaven;
my Father gives you the true bread from heaven.
For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven
and gives life to the world.”

So they said to Jesus,
“Sir, give us this bread always.”
Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life;
whoever comes to me will never hunger,
and whoever believes in me will never thirst.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.

Oratio (Responding)

Never hungering or ever thirsting…, I presume that that is what heaven will be like. All our needs will be attended to. We will not want for anything. But I presume that He also means this to apply today, in this world right now. That however, is harder to understand.

In this world we have to eat and drink, and labor, and struggle. I don’t expect that if I simply come to you, and believe, that you will take care of all of my needs right now? I dont consider you my celestial butler, and I know that if I do not work, I cannot feed my family, or pay for the mortgage, or have the time to read and study about you.

So I think rather that the real answer is like Augustine wrote. “God provides the wind, man must raise the sail”. So this is what I do. I try to cooperate with God in all my labor, and as a result He provides everything I need. We are not all called to be beggars like St. Francis. So I believe that the answer is a combination of the two extremes, somewhere in between. We will struggle and strive to survive, working hard, but doing so with faith and trust in the lord.

In the end, combining that righteous labor with the humble and reverent reception of your sacraments, and the eucharist, you will open up the gates of heaven, and give us the opportunity of eternity with you. And in that eternal life of heaven, we will find that all of our needs are completely fulfilled.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, Illuminate my mind and help me to believe to the extent that is required to obtain this eternal happiness with you. Amen.

John 6:22-29

Lectio (Reading)

[After Jesus had fed the five thousand men, his disciples saw him walking on the sea.]
The next day, the crowd that remained across the sea
saw that there had been only one boat there,
and that Jesus had not gone along with his disciples in the boat,
but only his disciples had left.
Other boats came from Tiberias
near the place where they had eaten the bread
when the Lord gave thanks.
When the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there,
they themselves got into boats
and came to Capernaum looking for Jesus.
And when they found him across the sea they said to him,
“Rabbi, when did you get here?”
Jesus answered them and said,
“Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for me
not because you saw signs
but because you ate the loaves and were filled.
Do not work for food that perishes
but for the food that endures for eternal life,
which the Son of Man will give you.
For on him the Father, God, has set his seal.”
So they said to him,
“What can we do to accomplish the works of God?”
Jesus answered and said to them,
“This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.

Oratio (Responding)

What is “the bread of God that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world?” It is the eucharist, the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus. When we partake in the eucharist, we commune with Him and bring Him literally into our bodies. He is so close to us in communion that he literally becomes part of us, or more accurately, His presense helps to re-align our will and our nature with His, and as a result we slowly become more and more like Him.

Interestingly in Greek there are 2 words for body and two words for soul. The two words for body are Bios and Sarx. Bios is the natural physical or bodily life that all plants and animals share. Sarx is the fallen human flesh of this world, the flesh mired in concupicense and sin. The two words for Spirit are Pnuema and Zoe. Pneuma is the breath of life, it is the spiritual soul that inhabits all things that live. Zoe is the supernatural life, the higher human spirit that god whishes us all to have so that we can share communion with Him.

When Jesus says that He is the bread from heaven that will give life to the world, He is not referring to the natural physical body (bios), but the fallen broken human body (sarx). And when He talks of life here, he is not referring to the spiritual breath of life (pnuema) that inhabits all thing, but the heavenly spirit (zoe) that God wishes for us all so that we can commune with Him perfectly in heaven. Thus, Jesus is saying here that when we eat of this body, His battered, beaten, and broken body on the cross. The flesh (sarx) that took upon it all of the sins of the world. When we eat this body, like the jews ate the ground up remains of the golden calf in the desert, it is then that we restore the covenant that Jesus established for us in His sacrifice on the cross, and we redeem ourselves in the eyes of God. And when we are redeemed in the eyes of God, that will give eternal life (zoe).

This is why it is so important to understand that the eucharist is NOT just a symbol. It is the REAL body blood, soul and divinity of Jesus. And Just like the covenants of the old testaments were ratified with a sacrificial offering, that all parties would consume to establish the covenenant between them. In the eucharist, Jesus is both the one offering the covenenant (as God) and the one that is the sacrifice that must be shared in communion for the ratification of the covenant. His flesh then.., is the life for the world.

Our souls know this implicitly because we were created by Him in His image. But the world confuses and lies to us and convinces us that it is just bread and wine. But no matter where you are on your journey of faith the reality is that our souls yearn for this connection with God, but it is our minds that keep us away. We spend so much time separating ourselves from that closeness, whether it is games or social media, or just flat-out rejection, we tell ourselves that we don’t want to be a slave to Christ, we want (like the devil did) to make Him a slave to us. We must reject those lies, and submit to God’s will for us.

This is the work that Jesus is referring to in todays reading. The work of pursuing Jesus in the eucharist, staying in the state of grace, and working to do Gods will in the world and not your own. It makes sense that turning toward the eucharist, and ordering our lives to be in line with the creator, is the action that the Lord requires of us, to have communion with Him, to bring Him, litterally into our bodies, and to rest in the fact that we are now the new temples of his divine presence…, the new tabernacle of the lord.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, Please lord help me find a way to get out of my sin, and to rest in your loving embrace.

John 21:1-19

Lectio (Reading)

At that time, Jesus revealed himself again to his disciples at the Sea of Tiberias.
He revealed himself in this way.
Together were Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus,
Nathanael from Cana in Galilee,
Zebedee’s sons, and two others of his disciples.
Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.”
They said to him, “We also will come with you.”
So they went out and got into the boat,
but that night they caught nothing.
When it was already dawn, Jesus was standing on the shore;
but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.
Jesus said to them, “Children, have you caught anything to eat?”
They answered him, “No.”
So he said to them, “Cast the net over the right side of the boat
and you will find something.”
So they cast it, and were not able to pull it in
because of the number of fish.
So the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord.”
When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord,
he tucked in his garment, for he was lightly clad,
and jumped into the sea.
The other disciples came in the boat,
for they were not far from shore, only about a hundred yards,
dragging the net with the fish.
When they climbed out on shore,
they saw a charcoal fire with fish on it and bread.
Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you just caught.”
So Simon Peter went over and dragged the net ashore
full of one hundred fifty-three large fish.
Even though there were so many, the net was not torn.
Jesus said to them, “Come, have breakfast.”
And none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?”
because they realized it was the Lord.
Jesus came over and took the bread and gave it to them,
and in like manner the fish.
This was now the third time Jesus was revealed to his disciples
after being raised from the dead.

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter,
“Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?”
Simon Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.”
He then said to Simon Peter a second time,
“Simon, son of John, do you love me?”
Simon Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.”
Jesus said to him the third time,
“Simon, son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was distressed that Jesus had said to him a third time,
“Do you love me?” and he said to him,
“Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.”
Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.
Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger,
you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted;
but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands,
and someone else will dress you
and lead you where you do not want to go.”
He said this signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God.
And when he had said this, he said to him, “Follow me.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

“Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was distressed that Jesus had said to him a third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.”

Oratio (Responding)

Some modern scholars have suggested that this chapter was added to the end of John after his death, but the claim is as John Bergsma asserts is unfounded and improbable. But this reading of the bible is indeed unique to the Gospel of John alone. The symbolism and metaphor that is layered all throughout the passage is manifold. But I believe that there are two main messages that are being made herein. The first is that this reading speaks to the life of the disciple, and the need for reconciliation through the sacraments. And the other is that Jesus has established the primacy of Peter (the Pope) as the head of His church.

The imagery of the sacrament of reconciliation, is replete throughout this reading. First is the setting of this event. It is on the shores of the Sea of Galilee (aka. Tiberius), and calls to mind the scene of the first call of His disciples to “follow Him.” Recall how Peter and his Brother were fishing at that first call, and did not catch anything all night, and only at Jesus’s call do they put out in trust and they catch a great multitude. And after that moment they abandon their nets and follow him. What happens next is that they follow Jesus throughout his ministry and ultimately to the eve of Jesus’ Passion. But here is where their life of discipleship is broken. Because of the passion of the christ, they are all scattered, except for John, and they ultimately all abandon Him. But Peter was named the rock of the church by Jesus Himself, so how is this failure of Peter to be resolved, and the relationship restored? The answer is reconciliation.

Jesus sets up the scene perfectly. The reading starts with Peter and six other disciples going fishing. They are not fishing for men, like Jesus wanted them to do after He died, They are essentially going back to their old lives, and they are doing it without Jesus. And then Jesus arrives on the scene. He has setup a charcoal fire. This is important because it is the only other place in the bible that a gospel writer mentions a charcoal fire. The other time is at Jesus’ trial where Peter was warming himself right before he denied Jesus three times. Next Jesus calls them at dawn (out of the darkness) and calls them to make an act of faith, and that act is rewarded with a great catch of fish. This is what confession is all about. The lord knows that we will fail, he knows that we will let Him down, and even betray him, and He loves us enough to forgive us. But that forgiveness is dependent on our making an act of faith (contrition) and facing our shame (ie. the charcoal fire and denial). And then asking for forgiveness. Then and only then is the relationship restored, forgiveness granted, and you are brought back into communion with Him, this is symbolized by the sharing of the meal with the Lord on the shore.

Once theReconciliation of the relationship with Jesus is complete, Jesus moves on to the restoration of Peter as the head of His church. The primacy of Peter (aka the Pope) is crucial to the success of the Catholic church throughout the 2000 year history of it. Without a single voice that has the ultimate authority to decide disputes between members of the faithful…, the natural result is schism. That is what happened throughout the entire protestant revolution, and it is why we now have over a 100 protestant denominations, and over 80,000 non-denominational churches across the world. Primacy of Peter is key to the success of the Catholic church even today, 2,000 years later.

But to accomplish this end, peter had to be restored completely to that authority, through the act of reconciliation, and to be restored as the true rock of the church, after he had fallen so far from grace. The way that this was done with the three-fold “do you love me” questions. But there is more to these questions than just a three fold affirmation to reconcile the three fold denial. The actual words for “love” used here in greek have different meanings. The greeks had 8 words for love. And the two used here are Agape (self sacrificing love) and Philio (brotherly love). In the first two questions Jesus uses the word agape, essentially asking to you love me the way I love you, sacrificing all that I have for you. And both times Peter response I love you like a brother. But in His third question Jesus says do you love me like a brother, and Peter responds you know everything, you know that I love you like a brother. This is really important, because Jesus is asking Peter if he can love the members of the church that he is being charged with, in the same way that Jesus does? Peter in humility, because of his shame in the three denials, does not want to claim again that he will die for Jesus and instead say the best he can promise now is to love him and the whole church as a brother. And Jesus in His final question, seems to accepts that distinction, and says that I understand that you cannot make that promise now, and accepts the little that Peter can offer. But He will only accept it for a time, and instead makes a prophecy about how Peter will die. He says:

“‘Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.’ He said this signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God.”

This means that if we want to feel the gifts of God’s grace in our lives, we must first be open to God’s loving kindness, tap into that source, and then give His grace away. Let it pour out of you to everyone you know, and once you are empty, then God will fill you back up, to the point that your cup is overflowing, and the cycle starts over again.

Conversely, if you are closed off to God’s grace, and are unwilling to give it away, you will by definition be deprived of the gifts that God wants to give you because of your refusal to accept them. If you are not open to God’s grace, then grace cant flow through you, and so you will not posses it in your life. It is like pulling out an umbrella, but this umbrella deflects God’s graces.

In the Vatican II document, gaudium et spes, it says “Man discovers himself, when he makes a gift of himself.” I suggest that to be ‘full of grace’ we must first be willing to align our will with Gods will for our lives. His grace does indeed fall on us all equally. Being open to God’s grace, means letting it fall on you and ultimately flow through you. The more open to His presence in your life that you are, the more you will be filled with His grace, and filled to overflowing.

This is why Jesus says that the sinner has more right to His grace than the holy, because those that are full of grace are not in need of more of it, but the closed off are. The Lord wants all to come to Him and to be in His glory. Like the two sons in the prodigal son story, the “good” son felt slighted because he thought he was getting a smaller portion of the father’s graces than the “bad” son was getting. But that is because the bad son has so much farther to go to be back in communion with the father. The good son was already mostly there, although he did not know it. So we must not keep track of who is getting grace and who is not, we must only strive to open ourselves up to receive grace from the Father, by being of service, and giving His grace away. God does not ration it, He pours it on us all equally, if we would only accept it.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord please lord help me to dispose my will to be of service and to accept your grace by giving it away. Amen.

John 3:16-21

Lectio (Reading)

God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son,
so that everyone who believes in him might not perish
but might have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,
but that the world might be saved through him.
Whoever believes in him will not be condemned,
but whoever does not believe has already been condemned,
because he has not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God.
And this is the verdict,
that the light came into the world,
but people preferred darkness to light,
because their works were evil.
For everyone who does wicked things hates the light
and does not come toward the light,
so that his works might not be exposed.
But whoever lives the truth comes to the light,
so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned…

Oratio (Responding)

This passage begins with probably the most famous line from the bible. People hold up signs saying john 3:16 at football games, and wear trinkets with this passage listed on it. Why? God loves us all, and He wills the good for us. But before we were born God conceived us in His mind, He thought about all that we would do, and about what He willed for our lives. And He spoke a word, and we came into being. That word is your name, and that name contains everything that He wanted you to become. That name is not the name that the people of this world call you by, but it is a unique name that is only yours. But you will know that name when you stand before God in your final judgement, and he calls you by it. Your life, to the extent that you followed God’s will for you, will reflect that name, or it will be a denial of it.

St. John Chrysostom said “it is either that non belief is a condemnation because you are separated from God, and belief is the promise of future connection.” And this is the point. Your salvation or condemnation is completely your choice. Completely the result of how much you have lived out your divine name, or denied it. In each of our lives we have made big decisions. If our decisions aligned with God’s will for our lives, then our lives were peaceful, but when our decisions went against God’s will for us, then we experience the pain and suffering of our prideful denial.

Our condemnation does not come down from God, but is instead because of our free choice to separate ourselves from Him, and thus condemn ourselves. Those that do believe, are not condemned because their belief will suffice to give the grace needed to suffer the pains of purgatory, and eventually be with God in Heaven.

Our protestant brothers and sisters teach “faith alone” and they believe that all you need is faith to get to heaven, but that teaching is not written anywhere in the bible. In fact is it much worse than that. The Bible teaches many times in many places that the place of hell is very real. Whether you consider the story of Lazurus and Abraham and its clear description of heaven and hell, or the Marian visions at Fatima where mother Mary’s clearly warns of soul falling into hell. Or even by Jesus’ own words “be gone for I never knew you…”

We have strong evidence to believe that Jesus’s standards are higher than simple belief. Jesus said that “the luke warm he will spit out of his mouth.” Thus, I suggest that we need to be wary of our actions and that we are always directing our lives to the lord, while at the same time we also must learn to enjoy the world that God has given us. G.K. Chesterton, said (summarizing)… the world is a gift, and we are supposed to enjoy it. But we must do so with sober moderation. We cannot simply say we believe, and then go about doing whatever we want. The stakes are much much higher than that.

So the message today, is to ponder that name that God has given you, the name that is to reflect His will for your life, and then align your will to His will. This choice will determine your salvation or your condemnation, so choose wisely.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord help me to learn to enjoy your gift, while at the same time directing my life towards the your kingdom, and your mission for souls here in this world.

John 3:7b-15

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to Nicodemus:
“‘You must be born from above.’
The wind blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound it makes,
but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes;
so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
Nicodemus answered and said to him,
‘How can this happen?”
Jesus answered and said to him,
“You are the teacher of Israel and you do not understand this?
Amen, amen, I say to you,
we speak of what we know and we testify to what we have seen,
but you people do not accept our testimony.
If I tell you about earthly things and you do not believe,
how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?
No one has gone up to heaven
except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man.
And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert,
so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”

Oratio (Responding)

I think that these lines contain a truly amazing message. This whole chapter consists of Jesus talking to Nicodemus and explaining to him what it means for the Father to give His only Son. In summary, He explains that by our being born again of the Holy Spirit (aka., baptism), and through the loving sacrafice of the Son on the cross, that He would redeem the whole world, and save us from our sin. But what does that mean?

To better understand we need to reflect back on the passage in Exodus reference here. The passage is of the seraph serpants. The incident of the serpents was proceeded by a series of ungrateful grumblings, by the jews in the desert? They complained about the food, They complained about the water. They complained about the living conditions in the desert. They had already forgotten that they were slaves under pharaoh, and they yearned to go back to that time of slavery, because they thought it was better than the freedom that the Lord was providing.

God knew that, while it only took one day to get the jews out of egypt, it would take 40 years to get egypt out of the jews. But nevertheless, He heard this terrible ingratitude and all of their selfish grumblings, and removed his protection of them for a time and allowed them to be punished for their sins by the attack of the seraph serpents. These poisonous snakes spread throughout the camp and bit many of the jews. Many died, and others were very badly injured by this. But through Moses’ love for his people and through his powerfull intercession, he asked God for an end to this suffering. And God provided them a way to be healed.

Moses made a bronze serpent, and commanded the jews to look upon the staff with the broze serpent and be healed. I don’t think I can emphasize enough how important this is. John Bergsma writes “Isreal was in a state of death by snakes, and only by the mercy and love of God were the Jews restored to life and communion with Him.” But they were restored only by looking at the source of their pain and suffering, confronting the consequences of their sin, so that they could realize that they were the cause of their own suffering, and thus be reconciled with God and return to his loving protection. The Jews had turned away from God, and yearned for the things of this world, even slavery, over a loving personal relationship with the good shepherd. They had put themselves into such a state of sin that they were totally lost to the consequenses of it, and it was only the Lord Himself and His mercy and love that could saved them.

This is a prefect prefiguration of what God would do on the Cross for all of mankind. When today we look with faith on the cross, and Christ crucified, we too can be healed and saved. As John Bergsma continues…, “Just as Israel was restored to life by gazing on the serpent lifted up, we too may be restored to eternal life by gazing on Christ.” The cross represents the sum of all of our sin, past present and future. The suffering and torture that the cross represents is the culmination of all of our sin poured out onto one man, Jesus Christ. Because it is only Jesus the divine son of God that was strong enough to endure it. Or as Fulton Sheen said “God paid a dept that He did not owe, because we owed a dept that we could not pay!” But it is His willingness to suffer that torture on our behalf that becomes the source of salvation and freedom from sin.

We must look upon that cross, and we must recognize our own sin, and our own contribution to His suffering on the cross. When we see that it is us that are whipping Him, and driving the nails into His hands and feet. It is at that moment that we must ask Him for His forgiveness. A forgiveness He does not owe us, and a mercy we do not deserve. But, and this is the most astounding thing of all…, that He is willing to give us, if we simple ask. But you must first confront it, look upon Him who paid that price that we could not pay, thank Him for his love and mercy, and then ask Him to forgive you. And once you do, He will look upon you with love and say “well done my good and faithful servant, enter into my glory”

Let us remember today that the symbol of the very worst thing that human beings can do to each other is also the sign of our greatest hope and salvation. Let us always remember that God will make the greatest good out of the greatest evil, and we can always trust in Him and His love for us. You just need to turn from the sign of your sin, and run into the embrace of His divine love! Amen.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to be worthy of your sacrifice. And when I look upon you on my crucifix let me be healed, and saved to eternal life with you. Amen.

John 3:1-8

Lectio (Reading)

There was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.
He came to Jesus at night and said to him,
“Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God,
for no one can do these signs that you are doing
unless God is with him.”
Jesus answered and said to him,
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless one is born from above, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
Nicodemus said to him,
“How can a man once grown old be born again?
Surely he cannot reenter his mother’s womb and be born again, can he?”
Jesus answered,
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless one is born of water and Spirit
he cannot enter the Kingdom of God.
What is born of flesh is flesh
and what is born of spirit is spirit.
Do not be amazed that I told you,
‘You must be born from above.’
The wind blows where it wills,
and you can hear the sound it makes,
but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes;
so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Amen, amen, I say to you, unless one is born of water and Spirit he cannot enter the Kingdom of God.

Oratio (Responding)

In todays reading, Nicodemus asks a silly question, wondering if Jesus is seriously talking about going back into our mothers womb and being born again. Jesus responds “Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.” What does it mean to be born of water and spirit? This is baptism. Before Jesus started His ministry, John the baptist was baptizing with water for the forgiveness of sins, and he spoke of a time when one would come after him that would baptize with the holy spirit. Jesus is now fulfilling this prophesy. He is the one, and His baptism is the baptism that will change everything. His baptism is the one that will open the gates of heaven, and make it so that we can finally be reconciled back to God.

Nicodemus’ question is funny because it does not even get close to understanding the depths of what Jesus is saying here, and so that is why Jesus follows up with the clarification of water and spirit. Jesus is here giving us the formula for how to baptise. Water is the matter of the sacrament. The words “I baptize you in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy spirt” are the form. When this formula is used, this is when the holy spirit descends upon the recipient and He places the indelible mark of this sacrament, on the soul of the recipient. And it is this mark, that is required for entry into the kingdom of heaven.

This is what Jesus is saying and He is being extremely clear about it. Baptism is the one way we know of that opens this possibility of heaven to us. Thomas Aquinas called it the “privledged way”, and it is the one thing we know that is required for entry into heaven. This does not mean that a baptized person cannot choose hell, and fall out of the Grace of God, but if you want to go to heaven, you must have this mark, in order to enter.

So you may ask what about those that never knew about Jesus, or those that died before they could be baptized? For those people, we have to humbly say that we don’t know. But we can safely say, that while we are held to God’s law, and His sacraments, that does not mean that God is. God is the good king, and His mercy is greater than His law. So we must trust in His infinite mercy, and perfect justice. But for those of you that are reading or hearing this, you now know what you need to do… Like Jesus said before He ascended into heaven, “Go forth, into all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and Holy Spirit,” Those are important words, heed them, your eternity, and the eternity of the whole world, could literally depend on it.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, make is so that I can help one person find their way back to you, and into your loving service. Amen.

John 20:19-31

Lectio (Reading)

On the evening of that first day of the week,
when the doors were locked, where the disciples were,
for fear of the Jews,
Jesus came and stood in their midst
and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side.
The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you.
As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”
And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them,
“Receive the Holy Spirit.
Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them,
and whose sins you retain are retained.”

Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve,
was not with them when Jesus came.
So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.”
But he said to them,
“Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands
and put my finger into the nailmarks
and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

Now a week later his disciples were again inside
and Thomas was with them.
Jesus came, although the doors were locked,
and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.”
Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands,
and bring your hand and put it into my side,
and do not be unbelieving, but believe.”
Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me?
Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples
that are not written in this book.
But these are written that you may come to believe
that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God,
and that through this belief you may have life in his name.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.” Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

Oratio (Responding)

Today is Divine Mercy Sunday. Today we celebrate and give thanks for God’s divine mercy. There is wonderful image of Christ given to St. Faustina, where the blue and red light come out of Jesus’ side symbolizing the incredible gift of divine mercy that flows from Jesus to us. This is the image was given to St. Faustina along with the message of divine mercy in order that we all could know and understand the awesome gift of God’s love for us and His divine mercy. In Diary, no. 699 Jesus told St. Faustina that “It is My desire that it be solemnly celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter. Mankind will not have peace until it turns to the Fount of My Mercy.” And so, on May 5, 2000, five days after the canonization of St. Faustina, St. John Paul II along with all of the Magisterium decreed that the Second Sunday of Easter would henceforth be known as Divine Mercy Sunday.

The image of divine mercy given to St. Faustina makes reference to Jesus on the cross, in John 19, where the roman soldier thrust a lance into the side of Jesus, in order to confirm that Jesus was dead, and blood and water flowed out. Blood because the lance pierced His heart, and water because it also pierced His Lungs that were full of water from edema. The water is a metaphor pointing to the waters of baptism, and the blood is a reference to the blood of Christ in the holy eucharist. In His sacrifice on the cross He gave us all of the means of salvation. Forgiveness of original sin by baptism. Justification of our relationship with God, by His death on the cross, and finally our ongoing sanctification via the gifts of reconciliation and the eucharist.

The water and blood flowing forth from Jesus is in itself a reference to the great temple in Jerusalem. In the days that Jesus walked this earth, passover had evolved into an incredible spectacle. It was estimated that a million jewish pilgrims would descend on the city to celebrate passover. This meant that approximately 200,000 lambs would be slaughtered, and it would litterally take days to complete all of the sacrifices. The temple priests would have to create assembly lines to take the blood of the sacrificed lambs, and pour that blood on the altar in the temple. The blood would flow down drains below the alter, collect in pools and would ultimately overflow and mix with the water of the brook of Kidron that flowed under the temple, and the combined blood and water would flow out of the side of temple through a small portico. It would become a small waterfall of water and blood pouring out of the temple. It was said to be an incredible site.

These two references (above) are all ultimately a reference to Ezekiel 47. Ezekiel, in his prophecies, saw the great temple in heaven, and the “river of life” that flows throughout the entire kingdom of heaven, from a single source at the center of the temple, God the Father. All life, all goodness, all love, and all mercy come from that single source. Jesus is the new temple in heaven from which the river of life flows. Jesus is the body that connects us here on earth with the enteral source of life in Heaven, through the eucharist.

This gift of life, and the promise of Gods mercy are completely unwaranted, God does not owe us anything, and we have done nothing to deserve it. It is a pure gift, a gift from one that loves us more than the sum total of our sin, and even despite them. He reaches out to us, to save us from the slavery to sin, and meets us where we are, even if we are not looking for Him.

And that brings us to today’s reading and Thomas. Thomas was definitely a doubter. He is the same disciple whom when lazarus died said “Let us also go to die with him.” He exposes in that response a couple things. That he thought that if they returned to Jerusalem, that Jesus would surely be captured and killed by His enemies, and that Lazarus was dead, and there was nothing Jesus could do about it. On another occasion Thomas asked: “Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?” Thomas doubts because He treats Jesus as just a man, and does not understand the true meaning of what Jesus is telling him. And today he doubts that Jesus has risen from the dead.

But, Thomas’ doubts are not the important thing here, it is Jesus’ response that matters. Jesus is not indignant and dismissive of Thomas doubts, turning him away. He is instead inviting and loving, making a special trip just for Thomas, so that he too could come to believe. Thomas said he would not believe unless he had enough reason, enough evidence to believe. and so Jesus, came down to his level, and gave him the evidence he needed. Jesus takes Thomas’ hand and puts it into the place from which all Divine Mercy flows, and in that moment Thomas touches the source of all belief, and responds with the perfect prayer “My Lord and my God!” This is the gift of Divine Mercy, and the ultimate reason for it…, to believe. And that is why Jesus’ final statement is so powerful for us today. “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.” Jesus meets us where we are, maybe not bodily, but he is there, and he is reaching for you, reaching to you so that you too can believe.

Do you see Him? When you do, will you respond? Thomas today shows us what to do, he give us the most perfect and concise expression of faith in the whole of the bible “My Lord and my God!” This is the only rational response to the recognition of Gods pressence in your life, and it is the ultimate yearing of our souls to reach out and connect with Him. This is the call of our souls, and when you finally recognize it, and call out to God, He will be there, pulling you into the source of all life as well. What an amazing and awesome thing, to have a God that loves us that much. Are you ready to make the call? He is waiting for you. Call Him today.

Happy Divine Mercy Sunday.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, Thank you lord for giving us all that we need to stay close to you. Help those fallen away from you to realize this, and help us that love you to stay close to the sacraments, and to get even closer to you.

Mark 16:9-15

Lectio (Reading)

When Jesus had risen, early on the first day of the week,
he appeared first to Mary Magdalene,
out of whom he had driven seven demons.
She went and told his companions who were mourning and weeping.
When they heard that he was alive
and had been seen by her, they did not believe.

After this he appeared in another form
to two of them walking along on their way to the country.
They returned and told the others;
but they did not believe them either.

But later, as the Eleven were at table, he appeared to them
and rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart
because they had not believed those
who saw him after he had been raised.
He said to them, “Go into the whole world
and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

When Jesus had risen, early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. She went and told his companions who were mourning and weeping. When they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe.

Oratio (Responding)

The stories of Jesus’ appearance after His ressurection are all slightly different among the gospels. But they all have one thing in common, He appears to the women first. Many church fathers even (while it is not said in the bible) piously contend that Jesus appeared to his Mother first, in private, before He appeared to anyone else. This is not a dogmatic belief in the church but it is fitting, and makes sense that a good son would honor His mother in this way.

But in any case the women of the gospels, are often called the apostles to the apostles, because they announce the news to the men. This is a revolutionary thing, that most people in the modern world (of women’s equality), often fail to recognize. The Jewish and christian cultures were both unique in the anchient world, because they raised women to prominence, where other cultures and communities, treated women as property, and did not consider their opinion or input on anything. The judeo/christian God has done more for women and their quality of life than any civil rights worker, or suffragette. This fact is often lost on most modern minds, but the truth of it is undeniable.

Jesus on many occasions singled out women to be his indirect disciples. The woman caught in adultery (Mary Magdelene), Mary and Martha, the woman at the well, and lets never forget his mother, the greatest and most perfect disciple He ever had. There is a humorous anecdote that illustrates the point. It goes like this…, We the faithful of the church are the body of christ, Jesus is the the head, and Mary is the neck, because she moves the head and points the way. The wedding at cana is a good example, Mary simply says “they have no wine,” and then looks at the attendants, and says “do whatever He tells you.” Jesus always does what He thinks is best, but Mary points Him to the things that need his attention. Beautiful!

God always knew that both men and woman had great gifts to offer the world, and he gave them the place and stature they needed to contribute to the story of salvation. This is a really important lesson for us all to remember, especially today. Men and women both have great contributions to make in bringing Gods kingdom to fruition in this world, men should not try to do the things of women, and women should not try to do the things of men. The greatest happiness for all comes from our own full participation in our indiviual response to God’s call for our lives. When we all work together, living in the divine will for our lives, we create a beautiful harmony, a symphony of goodness. This is what God wants for us, we should strive to make it happen.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to hear the truth that you want to tell me today, no matter whom it may come from, and help me to honor the women in my life for the wonderful contribution they bring to my life and your kingdom. Amen.

John 21:1-14

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus revealed himself again to his disciples at the Sea of Tiberias.
He revealed himself in this way.
Together were Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus,
Nathanael from Cana in Galilee,
Zebedee’s sons, and two others of his disciples.
Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.”
They said to him, “We also will come with you.”
So they went out and got into the boat,
but that night they caught nothing.
When it was already dawn, Jesus was standing on the shore;
but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.
Jesus said to them, “Children, have you caught anything to eat?”
They answered him, “No.”
So he said to them, “Cast the net over the right side of the boat
and you will find something.”
So they cast it, and were not able to pull it in
because of the number of fish.
So the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord.”
When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord,
he tucked in his garment, for he was lightly clad,
and jumped into the sea.
The other disciples came in the boat,
for they were not far from shore, only about a hundred yards,
dragging the net with the fish.
When they climbed out on shore,
they saw a charcoal fire with fish on it and bread.
Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you just caught.”
So Simon Peter went over and dragged the net ashore
full of one hundred fifty-three large fish.
Even though there were so many, the net was not torn.
Jesus said to them, “Come, have breakfast.”
And none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?”
because they realized it was the Lord.
Jesus came over and took the bread and gave it to them,
and in like manner the fish.
This was now the third time Jesus was revealed to his disciples
after being raised from the dead.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

This was now the third time Jesus was revealed to his disciples after being raised from the dead.

Oratio (Responding)

This is the third time Jesus has appeared to His disciples since His ressurrection. The first two were in the upper room, where the door was locked, because of their fear. Now in this story, they have left the locked room. They still feel lost, and alone, and they do not know what to do, and so they have set out to do the one thing that they know how to do. Peter leads the way, saying one of my favorite lines in the bible “I am going fishing.” But sadly they were unsuccessfull… Why?

They were mourning the loss of Jesus, and decided to go back to what they know, but they did it without Jesus, and without bringing Him into their work, and as a result they were unsuccessful. Then, Jesus reveals Himself to the disciples on the shore, and the moment He was with them, albeit from a distance, they caught a multitude of fish. 153 fish, a number that most church fathers agree represented all of the known species of fish at the time. And if they are to be “fishers of men” then this “catch” is very symobolic of the mission that Jesus is giving them as apostles and evangelists of His new religion.

I think the analogy is clear. We need bring Jesus into every aspect of our lives. Our work, our friendships, and our marriages, and when we do we will be successful. But more than successful, we will attract more than we set out to do. We will find abundance, and we will bring Gods message to even those we did not know were listening, those from all over the world. This is the call of our lives. To be one with His kingdom, and to not stand apart from it. It sometimes seems easier to try to do it all on your own, but it is not, and Jesus wants to help us carry the load, we only need ask for His help. Ask Him to join you in all that you do today, and everyday.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Today let me remember to invite Jesus into every aspect of my life, and to ask Him to help me carry the load, and together we can more fully magnify His kingdom here on earth. Amen.

Luke 24:35-48

Lectio (Reading)

The disciples of Jesus recounted what had taken place along the way,
and how they had come to recognize him in the breaking of bread.

While they were still speaking about this,
he stood in their midst and said to them,
“Peace be with you.”
But they were startled and terrified
and thought that they were seeing a ghost.
Then he said to them, “Why are you troubled?
And why do questions arise in your hearts?
Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself.
Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones
as you can see I have.”
And as he said this,
he showed them his hands and his feet.
While they were still incredulous for joy and were amazed,
he asked them, “Have you anything here to eat?”
They gave him a piece of baked fish;
he took it and ate it in front of them.

He said to them,
“These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you,
that everything written about me in the law of Moses
and in the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled.”
Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.
And he said to them,
“Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer
and rise from the dead on the third day
and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins,
would be preached in his name
to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
You are witnesses of these things.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have.

Oratio (Responding)

When Jesus asked His disciples this question, I suspect they were thinking something like this “Well you just appeared out of nowhere, and walked through a locked door. That is indeed be somewhat troubling.” I take it though, that this question is not just for those in that locked room, but Jesus asks us all that question, because He has us all in His mind, not only those with Him at that time, but all that came before and after them.

Why are we so troubled? I think it is because of lack of faith. Peter Kreeft suggests that it is because we expect things of God to be abstract and mystical, and not physical and tangible. But God is a good father and knows what we need. He gave His disciples concrete evidence. He showed His physical form to them in the upper room. He broke bread with them on the road to Emmaus. But today we moderns seem to think that time is past, and He is not present to us anymore. But He is, in fact present, every day, in the Eucharist at mass, and in all of the countless miracles (large and small) that He performs in our lives every day.

But despite all of the concrete evidence, many of our brothers and sisters fail to understand the miracles or believe the concrete realities of His presence in our daily lives. Again Peter Kreeft writes “the skeptic… argues, ‘Seeing is believing, and I don’t see, so I don’t believe,’ [to them] we reply, ‘You have it backward. Believing is seeing. If you believe, you will see. If you trust God, you will see for yourself what wonderful things he has in store for you.’” In this world we seem to need concrete examples, in order for us to feel like we are not being duped or tricked.

But God cannot be seen with our body’s eyes, He can only be viewed with the eyes of our heart, and through the love and trust of faith. The physical world clouds and disguises the things of the next world, and makes it hard for us to believe it is even there. So we cannot look to understand God with the mechanisms of science and physical experience, we must explore it with the mechanisms of the metaphysical, because the next world will be completely beyond our ability to understand… St. Paul wrote “What eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, and what has not entered the human heart, what God has prepared for those who love him,” Something that incredible can only be seen through the eyes of faith.

If only we had that kind of faith. It is said that Thomas Aquinas was given a vision of heaven, as a reward for all of the incredible things that he has written of God. But after his vision, he told his scribes that everything he had written was rubbish (better translated “toilet paper”), compared to what he saw in heaven. I strive to understand God in this way. It is an endless preoccupation and it is my life’s work, and the reason I write these reflections. I know that there is so much more waiting for me, than the aches and pains, sadness and misery that seems to pervade this world.

But until that time comes, He watches over us, and cares for us and helps us whenever we need anything. If we could just live with that level of faith and trust in His never ending love, we could be perfectly happy, and fearless. But sadly we are stuck here in this world, and most of us don’t have faith strong enough to keep us from not worrying about food and shelter and safety. So we go to very long lengths, to make sure that we have the things we need to feel safe, and to provide those same things for our families.

It is a hard thing to completely trust, and be a beggar like St. Francis, but it is what we are all called to do, maybe not to the extent of St. Francis, but at some level. In all things we need to trust in the Lord more, and have faith more like a child. “Do not be afraid,” is not a simple throwaway line. It is, in fact the thing that Jesus said more than anything else in the bible. Because He knew it is the constant preoccupation of our hearts. Jesus does not want us to live in fear, He wants us to trust and pray instead, open the eyes of your heart, and look to Heaven and the hope of an eternity of joy and happiness with God in Heaven. So, do not be afraid.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh Lord, help me today to love and trust in you completely. Help me to close the eyes of my body to this world, and open the eyes of my heart to You. Amen.

Luke 24:13-35

Lectio (Reading)

That very day, the first day of the week,
two of Jesus’ disciples were going
to a village seven miles from Jerusalem called Emmaus,
and they were conversing about all the things that had occurred.
And it happened that while they were conversing and debating,
Jesus himself drew near and walked with them,
but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him.
He asked them,
“What are you discussing as you walk along?”
They stopped, looking downcast.
One of them, named Cleopas, said to him in reply,
“Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem
who does not know of the things
that have taken place there in these days?”
And he replied to them, “What sort of things?”
They said to him,
“The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene,
who was a prophet mighty in deed and word
before God and all the people,
how our chief priests and rulers both handed him over
to a sentence of death and crucified him.
But we were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel;
and besides all this,
it is now the third day since this took place.
Some women from our group, however, have astounded us:
they were at the tomb early in the morning
and did not find his Body;
they came back and reported
that they had indeed seen a vision of angels
who announced that he was alive.
Then some of those with us went to the tomb
and found things just as the women had described,
but him they did not see.”
And he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are!
How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke!
Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things
and enter into his glory?”
Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets,
he interpreted to them what referred to him
in all the Scriptures.
As they approached the village to which they were going,
he gave the impression that he was going on farther.
But they urged him, “Stay with us,
for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over.”
So he went in to stay with them.
And it happened that, while he was with them at table,
he took bread, said the blessing,
broke it, and gave it to them.
With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him,
but he vanished from their sight.
Then they said to each other,
“Were not our hearts burning within us
while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?”
So they set out at once and returned to Jerusalem
where they found gathered together
the Eleven and those with them who were saying,
“The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!”
Then the two recounted what had taken place on the way
and how he was made known to them in the breaking of the bread.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Jesus himself drew near and walked with them, but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him. He asked them, “What are you discussing as you walk along?”

Oratio (Responding)

Why was Jesus preventing them from recognizing Him? Aren’t these men some of His closest disciples and friends? The answer is that the ressurected Jesus is now in His glorified body, and they are not now able to see God in His full glory. So Jesus was likely hiding His appearance for the moment because the reality of His glorified pressence would be too much for them to handle.

Let me explain. The trinity in heaven is a sight that cannot be comprehended, let alone possibly explained. Thomas Aquinas, the angelic doctor of the church, who was considered by most to be the greatest teacher of the faith the church has ever had, was given a vision of heaven and afterwards he told his scribes that everything he had written were like toilet paper in comparison.

The vision of the Trinity in heaven is commonly called the beatific vision. I believe that this vision is more glorious than anything we could ever possibly imagine. But it is more than just a vision. It is a feast for your whole person. Eyes, ears, taste, touch and smell…, all will all be raised to the most glorious experience you could ever imagine.

But there is one more experience, and that is experience of your soul. The bible speaks of God in Heaven as a fire that burns away all iniquity (aka. Sin). You cannot be in Gods presence, if you have any attachment to sin on your heart, If you do, you will get burned by the fire of His beatific vision. This is why we have to go to confession and to receive communion, in order to continuously separate ourselves from our attachment to sin, and when we die if we are given the gift of purgatory, we will then finally be completely free of all attachment to sin. When we are completely free, perfected in our will, and as God intended us to be. Then, and only then, can we enter into that presence, and bask in the warm embrace of God’s love

But until that time we are unworthy, and incapable of being with God, personally, one on one, but that does not mean that God does not want to be close to us. In fact He yearns to be with us like the father in the prodigal son story yearns to be with his lost son. And so like in today gospel He comes to us, walks with us, teaches us, and ultimately communes with us. We are stuck in sin, and we are incapable of fully seeing Him, and so instead, He conceals Himself in presence in the bread and wine of the eucharist. And in this concealed nature He enters into us, and becomes one with us, and heals us, and ultimately changes us from the inside out.

And then like the men in this story, we can see Him. At mass, in the holy eucharist, we are given a brief glimpse of the God in His glory. The disguise comes off, for just a moment, and we can be with God personally and intimately, and in that moment Jesus is fully revealed in all his glory. But only for the moment. Then the world creeps back in, and our sins catch us again, and then He is gone… Until the next mass. This is why we must stay close to the church and the sacraments. They are the way in which we on earth can touch heaven, even if it is just for a moment, and then eventually forever in heaven.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, I thank you for loving us so much. For giving yourself to us in the holy eucharist, and for allowing us to be with you, body, blood, soul, and divinity, while we are still here in this world, stuck in our sin, and iniquity.

John 20:11-18

Lectio (Reading)

Mary Magdalene stayed outside the tomb weeping.
And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb
and saw two angels in white sitting there,
one at the head and one at the feet
where the Body of Jesus had been.
And they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?”
She said to them, “They have taken my Lord,
and I don’t know where they laid him.”
When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there,
but did not know it was Jesus.
Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?
Whom are you looking for?”
She thought it was the gardener and said to him,
“Sir, if you carried him away,
tell me where you laid him,
and I will take him.”
Jesus said to her, “Mary!”
She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni,”
which means Teacher.
Jesus said to her, “Stop holding on to me,
for I have not yet ascended to the Father.
But go to my brothers and tell them,
‘I am going to my Father and your Father,
to my God and your God.’”
Mary went and announced to the disciples,
“I have seen the Lord,”
and then reported what he had told her.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for? She thought he was the gardener…

Oratio (Responding)

This appears at first, to be a funny and cute mistake, but in truth it was not a mistake. The Lord is the great gardener, and this world is His special garden. He created the whole universe and tends to it like any good gardener would. At the begining of time He created everything, setup the extents of the universe, He put the planets and stars in motion, He created the laws of the universe that governs its motion. Then He created Earth, and put mountains and trees and rivers and oceans, and created the seasons, and the cycle of life of all things.

He planted, watered, pruned and cultivated, all of the livng things in His garden. And finally He created man, to be His stewards, and to tend to the garden while He is away. But man is more than all of the things He created because man is capable of being in loving relationship with God, and in intimate communion with Him for all eternity. This is the greatest gift He ever bestowed on the universe, the opportunity to love and be loved by God.

This is why the garden was created in the first place. Can you even comprehend that thought. That God created everything around us, everything you see, and everything that is light years away out in space, and He created it so He could have a personal, loving, relationship with YOU, and me, and all of the people of this world. He planted you in his garden, and He is waiting for you to bear the fruit of faith and love in Him in return. That is your task right now, to bear fruit, because at the end of time He will come to harvest His fruit, and you don’t want to be found barren when He comes. So fullfill the plan that God has set forth, for you and your life, and thank Him for His garden, and for His tender care.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, I hope that I can be good fruit that you will harvest and take into your kingdom.

Matthew 28:8-15

Lectio (Reading)

Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went away quickly from the tomb,
fearful yet overjoyed,
and ran to announce the news to his disciples.
And behold, Jesus met them on their way and greeted them.
They approached, embraced his feet, and did him homage.
Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid.
Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee,
and there they will see me.”

While they were going, some of the guard went into the city
and told the chief priests all that had happened.
The chief priests assembled with the elders and took counsel;
then they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers,
telling them, “You are to say,
‘His disciples came by night and stole him while we were asleep.’
And if this gets to the ears of the governor,
we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.”
The soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed.
And this story has circulated among the Jews to the present day.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

And behold, Jesus met them on their way and greeted them. They approached, embraced his feet, and did him homage. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”

Oratio (Responding)

But in any case the women of the gospels, are often called the apostles to the apostles, because they announce the news to the men. This is are revolutionary thing, that most people in the modern world (of women’s equality), often fail to recognize. The Jewish and christian cultures were both unique in the anchient world, because they raised women to prominence, where other cultures and communities, treated women as property, and did not consider their opinion or input on anything. The judeo/christian god has done more for women and their quality of life than any civil rights worker, or suffragette. This fact is often lost on most modern minds, but the truth of it is undeniable.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to hear the contribution that the women in my life have to give to the understanding of your will in this world. Amen.

John 20:1-9

Lectio (Reading)

On the first day of the week,
Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning,
while it was still dark,
and saw the stone removed from the tomb.
So she ran and went to Simon Peter
and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them,
“They have taken the Lord from the tomb,
and we don’t know where they put him.”
So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb.
They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter
and arrived at the tomb first;
he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in.
When Simon Peter arrived after him,
he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there,
and the cloth that had covered his head,
not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place.
Then the other disciple also went in,
the one who had arrived at the tomb first,
and he saw and believed.
For they did not yet understand the Scripture
that he had to rise from the dead.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him. So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first

Oratio (Responding)

The story being told here, is more than just an amusing story about a young man outrunning an older one, it is instead a metaphor for a deep theological truth. Peter Kreeft in his commentary on this gospel calls this “the story of the mystic and the magisterium.” Meaning that John (the mystic), almost always understood what was being said and taught by Jesus very quickly. John was very aware, and very perceptive, and very quick to get it. Peter (the magisterium), on the other hand, was much slower to understand and took his time, he made mistakes, but eventually got there.

John in this story is telling us something very important about the church and how Jesus founded it with Peter at the head of it. In the 2000 year history of the church many mystics, and “seers” have arisen and brought us stories of incredible encounters with Jesus, Mary and the Saints. These personal revelations are quick to move the people and even create mass movements. These revelations often have immediate effects on people and can even cause cultural change. Apparitions like Fatima, and Medjugorje are miraculous stories, and have moved the people, and many conversions, and reversions have happened as a result. But the church often takes a long time to catch up. It took the vatican 13 years to declare that Fatima was worthy of belief despite the 70,000 people that witnessed it, and filmed it, and Medjugorje apparitions happened in 1981 and is still waiting for that designation.

This principle of thorough investigation, and prayerful discernment is something we should all take very seriously. The world is quick to follow the zietghiest, and move with the ebbs and flows of cultural change, but the church is not and should not. This caution, and deliberateness, should be a model for our own lives. In jumping to conclusions, reacting instead of responding, we all could learn a lesson from the church, by waiting, and seeing how things work out…, and often do, work themselves out. Our current church craziness is no different. Some day there will be a new pope, and new bishops, and we will have to deal with new issues. Let us just hope that the church will withstand all of this current cultural pressure, like it has withstood the 2000 years of “new” ideas that have come before. Amen.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh. lord, help me today to respond, with thoughtful reflection, to the things that happen to me today and not react hastily and abruptly. Amen.

Luke 24:1-12

Lectio (Reading)

At daybreak on the first day of the week
the women who had come from Galilee with Jesus
took the spices they had prepared
and went to the tomb.
They found the stone rolled away from the tomb;
but when they entered,
they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.
While they were puzzling over this, behold,
two men in dazzling garments appeared to them.
They were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground.
They said to them,
"Why do you seek the living one among the dead?
He is not here, but he has been raised.
Remember what he said to you while he was still in Galilee,
that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners
and be crucified, and rise on the third day."
And they remembered his words.
Then they returned from the tomb
and announced all these things to the eleven
and to all the others.
The women were Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James;
the others who accompanied them also told this to the apostles,
but their story seemed like nonsense
and they did not believe them.
But Peter got up and ran to the tomb,
bent down, and saw the burial cloths alone;
then he went home amazed at what had happened.

John 18:1 – 19:42

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus went out with his disciples across the Kidron valley
to where there was a garden,
into which he and his disciples entered.
Judas his betrayer also knew the place,
because Jesus had often met there with his disciples.
So Judas got a band of soldiers and guards
from the chief priests and the Pharisees
and went there with lanterns, torches, and weapons.
Jesus, knowing everything that was going to happen to him,
went out and said to them, “Whom are you looking for?”
They answered him, “Jesus the Nazorean.”
He said to them, “I AM.”
Judas his betrayer was also with them.
When he said to them, “I AM, “
they turned away and fell to the ground.
So he again asked them,
“Whom are you looking for?”
They said, “Jesus the Nazorean.”
Jesus answered,
“I told you that I AM.
So if you are looking for me, let these men go.”
This was to fulfill what he had said,
“I have not lost any of those you gave me.”
Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it,
struck the high priest’s slave, and cut off his right ear.
The slave’s name was Malchus.
Jesus said to Peter,
“Put your sword into its scabbard.
Shall I not drink the cup that the Father gave me?”

So the band of soldiers, the tribune, and the Jewish guards seized Jesus,
bound him, and brought him to Annas first.
He was the father-in-law of Caiaphas,
who was high priest that year.
It was Caiaphas who had counseled the Jews
that it was better that one man should die rather than the people.

Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus.
Now the other disciple was known to the high priest,
and he entered the courtyard of the high priest with Jesus.
But Peter stood at the gate outside.
So the other disciple, the acquaintance of the high priest,
went out and spoke to the gatekeeper and brought Peter in.
Then the maid who was the gatekeeper said to Peter,
“You are not one of this man’s disciples, are you?”
He said, “I am not.”
Now the slaves and the guards were standing around a charcoal fire
that they had made, because it was cold,
and were warming themselves.
Peter was also standing there keeping warm.

The high priest questioned Jesus
about his disciples and about his doctrine.
Jesus answered him,
“I have spoken publicly to the world.
I have always taught in a synagogue
or in the temple area where all the Jews gather,
and in secret I have said nothing. Why ask me?
Ask those who heard me what I said to them.
They know what I said.”
When he had said this,
one of the temple guards standing there struck Jesus and said,
“Is this the way you answer the high priest?”
Jesus answered him,
“If I have spoken wrongly, testify to the wrong;
but if I have spoken rightly, why do you strike me?”
Then Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

Now Simon Peter was standing there keeping warm.
And they said to him,
“You are not one of his disciples, are you?”
He denied it and said,
“I am not.”
One of the slaves of the high priest,
a relative of the one whose ear Peter had cut off, said,
“Didn’t I see you in the garden with him?”
Again Peter denied it.
And immediately the cock crowed.

Then they brought Jesus from Caiaphas to the praetorium.
It was morning.
And they themselves did not enter the praetorium,
in order not to be defiled so that they could eat the Passover.
So Pilate came out to them and said,
“What charge do you bring against this man?”
They answered and said to him,
“If he were not a criminal,
we would not have handed him over to you.”
At this, Pilate said to them,
“Take him yourselves, and judge him according to your law.”
The Jews answered him,
“We do not have the right to execute anyone, “
in order that the word of Jesus might be fulfilled
that he said indicating the kind of death he would die.
So Pilate went back into the praetorium
and summoned Jesus and said to him,
“Are you the King of the Jews?”
Jesus answered,
“Do you say this on your own
or have others told you about me?”
Pilate answered,
“I am not a Jew, am I?
Your own nation and the chief priests handed you over to me.
What have you done?”
Jesus answered,
“My kingdom does not belong to this world.
If my kingdom did belong to this world,
my attendants would be fighting
to keep me from being handed over to the Jews.
But as it is, my kingdom is not here.”
So Pilate said to him,
“Then you are a king?”
Jesus answered,
“You say I am a king.
For this I was born and for this I came into the world,
to testify to the truth.
Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”
Pilate said to him, “What is truth?”

When he had said this,
he again went out to the Jews and said to them,
“I find no guilt in him.
But you have a custom that I release one prisoner to you at Passover.
Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?”
They cried out again,
“Not this one but Barabbas!”
Now Barabbas was a revolutionary.

Then Pilate took Jesus and had him scourged.
And the soldiers wove a crown out of thorns and placed it on his head,
and clothed him in a purple cloak,
and they came to him and said,
“Hail, King of the Jews!”
And they struck him repeatedly.
Once more Pilate went out and said to them,
“Look, I am bringing him out to you,
so that you may know that I find no guilt in him.”
So Jesus came out,
wearing the crown of thorns and the purple cloak.
And he said to them, “Behold, the man!”
When the chief priests and the guards saw him they cried out,
“Crucify him, crucify him!”
Pilate said to them,
“Take him yourselves and crucify him.
I find no guilt in him.”
The Jews answered,
“We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die,
because he made himself the Son of God.”
Now when Pilate heard this statement,
he became even more afraid,
and went back into the praetorium and said to Jesus,
“Where are you from?”
Jesus did not answer him.
So Pilate said to him,
“Do you not speak to me?
Do you not know that I have power to release you
and I have power to crucify you?”
Jesus answered him,
“You would have no power over me
if it had not been given to you from above.
For this reason the one who handed me over to you
has the greater sin.”
Consequently, Pilate tried to release him; but the Jews cried out,
“If you release him, you are not a Friend of Caesar.
Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar.”

When Pilate heard these words he brought Jesus out
and seated him on the judge’s bench
in the place called Stone Pavement, in Hebrew, Gabbatha.
It was preparation day for Passover, and it was about noon.
And he said to the Jews,
“Behold, your king!”
They cried out,
“Take him away, take him away! Crucify him!”
Pilate said to them,
“Shall I crucify your king?”
The chief priests answered,
“We have no king but Caesar.”
Then he handed him over to them to be crucified.

So they took Jesus, and, carrying the cross himself,
he went out to what is called the Place of the Skull,
in Hebrew, Golgotha.
There they crucified him, and with him two others,
one on either side, with Jesus in the middle.
Pilate also had an inscription written and put on the cross.
It read,
“Jesus the Nazorean, the King of the Jews.”
Now many of the Jews read this inscription,
because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city;
and it was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek.
So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate,
“Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’
but that he said, ‘I am the King of the Jews’.”
Pilate answered,
“What I have written, I have written.”

When the soldiers had crucified Jesus,
they took his clothes and divided them into four shares,
a share for each soldier.
They also took his tunic, but the tunic was seamless,
woven in one piece from the top down.
So they said to one another,
“Let’s not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it will be, “
in order that the passage of Scripture might be fulfilled that says:
They divided my garments among them,
and for my vesture they cast lots.
This is what the soldiers did.
Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother
and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas,
and Mary of Magdala.
When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved
he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.”
Then he said to the disciple,
“Behold, your mother.”
And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.

After this, aware that everything was now finished,
in order that the Scripture might be fulfilled,
Jesus said, “I thirst.”
There was a vessel filled with common wine.
So they put a sponge soaked in wine on a sprig of hyssop
and put it up to his mouth.
When Jesus had taken the wine, he said,
“It is finished.”
And bowing his head, he handed over the spirit.

Here all kneel and pause for a short time.

Now since it was preparation day,
in order that the bodies might not remain on the cross on the sabbath,
for the sabbath day of that week was a solemn one,
the Jews asked Pilate that their legs be broken
and that they be taken down.
So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first
and then of the other one who was crucified with Jesus.
But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead,
they did not break his legs,
but one soldier thrust his lance into his side,
and immediately blood and water flowed out.
An eyewitness has testified, and his testimony is true;
he knows that he is speaking the truth,
so that you also may come to believe.
For this happened so that the Scripture passage might be fulfilled:
Not a bone of it will be broken.
And again another passage says:
They will look upon him whom they have pierced.

After this, Joseph of Arimathea,
secretly a disciple of Jesus for fear of the Jews,
asked Pilate if he could remove the body of Jesus.
And Pilate permitted it.
So he came and took his body.
Nicodemus, the one who had first come to him at night,
also came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes
weighing about one hundred pounds.
They took the body of Jesus
and bound it with burial cloths along with the spices,
according to the Jewish burial custom.
Now in the place where he had been crucified there was a garden,
and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had yet been buried.
So they laid Jesus there because of the Jewish preparation day;
for the tomb was close by.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

And the soldiers wove a crown out of thorns and placed it on his head, and clothed him in a purple cloak, and they came to him and said, “Hail, King of the Jews!

Oratio (Responding)

Why did the roman do this, what was the symbolism. In a study on the Gospel of Mark, Tim Grey sheds light on this mystery. He proposes that this robe was the robe of the jewish high priest. And that it was was put on Jesus in mockery of the Jews and their demands to crucify Jesus. Let me explain. The jewish people had some extremely valuable items of worship in their temple. The ark was made of pure gold, the lampstands were gold, and the temple itself was even decorated with gold, many anchient writers say that it was a sight to behold.

One of the things that they possessed was a beautiful purple (or Scarlet) robe that the High priest would wear, on the one day of the year that the he would go beyond the vale and to pray in front of the ark. This robe was made of a special die, that did not fade. It was so beautiful and valuable that it looked just like a kings robe, in fact it rivaled the cloak of ceasar himself. The romans did not allow anyone to challenge the kingship of ceasar, and so, for this reason the romans would not allow the Jews to keep it in their posession, and only would give it to the jewish leaders for their high feast days, and then would immediately take it back afterwards.

Dr. Grey suggests that the romans being greatly perturbed by the Jewish Pharisees, and their unreasonalble demands to crucify Jesus, decided to take this robe out of storage, and place it on Jesus. Put a crown of thorns on His head, and a reed in His hand, and then reveal Him to the Jewish mob. Insodoing, Pilot is mockingly saying “You want to execute the king of the jews, well here he is, bloody from the scourging, wearing a crown of thorns, holding a useless reed as staff, and wearing the robe of your high priest. The jewish leaders that knew what this robe meant, and had to be deeply cut to the bone by this insult.

But the great irony of it all is that Jesus was indeed the king of the jews. He is the great high priest, and He is the messiah that comes to unite the tribes, restore the kingdom of david, and bring justice to all of God’s enemies. Jesus is indeed the Lord, and has done, all of these things, but none of the people present at this moment had any ideas what was happening. The Jews wanted to kill someone that they thought was blasphemer, The romans hated the Jews, and wanted to mock them and taunt them with insults. And Jesus stands in the midst of all of them truly the God of the universe, humble and meek.

The irony and sadness of this moment is incredible, but this moment teaches us that the “spirit of the times,” and “pop culture,” hardly ever capture the real truth of any moment. But in all of it, Jesus is standing there, king of the universe, waiting for us to recognize Him, and come to Him. Will you open your eys and see Him, or are you going to get swept up in the mob, yelling crucify Him! We all need to take a long hard look at our lives, and ponder the hard truth of this question, and move toward Jesus!

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to reject the spirit of the age, and to only focus on you and your eternal plan for our salvation. Amen.

John 13:1-15

Lectio (Reading)

Before the feast of Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come
to pass from this world to the Father.
He loved his own in the world and he loved them to the end.
The devil had already induced Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot, to hand him over.
So, during supper,
fully aware that the Father had put everything into his power
and that he had come from God and was returning to God,
he rose from supper and took off his outer garments.
He took a towel and tied it around his waist.
Then he poured water into a basin
and began to wash the disciples’ feet
and dry them with the towel around his waist.
He came to Simon Peter, who said to him,
“Master, are you going to wash my feet?”
Jesus answered and said to him,
“What I am doing, you do not understand now,
but you will understand later.”
Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.”
Jesus answered him,
“Unless I wash you, you will have no inheritance with me.”
Simon Peter said to him,
“Master, then not only my feet, but my hands and head as well.”
Jesus said to him,
“Whoever has bathed has no need except to have his feet washed,
for he is clean all over;
so you are clean, but not all.”
For he knew who would betray him;
for this reason, he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

So when he had washed their feet
and put his garments back on and reclined at table again,
he said to them, “Do you realize what I have done for you?
You call me ‘teacher’ and ‘master,’ and rightly so, for indeed I am.
If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet,
you ought to wash one another’s feet.
I have given you a model to follow,
so that as I have done for you, you should also do.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Do you realize what I have done for you? You call me ‘teacher’ and ‘master,’ and rightly so, for indeed I am. If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet. I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do

Oratio (Responding)

Jesus asks “Do you realize what I have done for you?” If there has ever been a more loaded question, in the history of the world, I am not aware of it. I don’t think that even 2000 years later we actually fully realize what He has done for us? Maybe not until we make it to heaven will we even begin to understand, and maybe not even then.

But there is another incredibly beautiful way of looking at this reading. John Bergsma explains an extraordinary typology revealed in this reading: “Jesus disrobing, washing the feet, dressing again, and sitting down once more is a parable of the sequence of his Incarnation‚ death, resurrection‚ and Ascension. Here is what I mean. Disrobing points to His taking off the garments of His visible divinity (His Divine Glory), and becoming incarnated as a lowly Human. The Washing of feet points to Jesus living a life of service while He was here in this world, and ultimately becoming humiliated in His passion and Death on the cross. The dressing again points to Jesus Dying and putting on the clothing of His glorified body in His resurrection on the third day. And Finally, the sitting down once again, points to the ascension into heaven, and His taking His seat in His throne at the right hand of the father.

This is a beautiful metaphor of His life and the model for which we should all live our lives. We all need to disrobe the clothing of original sin, through baptism. Then to live our lives imitating the model of humble sacrifice that Jesus gave us. And when we do this, then when we die we will be preserved from death, and at the last judgement we will have our glorified bodies restored to us, and we will be finally seated with Him in Heaven at the great wedding feast of Jesus the bridegroom, and His bride the church in Heaven.

The catechism (CCC 659) says “Jesus’ final apparition ends with the irreversible entry of his humanity into divine glory,” this speaks beautifully of the fact that one of the reasons that Jesus came to earth was to join forever in heaven the human body with the beatific vision of God in Heaven. We are all made in God’s image, and our bodies are supposed to be witness to that. We mar them up with sin, and make them unrecognizable, but through all of that God still sees us, and yearns for us to be free of it.

But Jesus came to show us how to live, how to reconcile our sin with the Father, and how to die in a way that is pleasing to God. Then after purgatory, and the last judgment, we will be reunited with our human bodies, and we too can sit as full humans (body and soul) in the divine presence of the lord. What an amazing gift…, The gift of Jesus’ sacrifice, redeeming the world, is as Fulton Sheen said, “Jesus paid a debt He didn’t owe because we owed a debt we couldn’t pay.” Thank you Lord for everything you have done for us, I am eternally grateful.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, Please lord barge into my life, and direct me in the way that most pleases you. Help me to learn to do your will.

Matthew 26:14-25

Lectio (Reading)

One of the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot,
went to the chief priests and said,
“What are you willing to give me
if I hand him over to you?”
They paid him thirty pieces of silver,
and from that time on he looked for an opportunity to hand him over.

On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread,
the disciples approached Jesus and said,
“Where do you want us to prepare
for you to eat the Passover?”
He said,
“Go into the city to a certain man and tell him,
‘The teacher says, “My appointed time draws near;
in your house I shall celebrate the Passover with my disciples.””‘
The disciples then did as Jesus had ordered,
and prepared the Passover.

When it was evening,
he reclined at table with the Twelve.
And while they were eating, he said,
“Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.”
Deeply distressed at this,
they began to say to him one after another,
“Surely it is not I, Lord?”
He said in reply,
“He who has dipped his hand into the dish with me
is the one who will betray me.
The Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him,
but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed.
It would be better for that man if he had never been born.”
Then Judas, his betrayer, said in reply,
“Surely it is not I, Rabbi?”
He answered, “You have said so.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The teacher says, “My appointed time draws near; in your house I shall celebrate the Passover with my disciples.”‘

Oratio (Responding)

This reading is a bit enigmatic. The instruction to “go tell a certain man” seems mysterious and odd. John Bergsma in his book “Jesus and the Dead Sea scrolls” sheds light on all this in a way that I have never heard before. He explained that this “man” was likely the apostle Mark, and when you combine this reading with the other accounts of the passion from the other gospels, everything starts to become much more clear.

This story is wrapped around the essene community, and it is widely believed that mark was an Essene, and that he was a disciple of John the Baptist. In the gospel of Mark there is also a reference to a young man who when the Romans tried grab, had his white cloak was pulled off him and he ran away naked. This too is understood to be Mark as well.

The exegesis of the last supper is then extended to the providers of the upper room. This place, is widely believed to be the upper room in Mark’s Parent’s house. Marks mother is mentioned at another point in the gospels, and it is clear here that she is the host of this passover meal.

The Way Bergsma puts all of this together is fascinating, and he sheds light on so many of the confusing and seemingly contradictory things in the various passion narratives…, it well worth the read, and is a testament to how true it all is. Never have I ever heard a teaching that even if disturbing did not make perfect sense to me when it was explained in the context of the ancient Jewish people.

This is what is so wonderful about your word, God, it is alive and speaks to us a every stage of our lives. I want to continue to learn and deepen my understanding of you and your faith. Please lord give me a long life so I can learn and teach your word to as many people as you will place in my life.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, I ask that you bring into my life a mechanism or people that can use me to help extend your kingdom. I love you, and I want to teach the whole world about you, please help me find a way to do that.

John 12:1-11

Lectio (Reading)

Six days before Passover Jesus came to Bethany,
where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.
They gave a dinner for him there, and Martha served,
while Lazarus was one of those reclining at table with him.
Mary took a liter of costly perfumed oil
made from genuine aromatic nard
and anointed the feet of Jesus and dried them with her hair;
the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.
Then Judas the Iscariot, one of his disciples,
and the one who would betray him, said,
“Why was this oil not sold for three hundred days’ wages
and given to the poor?”
He said this not because he cared about the poor
but because he was a thief and held the money bag
and used to steal the contributions.
So Jesus said, “Leave her alone.
Let her keep this for the day of my burial.
You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.”

The large crowd of the Jews found out that he was there and came,
not only because of him, but also to see Lazarus,
whom he had raised from the dead.
And the chief priests plotted to kill Lazarus too,
because many of the Jews were turning away
and believing in Jesus because of him.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Mary took a liter of costly perfumed oil made from genuine aromatic nard and anointed the feet of Jesus and dried them with her hair

Oratio (Responding)

Todays gospel speaks of the anointing of Jesus with costly oil. This passage always seemed out of place to me, and unnecessary, but this extravagance, is not out of place when used on Jesus. This account is different from Mark’s in that the oil is used to anoint Jesus’ feet, but despite this difference, this is an extremely important moment, and has deeply profound theological implications.

Mary Magdalene was the woman of whom Jesus had cast out many demons. She is also believed to be the woman that was caught in adultery. The ointment was pure nard, which was extremely expensive. It was used, not only for the embalming of the dead, but also had a nuptial context as well. The only other mention of nard in the bible is in the song of songs, as a gift from the bride to her bridegroom. Mary here, is not only anointing Jesus’ feet for his upcoming passion, but she is giving a gift of great value, and meaning, to her bridegroom.

So the next logical questions is to ask why all of the marriage talk. That is because this is God’s greatest desire, to be wedded to us all through Jesus. It is extremely important, at this point to note, that when Jesus talks of marriage and weddings (in Heaven), there is not a sexual aspect to it. It speaks only to the deeply intimate connection that is built up between Husband and Wife through the institution of holy matrimony. That intimacy is what God seeks to have with all of us.

When Jesus freed Mary from the bondage of sin, He opened the gates of Heaven to her, and the eternity of happiness and joy with Him forever. This was not a one-way gift, not a one time transaction, it is a covenant between souls, pledging “I give myself to you, and you will give yourself to me.” Marriage is the only sacrament in the church where the minister is only a witness. He plays no part in the institution of the blessing. The sacrament of marriage is bestowed on the wife by her husband, and on the husband by his wife.

So too, Jesus gave everything to us on the cross, and he opened the gates of Heaven to us all. He pledged everything He had, His whole self, to us in that wonderful, horrible, sacrifice of love and mercy. But in order for Mary to “wed” herself to Him forever, she had to change her whole life, and give everything she had, her whole self back to him. This is what that gift of nard means, and this is why Jesus so fervently defends her.

So Mary is a model for us all, of how we are to respond to the ‘marriage proposal’ Jesus made to us on the cross. And she shows us how to approach the personal relationship with Him, that Jesus offers to us all. He wants us all to turn from our sin, He “weds” himself to us through the gift of His sacrifice on the cross, and His offer of infinite mercy and forgiveness, and we in-turn “wed” ourselves to Him by turning away from sin, and seeking that most intimate union of our souls to His.

This mystical union is why I believe Jesus uses the marriage feast and nuptial metaphors all throughout His teachings, because that is what Heaven is, a perpetual, eternal, wedding feast where the bridegroom Jesus, celebrates his bride (the church), and their mutual triumph over satan and sin. Don’t you want to be at that feast, don’t you want to celebrate eternity with Him forever in Heaven? Don’t you want to spend eternity with your bridegroom, the king of the universe, the creator of all things? That is what He wants, more than anything! Can you even comprehend something so incredible. That God wants to be wedded to you, and wants more than anything, for you to want to be wedded to Him. It boggles my mind to think that this could possibly be true, but it is, He is waiting for you to make the first move. What are you waiting for?

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh. Lord, help me today to be a cheerful giver, and to love you completely, and to be wedded with you in marriage for eternity. Amen.

Luke 22:14 – 23:56

Lectio (Reading)

When the hour came,
Jesus took his place at table with the apostles.
He said to them,
“I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer,
for, I tell you, I shall not eat it again
until there is fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”
Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and said,
“Take this and share it among yourselves;
for I tell you that from this time on
I shall not drink of the fruit of the vine
until the kingdom of God comes.”
Then he took the bread, said the blessing,
broke it, and gave it to them, saying,
“This is my body, which will be given for you;
do this in memory of me.”
And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying,
“This cup is the new covenant in my blood,
which will be shed for you.

“And yet behold, the hand of the one who is to betray me
is with me on the table;
for the Son of Man indeed goes as it has been determined;
but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed.”
And they began to debate among themselves
who among them would do such a deed.

Then an argument broke out among them
about which of them should be regarded as the greatest.
He said to them,
“The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them
and those in authority over them are addressed as ‘Benefactors’;
but among you it shall not be so.
Rather, let the greatest among you be as the youngest,
and the leader as the servant.
For who is greater:
the one seated at table or the one who serves?
Is it not the one seated at table?
I am among you as the one who serves.
It is you who have stood by me in my trials;
and I confer a kingdom on you,
just as my Father has conferred one on me,
that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom;
and you will sit on thrones
judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

“Simon, Simon, behold Satan has demanded
to sift all of you like wheat,
but I have prayed that your own faith may not fail;
and once you have turned back,
you must strengthen your brothers.”
He said to him,
“Lord, I am prepared to go to prison and to die with you.”
But he replied,
“I tell you, Peter, before the cock crows this day,
you will deny three times that you know me.”

He said to them,
“When I sent you forth without a money bag or a sack or sandals,
were you in need of anything?”
“No, nothing, ” they replied.
He said to them,
“But now one who has a money bag should take it,
and likewise a sack,
and one who does not have a sword
should sell his cloak and buy one.
For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me,
namely, He was counted among the wicked;
and indeed what is written about me is coming to fulfillment.”
Then they said,
“Lord, look, there are two swords here.”
But he replied, “It is enough!”

Then going out, he went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives,
and the disciples followed him.
When he arrived at the place he said to them,
“Pray that you may not undergo the test.”
After withdrawing about a stone’s throw from them and kneeling,
he prayed, saying, “Father, if you are willing,
take this cup away from me;
still, not my will but yours be done.”
And to strengthen him an angel from heaven appeared to him.
He was in such agony and he prayed so fervently
that his sweat became like drops of blood
falling on the ground.
When he rose from prayer and returned to his disciples,
he found them sleeping from grief.
He said to them, “Why are you sleeping?
Get up and pray that you may not undergo the test.”

While he was still speaking, a crowd approached
and in front was one of the Twelve, a man named Judas.
He went up to Jesus to kiss him.
Jesus said to him,
“Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”
His disciples realized what was about to happen, and they asked,
“Lord, shall we strike with a sword?”
And one of them struck the high priest’s servant
and cut off his right ear.
But Jesus said in reply,
“Stop, no more of this!”
Then he touched the servant’s ear and healed him.
And Jesus said to the chief priests and temple guards
and elders who had come for him,
“Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs?
Day after day I was with you in the temple area,
and you did not seize me;
but this is your hour, the time for the power of darkness.”

After arresting him they led him away
and took him into the house of the high priest;
Peter was following at a distance.
They lit a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat around it,
and Peter sat down with them.
When a maid saw him seated in the light,
she looked intently at him and said,
“This man too was with him.”
But he denied it saying,
“Woman, I do not know him.”
A short while later someone else saw him and said,
“You too are one of them”;
but Peter answered, “My friend, I am not.”
About an hour later, still another insisted,
“Assuredly, this man too was with him,
for he also is a Galilean.”
But Peter said,
“My friend, I do not know what you are talking about.”
Just as he was saying this, the cock crowed,
and the Lord turned and looked at Peter;
and Peter remembered the word of the Lord,
how he had said to him,
“Before the cock crows today, you will deny me three times.”
He went out and began to weep bitterly.
The men who held Jesus in custody were ridiculing and beating him.
They blindfolded him and questioned him, saying,
“Prophesy! Who is it that struck you?”
And they reviled him in saying many other things against him.

When day came the council of elders of the people met,
both chief priests and scribes,
and they brought him before their Sanhedrin.
They said, “If you are the Christ, tell us, ”
but he replied to them, “If I tell you, you will not believe,
and if I question, you will not respond.
But from this time on the Son of Man will be seated
at the right hand of the power of God.”
They all asked, “Are you then the Son of God?”
He replied to them, “You say that I am.”
Then they said, “What further need have we for testimony?
We have heard it from his own mouth.”

Then the whole assembly of them arose and brought him before Pilate.
They brought charges against him, saying,
“We found this man misleading our people;
he opposes the payment of taxes to Caesar
and maintains that he is the Christ, a king.”
Pilate asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
He said to him in reply, “You say so.”
Pilate then addressed the chief priests and the crowds,
“I find this man not guilty.”
But they were adamant and said,
“He is inciting the people with his teaching throughout all Judea,
from Galilee where he began even to here.”

On hearing this Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean;
and upon learning that he was under Herod’s jurisdiction,
he sent him to Herod who was in Jerusalem at that time.
Herod was very glad to see Jesus;
he had been wanting to see him for a long time,
for he had heard about him
and had been hoping to see him perform some sign.
He questioned him at length,
but he gave him no answer.
The chief priests and scribes, meanwhile,
stood by accusing him harshly.
Herod and his soldiers treated him contemptuously and mocked him,
and after clothing him in resplendent garb,
he sent him back to Pilate.
Herod and Pilate became friends that very day,
even though they had been enemies formerly.
Pilate then summoned the chief priests, the rulers, and the people
and said to them, “You brought this man to me
and accused him of inciting the people to revolt.
I have conducted my investigation in your presence
and have not found this man guilty
of the charges you have brought against him,
nor did Herod, for he sent him back to us.
So no capital crime has been committed by him.
Therefore I shall have him flogged and then release him.”

But all together they shouted out,
“Away with this man!
Release Barabbas to us.”
— Now Barabbas had been imprisoned for a rebellion
that had taken place in the city and for murder. —
Again Pilate addressed them, still wishing to release Jesus,
but they continued their shouting,
“Crucify him! Crucify him!”
Pilate addressed them a third time,
“What evil has this man done?
I found him guilty of no capital crime.
Therefore I shall have him flogged and then release him.”
With loud shouts, however,
they persisted in calling for his crucifixion,
and their voices prevailed.
The verdict of Pilate was that their demand should be granted.
So he released the man who had been imprisoned
for rebellion and murder, for whom they asked,
and he handed Jesus over to them to deal with as they wished.

As they led him away
they took hold of a certain Simon, a Cyrenian,
who was coming in from the country;
and after laying the cross on him,
they made him carry it behind Jesus.
A large crowd of people followed Jesus,
including many women who mourned and lamented him.
Jesus turned to them and said,
“Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me;
weep instead for yourselves and for your children
for indeed, the days are coming when people will say,
‘Blessed are the barren,
the wombs that never bore
and the breasts that never nursed.’
At that time people will say to the mountains,
‘Fall upon us!’
and to the hills, ‘Cover us!’
for if these things are done when the wood is green
what will happen when it is dry?”
Now two others, both criminals,
were led away with him to be executed.

When they came to the place called the Skull,
they crucified him and the criminals there,
one on his right, the other on his left.
Then Jesus said,
“Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.”
They divided his garments by casting lots.
The people stood by and watched;
the rulers, meanwhile, sneered at him and said,
“He saved others, let him save himself
if he is the chosen one, the Christ of God.”
Even the soldiers jeered at him.
As they approached to offer him wine they called out,
“If you are King of the Jews, save yourself.”
Above him there was an inscription that read,
“This is the King of the Jews.”

Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying,
“Are you not the Christ?
Save yourself and us.”
The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply,
“Have you no fear of God,
for you are subject to the same condemnation?
And indeed, we have been condemned justly,
for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes,
but this man has done nothing criminal.”
Then he said,
“Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
He replied to him,
“Amen, I say to you,
today you will be with me in Paradise.”

It was now about noon and darkness came over the whole land
until three in the afternoon
because of an eclipse of the sun.
Then the veil of the temple was torn down the middle.
Jesus cried out in a loud voice,
“Father, into your hands I commend my spirit”;
and when he had said this he breathed his last.

Here all kneel and pause for a short time.

The centurion who witnessed what had happened glorified God and said,
“This man was innocent beyond doubt.”
When all the people who had gathered for this spectacle saw what had happened,
they returned home beating their breasts;
but all his acquaintances stood at a distance,
including the women who had followed him from Galilee
and saw these events.

Now there was a virtuous and righteous man named Joseph who,
though he was a member of the council,
had not consented to their plan of action.
He came from the Jewish town of Arimathea
and was awaiting the kingdom of God.
He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.
After he had taken the body down,
he wrapped it in a linen cloth
and laid him in a rock-hewn tomb
in which no one had yet been buried.
It was the day of preparation,
and the sabbath was about to begin.
The women who had come from Galilee with him followed behind,
and when they had seen the tomb
and the way in which his body was laid in it,
they returned and prepared spices and perfumed oils.
Then they rested on the sabbath according to the commandment.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” He replied to him, “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

Oratio (Responding)

It is palm sunday and once again we read the story of Christ’s Passion. This year we read the account from the Gospel according to Luke. There are several things that are unique about Luke’s telling. Luke includes 3 of Jesus’ last 7 sayings, the 1st: “Father forgive them, for the know not what they are doing;” the 2nd: “Truly I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise;” and the last: “Into your hands I commend my spirit.” This reading also includes the story of Pilot sending Jesus to Herod for judgment, and the story about Jesus speaking to the women that were weeping for Him.

But the most interesting of all of these differences is the one of the good thief, St. Dismus, and His deathbed conversion. I find this story so compelling because it speaks directly to the reason why Jesus came to us and offered us salvation. Tangentially, there is a story that has been passed down through pious tradition that Dismas, and his compatriot Gestas, were robbers, and would find pilgrims on the roads coming into Jerusalem and would steal whatever they could from the travelers. It is said that these same two robbers had met Jesus, Mary and Joseph on the road after the nativity, and after the three kings had bestowed their gifts upon them. But because of the holiness of the holy Family, Dismas talked his partner Gestas out of robbing them and allowed them to pass unharmed on their way. The story is folk lore, but I feel that it is totally believable. But more importantly I think that it speaks to the inner soul of Dismas, and probably why he was able to accept the punishment that he was recieving on the cross, and to see Jesus for who He really was.

But what I really love about the story of Dismas and Gestas is that they speak directly to the reason that Jesus came to earth…, for the salvation of souls. Dismas and Gestas, were both completely lost to seriously grave sin, and they lived their entire lives that way, but at the last moments of their lives, Jesus offers them salvation. One humbly accepts and the other rejects, and as a result each of their eternal fates are thus sealed in their decisions.

So what is this story of “salvation” that Jesus came to fulfill? It is not an easy one to fully understand, because it requires much study to fully comprehend how complete and utterly profound it truly is. But a summary argument can be made, and I have found that there is one argument, from one of our greatest of church fathers, Gregory of Nyssa that explains what God has done for us in a very logical and reasonable way. It comes from his work “The Great Catechism.” It is a story about creation, fall, salvation, sacrifice and ultimately ressurection. I will try to summarize and explain below.

Creation — The story begins with God creating the angels first, and then the universe of planets and stars, then filled them with plants and animals, and finally humans. He ordered this world with rules of physics, and science, and math, and this order is called natural law. He also created the angels and humans as free. He made us in His image, and as such imposed on us the understanding of morality and ethics, and this is called divine law. But these laws do not limit God or reduce His infinite power, they are limitations He places on Himself out of love and compassion for us. In natural law we understand that we cannot have a squared circle. Things like that cannot be, because they would cause chaos and disorder in our lives, and He does not want that for us. The mark of this natural law is stability and predictablilty. So too, in Divine law He cannot force us to be moral, ethical, or to love against our will, to do so would be no different than the squared circle, it would be simply unnatural, and total slavery. The mark of this divine law is Freedom. We are free to choose to love honor and obey God and His divine law, or free to choose to reject Him and it. He made us free because of His love for us. And His love for us is also the reason He limits Himself. He wants the world to be stable and predictable so that we can know Him in his Divine nature, and he wants us to be free so that we can choose, of our own will, to love Him in the way He loves us.

The Fall —

When mankind was given freedom, we ultimately chose to choose ourselves, and our own will for our lives, over what God wanted for us. The form of this choice was sin. Sin is the outward expression of our freedom to choose to reject God as opposed to accepting Him. Sin separates us from God and His protection. That is ultimately what happened in the garden, when the serpent tempted Adam and Eve, and they choose themselves over God. But sin has consequences. When you remove yourself from God’s protection, you subject yourself to death, both spiritual and physical. And most importantly you choose to subject yourself to the dominion of Satan. When Satan fell from Heaven. He did so with perfect knowledge and understanding. See the angels, at their creation, were given all of the widom and understanding they would ever need to make any decision that they would ever need to make. They were not like human children that have to fail, and learn and make better choices the next time, the angels were born like old wise men, and as such when Satan made his choice for sin it was permanent and final. Satan would forever be the antagonist of God and would forever try to destroy God’s creation. And so it is with sin. When we listen to the voice of the tempter, and we fall from the grace that God gives us, we consequently place ourselves under the dominion of the devil. Not by punishment, from God but from our free choice to do so. Because like I said above, in God’s Divine law, you cannot both reject God and also be in His eternal glory at the same time. So we either love God and rest under His protection, or we reject Him and fall under the dominion of the evil one.

Salvation —

And so it has been for 6000+ years. The devil rules this world. But God did not give up on us. God did not abandon us to an eternity of suffering under the devil. He created a way to save us, while at the same time not breaking his Divine law, or compelling us to forgo our free will. This plan is called “the story of salvation.” God sent His son, the second person of the trinity to us to become man. He was incarnated in the womb of Mary, and grew up, and lived a completely human life. Jesus was infact completely human, 100%, while at the same time completely God, 100%. Yet while completely divine, His divinity in no way changed his humanity. Jesus felt the full weight of temptation to sin, He experienced every emotion and feeling of doubt that every person has ever felt. The only difference was that He never sinned or in any way allowed those things to alter His divive relationship with the father.

Sacrifice —

Jesus was the answer to our fall and He was the ransom that would be paid for our salvation. Fulton Sheen described it best when he wrote: “Jesus paid a debt that He did not owe, because we owed a debt that we could not pay.” And that is what happened on the cross. Jesus said that there is no greater gift than to lay down ones life for another. And that is what He did for us on the cross. Jesus in the garden of gethsemene battled with the devil, and He made a bargain with the evil one saying essentially: “I will die for them, take me, the son of God as a ransom for the souls of all of the lost and damned.” The devil in this moment, saw only the human man, weak frail, and broken, not the 2nd person of the trinity, God Himself. Satan lusted after the idea of being the lord over the soul of God’s only son, and he did not care at all about the other souls of the lost and damned, because to him no soul could compare to the ownership of having the soul of God’s Son under his dominion. And in his orgasmic pride lust and greed he agreed to the bargain. But for Jesus this would not be a simple exchange. Jesus would have to endure the greatest suffering any human could ever endure. He would have to feel the weight of all of the sins of mankind pressing down upon Him. He would ultimately die in excrutiating pain. And like the millions of souls that came before him, and He would then finally descend into Gahenna to Join them. But this is where the wager with the Devil ended. Jesus is GOD, He cannot be held by the confines of death, He cannot be subject to the dominion of one of His own creations. And so He outsmarted the evil one. He freed all of those souls locked in the prison of death, and raised all of those lost souls up to Heaven. But more importantly for all of us today, He opened up the gates of Heaven, to anyone who believes is Him. As St. Paul said: “The wages of Sin are death,” but because of God’s love, and Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, His offer of salvation overcomes that death, and His “salvation” is thus granted to anyone that asks for it.

Ressurection —

But the story does not end there, If Jesus’ body had stayed in the tomb, nothing on earth would have ever changed, regardless of the wager. Jesus had to come back, to show us that He had overcome the finality of Death. He did this to fulfill all of the prophecy. He did it to show us that He is God, and that He cannot be held by the clutches of death. But most importantly He did it to show us that we too can overcome the cost of our sins, by joining our will with His, and we too can overcome the grasp of death, and enter into eternity in Heaven with God forever.

The Kindom of Heaven —

Jesus in his ministry said that the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand, and indeed it is. From the moment Jesus died on the cross He began a new epoch, and began the work of building the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus is the cornerstone of the Temple in Heaven, and every soul that dies in a state of friendship with the Lord with eventually go to heaven and each one of them will becom the bricks that are laid side by side with Jesus to make the walls of that great church of God. When Jesus overcame death, He also overcame the devils hold on all of the souls that would make the walls of that great church. But while the devil was defeated in this moment, the war between Heaven and Hell had just started. Satan’s dominion and complete control over the lost sinful souls of this world was forever gone, but the battle for all of the souls that would be born after that moment had just begun. The Devil knows that he lost, he knows the fate that awaits him, but there is still one thing that gives him pleasure, and that is corrupting souls, and possibly preventing those souls from being with God in Heaven forever. And so that is our role in this great war, we must learn to protect ourselves from the temptations and snares of the devil, and we must also dive into hell to save those souls that have fallen for the evil ones lies and empty promises. It is not enough that you simply believe, you must devote your life to helping others to believe as well, and when they finally come to believe…, to change their lives and align their own wills with the will of God, then the defeat of the evil one will be complete.

So coming full circle, we come back to Disma and Gestas. Both of these men lived scandalous and despicable lives. And both of these men justly deserve the punishment of death that had been levied on them. But one of the two, St. Dismas, saw the God-man Jesus for who He truly was, and through a miraculous moment of divine grace understood the offer of salvation that was being presented to him on that cross, and so he begged God to simply remember me when He entered into His Kingdom. This simple act of faith and contrition, was returned by God himself saying to him “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” And as a result, This simple first Saint received an overwhelming outpouring of the Father’s love, and a forgiveness. A love that would save his soul for eternity.

So when you read the story of God’s passion today, do you understand the unfathomable depth of God’s mercy, and the undeserved gift of salvation that Jesus offers to you on the cross? I sincerely hope that today, you might start to believe, and then change your life to live in accord with His will. It is not a heavy burden, and He will help you carry it. But He cannot do it for you, you must ask for His help and forgiveness. It is your choice, what will you do? Your eternity depends on the answer.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh Lord, you’re justice is perfect, and you will not let the un-repentant into your kingdom, but we all have the chance, because of your infinite mercy. You are a good and loving Father that wants all of His children with Him in heaven forever, but only if they desire it. You require obedience, but you never force it, you deal perfect justice, but you also pay the ultimate price for our sin. We do not deserve such and loving and merciful God, but we are so very grateful for it. So today I simply ask: Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom.

John 11:45-56

Lectio (Reading)

Many of the Jews who had come to Mary
and seen what Jesus had done began to believe in him.
But some of them went to the Pharisees
and told them what Jesus had done.
So the chief priests and the Pharisees
convened the Sanhedrin and said,
“What are we going to do?
This man is performing many signs.
If we leave him alone, all will believe in him,
and the Romans will come
and take away both our land and our nation.”
But one of them, Caiaphas,
who was high priest that year, said to them,
“You know nothing,
nor do you consider that it is better for you
that one man should die instead of the people,
so that the whole nation may not perish.”
He did not say this on his own,
but since he was high priest for that year,
he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation,
and not only for the nation,
but also to gather into one the dispersed children of God.
So from that day on they planned to kill him.

So Jesus no longer walked about in public among the Jews,
but he left for the region near the desert,
to a town called Ephraim,
and there he remained with his disciples.

Now the Passover of the Jews was near,
and many went up from the country to Jerusalem
before Passover to purify themselves.
They looked for Jesus and said to one another
as they were in the temple area, “What do you think?
That he will not come to the feast?”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

What are we going to do? This man is performing many signs. If we leave him alone, all will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our land and our nation.

Oratio (Responding)

Money and power…, this is what most betrayals come down too. You have things, or have obtained power, and don’t want to lose it, let alone give it away. In the old testament the jews asked for a king many times, and over and over the Lord said no, you don’t want that. Kings will persecute you, and subject you to taxes, and other intolerable things. So, instead God asked them trust in Him and look to Him as their King. But over and over the jews would not relent. They yearned to be like the other people of the world with a powerful king and a great kingdom.

What they did not understand was that was exactly what God was offering them…, He told them: “I will be your God, and you will be my people.” The difference was that Jesus would be the great high king, and the kingdom would be that of heaven. But the jews wanted an earthly kingdom. And they wanted Earthly power. This is what they asked for and ultimately got with Saul. But the kings all ultimately failed them. The kings were eventually all killed and their kingdom was concurred, one after another by pagan rulers.

This is also what they were looking for in the time of Jesus. They yearned for the messiah, a king that would restore their kingdom and save them from Roman persecution. The power that their earthly kingdom had given them in the past was intoxicating. It gave them prestige, and adulation, and they deeply yearned for that time to return.

But Jesus was not the king or messiah that they were looking for. He was in fact an obstacle to the jews hopes & dreams and He actually stood to dismantle all of those previous kings and kingdoms, and ultimately restore the people of this world to the Father, and establish a new kingdom in Heaven. From the perspective of the jews, if Jesus was actually who He said He was then they would have to abandon their earthly kingdom and their earthly power, and look to Him to be their king, and look to heaven for their kingdom. This was a risk that they were unwilling to take. If Jesus was an imposter, or a false prophet, then He would stand in conflict with the roman law, and that would threaten even the little power and prestige that they were desperately hanging onto. From their earthly point of view the only response was to remove this threat (Jesus) from their midst completely.

But there was another way. Total trust in Jesus, giving him everything, and having the faith that God would make all things good for those who love Him. The jews could not do this, I reckon most of us, even today, could not do this. Many of us firmly live by the idea that “A bird in the hand… is worth more than two in the bush.” But we are the called to something higher than simple practicality. Jesus wants us to trust him completely, to believe in Him with total faith, and to serve Him humbly. This is easy to say but very hard to do, but we must do it. The Kings of old, have and will always fail us, but the great high king, Jesus Christ will never fail you. Believe that, trust that, and live your life humbly with that as your foremost principle, and you find your way into eternity with Him, in that great Kingdom of Heaven.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to let go of this world, and to trust fully in you. Amen

John 10:31-42

Lectio (Reading)

The Jews picked up rocks to stone Jesus.
Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from my Father.
For which of these are you trying to stone me?”
The Jews answered him,
“We are not stoning you for a good work but for blasphemy.
You, a man, are making yourself God.”
Jesus answered them,
“Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, ‘You are gods”‘?
If it calls them gods to whom the word of God came,
and Scripture cannot be set aside,
can you say that the one
whom the Father has consecrated and sent into the world
blasphemes because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’?
If I do not perform my Father’s works, do not believe me;
but if I perform them, even if you do not believe me,
believe the works, so that you may realize and understand
that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.”
Then they tried again to arrest him;
but he escaped from their power.

He went back across the Jordan
to the place where John first baptized, and there he remained.
Many came to him and said,
“John performed no sign,
but everything John said about this man was true.”
And many there began to believe in him.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

I have shown you many good works from my Father. For which of these are you trying to stone me?

Oratio (Responding)

This question, like all of Jesus’ questions, is directed at us as well. It cuts to the bone, and get to the heart of the difficulty we have with the incarnate Jesus. The difficulty comes from confronting the truth of who Jesus really is. If Jesus is truly Lord, and if He has worked miracles, then we are compelled to confront that fact, and we are then called to respond. We must either accept these facts and orient ourselves to Him in worship and obediently order our lives according to His commands…, or you must reject this truth and choose yourself to worship and obey instead. There is not a rational third option. This is second option is what Satan chose, and as a result he will spend eternity suffering in hell for his choice. The saints chose the first one, and they have been rewarded with an eternity of joy and happiness with the lord.

But in these modern times, a third choice has somehow entered into our world. It is not really a choice, but a lack of choice, and it is truly one of the worst and most evil lies of the devil has ever told.. It is indifference. People today have chosen not to confront the question at all. They choose instead to distract themselves with their phones, or with drugs, or with social media, or by active avoidance. This is not an option though, because the image of God is written on our hearts and that image calls for closeness with the creator, but many push down this call and instead choose noise and distraction in their life so that they don’t have to think about anything other than themselves, and pursue anything other than their own desires.

The first two choices are logical, they come down to humility and faith, and whether you can trust in the promise of God, the third option is completely illogical. It is like the ostrich burying its head in the sand hoping that the lions will not be able to see it. It makes no sense. But when you eventually throw off the choice of indifference, and actually confront the truth of jesus, it is then that the true work of the Lord begins in your life. When you finally identify all of the good works that He has done in your life, are you going to then love and worship Him, or are you going to pick up rocks to stone Him? That is what He is asking you today in this gospel. What will you choose? Choose well because your eternity depends on the answer.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord help me today to choose you, and to reject myself, to the extent that it brings me closer to you. Amen.

John 8:51-59

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to the Jews:
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever keeps my word will never see death.”
So the Jews said to him,
“Now we are sure that you are possessed.
Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say,
‘Whoever keeps my word will never taste death.’
Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died?
Or the prophets, who died?
Who do you make yourself out to be?”
Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is worth nothing;
but it is my Father who glorifies me,
of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’
You do not know him, but I know him.
And if I should say that I do not know him,
I would be like you a liar.
But I do know him and I keep his word.
Abraham your father rejoiced to see my day;
he saw it and was glad.”
So the Jews said to him,
“You are not yet fifty years old and you have seen Abraham?”
Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you,
before Abraham came to be, I AM.”
So they picked up stones to throw at him;
but Jesus hid and went out of the temple area.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever keeps my word will never see death.

Oratio (Responding)

Death is one of those words that has completely lost its meaning in the modern world. Today death is viewed as entertainment in movies, it is used as a relief from chronic pain, and it is even considered a convenience with regard to the unborn. But none of that is what the jews thought it to be, or what Jesus teaches it to be.

In God’s divine will, death was not part of His plan for us, Bodily death was a mercy that He gave to us sinners after the fall of Adam and Eve. There were two special trees in the garden. We all know about the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but many never notice that there was also the tree of life. The tree of life gave eternal life to any that ate of its fruit. They were allowed to eat of the tree of life but were forbidden from eating of the tree of knowledge.

When they sinned and ate of the tree of knowledge, the whole dynamic and plan for mankind had to change. In His wisdom God knew that we could not live in the garden for all eternity with the tree of life, while at the same time living with ongoing attachment to sin. That would be a hell worse than death. And so He gave us bodily death in order to give us time to contemplate our lives and our relationship with Him, and to reconcile our sinful nature with Him.

This is what we call bodily death, but there is also spiritual death. Spiritual death is the hell and torment of eternal separation from God. This death happens if you die in a state of hatred and separation from God. Once the judgement of your soul is confirmed by God, and you will be cast out of heaven. This is the death that the devil and his fellow demons currently finds themselves in. It is a hell of their own making, and one that they chose for themselves, rather than be with God.

Lord despite my sin, and despite my weakness, I fear this death, and I long to be with you in eternity. Help me to have the knowledge and wisdom to do right, and resist evil, so the I can have the true desire of my soul, You! As Paul wrote: “One thing I ask for, for this I seek, to dwell in the house of the lord all the days of my life.” I want this! But I would settle for being the servant that washes your feet. Help me Lord to find my way to you, and to seek you above all things, in this life, and the next.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Lord Jesus. I want the happiness of eternal relationship with you. And Friendship with you, in whatever form that takes. Please give me the grace to be worthy of that request, Amen.

John 8:31-42

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to those Jews who believed in him,
“If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples,
and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
They answered him, “We are descendants of Abraham
and have never been enslaved to anyone.
How can you say, ‘You will become free’?”
Jesus answered them, “Amen, amen, I say to you,
everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin.
A slave does not remain in a household forever,
but a son always remains.
So if the Son frees you, then you will truly be free.
I know that you are descendants of Abraham.
But you are trying to kill me,
because my word has no room among you.
I tell you what I have seen in the Father’s presence;
then do what you have heard from the Father.”

They answered and said to him, “Our father is Abraham.”
Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children,
you would be doing the works of Abraham.
But now you are trying to kill me,
a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God;
Abraham did not do this.
You are doing the works of your father!”
So they said to him, “We were not born of fornication.
We have one Father, God.”
Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me,
for I came from God and am here;
I did not come on my own, but he sent me.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

Oratio (Responding)

The statement “the truth will set you free,” is a truth that is so obvious to your faithful believers. Your truth, is the only truth, and it is objectively true whether we recognize it or not. But a great cloud of confusion has descended upon this world. Many people live in the confusion of Pilot’s Question “what is truth?” But that is simply the deciet of the devil and the conceit of the atheist that wants to be free of the rules of God.

Objective truth speaks to a reality that is difficult for non-believers and atheists. It speaks to something bigger than ourselves, and it speaks to the deepest part of who we are as human beings, made in the image of God. That reality is that there is a God, and that He is Lord, and that His rules are binding on us. Binding but not burdensome. His rules are the secret recipe for full and lasting happiness in this world and the next, and it only takes humility to see that, and submission to accept it.

But this is not slavery, if you accept this way of life, it is instead a gift, and the reward is true and lasting happiness. This is not a happiness that comes from lack of pain and suffering, for those are part of the human condition, but a happiness that comes from, as Augustine said, by “resting in thee”. This is a contentment that comes from the peace of knowing that we are living our lives and asserting our will in a way that aligns with God’s will for us.

To the non-believer, this may seem ridiculous, and it may seem like a mass delusion, but I assure you it is not. It is like riding a bike, or driving a manual transmission, you cannot fully understand until you actually do it, and then once you do it, it becomes easy and even natural. When you decide to orient your life to and with God, and His will for your life, it is then that you will find the lasting happiness, and the peace that surpasses all understanding. This is truly a priceless gift, but is freely given. All you need to do is ask for it, and God will pour His grace upon you. Ask Him today!

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, I wish to have this freedom, and I know that there is only one way to find this freedom, and that is your way, your truth, and your life. Please help me today to walk that path and find my way to freedom.

John 8:21-30

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to the Pharisees:
“I am going away and you will look for me,
but you will die in your sin.
Where I am going you cannot come.”
So the Jews said,
“He is not going to kill himself, is he,
because he said, ‘Where I am going you cannot come’?”
He said to them, “You belong to what is below,
I belong to what is above.
You belong to this world,
but I do not belong to this world.
That is why I told you that you will die in your sins.
For if you do not believe that I AM,
you will die in your sins.”
So they said to him, “Who are you?”
Jesus said to them, “What I told you from the beginning.
I have much to say about you in condemnation.
But the one who sent me is true,
and what I heard from him I tell the world.”
They did not realize that he was speaking to them of the Father.
So Jesus said to them,
“When you lift up the Son of Man,
then you will realize that I AM,
and that I do nothing on my own,
but I say only what the Father taught me.
The one who sent me is with me.
He has not left me alone,
because I always do what is pleasing to him.”
Because he spoke this way, many came to believe in him.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

That is why I told you that you will die in your sins. For if you do not believe that I AM, you will die in your sins.

Oratio (Responding)

The words “I AM” are not to be skipped over lightly. Any pious jew would have known that this is exactly what God told Moses His name was. For anyone to claim this same name would be considered a blasphemer, unless of course they really were God. This response to the jews was alone more than enough reason for them to want to kill Jesus. But Jesus is actually God, and His message is for all of us, and we need to look past our human reaction to it, and hear the actual warning and message of it.

If you do not believe in Jesus as Lord, and as the way and the truth and the life, then you will die in your sins. What does it mean to die in sin? Well it depends on the sin. The church teaches that if you die in a state of mortal sin, a state of complete separation from God, then you will spend eternity in hell, eternally separated from God. But if you die in a state of friendship with God you will find your way to heaven. If you still have a venial attachment to sin, then you will spend time in purgatory, until that attachment to sin is completely burned away, and then you will enter into eternity with God.

But you should not be lazy about this, you want to avoid purgatory if you can. Saints have been given visions of purgatory, and they say that it is a place of agony, but the only difference between purgatory and hell is that there is hope in purgatory of someday being reconciled with God. So stay close to the sacraments, and try to participate in the indulgences that the church offers. These indulgences, if you are properly disposed to recieve them, can free you of the temporal punishment due to sin. And if you die in this state you will go straight into the bosom of the Lord and into an eternity of heaven forever. What could be better than that?

Alas, complete detachment from sin is almost impossible for most mortal men, so we must do the best we can, and stay as close as we can to Him in the sacraments, and then trust in God’s love and mercy, because God’s love is bigger than anything we can imagine, and there is no accounting for God’s mercy. For that truth I thank God, and I take comfort in His love and I desire His forgiveness. We are totally lost without it, and we should never stop thanking Him for it. Amen.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, I am not worthy of your love and mercy, but I know that you give it willingly and freely, and for that I am eternally grateful. You are good and loving father, and I desire more than anything to be with you in eternity.

John 8:12-20

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world.
Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have
the light of life.” So the Pharisees said to him, “You testify
on your own behalf, so your testimony cannot be verified.”
Jesus answered and said to them, “Even if I do testify
on my own behalf, my testimony can be verified,
because I know where I came from and where I am going.
But you do not know where I come from or where I am going.
You judge by appearances, but I do not judge anyone.
And even if I should judge, my judgement is valid,
because I am not alone, but it is I and the Father
who sent me. Even in your law it is written
that the testimony of two men can be verified.
I testify on my behalf and so does the Father who sent me.”
So they said to him, “Where is your father?” Jesus answered,
“You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me,
you would know my Father also.” He spoke these words
while teaching in the treasury in the temple area.
But no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.

Oratio (Responding)

The evil one prefers the dark, because in the dark you can not know the full extent of his evil designs. You can delude yourself into thinking that it is not as bad as you think. But the truth is that evil is always worse than you think it is. God on the other hand lives in the light, so the fullness of his glory can be fully seen. And that light casts out all darkness, and reveals the truth of the evil one and his lies.

This is the point of todays reading…, If you follow Jesus you will be in the light, and will not walk in darkness, that is our call, and that is how we rightly order our lives to Him. As Jesus tells us in the sermon on the mount, that we too are the light of the world, and the salt of the earth. If we follow him, and we walk in his light we too will become lesser lights that will also cast out darkness. If enough of us actual embraced this way of life, and spread Gods message to every corner of the world, then our combined light might cast out all of the darkness of this world.

Living in the light was always the plan for us, but we chose to live in sin and embrace the darkness instead. But God loves us too much to leave us there, and wants so much more for us. He wants bring us out of the darkeness, so the can be with Him in the light. So do it today, come out of the shadows and into the light, the goodness, and truth, and beauty of God awaits.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, guide me and help me on this jorney so that I can do good resist evil and find the peace that comes from living in the tranquility or your order.

John 8:1-11

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
But early in the morning he arrived again in the temple area,
and all the people started coming to him,
and he sat down and taught them.
Then the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman
who had been caught in adultery
and made her stand in the middle.
They said to him,
“Teacher, this woman was caught
in the very act of committing adultery.
Now in the law, Moses commanded us to stone such women.
So what do you say?”
They said this to test him,
so that they could have some charge to bring against him.
Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with his finger.
But when they continued asking him,
he straightened up and said to them,
“Let the one among you who is without sin
be the first to throw a stone at her.”
Again he bent down and wrote on the ground.
And in response, they went away one by one,
beginning with the elders.
So he was left alone with the woman before him.
Then Jesus straightened up and said to her,
“Woman, where are they?
Has no one condemned you?”
She replied, “No one, sir.”
Then Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you.
Go, and from now on do not sin any more.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.

Oratio (Responding)

The pharisees in this passage are once again trying to set a trap for Jesus. They propose a dilemma where any answer will get Jesus in serious trouble. If He said yes, that “we should stone this woman,” it would put him in direct opposition to the Roman law. The Romans were the only ones in Jersalem that were allowed to carry out capital punishment, and so if Jesus said yes, the Pharisees would then run off to the Romans and tell them that Jesus was ignoring their law, and instigating a rebellion. If He said no, that “we should NOT stone her,” that would put Him in direct opposition to the law of Moses, which would put him in trouble with the temple, and all of the faithful jewish people, because He would then be aborogating the law of moses, and mitigating the seriousness of the sin of Adultery. But Jesus finds a third way. He not only exposes their trap, and reveals the hypocrisy and deceit of His accusers, but He turns the dilemma back on them.

First we must consider how we got to this moment. What must these pharisees must have been doing and/or where they have must been in order to catch this woman in “the very act of adultery.” They were in NO way innocent witnesses to this affair. They were likely laying in wait to find a woman that they could catch so that they could use her to trap Jesus. To best unserstand this moment we must dig into the Jewish law and how it was properly applied to the sin of adultery. The book of Deuteronomy said that an accusation of adultery could only be made by no less than two witnesses (usually men), and if the accusation was ejudicated, and the punishment was decided to be carried out, the Law said that it must be these two witnesses that cast the first stone.

You might ask why the man that was also caught in the act of adultery was not there. Well that is simply the result of a patriarical society that allowed men to get away with things like this, and the cultural customs made it harder to convict a man of a sin than it was to convict a woman. But I think, more importantly, that this points to the duplicity of the pharisees in this reading. They are not looking to carry out justice and enforce the law against the two offenders, but instead, they are looking only to trap Jesus and will use anyone or anything to accomplish this end. My guess is that these Pharisees (most likely the elders and most high ranking of the temple), probably took a trip down into the “red-light” district and found the first jewish prostitute that they could fine, and brought her to Jesus for this moment.

So This woman was in fact the one that was actually trapped in this moment. She had no recourse, no one to defend her, no one to stand up and testify for her. And so that is when Jesus enters the scene. And He turns the tables on the situation. He sheds light on the true facts of the moment, and then lowers the boom on them all. Jesus does not immediately respond to the accusation and dilemma that the pharisees propose, instead he bends down and begins writing in the dirt. There is a lot of speculation about what Jesus wrote on the ground with His finger. Some believe that Jesus was listing out all of the sins of her accusers (like pride, lust, greed, etc.). Others believe that maybe He was shedding light on the situation and revealing the treachery that these men carried out against this woman and against Jesus. And Others say (as John Bergsma writes): “The gesture may recall Jerimiah 17:13, a warning that those who forsake the Lord ‘shall be written in the earth’ because they have rejected the ‘fountain of living water’”.

But in any case Jesus finally rises and gives his response. Taking into account all of the law of Moses (mentioned above), and the revealed treachery of the pharisees, He then lowers the boom on them when He says “he who is without sin, cast the first stone.” The brilliance of this moment is so profound…, Jesus knows the consequences of the dilemma if He agrees to the punishment, and He also knows that he cannot say that adutery is not a sin. So He puts the dilemma back ont the pharisees. Jesus basically says to them, do what the law proscribes, starting first with the witnesses. The witnesses are the lying decietful, and treacherous pharisees that came up with this scheeme. The law proscribes that they should be the ones that cast the first stone. But these men know that they cannot do it, first because their scheme has been totally revealed by Jesus, and second because they are so beholden to the Romans, and the power that the Romans gave them, that they cannot dare go against the Roman law. So instead they walk away defeated, and humiliated. Their scheme was not only revealed by Jesus, but it was confirmed by the pharisees own actions, when they gave up. It is not hard to see why the pharisees hated Jesus so much.

But the most important part of this story is the last part, where Jesus says “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?…” “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on do not sin any more.” Jesus is God, and He is the rightful just judge of this woman, and He knows her heart and her conscience perfectly and in that knowledge He discerns to forgive her. But He does not let her of the hook, He tells her to go and sin no more. This is the requirement of forgiveness. If I harm you, and you forgive me, that reconciliation is dependent upon three things. The contrition of the sinner, the reparation of penance paid to restore the relationship, and the firm disposition to not sin again. If I do not complete all three, then the reconciliation did not happen, and the forgiveness is broken.

We must always seek to “sin no more.” It is not easy, and not always possible, but it should be our constant endeavor. If you fall, go back to confession, and start your reconciliation over again. Do it as often as you need, and do it until you finally sin no more. For many of us that will not be until after we die, but do not wait until the last moment. Reconciliation is a habit, and it takes practice, and determination. If you wait to your last moments of life, it will be hard, unfamiliar, and maybe even impossible for you to do. You don’t want to be caught unready when God calls you to judgement. So start today, get to confession, and then…, go and sin no more!

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Lord I Am always amazed at your ability to show a 3rd way. We humans always throw dilemmas at you, and you always show us that there is another way, a better way, the right way. Please show me today that better way, so that I can walk that way with peace and dignity.

John 7:40-53

Lectio (Reading)

Some in the crowd who heard these words of Jesus said,
“This is truly the Prophet.”
Others said, “This is the Christ.”
But others said, “The Christ will not come from Galilee, will he?
Does not Scripture say that the Christ will be of David’s family
and come from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?”
So a division occurred in the crowd because of him.
Some of them even wanted to arrest him,
but no one laid hands on him.

So the guards went to the chief priests and Pharisees,
who asked them, “Why did you not bring him?”
The guards answered, “Never before has anyone spoken like this man.”
So the Pharisees answered them, “Have you also been deceived?
Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him?
But this crowd, which does not know the law, is accursed.”
Nicodemus, one of their members who had come to him earlier, said to them,
“Does our law condemn a man before it first hears him
and finds out what he is doing?”
They answered and said to him,
“You are not from Galilee also, are you?
Look and see that no prophet arises from Galilee.”

Then each went to his own house.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

“This is truly the Prophet.” Others said, “This is the Christ.” But others said, “The Christ will not come from Galilee, will he? Does not Scripture say that the Christ will be of David’s family and come from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?”

Oratio (Responding)

This passage may seem unnecessary or superfluous, because it repeats the same question from earlier in Chapter 7, can the messiah be someone we know? Well this is indeed a very interesting question. And it touches on a some very deep theological realities. Lets explore.

Moses in Deuteronomy is told by the lord that, He will raise up a shoot among you, a prophet greater than all the prophets, and greater even than Moses. and that prophet will be the Christ, the Messiah that will come to save the world. So from that prophecy we know that “among you” means the line of David. From Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, through Moses, a son of David would be the Christ.

We also know that in Micah 5:2 that he prophesied that the messiah would come from the town of Bethlehem. Micah made this prophecy, in around 700 BC, after the kingdom had split, and right about the same time that the last king of Israel (Hosea) died. After Hosea, the Line of David was actively being exterminated, and by all appearances seemed to be coming to an end. Those that survived, hid their identity, and scattered into the countryside to escape persecution. After some time, they all settled in and around Bethlehem, and tried to live as quiet a life as possible. But it is important to note that Bethlehem was very much a “back water” town. No one, except the people that actually lived there ever went there.

What makes this all remarkable is that while Jesus (as a man) lived near Galilee, He was born in Bethlehem. Joseph took mary to Jerusalem because of the census, and they planned on staying with relatives in nearby Bethlehem, because Joseph was from the line of David, and knew many people there. But he could not find a place to stay, when they arrived, and they ended up in a cave, and Jesus spent His first night in the world, sleeping in a feeding trough. So the king of the universe, incarnated as man, was born in the middle of nowhere, in a town called Bethlehem, which means “house of bread,” and was sleeping in a feeding trough (the bread for the life of the world). This Jesus, is the fulfillment of all prophecy, he is the messiah, the Christ, who came to save us all from our sins, and redeem us to the Father.

So now we come to the moment of today’s reading. For the majority of Chapter 7 Jesus has been claiming that He is the son of God, trying to show them that He is the fulfillment that they have all been waiting for. Some see it, like Nicodemus, and some of the others reject it because they think that they know Jesus or because they know where He is from, and who His parents are. These people can be forgiven for their not understanding, and their questioning. But the Pharisees on the other hand, cannot. They are the keepers and teachers of the law. If anyone should have noticed the signs, and the recognized Jesus in the prophecies, it should have been the Pharisees.

But what do they do instead? They shut it all down, reject what their own minds tell them, and they proclaim “see that no prophet arises from Galilee.” Was it because of ignorance, or willful blindness? We cannot know for sure, but I suspect it was because of simple Pride. If Jesus was the messiah, it would mean that their time as leaders of the temple, and teachers of the law would be over. And it would mean that they would, as John said, have to decrease in order to allow Jesus to increase. But their pride, and lust for power would not allow them to do that.

So what is the message for us today. We must be careful not to allow our pride, and lust for the things of this world, prevent us from seeing the goodness, truth, and beauty that Jesus wants to share with us. We should not quickly jump to conclusions, or allow our presumptions and suspicions to carry the day. We must endeavor to be humble in all things and at all times, so that we can be ready to accept the gifts, and wisdom that God wants to share with us.

It is easy to say but hard to do, but we must do it. Because, as Ferris Bueler once said: “if you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you might miss it!” Don’t do that, don’t miss it, because the gifts that God is waiting to give you, are more profound and wonderful then you could ever imagine, and there is nothing in this world that can even come close by comparison, and He offers them to you for free, and for eternity, if you simply just ask. What are you possibly waiting for?

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh Lord, help me today to see the gifts, and truth that you want to share with me, and help me to not miss it if I am distracted by the lures, and snares that the enemy lays for us. Amen.

John 7:1-2, 10, 25-30

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus moved about within Galilee;
he did not wish to travel in Judea,
because the Jews were trying to kill him.
But the Jewish feast of Tabernacles was near.

But when his brothers had gone up to the feast,
he himself also went up, not openly but as it were in secret.

Some of the inhabitants of Jerusalem said,
“Is he not the one they are trying to kill?
And look, he is speaking openly and they say nothing to him.
Could the authorities have realized that he is the Christ?
But we know where he is from.
When the Christ comes, no one will know where he is from.”
So Jesus cried out in the temple area as he was teaching and said,
“You know me and also know where I am from.
Yet I did not come on my own,
but the one who sent me, whom you do not know, is true.
I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me.”
So they tried to arrest him,
but no one laid a hand upon him,
because his hour had not yet come.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

You know me and also know where I am from. Yet I did not come on my own, but the one who sent me, whom you do not know, is true. I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me.

Oratio (Responding)

The Jews, in this reading, say that “we know this man, and when the christ comes we will not know where he is from.” This statement betrays the clear point that the jews were not waiting for this Christ, Jesus, they were instead looking for a conqueing king, to ride on the clouds in a fiery chariot, and fulfill all of the prophecies of the messiah…, restore the temple, gather the tribes of Israel, conquer all of the enemies of God, and to reign as the king of a new great nation.

But instead they got Jesus, who came not as the conquering king but instead as the suffering servant. These people knew Him, and they knew His parents, and they committed the logical falicy of thinking that since they knew Him, and where He came from, that He could not be the Lord. This is the same error made when Jesus said to His kin that no prophet is accepted in their home town.

But why is that? if you know someone’s history and where they come from, does that give you some insight into who they are. Yes, if they are sinners, you may know all of the barnicles, and all of the failures that cling to them. But does it tell you who they really are? Probably not. But Jesus was not a sinner, and everyone that knew him knew how good He and His mother were.

I think that the real answer is that if you know who someone is and where they are from, then you logically can know that they are human, born and raised like any other person. This, I think, is where the dissonance comes from. I dont think that anyone, could even conceive of the idea that the Lord, God of the universe would come live a fully human life, be concieved in the womb, born, and raised from a little child, and then die for us, to save us from our sins.

I believe that most simply thought that the messiah, and savior would just show up one day, and that His kingdom would begin in a loud thunder clap of vengence and justice. This will indeed happen, but that will be the end of everything, and the judgement of justice will be fully recognized and rendered. But until that time, Jesus is content to work in our world, meekly, humbly, pushing us into full communion with Him. This is happening all the time, to all of us, you simply need just recognize it, and then thank God for it.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to see you in the everyday, people that you put into my life, and help me to be the person that sees you, even if I know where you are from, amen.

John 5:31-47

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to the Jews:
“If I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is not true.
But there is another who testifies on my behalf,
and I know that the testimony he gives on my behalf is true.
You sent emissaries to John, and he testified to the truth.
I do not accept human testimony,
but I say this so that you may be saved.
He was a burning and shining lamp,
and for a while you were content to rejoice in his light.
But I have testimony greater than John’s.
The works that the Father gave me to accomplish,
these works that I perform testify on my behalf
that the Father has sent me.
Moreover, the Father who sent me has testified on my behalf.
But you have never heard his voice nor seen his form,
and you do not have his word remaining in you,
because you do not believe in the one whom he has sent.
You search the Scriptures,
because you think you have eternal life through them;
even they testify on my behalf.
But you do not want to come to me to have life.

“I do not accept human praise;
moreover, I know that you do not have the love of God in you.
I came in the name of my Father,
but you do not accept me;
yet if another comes in his own name,
you will accept him.
How can you believe, when you accept praise from one another
and do not seek the praise that comes from the only God?
Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father:
the one who will accuse you is Moses,
in whom you have placed your hope.
For if you had believed Moses,
you would have believed me,
because he wrote about me.
But if you do not believe his writings,
how will you believe my words?”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

The works that the Father gave me to accomplish, these works that I perform testify on my behalf that the Father has sent me.

Oratio (Responding)

These works are His teachings and His living witness to the truth. But even more, His works are His death and resurrection. Without the resurrection, Jesus is nothing more than a man who died. But because of it, we can believe that He is the one true God, because not even death can touch him. Death is the one thing in this world that no one can escape. No amount of money, power, or ingenuity can keep you from this fate. The athiest in silicon valley, think that they can create computers that will someday house human souls, and they are working really hard on this, but it is a fools errand. Only God can put a soul into a body, and there is nothing we can do to change that.

The Lord, creator of the universe, did not want us to have to face death. It was a mercy given to us, because Adam and Eve chose sin over God. You may be thinking that I am crazy to say that death is a mercy, but think of it this way…, would you want to spend eternity, in a state of sin? I believe that that would be a fate worse than hell. In fact, the mythology of the vampire was created to show us exactly what an eternity of sin would look like… Total Hell!

So death is indeed a mercy, it forces us to face our lives, and our choices, and to hopefully reconcile with God before we die. The athiest wants to try to avoid this, they want to keep themselves from facing the one thing that they cant do anything about, but time catches up to us all, and we will be all forced to face the reality of our sin, and the effect it has on others, at some point in our life.

So if Jesus were only a man, He would not be able to overcome the fate of death either, He would eventually succomb like everyone else. But Jesus is not just a man, He is God, and who else but God can raise themselves from the dead. But even more incredible, who else but God could suffer all the hate and indignation man could muster, and return from that fate of death with only forgiving love. Only God could do that.

These are the works that testify to his divinity, Jesus Christ was inacrnated as man, He lived and taught us how we are to direct our lives. He sacraficed himself for the redemption of all of us, and then He proved that is was all real by raising Himself from death, triumphing over the worst that we could do to Him, and finally inviting us all to follow Him so that we can be with Him for all eternity.

So we are left to to decide what we are going to do with that information. If He is God, then you must live as He commanded. If He is God you must change your life to conform with His will and His teachings. If you do this your reward will be eternity with Him in Heaven. If not, then your fate will not be death, but a fall into an eternity in hell. I do not wish that for anyone, but it is your choice, so choose wisely.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to choose you, to follow you, and to conform my life to you, so that I can spend eternity with you in heaven.

John 5:17-30

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus answered the Jews:
“My Father is at work until now, so I am at work.”
For this reason they tried all the more to kill him,
because he not only broke the sabbath
but he also called God his own father, making himself equal to God. Jesus answered and said to them,
“Amen, amen, I say to you, the Son cannot do anything on his own,
but only what he sees the Father doing;
for what he does, the Son will do also.
For the Father loves the Son
and shows him everything that he himself does,
and he will show him greater works than these,
so that you may be amazed.
For just as the Father raises the dead and gives life,
so also does the Son give life to whomever he wishes.
Nor does the Father judge anyone,
but he has given all judgment to the Son,
so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father.
Whoever does not honor the Son
does not honor the Father who sent him.
Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever hears my word
and believes in the one who sent me
has eternal life and will not come to condemnation,
but has passed from death to life.
Amen, amen, I say to you, the hour is coming and is now here
when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God,
and those who hear will live.
For just as the Father has life in himself,
so also he gave to the Son the possession of life in himself.
And he gave him power to exercise judgment,
because he is the Son of Man.
Do not be amazed at this,
because the hour is coming in which all who are in the tombs
will hear his voice and will come out,
those who have done good deeds
to the resurrection of life,
but those who have done wicked deeds
to the resurrection of condemnation.

“I cannot do anything on my own;
I judge as I hear, and my judgment is just,
because I do not seek my own will
but the will of the one who sent me.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

I cannot do anything on my own; I judge as I hear, and my judgment is just, because I do not seek my own will but the will of the one who sent me.

Oratio (Responding)

Considering this passage, I am compelled to think of the mystery of the Trinity, specifically about the human nature of Jesus. Many heresies have been promulgated over the years trying to explain away either Jesus’s human or divine nature. And it is indeed, very difficult to understand how God, the creator of the universe, the most wise, and powerful being in all the universe, could fit Himself into the very small, very finite, and very weak confines of the human form. But He did it, and He did it in a way that perfectly maintains His divinity and His humanity at the same time.

Jesus was 100% human, in every way but sin. And he was 100% Divine, in every way but omnipotennce, onmicience, and omnipresence. This is hard for us to understand, our meek little minds are not big enough to comprehend this mystery. But Jesus show us that it is possible, to exist as both divine God and mortal human at the same time. But even more than that, as a human God, He shows us that it is possible to do God’s will perfectly as a human; that it is possible to live out the plan that He had for all mankind from before the fall; and that is is possible to live a life of complete obedience to God, while at the same time completely rejecting sin.

The way this is done is by love and complete trust, in God the Father. Every single time that Jesus found Himself at the limits of human ability, He turned to God in prayer, and trusting in God’s love, He allowed God’s will to be done, not His own. Jesus in His human form, is not able to understand the great infinite plan that God has set in motion, and is directing from heaven, with His infinite, and awesome mind, But what Jesus can do is trust in God the Father to direct Him to what is good true and beautiful.

Of all of the things that Jesus came to teach us, I think that this is one of the most important things that we could ever learn, that God is ever watchful, that He loves you, and He wants the best for you at all times, and that if you trust Him and allow His will to be done that the glory of God, and His eternal plan for our lives will be brought to fruition. And as a humble disciple, if we folow this plan, we too will be with Him at the end of time. There is nothing more important than that, and there is nothing that we should ever want more than that.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, increase my faith, strengthen my trust, and dispose my will to be aligned with your will for me and my life. Amen.

John 5:1-16

Lectio (Reading)

There was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
Now there is in Jerusalem at the Sheep Gate
a pool called in Hebrew Bethesda, with five porticoes.
In these lay a large number of ill, blind, lame, and crippled.
One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years.
When Jesus saw him lying there
and knew that he had been ill for a long time, he said to him,
“Do you want to be well?”
The sick man answered him,
“Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool
when the water is stirred up;
while I am on my way, someone else gets down there before me.”
Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your mat, and walk.”
Immediately the man became well, took up his mat, and walked.

Now that day was a sabbath.
So the Jews said to the man who was cured,
“It is the sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to carry your mat.”
He answered them, “The man who made me well told me,
‘Take up your mat and walk.'”
They asked him,
“Who is the man who told you, ‘Take it up and walk’?”
The man who was healed did not know who it was,
for Jesus had slipped away, since there was a crowd there.
After this Jesus found him in the temple area and said to him,
“Look, you are well; do not sin any more,
so that nothing worse may happen to you.”
The man went and told the Jews
that Jesus was the one who had made him well.
Therefore, the Jews began to persecute Jesus
because he did this on a sabbath.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Now there is in Jerusalem at the Sheep Gate a pool called in Hebrew Bethesda, with five porticoes. In these lay a large number of ill, blind, lame, and crippled… Rise, take up your mat, and walk.

Oratio (Responding)

The pool of Bethesda had a huge mythology associated with it. The Romans believed that the pool had mystical healing powers, but that the healing only happened when the waters were stirred up from an underground release of gasses, creating bubbles. So the lame and ill would wait around the edges of the pool for the stirring of the waters, to begin, and then they would rush into the waters. It was a mad rush, and the weak and crippled could never make it into the waters in time. And so it goes with this man, who had been waiting on his mat for a very long time.

The other important thing to mention here was that this myth was not a jewish belief, it was a pagan practice that desperate jewish people had glommed onto because of they had no other options. And so this jewish man was lost, he was disabled, and hopeless, and was trusting his future in pagan lies. And then Jesus walks into his life. The lord of the universe went out of his way and came directly to this man, as he still does today, and asks him the enigmatic question “do you want to be well?” this question has multiple levels. ‘Well’ can mean physical healing, but it also means spiritual healing.

This man was totally lost and desperate and putting faith in pagan myths. Jesus is offering first to restore this jewish man to his jewish faith, to make this man once again a child of God, and it was based on this answer that Jesus healed his broken body, not the other way around. This question is also meant for all of us, Jesus is asking you also if you want to be well? It is a question that we must also ponder deeply, because the restoration of your whole mind, body, and soul depends on the answer.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, I do want to be well, I want to be in full communion with you, and to be part of your holy family, in eternity in heaven. please heal me, and restore me to being a beloved child of the most high. Amen.

John 4:43-54

Lectio (Reading)

At that time Jesus left [Samaria] for Galilee.
For Jesus himself testified
that a prophet has no honor in his native place.
When he came into Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him,
since they had seen all he had done in Jerusalem at the feast;
for they themselves had gone to the feast.

Then he returned to Cana in Galilee,
where he had made the water wine.
Now there was a royal official whose son was ill in Capernaum.
When he heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea,
he went to him and asked him to come down
and heal his son, who was near death.
Jesus said to him,
“Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe.”
The royal official said to him,
“Sir, come down before my child dies.”
Jesus said to him, “You may go; your son will live.”
The man believed what Jesus said to him and left.
While the man was on his way back,
his slaves met him and told him that his boy would live.
He asked them when he began to recover.
They told him,
“The fever left him yesterday, about one in the afternoon.”
The father realized that just at that time Jesus had said to him,
“Your son will live,”
and he and his whole household came to believe.
Now this was the second sign Jesus did
when he came to Galilee from Judea.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe.

Oratio (Responding)

Who is this official. There is a lot of different opinions about this. Some say that it is the same Roman Centurion mentioned in Matthew. Others think that it is a different person altogether. But the point is that this is a man that comes from the Roman world, where Ceasar is called the lord and the son of God. For a Roman to even enteratin the idea that another person could be Lord is total treason against ceasar, and that belief could even cost him his life. But Jesus’ reputation, at this time, has now begun to preceed Him. And that reputation told this Roman that this Jesus was a healer that might be able to help his sick son. And as we all know, love for family always trumps political loyalties.

Our faith is always this way. It starts weak and small, like a fledgling bird, unable to leave its nest. But with experience and wisdom, that faith grows and grows, until we can soar in the clouds with You. Sometimes we have to abandon long held believes, and even challenge long-time relationships, but when you finally see the truth, that pearl of great price, you have to abandon everything else to attain it. This process is hard, and almost seems unfair at times. But it is the Lord made us this way, I believe it is because the struggle makes us stronger, and the reward at the end is all the better. So in the end, when we finally acheive the trust and belief of faith our knowledge is no longer only by empiracle evidence, but because we know the Lord Jesus in a personal way, and that knowledge is so much more certain than science. St.Augustine said, “I believe, help my unbelief.” This is the journey of faith, and the process of perfection. Let us all strive for that perfection and the completion that you desire for us all.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me to believe in the way that you will for me. So that I can rest in your love and friendship like all the saints that came before me. Amen.

Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

Lectio (Reading)

Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus,
but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying,
“This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
So to them Jesus addressed this parable.
“A man had two sons, and the younger son said to his father,
‘Father, give me the share of your estate that should come to me.’
So the father divided the property between them.
After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings
and set off to a distant country
where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation.
When he had freely spent everything,
a severe famine struck that country,
and he found himself in dire need.
So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens
who sent him to his farm to tend the swine.
And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed,
but nobody gave him any.
Coming to his senses he thought,
‘How many of my father’s hired workers
have more than enough food to eat,
but here am I, dying from hunger.
I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him,
“Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.
I no longer deserve to be called your son;
treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers.”‘
So he got up and went back to his father.
While he was still a long way off,
his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion.
He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him.
His son said to him,
‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you;
I no longer deserve to be called your son.’
But his father ordered his servants,
‘Quickly, bring the finest robe and put it on him;
put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.
Take the fattened calf and slaughter it.
Then let us celebrate with a feast,
because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again;
he was lost, and has been found.’
Then the celebration began.
Now the older son had been out in the field
and, on his way back, as he neared the house,
he heard the sound of music and dancing.
He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean.
The servant said to him,
‘Your brother has returned
and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf
because he has him back safe and sound.’
He became angry,
and when he refused to enter the house,
his father came out and pleaded with him.
He said to his father in reply,
‘Look, all these years I served you
and not once did I disobey your orders;
yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends.
But when your son returns
who swallowed up your property with prostitutes,
for him you slaughter the fattened calf.’
He said to him,
‘My son, you are here with me always;
everything I have is yours.
But now we must celebrate and rejoice,
because your brother was dead and has come to life again;
he was lost and has been found.'”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours. But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.

Oratio (Responding)

The prodigal son is one of the most iconic passages of all the bible. I have probably studied this passage more than any other reading, and I could litterally write 10 pages explaining every little detail. But because this is not a college thesis, I am going to just focus on a couple things, the historical jewish interpretation of this reading, and the personal understanding of the reunion of Father and son.

In a commentary on this reading by John Bergsma, he explains that this parable tells the story of the history of the 12 Tribes of Israel. When the Kingdom of David was given to his son Solomon, Solomon had many wives and as a result many sons. But after Solomon died only two made claims to the throne. These sons vied for power, and as a result the tribes were divided, and the kingdom was split. And that brings us to the historical context of todays reading? Bergsma explains:

“The “younger son” is the northern kingdom of Israel, headed by the tribe of Ephraim, the youngest of the sons of Jacob (actually a grandson), which departed from true worship of the LORD way back in 1 Kings 12 and wound up exiled by the Assyrians to the four corners of the earth… The “older son” is Judah, (the oldest patriarch not cursed by his father Jacob), the head of the southern kingdom of Judah, which to external appearances was more faithful to the LORD and still lived in the land of Judea, surrounding Jerusalem and the Temple”

The metaphor of the two sons, symbolizing the divided tribes, is fascinating, but the parable also has a prohetic nature as well. It describes what will happen at the time Jesus arrives on the scene. Bergsma continues: “This parable is prophetic: the lost northern tribes, the “younger son” of Israel, will return to the Father, whereas the tribe of Judah will put up resistance out of envy and pride in its own righteousness.” So what does this mean? The northern tribes mixed with the pagan cultures of the areas that they were scattered to. Some became the reviled Samaritans, who pretended to be jewish but were given over completely to pagan worship, and some became the gentiles, that filled all of the known world. But when Jesus begins his ministry, who is it that recognize Jesus as messiah and Lord. It is only a few of the faithful jewish people, but after His death and resurrection, the converts were mostly the gentiles and samaritans that flocked to Jesus’s disciples and came back to right worship. The pharisees, Saducees, and Scribes (the older brother) are the ones that resist, reject, and even try to kill our Lord Jesus when given the opportunity, and never converted.

The gentiles though lost to pagan idolotry, have now returned home and have come backe to right worship. The Haydock bible commentary writes: “Was dead, and is come to life again. A sinner, in mortal sin, is deprived of the divine grace, which is the spiritual life of the soul. At his conversion it is restored to him, and he begins to live again.” and so that is the point here, that what greed and avarice (between Solomon’s sons) divided, Jesus the messiah will then repair, and restore to right worship. And that is the point for us as well. If you are lost to sin, if you are wandering in the wilderness…, all that you need to do is to return to the Lord. Ask for forgiveness, and you will be redeemed.

There is also another interpretation of this reading, a personal one, and it comes from reflecting on the reunion of Father and son. This is by far the more common way to reflect on this reading. For me, what comes straight to mind is the painting by Rembrant that depicts this scene. It shows all of the various types of people that are witness to this moment, and how they each react. Some are indifferent, some are resentful, and some are outright indignant, but the Father knows best what to do, and he shows us that all that is needed is to love His long lost son.

This image speaks so beautifully of the Fathers attitude toward us all. He is wise and loving and just, and even when we utterly reject Him and wish He was dead (that is what it means to ask for your inheritance before your father has died). He allows us to have what we ask for, even if it is not good for us. And even after we have burnt all our bridges and have nothing left, He still loves us, and He is always watching for our return. He is generous and forgiving and loving beyond measure. And when we return to Him, He is the first one running across the field to welcome us home.

We on the other hand, find ourselves living our lives, as both the “good” son and the prodigal son, and we are unaware of His infinite generosity, we take it for granted, and always want more. Whether our sin is greed, or lust, or pride, the Lord is ready to forgive us as soon as we return to Him. I think the message is clear here, that your idea of what you want, or what you think you deserve, is probably wrong. But if you trust in Him, He will give you everything you could ever need.

In the end, the only thing that actually matters is your personal relationship with the Father. Are you with Him in mind, body, and spirt, or are you separated from Him by either distance or pride. This relationship is the only one that matters, and it is the only one that you will be judged by at that time of your death. So stop feeding the pigs, and sitting in your pride, and return to the Lord, do it now, today.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to abandon my pride and reconcile with those I have hurt. To spread your love, instead of seeking what I think is right.

Luke 18:9-14

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus addressed this parable
to those who were convinced of their own righteousness
and despised everyone else.
“Two people went up to the temple area to pray;
one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector.
The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself,
‘O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity —
greedy, dishonest, adulterous — or even like this tax collector.
I fast twice a week,
and I pay tithes on my whole income.’
But the tax collector stood off at a distance
and would not even raise his eyes to heaven
but beat his breast and prayed,
‘O God, be merciful to me a sinner.’
I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former;
for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled,
and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former; for whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.

Oratio (Responding)

This is the parable of the pharisee and the publican…, it is all about humility and your disposition toward God, with regard to sin in your life. I read a commentary that addresses this reading, and I want to expand on the ideas made in that reflection. The point of this parable is not only about pride and humility, but is more specifically about “final impenitence.” This is commonly described as “the unfogiveable sin.” Final impenitence is the mistaken belief that there is a sin that God cannot forgive, or it can also be the outright rejection of God’s forgiveness in your life.

The pharisee looked at the tax collector as so evil and so sinful that he could not ever be forgiven, but in fact the tax man would be the one that was justified, because of his extreme humility. He would in fact be reconciled with God while the pharisee would not. Why? Because the pharisee was actually the only one that was in the state of final impenitence. There is another uncommon way to explain “final impenitence,” and that is the mistaken belief that you are without sin, and not in need of forgiveness. This state of mind sets you up as your own God, and you ultimately end up worshiping yourself.

And that is infact what is happening in our reading today, It says that the pharisee took up a position and “spoke this prayer to himself.” But this translation does not accurately describe what is happening here…, the original greek more accurately reads that he “prayed to himself”. And that is the point. The Pharisee, was so focused on purity, and following the law, that he forgot how to be a human, and he forgot how to treat other people as humans too, and most importantly, he forgot how to recognize his own sin. This blindness is impenitence, and if he died in this unrepentant state, he would find himself in “final impenitence” and his soul would be in mortal danger.

Final impenitence is also described, “blaspheming the holy spirit.” The holy spirit is every where, working in all things, trying to make good, out of bad, and to convert souls to reconciliation. That is why this is the only unforgivable sin, because the gift is given equally, to all, and to reject or deny it is to do only thing that God cannot forgive, because He cannot forgive you if you do not ask for forgiveness. But He will not force His grace upon you, it is up to you to ask for it. If you dont, then by your own choice you are separating yourself from Him and thus choosing remain your own sin, over asking for God’s forgiveness. This is final impenitence.

So back to the reading…, the publican is seen by society as lost to his sin and without hope. But because of his humilty, he is able to accept the gift of the holy spirit, and as a result will be saved by his humility. While the pharisee on the other hand, who should have known better, refused to see his own sin, and as a result remains in that sin, and if he dies in that sin will likely be lost to the fires of hell because of his lack of humility.

Where are you on this spectrum? Are you like the pharisee, that simply says I believe in God, and I dont have to look at my own sin because my faith alone saves me? Do you have pride that gets in the way of your salvation? Or do you go to confession with a spirit of humility and supplication, and ask for the holy spirity to work in your soul and to bring you out of your sin? If not, why not? Make a change today, accept the work that the holy spirit is trying to do in your life, and get right with God. You only have this time in this world to get this right, so choose wisely, your eternity depends on it.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to get right with you, and to reconcile my sins with you, so that I can be with you in your glory for eternity.

Mark 12:28-34

Lectio (Reading)

One of the scribes came to Jesus and asked him,
“Which is the first of all the commandments?”
Jesus replied, “The first is this:
Hear, O Israel!
The Lord our God is Lord alone!
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
with all your soul,
with all your mind,
and with all your strength.
The second is this:
You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
There is no other commandment greater than these.”
The scribe said to him, “Well said, teacher.
You are right in saying,
He is One and there is no other than he.
And to love him with all your heart,
with all your understanding,
with all your strength,
and to love your neighbor as yourself
is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
And when Jesus saw that he answered with understanding,
he said to him,
“You are not far from the Kingdom of God.”
And no one dared to ask him any more questions.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

The first is this: Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is Lord alone! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

Oratio (Responding)

Before we dig into this reading we need to quickly reflect on the previous readings of this chapter. Jesus is sitting in the temple and He is surrounded by Pharisees, Saducees, Scribes, Herodians, and even some Romans. These disparate and antagonistic groups, that are usually fighting with each other, have found themselves perfectly united against Jesus. This reading comes at the end of a long string of challenges that these groups are making to Jesus. Most of them were conceived as traps to either get Jesus in trouble with His followers or with the Romans. The temple tax question, from a previous passage, is a good example of this.

There is also a direct connection to the typology of the Davidic kingdom in this reading. In Solomons kingdom, he would sit on his throne hearing questions from all comers. The jewish tradition (started with King David) required that the King would meditate on the law, day and night, and become an expert on it, so that he could answer all questions on that law that were presented to him. Jesus, here, is serving as the new son of david, sitting in the kings chair, listening to all questioners about the law.

This particular question in todays reading, is unlike the questions of the pharisees in the previous verses. It is not necessarily a trap but it is a test. The rabbis in Jesus’ time liked to play this game…, like lawyers, they wanted to understand the law down to the letter, to know exactly what was the legally right thing to do in all circumstances. They did this both for fun and pride, as an exercise to see who best knew the law, but it was also had a practical component, helping them all to figure out how to best navigate the law that had grown to be too large and unwieldy.

This particular questioner in todays reading, whether he knew it or not, was treating Jesus like a real Davidic king, and asking him a sincere question about the Law. But the answer Jesus gives is not unique to Him, it comes straight out of the Old Testament Law. The first part comes from the Shema, and the second comes from the holiness code in Leviticus. The Shema was the most common prayer in Jewish life, it was recited multiple times a day by all jews.

“Listen, Israel: the Lord is our God, the Lord is One. Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom for ever and all time. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might. These words which I command you today shall be on your heart.”

The holiness code comes from chapters 17–26 of leviticus. It was part of the law of the torah, and was called the holiness code because of its repeated use of the word holy. In Letviticus 19:18 it specifically speaks of loving your neighbor as yourself, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.” All listeners, at the time, would have immediately understood what Jesus was referring to in His answer.

Jesus’ answer, while it is a “simplification” of the law, does not make the law simpler to live out. In fact, He made it much harder for them. The Pharisees had rigorous ritual practices but frequently submitted to low moral standards. They were loving God, only in their minds, using their knowledge of loopholes in the law to get out of taking care of their neighbor.

Jesus is here criticizing them for having everything backwards. Without the love of God in your heart, you could not possibly love your neighbor as yourself, especially if that neighbor hates you. This kind of love requires a supernatural strength, the strength of God’s love in your heart. The converse is also true. Without the love of your neighbor (God’s beloved creation), in your heart, you cannot truly and completely love God. All humans are God’s children, and He loves them all dearly. You cannot fully and completely love God if you have hatred in your heart for one of His beloved children. Dorothy Day once said that “you can only love God to the extent that you hate one of His children.” This is indeed a high call, but we are not allowed to desist from it.

And as Peter Kreft wrote “Love is God’s commandment. But love is not essentially a feeling because feelings can’t be commanded.” What this means is that God has commanded you to love…, both Him and your Neighbor. So you have a choice, to either follow His command or reject it. To follow it means that you love regardless of how you feel about it. You do it because it is right, and because that is what God wants of you. To reject this command is to instead, put yourself first, and to find loopholes so that you don’t have to think of anyone else. This rejections separates you from everyone else, but most importantly it separates you from God.

When you stand before the Lord at your judgement, He will ask you why you did not love those people that hated you. If you are not willing to change your heart in this life, to love God and your neighbor, you will be eternally separated from God in the next. This is truly the whole law, and it is simple, but really hard to do… Can you do it? that is the real challenge in life. But you have to do it, your eternity depends on it.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord help me today to love all of your children more, and with the humilty that you did. Even if they drive me crazy. Amen.

Luke 11:14-23

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute,
and when the demon had gone out,
the mute man spoke and the crowds were amazed.
Some of them said, “By the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons,
he drives out demons.”
Others, to test him, asked him for a sign from heaven.
But he knew their thoughts and said to them,
“Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste
and house will fall against house.
And if Satan is divided against himself,
how will his kingdom stand?
For you say that it is by Beelzebul that I drive out demons.
If I, then, drive out demons by Beelzebul,
by whom do your own people drive them out?
Therefore they will be your judges.
But if it is by the finger of God that I drive out demons,
then the Kingdom of God has come upon you.
When a strong man fully armed guards his palace,
his possessions are safe.
But when one stronger than he attacks and overcomes him,
he takes away the armor on which he relied
and distributes the spoils.
Whoever is not with me is against me,
and whoever does not gather with me scatters.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste and house will fall against house. And if Satan is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand?

Oratio (Responding)

The scribes at this time, were the great theologians of Isreal. In this passage they have come to see Jesus so that they can challenge Him. In the previous passage, His disciples try to extract Him from this confrontation with the Scribes. But now it is upon Him. The Scribes accuse Jesus of being possessed by bealzubul, and using the power of satan to cast out demons in the name of bealzubul.

Jesus’ response is so good. He uses logic to defeat the accusation on its face, and then at the same time turns the tables on His accusers. Jesus is basically saying, If you are the devil and you are trying to destroy the work of God, why would you be so dumb as to work against your own efforts. The devil is smarter than that, and it is only Jesus’ own people that are dumb enough to act this way.

And that is indeed, what the Scribes and the Pharisees are doing, trying to sew anger and division among their own people, against Jesus. The Scribes and the Pharisees are jealous of the fact that Jesus is proclaiming truth, and working healings, and helping those that are bogged down with many burdens. The Scribes and the Pharisees, believed that only they are supposed to be the ones proclaiming the truth, and that only they are the ones that are supposed to be perfomining the healings, and that because they are the ones that put those heavy burdens on the shoulders of the people, that it is only they that should be the ones to remove them. So instead of embracing Jesus as the Messiah, the Scribes and the Pharisees are actually the ones dividing the house of God against itself. A brilliant and convicting response to a truly stupid accusation.

And then Jesus drops the hammer on them. When He references the strongman, Jesus, in this analogy, is saying that if you want to steal from a strong man, you must first come into his house and tie him up. What is this analogy making reference to? Well Jesus is pointing specifically, to the fact that the Pharisees and Scribes have used their power and knowledge of the Law to bind up the “strong” people of isreal, with unecessary laws, and customs, and using that power to lord it over them, while at the same time, plundering the church, and its people of all of its goodness.

This was a powerful indictment, and the shock value of it cannot be understated. Jesus was not a shrinking violet in the face of great power and authority. He instead, spoke truth to power and did it in a way that they could not ignore. Truly amazing.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me to speak truth to power as well. and to not shrink the face of great accusation. Amen.

Luke 1:26-38

Lectio (Reading)

The angel Gabriel was sent from God
to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,
to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph,
of the house of David,
and the virgin’s name was Mary.
And coming to her, he said,
“Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.”
But she was greatly troubled at what was said
and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
Then the angel said to her,
“Do not be afraid, Mary,
for you have found favor with God.
Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,
and you shall name him Jesus.
He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,
and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,
and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever,
and of his Kingdom there will be no end.”
But Mary said to the angel,
“How can this be,
since I have no relations with a man?”
And the angel said to her in reply,
“The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.
Therefore the child to be born
will be called holy, the Son of God.
And behold, Elizabeth, your relative,
has also conceived a son in her old age,
and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren;
for nothing will be impossible for God.”
Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word.”
Then the angel departed from her.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.

Oratio (Responding)

What kind of greating is this? in a word it is her name (in heaven)! Names are really important. To name something is to declare authority over it. In the bible when God calls one the fathers to lead His church He gives them a new name. This is God claiming authority over the person, but it is also giving us a view into heaven. When God created your soul, He spoke a word, and you came to be. That word is your heavenly name. It represents who you are, all that you will do, and all that God wills for your life.

Abram was renamed Abraham, which means father of many. Jacob was renamed isreal, which means struggles with god, and Simon was renamed peter, which means rock. There are many more examples and they are all wonderfully insightful for understanding these figures in the bible and what God willed for them.

Mary’s name in heaven is full of grace. Can you think of a more perfect name for her, she was born without stain of sin, because she was given this grace, as a beloved daughter of God. She was espoused to the Holy Spirit and through the grace of the holy spirit, she concieved. And she became the mother of Jesus and carried the incarnate Lord in her womb for 9 months. She then raised Him, and loved Him and finally watched Him be sacraficed for the salvation of the world.

She could not have done any of these things without Gods grace, and being totally and completely open to that grace in every aspect of her life. This is why we show Mary reverence. She was the best of us, modeling for all mankind how to be truly human. Let us never forget this, and to never stop looking to her for help and guidance. She will always lead you to Jesus.

So stop today and say “ave maria, gratia plena.” That is her name, and that is who she is to God, and will always be.

Second Reflection: But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?”

Mary’s words today are almost exactly the same words as Zechariah spoke when he was told about the miraculous birth of John. But Mary trusted completely, and was obedient, she truly just did not understand how it could happen.

I however, find it more remarkable that a young girl, still a child to most of the world, could have the pressence of mind to contemplate these momentus things being proposed to her, and ultimately saying yes. Mary is a model for all of us in that most of the things that God asks of us are inconcievable, but by cooperating with Gods will is far better than fighting against it.

Imagine gods will as a huge tidal wave. Nothing can stop it, or slow it down. If you fight against it, or sit there motionless trying to understand it, you will get crushed by it when it breaks on you. But if you get on your surfboard, and paddle along with it, cooperating with it, you might just have the greatest ride of your life, and you might just do something miraculous.

Mary teaches us this lesson of trust, that she recognize the hugeness of God, and her littleness, and even though she didnt understand what God is asking of her, she said yes, and her cooperation with God has brought about the incarnation. The most incredible thing that has ever happened in this world. God, creator of the universe, became a tiny embryo inside Mary ‘s womb. How is that possible, we dont know, God knows, but because Mary cooperated, it happened.

So we need to live by Mary’s example, and follow her simple humility, and maybe we too, will be able to also do something truly incredible like she die.

Third Reflection: Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.

What humility and trust that this must have taken for Mary to respond this way. She was just a child but more faithful to God than any of us. Mary is a model for how we need to live our lives, completely surrendering and completely trusting. She was free to say no, God would not have punished her for saying no, but He had given Mary the most amazing gift of freedom from sin, and in her total devotion to God made it evident that she would not have said anything but yes. And this yes became the gateway for all of mankind to be saved and redeemed. This yes opened the door for Jesus, God of the universe to become incarnated as man. Jesus was fully man and fully divine, he always maintained his divine nature as the second member of the holy trinity, but he got his human nature from Mary.

It was not required that Jesus come into the world this way but it was fitting. If the Lord of the universe is to show us how He intends us to live, what better way than to become man and live a life, showing and teaching us by example.

Mary’s humble little yes, literally changed the universe. Let us all aspire to say yes to God as well, and if we all do this, we too, will indeed change the world.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh maria, please help me and guide me to your son, and help me to be the best possible version of myself, amen.

Luke 4:24-30

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to the people in the synagogue at Nazareth:
“Amen, I say to you,
no prophet is accepted in his own native place.
Indeed, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel
in the days of Elijah
when the sky was closed for three and a half years
and a severe famine spread over the entire land.
It was to none of these that Elijah was sent,
but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon.
Again, there were many lepers in Israel
during the time of Elisha the prophet;
yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.”
When the people in the synagogue heard this,
they were all filled with fury.
They rose up, drove him out of the town,
and led him to the brow of the hill
on which their town had been built,
to hurl him down headlong.
But he passed through the midst of them and went away.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

It was to none of these that Elijah was sent, but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon. Again, there were many lepers in Israel during the time of Elisha the prophet; yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.”

Oratio (Responding)

The beggining of this passage is of Jesus reading the scroll of Isaiah, and then saying that “these words are fulfilled in your hearing.” I cannot stress enought how startling and shocking this statement would be for the jews of this time to hear. Jesus is saying plainly that He is the Messiah that was fortold in Isaiah and the other Old Testament prophets. These people listenting to Him where His extended family and friends that He grew up with. And instead of being awed by the graciousness of Jesus choosing to come and speak directly to them, in their sinagaogue, they ask for another sign… They want Jesus to do for them what He is said to have done for the afflicted in Caphernum. Almost like He is a circus clown.

That is when He makes the statement about the prophet in his home town, and He quotes scripture, telling the story of the widow of zeraphath, and Naaman the Leper. Jesus here is reminding the pharisees that it was only the Gentiles in scripture that ever accepted one of God’s prophets immediately. While at the same time, bringing to mind the fact that every prophet that has ever been sent to the jews was not accepted until years later, and only after they had first been martyred.

Further, Jesus chooses these two stories because they include both Elijah, and his disciple Elisha. Both prophets were sent to bring the good news of the lord, not only to the Jews, but also to the gentiles. Jesus then, is making a several points all at the same time…, He is telling His audience that He is a prophet, GREATER than Elijah (another stunning and shocking statement). That He too was sent to preach to the jews and the gentiles. And finally He is reminding them, that it was men like them, that killed all of the prophets that came before Him.

And as if they were reading from a script, the Pharisees then try to kill Jesus, but He steals their moment from them because He is not ready for His passion yet. Mark Twain once said that “History does not repeat itself, but it does rhyme.” I think that Jesus is making a similar point here, although not as funny.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me to be a prophet that brings your word to the world, but let me start first with my family.

Luke 13:1-9

Lectio (Reading)

Some people told Jesus about the Galileans
whose blood Pilate had mingled with the blood of their sacrifices.
He said to them in reply,
“Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way
they were greater sinners than all other Galileans?
By no means!
But I tell you, if you do not repent,
you will all perish as they did!
Or those eighteen people who were killed
when the tower at Siloam fell on them–
do you think they were more guilty
than everyone else who lived in Jerusalem?
By no means!
But I tell you, if you do not repent,
you will all perish as they did!”

And he told them this parable:
“There once was a person who had a fig tree planted in his orchard,
and when he came in search of fruit on it but found none,
he said to the gardener,
‘For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree
but have found none.
So cut it down.
Why should it exhaust the soil?’
He said to him in reply,
‘Sir, leave it for this year also,
and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it;
it may bear fruit in the future.
If not you can cut it down.’”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Or those eighteen people who were killed when the tower at Siloam fell on them do you think they were more guilty than everyone else who lived in Jerusalem?

Oratio (Responding)

The people of Jesus’ time had an incorrect belief that the “natural” evils that afflicted people were a punishment from God for their sin. If you had disease it meant you were in unrepentant grave sin. If you suffered a calamity (like in todays reading), it meant that you were a bad person, and were being punished for your sins. Those events, the “bloodshed of pilot” and the “tower of siloam” are not recorded outside of the New Testament, but they both put urgency behind the need for repentance for sin. Nevertheless, the cultural practice of associating illness and calamity with sin. lead to a lot of abuse of the afflicted. The people in most need of help were ostracized, and pushed out of the community. It also meant that people that had a lot of real grave sin on their hearts were validated in their sin because they were not ill, or injured.

This is why Jesus spends so much time with the unclean, and afflicted, healing their maladies, and bringing them back into the community, and conversely he also spends a lot of time going after the pharisees, and bringing them to account for their grave sins. It is not any different today, but the dividing line is not illness and affliction, it is culture. The people that are trying to uphold God’s values, and teachings are ostracized and called hateful, while the people living in grave sin, celebrating “pride” are held up as pinnacles of modern virtue, tolerance, and Love. Hard to believe that that is where we are today. And it is amazing to me how little things have changed.

Then I think of the second part of this reading. The parable of the unfruitful fig tree. The owner is God, the gardener is Jesus, and the fig tree is…, well, multiple things. The Ignatius Study Bible says that “the fruit may refer to virtues, refelcting inner righteousness, but may also refer to evangelization and producing fruit in others, bringing them to salvation.” The fig then, is first the fruit that adam an eve ate, it represents the human desire to be like God. The tree also is a metaphor for Israel, and the jewish leaders (the pharisees) failure to bear fruit in that garden. And finally the fruit may refer to us individuals today, and whether we are taking the gifts God gives us and using them to do good works in God’s Garden.

But the message is clear if we don’t bear fruit (try to be more like God), then the Lord wants to ultimately remove us from His garden. Again the Ignatius study bible says: “The fig tree represents Old Covenant Israel. Although God found no fruits of repentance, he was patient and gave them an ample three years to accept their Messiah. The impenitence of Jerusalem would later bring divine judgment upon the city.” Jesus is advocating for us, and as a result the Lord gave us Jesus and those wicked pharisees 3 years of Jesus’ ministry, for them to see the good works of the gardener, and ultimately bear good fruit. Jesus is doing the same for us today, He gave us the witnesses, and the stories of the bible to cultiavate the ground around us, and in his death on the cross He redeemed us in the eyes of God.

So whether you are a pharisee, or a member of the modern culture Jesus is trying to build you up, convert you, and cultivate you so that you will bear good fruit. This has been happening all your life, and it is still happening now. What will you do? Will you stay barren, and allow the God to chop you down. Or will you allow the gardener to change you, and cultivate you and to help you bear good fruit. Just because you are a sinner, does not mean that Jesus does not want to help you change and become a saint. So what will you do? Your eternity depends on the answer.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me to allow your grace to work inside me and change me so that I can bear good fruit.

Matthew 21:33-43, 45-46

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people:
“Hear another parable.
There was a landowner who planted a vineyard,
put a hedge around it,
dug a wine press in it, and built a tower.
Then he leased it to tenants and went on a journey.
When vintage time drew near,
he sent his servants to the tenants to obtain his produce.
But the tenants seized the servants and one they beat,
another they killed, and a third they stoned.
Again he sent other servants, more numerous than the first ones,
but they treated them in the same way.
Finally, he sent his son to them,
thinking, ‘They will respect my son.’
But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another,
‘This is the heir.
Come, let us kill him and acquire his inheritance.’
They seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him.
What will the owner of the vineyard do to those tenants when he comes?”
They answered him,
“He will put those wretched men to a wretched death
and lease his vineyard to other tenants
who will give him the produce at the proper times.”
Jesus said to them, “Did you never read in the Scriptures:

The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
by the Lord has this been done,
and it is wonderful in our eyes?

Therefore, I say to you,
the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you
and given to a people that will produce its fruit.”
When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables,
they knew that he was speaking about them.
And although they were attempting to arrest him,
they feared the crowds, for they regarded him as a prophet.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a tower. Then he leased it to tenants and went on a journey.

Oratio (Responding)

This is an amazing parable about the story of salvation and Gods love for us. The landowner is God the Father. The tenants are the Jewish leaders of the temple. The vineyard is Israel (this world). The Hedge is the barrier of protection surrounding and defending God’s Law. The wine is the good fruit that comes from us living a good life, and the winepress is the church that helps transforms the good things of this world into good fruit. Finally the tower is the watchful and protective eye of the Lord (the Law). In this one passage we see all the good that God has done for us, all that he has done to give us everything we might need to be happy and to do His will in this world.

But instead of revelling in God’s goodness, we humans revolt, and try to take from God the only thing that He can not give us, His omnipotent power. So He sent us prophets, telling us to be watchful of signs of the coming age. But instead of listening to them, we killed them. Then the Lord sent us even more prophets, and we killed them too. Then the Lord sent us His Son and we would also kill Him. Finally God will come and bring judgment for all of the wicked servants.

The passage sums up with the enigmatic line… “the stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.” This whole parable was designed to remind the pharisees of the wickedness that they have done in Gods vineyard, while at the same time lettting Jesus predict His own death.

It is important to note here that the leaders of the jewish people were not rightfully allowed the have those positions that they controlled. The pharisees were not levites, and had no right to be priests of the temple, yet they, and the scribes had been given complete power over the temple, by King Herod, because he could control them. The Herod’s too were usurpers, they were not even jewish, and they too were given their power by the Romans, because the Romans could control them. So all of these jewish leaders (aka tennants), and had no right to be where they were.

Finally we come to the new temple. Herod the great started it, and the Herod of this reading (his son) was still finishing it at the time of this reading. But what most people don’t know, is that after the first temple was destroyed and the jewish people were scattered among the world. The temple was meant to lay in ruins until the new davidic king (Jesus) would come and rebuild it, in the form of His own body. Only a true son of the line of David had the right to undertake such a great endeavor, not the usurper Herod. So until the new king of david was crowned, there was not supposed to be a new temple built. And so when Jesus says “the stone that the builers rejected…” He is making references to these wicked tennants who killed the Son, and tried to steal His kingdom…, built their own temple and were essentially worshiping themselves as Gods. That is why Jesus says they will be severely punished. And that punishment will take the form of the destruction of their temple in 70 AD.

When Jesus died on the cross, He opened the gates of heaven, and has become the cornerstone on which the new temple of the kingdom God will be built in heaven. And every baptised soul that converts their heart to Jesus will become bricks of that same great temple. So, I ask you today… What are you doing in Gods vineyard? Are you making good fruit, or are you trying to steal Gods power and steal the good gifts that He has already freely given you. This is a very convicting thing to contemplate, and it should not be taken lightly. Ponder this today, and if you are not a good tenant, then get to confession, and get right with God, your eternity depends on it.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, enlighten my conscience, and help me to discern who I really am in this parable, and to make the needed changes to get right with you and to be a good and holy tenant, amen.

Luke 16:19-31

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to the Pharisees:
“There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen
and dined sumptuously each day.
And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,
who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps
that fell from the rich man’s table.
Dogs even used to come and lick his sores.
When the poor man died,
he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham.
The rich man also died and was buried,
and from the netherworld, where he was in torment,
he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off
and Lazarus at his side.
And he cried out, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me.
Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue,
for I am suffering torment in these flames.’
Abraham replied, ‘My child,
remember that you received what was good during your lifetime
while Lazarus likewise received what was bad;
but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented.
Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established
to prevent anyone from crossing
who might wish to go from our side to yours
or from your side to ours.’
He said, ‘Then I beg you, father, send him
to my father’s house,
for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them,
lest they too come to this place of torment.’
But Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets.
Let them listen to them.’
He said, ‘Oh no, father Abraham,
but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’
Then Abraham said,
‘If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets,
neither will they be persuaded
if someone should rise from the dead.'”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen and dined sumptuously each day. And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps that fell from the rich man’s table.

Oratio (Responding)

This story about the rich man and Lazarus is truly a humbling story, and it contains a dire warning that we all need to seriously consider.

First, I want to talk about Sheol. Sheol was what the pharisees thought was the afterlife. It was actually just a staging area until the Lord Jesus returned. After He died, He went down to Sheol and brought those good souls up to heaven with Him, and sent the damned souls to hell. Sheol had two divided areas, one was a place of torment called Gahena, and the other was a place of perfect happiness called “the Bosom of Abraham.” Between the two areas, was a great chasm, prevented anyone from going from one side to the other. At the edge of the two sides of that great chasm, is where today’s story takes place.

The other important thing to consider here are the names used in the reading. Names are of immense importance in the Bible and ultimately in Kingdom of heaven. God has a name for you, that He spoke that name when you were created. That name represents your whole essence, the reason that you were made by Him, and why He loves you so much. Names are extremely important. The name Lazarus means “god has Helped” and while he was “untouchable” and “nameless” in this world, in the afterlife he has infinite worth and His name reflects that. Whereas the rich man was probably well liked in this world, everyone knew his name, but he is nameless in the next life, likely because in hell the devil does not care about your name, and only torments you according to your sins. Ricardo Sanchez says it best: “The devil knows your name but calls you by your sin, God knows your sin but calls you by your name.”

Jesus constantly reminds us in His gospels, that the last will be first and the first will be last. This is so important, and we must never forget it. It is the same call that He put on us here today. We must not step over the beggar, and pretend that he does not exist. We need to stop, ask them for their name, and finally try to help them. Even if it is just a small token of help. We can not allow them to go on unnamed in this world any longer. I have helped people when I see them holding signs, but I never ask their names, and this has to change. We have to humanize them, and bring them out of the shadows, and recognize their infinite worth.

This is our call, or we too might end up as one of the unnamed, tormented souls in the fires of hell. Heed the warning, Listen to what abraham said “If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.” Everything you will ever need to know about God and who He is, is in the pages of the Bible. Read it and listen to the words He speaks to you, and pray for God’s mercy that you do not end up like the rich man.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me find someone today to who needs help, and help me to remember that they are human like me, and have a name.

Matthew 1:16, 18-21, 24

Lectio (Reading)

Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary.
Of her was born Jesus who is called the Christ.

Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about.
When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph,
but before they lived together,
she was found with child through the Holy Spirit.
Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man,
yet unwilling to expose her to shame,
decided to divorce her quietly.
Such was his intention when, behold,
the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said,
“Joseph, son of David,
do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home.
For it is through the Holy Spirit
that this child has been conceived in her.
She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus,
because he will save his people from their sins.”
When Joseph awoke,
he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him
and took his wife into his home.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home.

Oratio (Responding)

Today we reflect on the line that says…, Joseph… was a righteousness man! Righteousness is defined as “acting in accord with divine or moral law: free from guilt or sin” That definitely describes what we know about Joseph. There are several theories about who Joseph was… Some think he was a young man, others think old. Some suggest he was he rich, others believe he was poor. Some claim he had other children, but catholics mostly contend he did not. But his righteousness is never debated.

Joseph is only mentioned a couple times in the bible, and he never says a word that is recorded anywhere in the bible, but still, we know so much about him. How is this so? Some of it has come from divine revelation of mystics and visionaries, over the centuries, but mostly we extrapolate a lot of who he is, from his actions, and through his closeness to Jesus and mary. What we can say for sure, was that Joseph was a model for all men, he was a strong leader, fierce protector and loving provider of his family, and humbly accomplished his duties without complaint.

As a leader, he followed all of the jewish divine and moral laws, but also respectfully adhered to the local customs as well. He models for us how to properly respect civil authority, while at the same time remaining faithful in devotion to God and His laws

It is understood, by most scholars, that Mary was, and always intended to be a consecrated virgin, not to have any children. Joseph married her knowing that their marriage would not be a physically intimate one. This means that he was a deeply spiritual, and pious man. It not only means that he deeply loved Mary, but also that he was willing to sacrifice for her. It means that he was a man of extreme personal self control.

But also, He was a man that recognized the authority of the temple and its laws, despite the corrupt pharisees that were in charge of it. When Herod called a census, the Jews knew this to be wrong and deeply offensive, because was it was completely against jewish law. But Joseph still obeyed, because the pharisees commanded it, and because they were in charge of the temple at that time.

After the birth of Jesus, he lead his family to the temple to complete the ritual cleansing laws, and paid the proper temple sacrifice, in order to fulfill the law. Even though Jesus was God and Mary was the immaculate virgin, He still led his Family to fulfill all of the obligations of the pious jews. Further, we know that He brought his family to Jerusalem, every year for the passover feast…, as was the traditional jewish custom. For these reasons, he is considered the patron saint and protector of the universal church.

Lastly, We know that he was a good man, and loved Mary completely, and raised Jesus as his own son, and we know that he died before Jesus started his public ministry, because he was not at the wedding in Cana. So that tells us that he died before that event, and likely with Mary and Jesus by his bedside, praying for him. And this is why he is called the Patron saint of a good death.

As a Protector of Jesus and Mary, he models for us what a man must do to maintain a safe home for his family, and to move forward after you make a mistake.

At the annunciation, we know that he was told that mary was pregnant, and he decided to divorce her quietly. This meant that he did in fact deeply love her, and wanted to protect her from scandal and scorn. Imagine how hard that would have been for him to find out that his virginal wife was pregnant, and not by him. But Gabriel was sent to him to bolster his courage, and to tell him that this turn of events was Gods intention. And because of Joseph’s great faith we know that he never faltered again. He loved mary completely protected them both, and raised Jesus as his own son.

When Jesus was born and Herod wanted to killed Him, Joseph took his family and fled to Egypt to escape Herod’s slaughter of the infants. This meant abandoning their home, his vocation, and everything that they knew and owned. But the protection of his family was far more important than anything else. These and others, are the reasons that Joseph is called the Patron saint and protector of the unborn, and because of his steadfast devotion to, and protection of his home, he is also called the terror of demons.

As a Provider for his family, he models for us the benefits of hard work, and the satisfaction of doing your work well. He was a master carpenter, and seemingly had a thriving business. Using his vocation he provided a life and a home for Jesus and mary, and he ultimately taught his trade to Jesus. This is why he is considered the Patron saint of a the family, fathers, craftsmen, and the catholic home.

He was indeed a righteous man, and we must all endeavor to strive to be more like him…, humbly and joyfully leading, protecting, and providing for our families.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord help me to love and trust you, in the way that Joseph did. Help me to lead, protect, and provide for my family as Joseph did for yours. And finally help me to model my life after his…, to die as a beloved son of you Lord, a devoted spouse to my wife, and a father for the sons that you have put into my life. Amen.

Matthew 23:1-12

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying,
“The scribes and the Pharisees
have taken their seat on the chair of Moses.
Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you,
but do not follow their example.
For they preach but they do not practice.
They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry
and lay them on people’s shoulders,
but they will not lift a finger to move them.
All their works are performed to be seen.
They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels.
They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues,
greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation ‘Rabbi.’
As for you, do not be called ‘Rabbi.’
You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers.
Call no one on earth your father;
you have but one Father in heaven.
Do not be called ‘Master’;
you have but one master, the Christ.
The greatest among you must be your servant.
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled;
but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

As for you, do not be called ‘Rabbi.’ You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers. Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven. Do not be called ‘Master’; you have but one master, the Christ. The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Oratio (Responding)

Our protestant brothers and sisters love this line, they think it is a direct rebuke of Catholics, and our priests whom we call father. But this is not so, there is much more that needs to be considered here, before one could ever make that claim. First, let us first discuss what it means to be a Rabbi, Father, or Master. Many church fathers have said that these three titles refer directly to the three persons of the holy trinity. Father is obviously God in heaven, the great high king, and creator of the universe. Master is Christ Jesus, the incarnate god made flesh, who shows us the way to live our lives in accord with God the Father and His divine order. And the Teacher (aka, Rabbi) is the holy spirit, the paraclete that is with us always guiding us, teaching us, and showing us the way back to reconciliation with God.

What Jesus is saying in this passage is that a person should only be called by these titles, if they strive to live up to them, and ONLY to the extent that they personify these roles in their teachings and in the way that they live their lives. Concomitantly, Jesus is thus, rebuking the pharisees for not reaching that high bar. If you read the chapter prior to this reading Jesus had just been issuing a string of woes to them. He then, in this chapter, chastises them for widening their phylacteries, and lengthening their tassels. Tassel were known to be a sign of the torah, and the wearers knowledge of it. The pharisees would make their tassels long, and elaborate, in order to draw attention to themselves. Same with the phylacteries. These were little boxes that they would tie to their foreheads. These boxes contained tiny scrolls with lines from the torah inscribed on them. They were meant to be used only during prayer to bring the word of God close to the mind while praying. But instead of wearing them during pious prayer, they would instead, enlarge these boxes, and where them at all times, even when not praying, so as to draw attention to themselves.

These pharisees were making themselves into little demigods, and lording their “piety”, and knowledge of the law over the people, putting large burdens on the shoulders of the people, burdens that they themselves were not willing to help carry. Jesus is simply saying THESE evil men, are NOT your fathers, because they are not living up to the example of the one true Father, who is in heaven.

But what I find most remarkable about this passage is that He does not rebuke their role as keepers of the law. He says that because they occupy the seat of Moses that you need to listen to their teachings of the law, because they know it well, but that we should not follow their example because they are wicked men. They cant be called father because they dont care about their subjects, they cant be called master because they are not living holy lives, and they cant be called rabbi, because they are not living out the law that they so fervently teach. But since they are the current occupant of the office of lawgiver, and for that fact alone, they are to be shown respect… amazing!

Finally, to completely drive home the point, that Jesus is only talking about the pharisees and scribes and not proclaiming an edict against calling anyone Father. The proof for this simple fact is that the bible records Jesus Himself calling Joseph, His father. And He never rebukes anyone else in the bible for referring to their kin in this same way. There are many, many other examples of the old and new testaments where the great patriarchs call themselves and others Father. I think St. Jerome sums it up nicely in this quote. “Remember this distinction. It is one thing to be a father or a teacher by nature, [but] another to be so by generosity.” Just because you successfully participated in the creation of a new human, or because you occupy some position of authority, does not make you a father. Being a father requires a lifelong effort, of lovingly teaching right from wrong, and living out the role of father in your daily actions and example.

I can summarize this reading simply like this. To the extent that our earthly mothers and fathers teach and live the example of the father in heaven, they deserve the honor of being called Father as well. But if they exploit and pervert the authority that they are given, then they should be rebuked, and admonished because there is only one teacher and one Father in heaven, and that they are not allowed to share this honor if they are abusing their position.

So do not be discourage if someone challenges you with this line from the bible. Because context matters, and Jesus is not saying what they think He is saying. The answer is not that literal here, it is far more nuanced and complex.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to witness your truth in my family, and to be a father to those that you have put in my life. Help me to live up to the honor of that title, Amen.

Luke 6:36-38

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

“Stop judging and you will not be judged.
Stop condemning and you will not be condemned.
Forgive and you will be forgiven.
Give and gifts will be given to you;
a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing,
will be poured into your lap.
For the measure with which you measure
will in return be measured out to you.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven.

Oratio (Responding)

This call is especially apropos for the time in which we live. Yet how are we are supposed to live out this illogical reality in our daily lives? It does not make sense, in our human nature, to forgive those who persecute us. But it is of extreme importance to remember that this is what God does for us constantly. God is perfect and has never done anything but love us completely, yet we sin against Him relentlessly, we hurt Him deeply, and in ways that we can not even understand. Yet He forgives us instantly, when we ask for forgiveness. It is completely undeserved, yet He does it anyway.

The devil on the other hand is the accuser, he is the embodiment of unrepentant sin, he is vicious and unrelenting in accusing and damning us for our sins. St. John Crysostom said it best… “But these are the wiles of the tempter. For he who severely sifts the fault of others, will never obtain acquittal for his own.” This is what hell is, constant torment for your sin, and constant accusation for having commited them. Heaven on the other hand, is the complete absense of sin, and offers total fogiveness, when you ask for it. Which sounds better to you?

Ricardo Sanchez once said: “The devil knows your name but calls you by your sin, God knows your sin but calls you by your name.” The dividing line betweed these two realities, heaven and hell, is contrition. Identify your sin, name it, confess it to a priest in the holy sacrament of reconciliation, and then forget it, because God already has. But then comes the hardest thing of all…, that is to recognize the same sinful nature in all those people around you, people no different from you, and forgive them for their sin too.

That is the call of this world, and especially this time. We must not allow sin to keep us from deep intimacy with God, and with each other. Let’s forgive today, move on, and share the love. Amen.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me to know those persons that I have harmed, and those that have harmed me, so that I can forgive, and be forgiven. Amen.

Matthew 7:7-12

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Ask and it will be given to you;
seek and you will find;
knock and the door will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds;
and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
Which one of you would hand his son a stone
when he asked for a loaf of bread,
or a snake when he asked for a fish?
If you then, who are wicked,
know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will your heavenly Father give good things
to those who ask him.

“Do to others whatever you would have them do to you.
This is the law and the prophets.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

Oratio (Responding)

But what about the important ones, what about the prayers for healing, or the end of suffering? This is where the big picture of God comes into play. We cannot understand why God allows innocents to be harmed or the evil to be healed, but I do know that it will all be revealed at the end of time, and I guarantee, that the plan will be greater and more awesome then we could possibly imagine. I know that that does not answer the question, but we have to understand the God’s ways are bigger than our ways, and we must learn to trust that he has our best interest at heart at all times and in all things.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to have the grace to trust that you will hear my prayers, and that you will grant my petitions in your way, and in your time, and I know that it will be awesome when done.

Luke 11:29-32

Lectio (Reading)

While still more people gathered in the crowd, Jesus said to them,
“This generation is an evil generation;
it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it,
except the sign of Jonah.
Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites,
so will the Son of Man be to this generation.
At the judgment
the queen of the south will rise with the men of this generation
and she will condemn them,
because she came from the ends of the earth
to hear the wisdom of Solomon,
and there is something greater than Solomon here.
At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation
and condemn it,
because at the preaching of Jonah they repented,
and there is something greater than Jonah here.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it, except the sign of Jonah.

Oratio (Responding)

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord help me to be the best possible version of myself, and to love you and serve you and be with you forever in eternity.

Matthew 25:31-46

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his disciples:
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory,
and all the angels with him,
he will sit upon his glorious throne,
and all the nations will be assembled before him.
And he will separate them one from another,
as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
Then the king will say to those on his right,
‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father.
Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
For I was hungry and you gave me food,
I was thirsty and you gave me drink,
a stranger and you welcomed me,
naked and you clothed me,
ill and you cared for me,
in prison and you visited me.’
Then the righteous will answer him and say,
‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you,
or thirsty and give you drink?
When did we see you a stranger and welcome you,
or naked and clothe you?
When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’
And the king will say to them in reply,
‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did
for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’
Then he will say to those on his left,
‘Depart from me, you accursed,
into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his angels.
For I was hungry and you gave me no food,
I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,
a stranger and you gave me no welcome,
naked and you gave me no clothing,
ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.’
Then they will answer and say,
‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty
or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison,
and not minister to your needs?’
He will answer them, ‘Amen, I say to you,
what you did not do for one of these least ones,
you did not do for me.’
And these will go off to eternal punishment,
but the righteous to eternal life.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left…

Oratio (Responding)

Why sheep and goats? I once read a book about Jesus the Shepherd, from the perspective of a real life shepherd. It was truly enlightening. The book concludes, with many clear examples, that sheep are very meek, they seem born to follow and need to be shepherded. Whereas goats are stubborn, independent, and hard to lead.

From this perspective, it seems clear which Jesus would prefer, and whom He would choose to lead. Jesus called himself the good shepherd, and His followers know His voice, and He knows each by name. This does not mean that He does not want to lead the goats, but they will not follow unless they ultimately change their nature, and become like sheep. And at the end of the time the goats that remain goat-like will be separated, and damned for eternity.

Goats and their natural stubbornness, have been embraced by the evil one, and his followers. They wear goat heads during their demonic practices, in order that they would more obviously reveal their prideful independence from God and complete rejection of Him.

Sheep (lambs) on the other hand, with their meek and trusting nature, are used, all throughout the new testament, as reference to Jesus allowing Himself to be tortured, and killed because of His love and trust in God. This is not weakness, or stupidity, it is a total trust in God the shepherd, that surpasses everything, even death.

We are all called to this same level of trust. That God will provide, and give us everything we need. And even if we die at the hands of the goats, then we can rest assured that the good shepherd will be there waiting for us, to enter into His kingdom. I pray that we all can accomplish this sheep-like nature, and follow the good shepherd. And on that final day be on the “right,” destined for Heaven, and not on the left with the damned. Amen.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, guide me to the pastures of heaven, and do not let me fall victim to the wolves. Call my name and I will follow. Amen.

Luke 4:1-13

Lectio (Reading)

Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus returned from the Jordan
and was led by the Spirit into the desert for forty days,
to be tempted by the devil.
He ate nothing during those days,
and when they were over he was hungry.
The devil said to him,
“If you are the Son of God,
command this stone to become bread.”
Jesus answered him,
“It is written, One does not live on bread alone.”
Then he took him up and showed him
all the kingdoms of the world in a single instant.
The devil said to him,
“I shall give to you all this power and glory;
for it has been handed over to me,
and I may give it to whomever I wish.
All this will be yours, if you worship me.”
Jesus said to him in reply,
“It is written
You shall worship the Lord, your God,
and him alone shall you serve.”
Then he led him to Jerusalem,
made him stand on the parapet of the temple, and said to him,
“If you are the Son of God,
throw yourself down from here, for it is written:
He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you,
and:
With their hands they will support you,
lest you dash your foot against a stone.”
Jesus said to him in reply,
“It also says,
You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.”
When the devil had finished every temptation,
he departed from him for a time.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Oratio (Responding)

Hungry indeed, these readings are some of my very favorite in the bible. They give so much insight into the way of things in heaven, vs the way of things in the world, and the difference between how the devil looks at us, and how God sees us and his eternal will for us in heaven.

First we must dispel a one thing about this readings right from the beginning. First it is possible to fast for 40 days, and I have heard from some people that have attempted it that it gets easier after you get past the first weeks of hunger pangs. But nevertheless, you will definitely be hungry when you are done but not so hungry that you would not be able to control yourself. So the point of explaining this, is because it is important for us to understand that this was not just an alegory, or a story that has a moral, it is a real story of Jesus battling with the Devil over real temptations. Jesus was fully human but He was also fully divine. And as such, we must understand that He was really and truely tempted…, not just in his human nature but also in his divine as well. And that is what we are going to explore in this reflection.

This narrative about the temptation of christ happens in two of the 4 Gospels, Matthew and Luke. The narrative is essentially the same except the last two temptations are reversed between the two versions. Matthew starts with the temptation of changing stones into bread, and then the temptation of false Worship, and finally the greed of Souls. Luke also starts with the temptation of converting stones into Bread, but then next tempts Jesus with the Greed of Souls, and then finally with False Worship

The order is not terribly important but I like the way Matthew reveals them because he shows a progression that I think escalates the temptations, as more and more difficult to resist as they go along, and that is how I am going to present them here. The temptations that Jesus encounters are not new though. They are the same 3 temptations that the serpent got Adam and Eve with, and they are the same three that he continues to hit us with today. The church fathers called this trio the three-fold concupicence. Those temptations are, simply said: Lust of the Flesh (self indulgence), Pride of power (Pride and self worship), and Lust of the Eyes (greed or avarice).

The first temptation was “lust of the flesh.” The human body has needs, we must have food and water in order to survive. But those goods are not without the associated risks of gluttony and selfishness. And those risks can put your soul in mortal peril. In a reading prior to this episode, Jesus had made promise to God, to fast for the souls of the world, and it is not time yet for Him to complete that fast. The devil is tempting Jesus’ real human need for food, but he is also to tempting Jesus’ divine nature, to trust in His own power to feed Himself, rather than trust completely in God to provide all that He needs. And so His answer is perfect. “It is written, One does not live on bread alone.” Life is about more than just the joys and pleasures that this world can offer, it is about Trusting in God that He will provide all that you will ever need. Indulgence prevents us from ever fully knowing that.

The second temptation was “pride of power” to throw himself down from the parapet, and make a spectacle of himself. Try to imagine what this moment would have looked like, all the people are looking at Jesus high on the top of the temple, and then he jumps, but right before he collides with the ground a host of angels come and lift Him up. It would be like a magic show, or a spectacle worth of las vegas. This is simply a show of power, and not a way to truely win souls. The devil is tempting Jesus’ human nature to fly around like superman, drawing attention to himself, showing off His power and pridefully lording it over his people, instead of humbly showing people the way to the Lord. The Devil is also tempting Jesus’ divine nature by saying that you can win converts this way, if you show these people your great power, lord it over them, and make them bow down to you, you can win converts by force of your will, rather than by faith, trust, and love. And so once again Jesus’ response “You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test” perfectly addresses the false human need to seek power, and the divine desire to force people to believe and love against their will.

The last temptation was “the lust of the eyes.” In my mind this was hands down the most difficult for Him to resist. Jesus’s mission was to come to the world, and through the pain and suffering of the cross, to save souls from their sin, and open the gates of heaven to all who believe. What the devil is doing here is saying that he believes himself to be the king of this world, and in many ways he is. The original sin of Adam and Eve has turned over the souls that reject God and choose themselves instead, to be lost into the clutches of the evil one. And those souls that choose this path, relegate themselves to the dominion of the devil, and are going to suffer with him in eternity in hell. The devil, in this temptation, is making a clear temptation to his human nature, to not suffer and to avoid the horrible torture of the passion and the cross. But the devil is also making a clear temptation to his divine will as well. The proposition is simple, Satan is saying that if Jesus would simply bow down, and worships him (Satan) over God, that he will release all of those souls that he has imprisoned in hell, and let them go to the father, and in-so-doing Jesus will have accomplished the same goal of saving lost souls without the pain and suffering of the cross. Jesus response again is perfect “It is written, You shall worship the Lord, your God, and him alone shall you serve.” This message is not just to the Devil, but to Himself and every human that has ever lived. There are no shortcuts, there is no easy way to heaven. We must Love, trust and obey God, everything else simply leads to damnation.

Jesus’ responses while cryptic and veiled in old testament scripture, are the only way to combat the ancient temptations of the devil and the three fold concupicence that we are all susceptible to. The answer to these temptations are simply to follow the lenten practices of fasting, prayer, and almsgiving. This is the antidote to the temptations of lust, pride, and greed. Fasting from food overcomes the temptation of indulging in it. Prayer to God, overcomes the pride of seeking power, and self-worship, and almsgiving overcomes the greedy need to take from other to force them to submit to your will.

The symmetrical opposition here is incredible, and beautiful at the same time, but the message is clear. To over come the temptation of three fold concupiscence, you must humbly embrace the practice of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. It is easy when you see it all laid out in example, but it is really hard to actually live. But you must do it, and you should start today, It is lent after all, but more importantly your eternity depends on it. Don’t wait another moment.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to reject the temptations of this world, and to focus directly on you. Amen.

Luke 5:27-32

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the customs post.
He said to him, “Follow me.”
And leaving everything behind, he got up and followed him.
Then Levi gave a great banquet for him in his house,
and a large crowd of tax collectors
and others were at table with them.
The Pharisees and their scribes complained to his disciples, saying,
“Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”
Jesus said to them in reply,
“Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do.
I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do. I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners.

Oratio (Responding)

Jesus came to save the sinners, not the righteous. But in this scene who is the greater sinner? The tax collector or the pharisees? Levi was indeed a great sinner that was carrying out a great injustice on his own people, collecting taxes from them, for the sake of profit. But Levi recognized his sin and wanted something more for his life.

The pharisees on the other hand were also great sinners. They used the law to subjegate the jewish people under the heavy burdens, and their knowledge of it to aggrandize themselves. But, the pharisees did not see anything wrong with what they were doing, they thought that they were being righteous, and they definitely did not think that they were sinners.

The Venerable Bede sums this all up well “He has not called those who, wishing to establish their own justice, have not been made subject to the justice of God. He calls those who, being conscious of their weakness, are not ashamed to confess that we have all offended [God] in many things.”

Jesus is a gentleman, and He will not force Himself upon you, He is not going to help you if you dont want His help. The haughty and arrogant reject Jesus and as such He is far from them, as they wallow in their sin. The sick and the needy recognize their weakness, and they yearn for His healing touch, and thus Jesus is with them, helping them to repent and reconcile.

He wants the same for you, but you must first ask for His help. Will you reach out to Him?

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to recognize my sin, and my weakness, and bring it to you for healing. Amen.

Matthew 9:14-15

Lectio (Reading)

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Jesus answered them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.

Oratio (Responding)

What it must have been like for the disciples to be with Jesus. They clearly did not understand what they had, but still, it must have been amazing. That kind of closeness is what He wants with us all, He yearns to be our friend, to hear our problems and to help us along our journey, and this is the point of what Jesus is saying here. When you are close to Jesus, feasting with Him, then you are as close to heaven as a person can get in this world.

Why then would we fast? We will not be fasting in heaven. It will be endless feasting, and joy. But we fast now, because sadly, we are far from god, and we need this discipline in order to reject this world and regain our closeness to Him. But when you are close you need not fast. But how often in this life are we that close?

In this life, we are so entrenched in sin that we never seem to see the joy in any moment, and we are so far from God, and we sadly reject Him and think that we dont need Him, and we fool ourselves into that misery. But the secret to this entire problem is to simply open your mind and heart to Him. And the way to do that is by gaining control over your passions by rejecting this world’s temptations, and the best way to do that is through fasting.

A friend once told me this quote, I don’t know who originally said it, but, “No matter how many steps you take away from Jesus, it is only one step back.” This is the spiritual life, and it is hard but simple, but when you do, you will find Him running to you like the father of the prodigal son. And how great will that embrace be when we are reunited.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me to draw closer to you this lent. Through my prayer, fasting and almsgiving, let me reject this world, and love you more fully, amen.

Luke 9:22-25

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his disciples:
“The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected
by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,
and be killed and on the third day be raised.”

Then he said to all,
“If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself
and take up his cross daily and follow me.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.
What profit is there for one to gain the whole world
yet lose or forfeit himself?”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself?

Oratio (Responding)

“When I say the cross, I am not thinking of the wood but of the passion…. Furthermore, what is the warning in the Gospel? ‘Unless you take up my cross, and daily follow me.’ Mark what it says: Unless your soul has been made as ready for the cross as mine was for you, you cannot be my disciples.”

This is the economy of heaven and it is what we all will be called to when we die and go to heaven. But you cannot get that reward until you configure your mind body and soul to this economy. You must start today. Because you will not enter heaven until you understand and desire His economy over the economy of this world. So take up your cross, whatever it is, put a smile on your face, and rest, happily, in the knowledge that your reward will be great in heaven.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to find the cross that is looming in my life, and to embrace it and help me to make my soul ready to bear it, as you did your cross, for me. Amen.

Mark 10:28-31

Lectio (Reading)

Peter began to say to Jesus,
‘We have given up everything and followed you.”
Jesus said, “Amen, I say to you,
there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters
or mother or father or children or lands
for my sake and for the sake of the Gospel
who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age:
houses and brothers and sisters
and mothers and children and lands,
with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come.
But many that are first will be last, and the last will be first.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for my sake and for the sake of the Gospel who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age: houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come.

Oratio (Responding)

This reading today is very encouraging, regarding the faithfulness of god, and the rewards of putting your trust in Him. But it can be easy to miss the caveat “with persecutions” that He adds at the end. Lots of people gloss over that, and focus on the “hundred times” promise. God rewards sacrifice, He honors the fact that we suffer for His sake, and He wants us to know that those sacrifices do not go unnoticed. But He also wants us to know that the evil one hates us, and what he hates even more is when humans are generous and sacrifice for each other.

The evil one will punish you for living according to God’s will, and those persecutions will test your resolve and push you back into living in the world, and according to his evil ways. But you must resist these temptations, and we must do so because of the last part of this promise today. If you persist in your sacrifice through the lords generosity, and despite the evil one’s persecutions, you will attain eternal life in the age to come. That is a gift that is worth more than anything that this world could ever offer. That is the point of everything that we are doing in this life, and it is the goal that we should all be striving for.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to do your will, sacrifice what is needed, and to endure the hardships that the evil one will throw at me. Amen.

Mark 10:17-27

Lectio (Reading)

As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man ran up,
knelt down before him, and asked him,
“Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Jesus answered him, “Why do you call me good?
No one is good but God alone.
You know the commandments: You shall not kill;
you shall not commit adultery;
you shall not steal;
you shall not bear false witness;
you shall not defraud;
honor your father and your mother.”
He replied and said to him,
“Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth.”
Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him,
“You are lacking in one thing.
Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor
and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.”
At that statement, his face fell,
and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.

Jesus looked around and said to his disciples,
“How hard it is for those who have wealth
to enter the Kingdom of God!”
The disciples were amazed at his words.
So Jesus again said to them in reply,
“Children, how hard it is to enter the Kingdom of God!
It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle.
than for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God.”
They were exceedingly astonished and said among themselves,
“Then who can be saved?”
Jesus looked at them and said,
“For men it is impossible, but not for God.
All things are possible for God.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

You are lacking in one thing. Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” At that statement, his face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.

Oratio (Responding)

This interaction is a really incredible insight into the heart of man, and God’s love for us. It begins with the young man calling Jesus “good teacher.” It is important to make note here that this was a very odd thing for the young man to have said. It was not customary to add the epithet “good” to the title of a Rabbi or Master in that time. They reserved that word “good” for God alone. So by using this word, the young man is actually disclosing an understanding that Jesus is at least a prophet of God, maybe the messiah, if not something more, but it is clear that he does not recognize Jesus as God Himself.

As such Jesus responds with the question “why do you call me good? no one is good but God alone.” We might be tempted to think that this is Jesus denying his own divinity, but it is not, it is a test of the young man, and of whether or not the young man actually believes in the things that he has been told about Jesus. But even more it is a test of his relationship with God. Jesus establishes this point by quoting the second tablet of the law. The ten commandments consisted of two tablets. The first table dealt with man’s relationship with God, and the second tablet was man’s relationship with his family and fellow man.

Jesus starts His inquiry by asking how this young man treats his family fellow man. The young man responds that he has done all of these things for all of his life, and I think it is fair to say that we can believe that he had indeed held all of these commandments, because Jesus does not challenge him on it. But then Jesus pivots and asks him about the first tablet, the first 3 commandments (1. hold no idols above God, 2. do not carry His name in vain, and 3. rest on the sabbath). I think it is clear that Jesus wants the young man to focus on the first commandment, by suggesting that he give up his wealth so that he can enter fully into communion with God, because it is his wealth that is preventing him from this connection.

That brings to us to how we today read this message, and how Jesus’ suggestion really cuts to the heart of the matter. If anything in this world is more important to you than the teachings of Jesus and the love of God, you must cast off those things, and follow Him. For the rich young man, his heart was open, he was planted in rich soil, he wanted to bear the fruit of a life well lived, but he was planted among the thorns of wealth and these thorns were choking off his faith, preventing him from achieving completely what God willed for his life.

This is true for all of us, but it is not necessarily always wealth that is the obstacle, yet possessions are a big one for many of us. But poor people can also have their faith choked by other thorns like pride, envy, lust etc. The point of this passage is not that we all have to forgo our wealth, But that we all consider for ourselves what obstacle Jesus would tell us to give up if we asked Him the same question. What is it that Jesus would ask you to give up, to follow him. Life is full of things that can lead you away from Him, and choke out your faith. We all have these things in our lives, what is yours? Today is your chance to ponder this question, and decide if it is more important to you than God?

The irony of what Jesus said to this rich young man, was that Jesus was offering him more treasure than he could possibly imagine. If this young man had done what Jesus suggested, he would have stored up much more treasure in heaven, than he could ever possibly acquire here on earth. The treasures of this world, stay here, after you die, it is only by doing good, speaking truth, and pursuing the beautiful that you attain real treasure in heaven, and that treasure will be waiting for you for all eternity. If this young man had really loved treasure, then Jesus was actually offering him the recipe to be richer in heaven than he could ever imagine he could be here on earth. What is it that Jesus is offering you today, and what do you have to let go of to achieve it?

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh Lord, Help me today to recognize the things in my life that are a stumbling block for me to achieving eternal life. Give me the courage to let them go and trust in you for all things. Amen.

Luke 6:39-45

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus told his disciples a parable,
“Can a blind person guide a blind person?
Will not both fall into a pit?
No disciple is superior to the teacher;
but when fully trained,
every disciple will be like his teacher.
Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye,
but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own?
How can you say to your brother,
‘Brother, let me remove that splinter in your eye,’
when you do not even notice the wooden beam in your own eye?
You hypocrite! Remove the wooden beam from your eye first;
then you will see clearly
to remove the splinter in your brother’s eye.

“A good tree does not bear rotten fruit,
nor does a rotten tree bear good fruit.
For every tree is known by its own fruit.
For people do not pick figs from thornbushes,
nor do they gather grapes from brambles.
A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good,
but an evil person out of a store of evil produces evil;
for from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own?

Oratio (Responding)

In a commentary on this gospel, Dr. John Bergsma summarizes it’s meaning concisely. He said: “There are three topics addressed in our Gospel: the importance of a teacher as a model, the danger of hypocrisy, and the mark of a good person.” And these three things are made abundantly clear when you read the gospel from this light.

Jesus’ is the greatest of all teachers, and He is the perfect role model. The early christians said that following Jesus was “the way.” and that is completely true. If you model your life after Jesus, and follow His teachings you will be less likely fall into the pit of temptation and sin. Everything that Jesus taught was meant to lift our souls up to God, and to rightly order our lives to be in full communion with Him. And everything he did in His life on earth was to show us the proper response to all temptation and sin. His response was always virtue, humility, and righteousness. and that is how we are to live our lives as well.

But alas we are human, and we fall all of the time. Sin is a part of our existence. But Jesus tells us today that hypocrisy is especially dangerous. It one of those things that we dont need to be taught, because we all instinctively understand what it is. Hypocrisy is one of those things that we humans are hyper-aware of. It is almost lke a super-power we have to be completely oblivious about our own faults, and hyper critical of everyone elses. Hypocrisy dwells in pride, and pride is the lie that tells you that you dont need God because you think that you are better than everyone else, and dont need anything from anyone. And it is in that lie that you start to ignore your own faults, and instead become hyper aware of everyone else’s.

The only antidote to hypocrisy is humility and introspection. We need to take time to sit and reflect. But today even leisure time is in short supply. We are all constantly on our phones, and screens, and some of us are on social networks scrolling endlessly, and the more we do this the less we take time to examine our conscience and commun with God and thus discern His will for our lives. Humans are becoming more and more reactive, and less and less reflective. And as a result we are becoming a much more callous and hard people. There was a reason that God made one day a week a mandatory day of reflection, because it is not goood to be constantly on defense, we need time to be introspective, and to be at rest in the shelter of God loving embrace.

And thus, the mark of a good person is the fruits that come from following the example of the good teacher, resisting the temptation of hypocrisy & pride, and ordering your life toward righteousness & goodness. We do that by never forgetting to take time, every day, to pray and to reflect on our lives, and our families, and on our relationship with God. And we must take one day a week (Sunday), to not work at all, to be with family and God, and to take time to reflect on things bigger than ourselves, and upon our relationship with Him and all of the people in our lives that we love. And we must always resist the temptation to judge others. This is crucial to the balance and happiness that God wants for all of us. Make the time in your own life and you will see the fruits.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to see my faults, to reflect on them, and give me the courage to do what is necessary to actively make a change that will not only benefit me, but all those I love and to bring me closer to you. Amen.

Mark 10:13-16

Lectio (Reading)

People were bringing children to Jesus that he might touch them,
but the disciples rebuked them.
When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said to them,
“Let the children come to me; do not prevent them,
for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
Amen, I say to you,
whoever does not accept the Kingdom of God like a child
will not enter it.”
Then he embraced the children and blessed them,
placing his hands on them.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the Kingdom of God like a child will not enter it.

Oratio (Responding)

Jesus says that the kingdom of heaven belongs to those like children, so What does it mean to be like a child? First I would suggest it is trusting. A child depends totally on its parents for everything. If they are good parents then the child will trust completely in their authority, and word. Well god is the best parent ever, and as such his authority and word should be trusted completely.

Second I would argue that it means to be innocent. To be not distracted by the lure of worldly things, but instead to marvel at gods creation. If you give a small boy an expensive video game system versus a large cardboard box, which of the two will likely give more hours of play time. A child’s imagination is boundless, and thus it revels in the beauty and goodness of the world around us. Adults tend to focus on their bills, and the news, and the terrible things of this world and get bogged down by it. If you allow a happy child to just play, you will see a truly wonderful thing, and that is what god wants for us all, to revel in the creation that god has given us, and to not worry about the sinners and sin around us.

Finally I think (being a child) means to love (and feel love) without reserve. Children want to hug, and give kisses, and they want to feel that love in return. Adults tend to be very reserved, and guarded in whom they love, God wants us to love each other without reserve, and to bask in the love He has for us and what we share with each other.

To be a child is so foreign to so many of us adults, that we often forget, that there is so much good in the world, and that the lord is so good that all he really wants for us its to revel in that, and to feel the love, and then to give love back to all those in return. I feel like this is the plan that god has waiting for us in heaven, and I for one cant wait.

But we have so much work to do before then. We have to stop sinning, we have to love our neighbors, even when they drive us nuts, and we have to stay close to the sacraments, ask for forgiveness, and then as Jesus said, go and sin no more. It is a simple formula, but it is so very, very hard to live out. But with God’s grace it can be done through trust, love and an innocent faith. It is truly a miracle that the God of the universe loves us this much, the least we can do is to behave in the way that He wants us to.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh Lord, help me today to know you simply and humbly like a little child, and help others to do so as well.

Mark 10:1-12

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus came into the district of Judea and across the Jordan.
Again crowds gathered around him and, as was his custom,
he again taught them.
The Pharisees approached him and asked,
“Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?”
They were testing him.
He said to them in reply, “What did Moses command you?”
They replied,
“Moses permitted a husband to write a bill of divorce
and dismiss her.”
But Jesus told them,
“Because of the hardness of your hearts
he wrote you this commandment.
But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female.
For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother
and be joined to his wife,
and the two shall become one flesh.
So they are no longer two but one flesh.
Therefore what God has joined together,
no human being must separate.”
In the house the disciples again questioned Jesus about this.
He said to them,
“Whoever divorces his wife and marries another
commits adultery against her;
and if she divorces her husband and marries another,
she commits adultery.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, no human being must separate.”

Oratio (Responding)

This passage starts with a puzzling exchange about the lawfulness of divocrce. To understand this debate we have to go back to Moses on the mountain with God. This is where the Lord gave Moses the ten commandments, and explained the law to him. The books of Exodus and Leviticus tell the story of how the Law was given to Moses and how it was eventually written down. This is the complete and perfect law of God. What some dont know is that Deuteronomy, was a “second telling” of the law…, that is what the name of the book actually means “second telling”.

The sad thing about the “second telling” is that there are differences between the first and second tellings of the law. For example, things like genocidal warfare, profane sacrifices, interest on loans and divorce were allowed “temporarily” in the second telling of the law that were not permitted in the first. The reason that they were allowed was because of the grumbling and sinfullness of the Jews, and the effort of Moses to placate the noisy complainers for a time, but was never intended to be a permanent change, or a roadmap for future reforms.

To make this point further, at the end of dueteronomy, right before Moses dies, and the jews cross the jordan river to enter into the promised land, Moses says that this second telling of the law is the law and not one jot or tittle shall be changed or aborogated from that time on. And he was very serious, but the jews that came after him felt that they knew better, and the law was altered and debated over and over, during the centuries that would follow.

The point of debate in todays reading was an ongoing discussion between two of the most famous of rabbi’s Shamai, and Hillel. They both felt like divorce was allowed under the law of Moses, and they both agreed that it was only the husband that could give the bill of divorce to the wife, but they disaggreed on the justification… Shammai felt that it can only be allowed in the case of an act of adultery by the wife. Hillel believed that it could be allowed for any shameful act by the wife, and what was considered shameful was loosly interpreted.

So that brings us to today’s reading. The Pharisees, as they regularly do, are trying to set a trap for Jesus. If Jesus was to say it is allowed it would have caused Him trouble with the orthodox jews and with his disciples because it would make him look like a liberal reformer and a hypocrit. If he were to say that it is not allowed it would get him introuble with Herod who would kill anyone that challenged his divorce. But Jesus, as he does, turn the tables on them and reminds them of the “first” telling of the law, and that Moses allowed it (in the second telling) only because of the jews hardness of hearts. Jesus here is reminding them of God’s original plan for marriage, and at the same time reminding them that it was their sinfull nature that forced Moses to reform Gods law after the fact. And in God’s original plan, marriage was for life and not to be separated by man.

God’s plan for marriage is a union of not only two persons, but more importantly, of two souls. How is this so? Anyone that has ever been married knows that this is hard, and does not always seem like love. But the bond of marriage, is bigger than just two “I do’s,” it is a bond that is unlike any other. The Church teaches that the sacrament of marriage is the only sacrament where the priest is only a witness. In the sacrament of marriage the husband confers the sacrament on his wife, and the wife confers the sacrament on her husband, the rest of the people present are just witnessing a miracle that God is about to perform. This relationship is a singular choice to give everything that you are, completely and totally, to this one person, and to receive everything that they are completely and totally in return.

Our friendships with others can be very close, and even at times very intimate, but they dont get even close to approximating the closeness that is found in marriage. Friendship is also a choice, but it is not a complete and total gift of self, like is given in marriage. Some part of yourself is reserved from being given to our friends. Family is also not the same. We do not have a choice with who our family is. And while we can be close with them it is not always a free choice because we have obligations to our family that we dont have with others in our lives. Marriage stands alone as a unique and special relationship in our lives.

This relationship is unique among all relationships that you will find in this world, because it is more than a relationship it is a covenant, a new creation in this world, a new creation established by God. This is why divorce is such a devastating thing. When two people are bonded in marriage, joined together as one flesh, they are no longer individuals, but one spirit one body and one soul. To separate that union is like splitting the body in half, tearing flesh from flesh. That is why God said that “what God has joined together, no human being must separate.” It is just too painful, and it destroys something created by God.

St Lucia, the seer of the vision of our Lady of Fatima, said that the last battle fought between God and the Devil would be over the Family. And right now it seems like the Devil is winning. But it is only a battle, and we know who wins in the end, but it does not mean that there will not be great pain and suffering, before that final end comes.

For those who are divorced or getting a divorce right now, my heart goes out to you, but I urge you to do whatever you can to turn back from that ultimate end. For those that are happily married, you must use your marriage to be a billboard for what marriage can be, show the world and all of its bitter and jaded people that it is possible and can become a source of great joy. But do not ever let the devil and his minions tell you that it is a antiquated institution and not for this time.

A good marriage is the greatest thing that a person can hope to acheive while in this world, and at the same time the greatest source of joy we will ever find. But even more it is the way that we come to understand the love, that God offers to us in the trinity. This is the love that He invites us into as well, and the love that we are all called and destined to have with God in heaven. It is a foretaste of heaven, but it is a foretaste that we can experience and enjoy while here on earth. It is a joy, and it should be the goal of all of our lives. My wish is that all will be able to have the grace of a good marriage.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh Lord, I pray that all of the people of this world will be able to find the joy of a good marriage, and the grace of being bonded to one person in the perfection of trinitarian love. Amen.

Mark 9:41-50

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink
because you belong to Christ,
amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward.

“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin,
it would be better for him if a great millstone
were put around his neck
and he were thrown into the sea.
If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off.
It is better for you to enter into life maimed
than with two hands to go into Gehenna,
into the unquenchable fire.
And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off.
It is better for you to enter into life crippled
than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna.
And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out.
Better for you to enter into the Kingdom of God with one eye
than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna,
where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.

“Everyone will be salted with fire.
Salt is good, but if salt becomes insipid,
with what will you restore its flavor?
Keep salt in yourselves and you will have peace with one another.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were put around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.

Oratio (Responding)

A millstone is a big heavy rock that was used to crush an grind wheat into flower. Big ones could be as tall as person, weighing thousands of pounds, but even in its smallest form, they could be as large as coffee table and weigh hundreds of pounds. Either way, once tied to your neck and thrown into the sea, there is only one outcome for you, you will be pulled to the bottom and drown. Sounds like a terrible way to die… But whatever the size of the stone, this is a pretty dire warning.

We all have children in our lives, and we all are called to watch over and protect them. All children are deeply loved by the Lord. If any of us were to do something that caused them to sin, or even taught them to sin, God will not take that lightly. I think the implication here is clear, He is talking about the torment of hell, and a punishment far worse than death. So we need to be very careful of how we lead and teach those under our authority.

Please understand that this does not mean that, even despite our best efforts that those children can still fall away anyway and choose sin for themselves, but it must not be due to our direct action, or our negligence. This is a high bar, but Jesus loves the little children, and their pain cries out to the Lord for justice, and He will respond.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, please help me today to be a good role model for my children and a righteous leader for their upbringing. Amen.

Mark 9:38-40

Lectio (Reading)

John said to Jesus,
“Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name,
and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us.”
Jesus replied, “Do not prevent him.
There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name
who can at the same time speak ill of me.
For whoever is not against us is for us.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Jesus replied, “Do not prevent him. There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me. For whoever is not against us is for us.”

Oratio (Responding)

Jesus reminds us: “For whoever is not against us is for us.” Why is it so hard for us to remember this? There are many good souls in the world that love God and seek to do His will. Whether they are christians, or budhists, or jews, etc., there are many people, that while confused about who God is are nevertheless, still loving and worshiping the same God as we are. Pope St. John Paul II made this point in His encyclical “Fides et Ratio” that many (but not all), of the worlds religions are seeking the same God as we are, and this fact makes them our brothers and sisters in Christ. Vatican taught this same teaching, calling it the “many lights” that lead to the lord.

So how do we reconcile this teaching with Jesus’ own words when He said: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me.” The answer is the task of evangelization. We are not to prevent them from doing good deeds in the name of God, but we are also not to desist from our responsibility for teaching them about who that God they worship actually is…, Jesus Christ.

St. Paul when he was in a greek city found that they had a shrine setup for the “unknonwn god.” He recognized that they did not have the full picture of who God is and used that knowledge to evangelize them about the true nature and name of the one God in heaven. This is our task too, to find those that are following different paths (other lights), and show them the one true light, Jesus Christ.

Because even if they follow those other lights for their entire life, and die in the ignorance of their faith. If they die in friendship and love of God, they will be finally purified in heaven, and Jesus will inform them of their error. If they accept that Jesus Christ is Lord, and convert their heart, mind and soul to christianity, they will be ultimately saved. Jesus said nothing unclean can enter heaven, and so even if you are not a christian in this world, if you want to be with God for eternity, then you will be a christian in heaven.

St James in the last sentence of his letter wrote: “My brothers, if anyone among you should stray from the truth and someone bring him back, he should know that whoever brings back a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.” So this too is our task, find good people wherever they are and however they believe, and introduce them to Jesus. Do not prevent them from doing good in Jesus’ name, but use their goodness to bring them out of the darkness of their false faith, and show them to true light of Jesus.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh Lord, help me today to bring the light of christ into the heart of someone that does not know you fully in the body, blood, soul, and divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Mark 9:30-37

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus and his disciples left from there and began a journey through Galilee,
but he did not wish anyone to know about it.
He was teaching his disciples and telling them,
“The Son of Man is to be handed over to men
and they will kill him,
and three days after his death the Son of Man will rise.”
But they did not understand the saying,
and they were afraid to question him.

They came to Capernaum and, once inside the house,
he began to ask them,
“What were you arguing about on the way?”
But they remained silent.
For they had been discussing among themselves on the way
who was the greatest.

Then he sat down, called the Twelve, and said to them,
“If anyone wishes to be first,
he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.”
Taking a child, he placed it in their midst,
and putting his arms around it, he said to them,
“Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me;
and whoever receives me,
receives not me but the One who sent me.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.

Oratio (Responding)

This passage starts with Jesus announcing His death for the second time, but again, the disciples dont seem to hear Him. Sometimes I wonder if they did not understand what they were being told and were simply afraid to ask for clarification because what Jesus said was so horible that they could not believe it. Or, if they were so wrapped up in their own thoughts about Jesus and their expectations about what the Lord would do when He returned, that they missed the plain meaning of His words.

The jews believed that when the Messiah came that He would do 4 things. Gather the tribes of isreal, rebuild the temple, rule as king of the kingdom of David, and bring justice to all of their enemies. The idea of Jesus dying at the hands of those same enemies did not factor into their expectations in any way. They were like kids being asked to take out the trash but pretending not to hear their mother’s request, and go on as if that request did not happen.

In their defense though, from their perspective the question of the greatest is not necessarily a matter of vanity, it had significant social importance. If the prophesied messiah had really come, and if He was going to bring justice to the world and setup a new kingdom, these disciples would ultimately be His courtiers. Position at table was always an important part of Jewish custom, and placement at table was not only an honor to the person sitting close to the king, but it also was a reflection on the king himself, and with whom He decide to take council. Obviously this kind of thing does not matter to Jesus, but for the disciples, this conversation had great importance because they did not want to embarass the king or themselves.

Then Jesus asks them what they were discussing along the way. They respond as I think most humans would in this moment, they remained silent. I think that this was because Jesus’ question pulled them out of their moment of worldly concern. If Jesus was the messiah that was going to do all of the things that they expected Him to do, then their arguments would be logical and necessary at that time. But Jesus is not the messiah they expected, and His mission is very different than what they had in mind. He has now told them twice the plain truth about his forthcoming death and ressurection, and they did not hear it. They are instead arguing about their own expectations. With this simple question, Jesus pulls them out of the moment. Jesus Christ “The WORD,” Himself, is trying to tell them that He will suffer and die. But even more importantly He is telling them that they will be called to suffer, sacrifice and die as well, if they really wish to be His disciple.

And to further cement this point He brings a child into their midst and tells them “If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.” In the jewish world at this time, children were not considered to have any stature or importance at all. It is not like today where children are esteemed so highly. Back then a child was never be heard, and never to be seen. So for Jesus to bring a child into the apostles midst, and tell them that they must recieve a child in the same way they receive Jesus Himself…, is not a small thing. Jesus basically takes the lowest member of their society, bring them into their ranks, and tells His diciples that they will have to consider and serve ones, such as these, in the same way that they would Jesus Himself, King of the universe. This is a total paradigm shift for them and I imagine would have been very difficult for them to fully understand.

I think that there is another reason that Jesus used a child here. He could have just as easily used a widow to make the same point. But a child speaks to the nature of God himself. God is very childlike, I believe that he delights in the good, true and beautiful things of this world. A child trusts completely, and loves without condition. I believe that God wants the same for us. But adult hood and our worldly concerns steal this innocence from us and hardens us to the glory all around us. G.K. Chesterton wrote it best “For grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony.” Meaning that when we see a field of flowers, we do not exult in the glory and beauty of God’s creation, each of the magnificent petals, and the glorious beauty of every individual flower…, but God does, and children do! Chesterton then continues “…He has the eternal appetite of infancy; for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we.” I sincerely think that Jesus is telling his disciples here, that they need to be like a child, love and trust God above all things, and to exult in the glory of gods creation…, from the flowers in the field to the children (and widows) that you have been ignoring.

How often do we do this? Sitting in church, missing all of the mass because we are concerned with our worldly thoughts. With the dress of the other parishoners, the crying baby, or the one person that is taking communion that you know is a grave sinner. Jesus here, is reminding us all, that to be a disciple of God…, that we too must first consider the needs of all, not just those that we hold in high esteem. Second that we must not dwell on how we can be served, but of how we can beof service to all regardless of their stature in society. And finally, to be childlike, exulting in the goodness truth and beauty all around us, trusting that God has our best interest at heart in all things and is watching over us at all times. This is our call. Jesus is asking you to follow Him in all things, to exult in God’s creation, and to serve your fellow man, in any way we can.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help us today to not think about the cares of this world and to instead focus on you, and what you want for us here and now. Amen

Mark 9:14-29

Lectio (Reading)

As Jesus came down from the mountain with Peter, James, John
and approached the other disciples,
they saw a large crowd around them and scribes arguing with them.
Immediately on seeing him,
the whole crowd was utterly amazed.
They ran up to him and greeted him.
He asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?”
Someone from the crowd answered him,
“Teacher, I have brought to you my son possessed by a mute spirit.
Wherever it seizes him, it throws him down;
he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes rigid.
I asked your disciples to drive it out, but they were unable to do so.”
He said to them in reply,
“O faithless generation, how long will I be with you?
How long will I endure you? Bring him to me.”
They brought the boy to him.
And when he saw him,
the spirit immediately threw the boy into convulsions.
As he fell to the ground, he began to roll around
and foam at the mouth.
Then he questioned his father,
“How long has this been happening to him?”
He replied, “Since childhood.
It has often thrown him into fire and into water to kill him.
But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”
Jesus said to him,
“‘If you can!’ Everything is possible to one who has faith.”
Then the boy’s father cried out, “I do believe, help my unbelief!”
Jesus, on seeing a crowd rapidly gathering,
rebuked the unclean spirit and said to it,
“Mute and deaf spirit, I command you:
come out of him and never enter him again!”
Shouting and throwing the boy into convulsions, it came out.
He became like a corpse, which caused many to say, “He is dead!”
But Jesus took him by the hand, raised him, and he stood up.
When he entered the house, his disciples asked him in private,
“Why could we not drive the spirit out?”
He said to them, “This kind can only come out through prayer.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Why could we not drive the spirit out?” He said to them, “This kind can only come out through prayer [and fasting].”

Oratio (Responding)

This passage is one that continues to cause me great consternation. But for a reason that you probably don’t immediately recognize. The modern translations of the bible have removed “and fasting” from Jesus’s answer. For over 1600 years, Our translations have always written Jesus’ response as “This kind can only come out through prayer and fasting.”

Why is it important? Because all works that God does through our hands come with a degree of prayer. We are connected to god through our prayer, and that connection to Him allows His grace to flow through us out into the world. But when we fast something powerful happens. Jesse Romero says that fasting “weaponizes” your prayer. He said that in spiritual warfare, prayer alone is like a 9mm pistol, but prayer while prayer combined with fasting is like a 50 cal machine gun.

This is because human beings are body and soul composites, and the devil temps us with both. He uses our bodies to temp the soul, and using our minds to weaken our bodies. When you fast you are aligning your body and soul and rightly ordering them toward God. When you fast, you are using your mind, ordered toward God, to assert your will over your body. When this is done there is very, very little wiggle room for the devil to work. And when the devil is kicked out of our lives completely, then our prayer is like a focused laser-beam, and the evil spirits run from that light like cockroaches when the kitchen light is turned on.

Lent begins in a few days. We are supposed to make pledges of Prayer, Fasting, and Almsgiving. Fasting is the one that most people focus on, and with very good reason, Jesus specifically tells us to do so, but we must also not forget to combine our fasting with prayer and weaponize it into a 50 cal machine gun, and use that weapon to remove that evil from our midst. And we must not forget almsgiving. Because the poor are all around us, and will always be so. The need is great and we should never forget how much god has blessed us, and thus share those blessing with those around us that have less. That is Jesus’ wish for our lives, and we are not to desist from that call. Amen.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to come up with a plan for prayer, fasting and almsgiving, that will help those around me, and better glorify you. Amen.

Luke 6:27-38

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his disciples:
“To you who hear I say,
love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.
To the person who strikes you on one cheek,
offer the other one as well,
and from the person who takes your cloak,
do not withhold even your tunic.
Give to everyone who asks of you,
and from the one who takes what is yours do not demand it back.
Do to others as you would have them do to you.
For if you love those who love you,
what credit is that to you?
Even sinners love those who love them.
And if you do good to those who do good to you,
what credit is that to you?
Even sinners do the same.
If you lend money to those from whom you expect repayment,
what credit is that to you?
Even sinners lend to sinners,
and get back the same amount.
But rather, love your enemies and do good to them,
and lend expecting nothing back;
then your reward will be great
and you will be children of the Most High,
for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked.
Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

“Stop judging and you will not be judged.
Stop condemning and you will not be condemned.
Forgive and you will be forgiven.
Give, and gifts will be given to you;
a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing,
will be poured into your lap.
For the measure with which you measure
will in return be measured out to you.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

To you who hear I say, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.

Oratio (Responding)

Pray for your enemies, turn the other cheek, give to anyone that asks from you, and do unto others as you would have them do unto you. These are the economics of heaven. They are clear and easy to understand, but they are completely alien to our human ears. This is because they are totally the opposite of everything thatwe are used to in this world. But just because were are not used to it does not mean that they are not correct. In fact, if we think hard about it, we understand that when you hate those that hate you, and curse those that curse you, it only creates division, it causes people and families to close ranks, and isolate from each other. This Isolation leads to even more division, and resentment, and fear and that cycle will quickly devolve and spiral out of control.

That is why what Jesus said was so profound, and we know it to be true because we have experienced it in our own lives. When you do what Jesus commands, when you pray, forgive and start to return evil with love…, it causes walls to come down, it heals hard feelings, and it unifies people and communities. Seems like a simple thing, but why is it so hard? Because we do not like being hurt, we do not like the pain of separation and loss, and we do not like the thought that someone has hurt us and has not apologized. We end up thinking toourselves… “Im not going to say anything to that person until they say they are sorry”, while at the same moment the other person is saying the same thing about you. This is division, and that division will never be healed until one party sucks up their pride, and apologizes.

To be the one that apologizes first is hard, it takes humility. But doing so often leads to an immediate, “I’m sorry too,” and within like 2 seconds. Things are immediately much better. This is what God means when He says “forgive and you will be forgiven.” We need to develop a reflex of saying “Im sorry” not for things that did not cause harm, but if you did anything that causes another pain, you need to be the first person to apologize, no matter what, it does not matter if you think you are right or not, because no one cares. Just make it better, heal and unify the situation, and get on with your life.

Further, we should try to head these things off, before they even get started. Before things escalate out of control, or even after the fight has started, we need to remember to stop in our tracks, and pray together. Ask the Holy Spirit to enter into the moment, and mention something that you love about the person with whom you are having a disagreement, and pray together for God’s help in reconciling the moment. This is hard, but it will break the hold of anger and resentment that the evil one is putting on your hearts at the moment, and it will bring reconcilliation faster and more fully than anything else in this world.

Humility and loving kindness are ultimately the point of this entire passage. Jesus says that “For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.” This simply means that we need to do unto others as we would have them do unto us. God wants us to treat others as we treat ourselves, by simply loving our neighbor as ourselves. Loving yourself though, is not narcisism, the greeks called it “Philautia” and this is defined as recognizing the good that is in you, but more importantly recongizing that it is the image of God that is inside you that is the source of that good and loving it completely. And then ulimately recognizing that same image of God inside each and everyone of His beloved children. And when you recognize that, loving that same image inside them that is inside of you.

Jesus told us to love God completely, and to love one another, as we love ourselves. That love is the same love, it is not greater or lesser, it is only more or less recieved, by you, into your heart and soul. You cannot love one without loving the other, and you cannot do one unless you have first done the other. But the choice is ultimately yours. This is our call to make that choice…, it is not easy, but it is required if we want to achieve our greatest happiness in this world, and for all eternity in Heaven with our Lord.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to be more understanding, to respond instead of reacting, and to be the first to apologize when I hurt someone.

Mark 8:34 – 9:1

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus summoned the crowd with his disciples and said to them,
“Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself,
take up his cross, and follow me.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for my sake
and that of the Gospel will save it.
What profit is there for one to gain the whole world
and forfeit his life?
What could one give in exchange for his life?
Whoever is ashamed of me and of my words
in this faithless and sinful generation,
the Son of Man will be ashamed of
when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”

He also said to them,
“Amen, I say to you,
there are some standing here who will not taste death
until they see that the Kingdom of God has come in power.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the Gospel will save it.

Oratio (Responding)

This passage begins with the same words in greek “apiso mu,” that he had said to Peter, in a previous passage. He told Peter “get behind me,” today he is saying to all on His disciples “come after me.” Our english translation makes it seem like they are different, but in greek they are the same words. However, in today’s reading He adds that anyone that “gets behind” Him, must also take up his cross and follow Him. This means that in order to be His disciple, you must also be willing to suffer as He did.

If you try to save your life you will lose it, but if you give your life for His sake will gain eternal life. This is the way of the lord, and the economy of heaven. You must be a servant, you must be willing to sacrifice for others and to put yourself third. Discipleship is cruciform, and it will not be easy. You may find yourself being persecuted for Him. You may find that you become isolated from members of your family. But you cannot find the Peace of heaven without suffering the pain of this world.

This is not cheap grace, like comes from the false teaching of the health and wealth evangelists. This is discipleship, and it requires sacrifice, and suffering. Whether you are born into extreme poverty or extreme wealth, this world only offers pain in return. This is the result of original sin, and the consequence of choosing your own will over God’s will for your life. The only way to overcome this result is to embrace this pain, make the most out of the life you have been given, and offer it all up in sacrifice to the Lord. There is no other way. The pain is inevitable, but your reaction to it is completely up to you. Choose well.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to choose well, to choose you, and to suffer for you, so that I can live in eternal happiness with you forever.

Mark 8:27-33

Lectio (Reading)

Then he warned them not to tell anyone about him.

He began to teach them
that the Son of Man must suffer greatly
and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,
and be killed, and rise after three days.
He spoke this openly.
Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
At this he turned around and, looking at his disciples,
rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan.
You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. At this he turned around and, looking at his disciples, rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.”

Oratio (Responding)

This passage starts with Jesus asking “who do you say that I am?” and in the gospel of Matthew, Jesus Blesses Peter for this remark, and immediately follows up by saying to Peter “upon this rock I will build my Church” and then He establishes his church with Peter as the head of it, gives him the keys to he kingdom, and the power to “bind” and “loose.” I think that because Mark got his Gospel directly from Peter, and because of Peter’s humility, that that is probably why this is left out here.

But to the point, this same passage finishes, a couple words later, with Jesus saying to Peter “get behind me satan.” The greatest moment in Peter’s life, is followed immediately with probably the worst moment of his life. How. Did it go bad, so quickly? Well, the first answer is that the words in today’s reading seems to our modern ears, worse than they actually are, and so we need to explore that further. But I am not saying that Jesus did not rebuke Peter, He did, in the most severe of ways, but this rebuke is different than what we might immediately think.

Jesus starts with “who do you say that I am,” and Peter answers rightly. He identifies Jesus as the Christ, and everything that goes along with that title. Peter is a human that sees Jesus, another human, for who he really is, God. But He did not come to this knowledge on his own, this is divine understanding that was given to him from the Holy Spirit.

Jesus then breaks all of their hearts by telling them that He will die and rise again. In the coming chapters, He predicts His passion 3 times, and 3 times they don’t get it. The jews sincerely believed that the messiah would come and do four things: Rebuild the temple, destroy all of Israel’s enemies, unite all of the tribes of Israel, and Reign as the king of the nation. So the messiah dying without accomplishing those ends is hard for these jewish disciples to comprehend.

And so, Peter actually began to rebuke Him, but when the scripture reads that Peter “took him aside and began to rebuke him” the words here do not do justice to what the original Greek words actually mean. A more accurate translation would be to say that Peter grabbed Jesus by His cloak, pulled Him to the side, and vigorously rebuked him while shaking Jesus with his hands. This is much more severe than the english translation would have us believe, and however you translate it, we can say for sure, that this was far more than a polite “excuse me, did I hear you right?”

Next, Jesus immediately stops Peter, turns to the disciples, and positions His body so that Peter is now standing behind Him, and the disciples are in front of Him, and then He rebukes Peter instead, and says get behind me satan. This phrase has 2 things in it that if we analyze the original greek, it will help us to understand much better. First, the greek “Opiso Mou”, literally means “get behind me”, and this is notable because these are the same exact words that Jesus said to Peter, when He originally called Peter as a disciple on the shores of the sea. In that context, it meant “follow me, and become my disciple.” So in the context of todays reading, Jesus is clearly telling Peter that He does not need Peter to be His leader, and protector, but that He needs Peter to be His follower. And in fact that is what all christians are called to, from the pope down to the newly baptised, we are all called to be followers of Jesus and to be servants of all.

Next the word “Satan” in greek, literally means “accuser”, and I think that you will agree, that this is a bit less intense than thinking Jesus is calling Peter the evil one. But instead, He is making reference to the sin of the devil. The Devil’s error was thinking that he knew better what to do with God’s creation than God did. This is the sin of pride! Jesus is basically saying to Peter, “wait, you are making a big mistake here, you are holding on to your vision of how things ought to be, instead of trusting that I (God) will do all things good for those that love Him.” He is telling Peter to trust, and to follow Him, and to be His disciple, and not try to be His protector.

The truth of the matter, is that Jesus is the greatest of all Leaders, and is ultimately is the protector of all, including Peter, but Peter does not get it. Jesus finally, doubles down on this point and says “You are thinking like men, not like God.” The word actually used here for “thinking like God” in greek is “Metanoia.” So this too is our call, every time we are not happy with God, or think we have a better idea about how things should be going we need to remember these words “apiso mu, satan,” push away our pride, and instead trust and follow the lord wherever He leads us.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me to heed your words, and to trust and follow you, instead of doing what I want, or what I think is best. Amen.

Mark 8:22-26

Lectio (Reading)

When Jesus and his disciples arrived at Bethsaida,
people brought to him a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him.
He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village.
Putting spittle on his eyes he laid his hands on the man and asked,
“Do you see anything?”
Looking up the man replied, “I see people looking like trees and walking.”
Then he laid hands on the man’s eyes a second time and he saw clearly;
his sight was restored and he could see everything distinctly.
Then he sent him home and said, “Do not even go into the village.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. Putting spittle on his eyes he laid his hands on the man and asked, “Do you see anything?”

Oratio (Responding)

This story might seem random or out of place at first, but it is not. The Greeks used to tell stories like this, placing a short story at the beginning, followed by a longer seemingly unrelated story, and then finally another short story at the end. The short stories served as bookends to the main story. In this case Mark has given us several stories in short succession, the feeding of the 5000, the story of Jesus healing the deaf man, the feeding of the 4000 and then later Jesus healing the blind man. These stories are are not independent, they are woven together in a beautiful message about how the lord Jesus came to bring the word of God to the whole world and open us up to the truth of His divinity.

In the first “bookend” story Jesus heals the deaf man in one step. This “one step” is a metaphor about the jews and how Jesus came to open their ears to the truth, and it correspond to the feeding of the 5000 that was done in jewish territory, and was meant for the jewish people to learn about Jesus. The jews had for too long been listening to the law of man (the pharisees and scribes), and not to God. He is telling them to be opened to the truth that He (Jesus) has come to tell them. He does this in one step because the jewish people already know the one true God, and only need be opened to the truth that Jesus is that same God.

After that reading, we get the story of the feeding of the 4000, which takes place in gentile territory and is meant for the gentiles, and Jesus’ disciples. They needed to be healed in two steps. The short story that we get today (the final bookend to this series of stories) is of a blind man that has to be healed in two steps, first he goes from blind to cloudy vision, and then from cloudy to clear vision. By this time his disciples have witnessed two miracles, feeding the 5000 and then later the 4000, But they are still blind to the truth and are constantly seeking more signs. So their eyes have to be opened first to the fact that the signs are all around them, leaving their vision cloudy about the real truth (the one true God), and then second time to clear their cloudy vision by showing them that Jesus is that one true God, but their vision on this subject will not be fully clear until after the ressurection. This two step process also applies to all the gentiles. They needed to first learn who the judeo-christian God is, and then later to understand that Jesus is that one God, made incarnate, sent to save us from our sin.

And finally we have the words of Jesus, for the deaf man he says “be opened.” This aramaic word (Ephphatha) is not a request, it is a command. We are in this moment to both recognize His divinity as our creator and our total dependence on Him for everything, as His creation. For the blind man he asks “what do you see?” This is a simple question about how you see Jesus. After He has cured your blindness, and shown you the truth about Himself and the world, He simply wants to know if you see it, if you accept it, and if you will go forward from the moment changed or if you will return to your sins. That is the re-creation he wants for us, that is what happens in baptism, and that is what happens when we atone for our sins through confession, and that is what happens when we partake the eucharist, and live our lives in accord with His will for our them.

Jesus is asking you too today, to “be opened,” and “do you see?” Whether you were born into a christian family and are already friends with God, or you never knew God and want to learn about Him, we must all struggle to find the truth, recognize God the Father in heaven, and Jesus Christ His Son. We must learn to reject the lies of the world, and to convert our hearts to Him in all that that means! But it all starts with coming to Jesus and asking Him for healing. Do not wait another minute, get baptised if you are not already, get to confession as soon as possible, and be healed. Jesus is waiting for you to come to Him, so that He can re-create you in His divine image.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord help me to see you for who you are and to accept and love you for that, amen.

Mark 8:14-21

Lectio (Reading)

The disciples had forgotten to bring bread,
and they had only one loaf with them in the boat.
Jesus enjoined them, “Watch out,
guard against the leaven of the Pharisees
and the leaven of Herod.”
They concluded among themselves that
it was because they had no bread.
When he became aware of this he said to them,
“Why do you conclude that it is because you have no bread?
Do you not yet understand or comprehend?
Are your hearts hardened?
Do you have eyes and not see, ears and not hear?
And do you not remember,
when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand,
how many wicker baskets full of fragments you picked up?”
They answered him, “Twelve.”
“When I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand,
how many full baskets of fragments did you pick up?”
They answered him, “Seven.”
He said to them, “Do you still not understand?”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Why do you conclude that it is because you have no bread? Do you not yet understand or comprehend? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes and not see, ears and not hear?

Oratio (Responding)

Why is Jesus rebuking His disciples here…? It almost seems as if Jesus is exasperated with them. The passage begins by telling us that they left the fragments of the miracle of the feeding of the 4000 on the shore. It appears that they are overly focused on the miracle, and the “leftover” signs of that miracle, and not on Jesus, the one who litterally made the miracle happen, who is with them in the boat. They are looking for the signs and not the sign maker.

Jesus here is simply reminding them that that bread He gave will feed for a day, but Jesus is the bread of life that feeds for eternity. This interchange between the disciples and Jesus is almost funny because the disciples are saying we forgot the bread, and Jesus is say saying, no you didn’t I’m right here.

So why did He say to beware of the leaven of the pharisees? and of herod? Well the leaven of the pharisees are their own teachings. The myriad laws that they created and added on to Gods law, and put themselves in the charge of. These teachings are the laws of this world and not of God. The leaven of Herod was greed and debauchery and treachery. Also things of this world, and mortally dangerous for anyone who seeks the kingdom of God.

Jesus is reminding them, and all of us, to stop thinking about the pharisees and herod, and of the things of this world and to start thinking of Jesus and the kingdom of Heaven in the next. It is all the same message, and it is funny because the disciples have their head fixated on the needs and signs of this world, and Jesus is reminding them instead to focus on the here and now, and to be present in this moment with the Lord.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to focus on you and what you need from me. Amen.

Mark 8:11-13

Lectio (Reading)

The Pharisees came forward and began to argue with Jesus,
seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him.
He sighed from the depth of his spirit and said,
“Why does this generation seek a sign?
Amen, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.”
Then he left them, got into the boat again,
and went off to the other shore.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Why does this generation seek a sign? Amen, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.

Oratio (Responding)

Jesus is exasperated at this request, not because He is impatient, or intollerant of questions, but because these people, with whom He is conversing, are the pharisees. These temple leaders are supposed to be the keepers of the law, and they should recognize more than everyone who the messiah is, and what the signs of the messiah would look like, but instead they want even more signs. Jesus, in the passage immediately before this on, has just fed 4000 people, and before that 5000 people. He has also performed multiple miracles, and healings. The deaf hear, the mute speak, the crippled leap like stags. Jesus is the complete and total fulfillment of the prophecies of Isaiah, and Jeremiah.

If anyone should know this, it should be the pharisees, but instead of rejoicing that the messiah has come and recognizing that the lord is here to save them, they ask for more proof, and they ask for it, on demand. Jesus is not a street magician and He is not going to do miracles on demand. So for those that are hard-hearted, and not easily convinced, they will have to wait until the resurrection, and even then only some will believe.

But you must understand that the miracles and healings were not a parlor trick, or a passing fancy, they are the true fulfillment of prophecy, and they represent the real nature of Jesus as the one true God that has come to heal our illnesses, and bring our souls up into salvation.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, you who have worked so many miracles in my life, I love you, and I believe in you, thank you for all the blessings that you have poured out on my life. I truly am not worthy, but I am so very grateful. Amen.

Luke 6:17, 20-26

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus came down with the Twelve
and stood on a stretch of level ground
with a great crowd of his disciples
and a large number of the people
from all Judea and Jerusalem
and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon.
And raising his eyes toward his disciples he said:
“Blessed are you who are poor,
for the kingdom of God is yours.
Blessed are you who are now hungry,
for you will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who are now weeping,
for you will laugh.
Blessed are you when people hate you,
and when they exclude and insult you,
and denounce your name as evil
on account of the Son of Man.
Rejoice and leap for joy on that day!
Behold, your reward will be great in heaven.
For their ancestors treated the prophets in the same way.
But woe to you who are rich,
for you have received your consolation.
Woe to you who are filled now,
for you will be hungry.
Woe to you who laugh now,
for you will grieve and weep.
Woe to you when all speak well of you,
for their ancestors treated the false prophets in this way.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Blessed are you who are poor, for the Kingdom of God is yours.

Oratio (Responding)

In todays reading we get Luke’s version of the beatitudes. This version is different from the version that we all are more familiar with that comes from Matthew. Scholars debate as to whether these are two different tellings of the same event, or if they were two different events. In Matthews telling, Jesus is in and around Galilee, and thus He is mostly preaching predominantly to the jewish people of that region. in Today’s account the scripture says that Jesus in and around the region of Tyre and Sidon, which is a predominantly gentile territory, and so His message today is to the Gentiles.

For this reason I lean toward the conclusion that this is a separate sermon, given at a separate time from the sermon on the mount, and told in a way that would be best understood by this crowd. Matthew’s version was much more theologically rich, and full of meaning that the jews, because of their long tradition of knowledge of the scripture, would be better able to understand. This reading today contains a lot of that same theology, but is simplified down and clearly teaches to the gentiles specifically what they must do to find eternal life with the Lord God in heaven.

As you can see Luke’s version has four blessed’s, and four corresponding woe’s. The nine beatitudes from Matthew’s account dont have the associated woe’s. So in many ways the woes are very interesting here and give us great insight into the mind of God. The blessings are facinating, and I encourage you to review my reflection on Matthew’s beatitudes for insight into what each of those means, but for today I want to focus on the woes and what God is trying to tell us through them. He declares 4 warnings (respectively), to the rich, the filled (aka not hungry), those that laugh, and those that are well liked. What can we learn from each of these woes?

The Rich: Wealth gives you the ability to separate yourself from the poor, giving you distance from their needs. It allows you to not have to face those who are suffering in the world and instead seclude yourself away from the pain and misery of the world, and to happily exist in your own little protective bubble. Jesus wants us to break out of that bubble, confront the poverty of the world, and share our riches with those that have less.

The Filled: If you are so filled that you cannot eat anymore, that means that you ate too much. And if you ate too much that means that you are being gluttonous and wasteful. There are so many hungry people in the world that need our help, and they would gladly eat the scraps of food that we are throwing away or over eating. This woe is meant to get you to be more mindfull of your excesses, and to think of those that have nothing and are going hungry today.

The Laughing: God is not against laughter, He wants you to laugh, God is joy and the author of happiness. But if you laugh in the sight of great suffering then you are just being cruel. We must first take care of the suffering, and tend to their needs, and help them find relief. And then we can all rejoice together. When we rejoice together, then we are all lifted up, and no one is left in dark wallowing in their pain and suffering.

The well liked: Fame is a trap, it fools you into thinking that it is actually love. But in reality fame is a lie and it is ultimately just hollow adulation. But what is worse is that it taints all of your other relationships in that you think that everyone should be the same and adore you like all your fans. It causes suspicion and doubt and it makes you hard and callous and cruel, in the face of real love and affection.

So in the end the blessings are there to encourage us when we feel like the whole world is against us, and the woes are there to bring us down to earth when it feels like nothing can go wrong in our life. King Solomon had a ring that reminded him of this reality it said: “this too shall pass” and that is a good motto to remember, because we will not always be low forever, and we will not always be high forever. But for the purposes of todays reading, I love how Dr. John Bergsma summarizes the point that Jesus was trying to make in His sermon today:

“…those who experience poverty, hunger, sorrow, and persecution in this life for the sake of “the Son of Man…” should rejoice greatly because these afflictions are signs that they are headed in the right direction and will receive their just reward ‘n heaven.’”

…those who live lives of wealth, indulgence, and popularity ought to be very concerned about their eternal salvation because these signs of external happiness often accompanied the false prophets…”

God wants so much more for us. He wants us to have everyhthing we could ever need, but we dont need more than that. If we find that we have more, He wants us to share it with others. If we have recieved grace and good gifts from God, we are called to share freely and selflessly with everyone that we come into contact with. This is God’s economy, the first will be last, and the last will be first. The greatest of all are called to be servants of all. This economy may not make sense in this cold and selfish world, but it will make sense in God’s Kingdom. This is how heaven will be, and we are called to build His kingdom here and now, regardless of how hard or unthinkable it may seem. When we accomplish this end, then we can all rejoice together, because nobody is left behind… That is the beatitude, and that is what God wants for every soul in this world.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to be kind and giving, and loving, in the degree and to the extent that you want from me. Help me to be your hands and feet in this world today.

Mark 8:1-10

Lectio (Reading)

In those days when there again was a great crowd without anything to eat,
Jesus summoned the disciples and said,
“My heart is moved with pity for the crowd,
because they have been with me now for three days
and have nothing to eat.
If I send them away hungry to their homes,
they will collapse on the way,
and some of them have come a great distance.”
His disciples answered him, “Where can anyone get enough bread
to satisfy them here in this deserted place?”
Still he asked them, “How many loaves do you have?”
They replied, “Seven.”
He ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground.
Then, taking the seven loaves he gave thanks, broke them,
and gave them to his disciples to distribute,
and they distributed them to the crowd.
They also had a few fish.
He said the blessing over them
and ordered them distributed also.
They ate and were satisfied.
They picked up the fragments left over–seven baskets.
There were about four thousand people.

He dismissed the crowd and got into the boat with his disciples
and came to the region of Dalmanutha.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Then, taking the seven loaves he gave thanks, broke them, and gave them to his disciples to distribute, and they distributed them to the crowd.

Oratio (Responding)

The stories of the feedings of 5000/4000 are most clearly seen as a type of the eucharist. If you don’t understand the story of the bread you will never understand the story of Jesus. These stories of feeding point to the ultimate bread, and the ultimate feast that Jesus gives us in the eucharist.

The miracle of feeding 5000 took place in jewish territory. It fed all from 5 loaves, leaving 12 baskets (referencing the 12 tribes of isreal). This miracle places Jesus as the new moses feeding isreal with new bread, new mana from heaven. The miracle of 4000 took place in gentile territory. It fed all from 7 loaves leaving 7 baskets (referencing the number of the covenant and the 7 gentile peoples in the land of canaan. This miracle places Jesus as the new moses feeding the gentiles with new bread as well

Why was there less left over? St. Jerome suggests it was because they were hungrier. “Four thousand men‚ fewer certainly in number, but greater in faith. The one who is greater in faith eats more, and because he does, there is less left over!” The jewish people had less to learn from Jesus, because they knew the Father, and they lived the law, but they were complacent, and lazy about their faith. The gentiles on the other hand took longer to understand and had much more to learn, but once they knew the truth they were far hungrier to know more.

Isn’t this the way with all things? Converts always make better catholics then those that were born into it. There is so much to cover with regard to these miracles but the main message is that Jesus meets us where we are, and brings us to the truth in the way that we will best be able to understand. So pay attention and be opened.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me to today to listen to your word, to let it work into my heart and my life. Let me be opened to the grace you want to pour out on me and my life.

Mark 7:31-37

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus left the district of Tyre
and went by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee,
into the district of the Decapolis.
And people brought to him a deaf man who had a speech impediment
and begged him to lay his hand on him.
He took him off by himself away from the crowd.
He put his finger into the man’s ears
and, spitting, touched his tongue;
then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him,
“Ephphatha!” (that is, “Be opened!”)
And immediately the man’s ears were opened,
his speech impediment was removed,
and he spoke plainly.
He ordered them not to tell anyone.
But the more he ordered them not to,
the more they proclaimed it.
They were exceedingly astonished and they said,
“He has done all things well.
He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

He put his finger into the man’s ears and, spitting, touched his tongue; then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him, “Ephphatha!” (that is, “Be opened!”)

Oratio (Responding)

Todays story Jesus heals the deaf man in one step. This “one step” is a metaphor about the jews and how Jesus came to open their ears to the truth, and it correspond to the feeding of the 5000 that was done in jewish territory, and was meant for the jewish people to learn about Jesus. The jews had for too long been listening to the law of man (the pharisees and scribes), and not to God. He is telling them to be opened to the truth that He (Jesus) has come to tell them. He does this in one step because the jewish people already know the one true God, and only need be opened to the truth that Jesus is that same God.

After todays reading, the story of the feeding of the 4000 takes place in gentile territory is meant for the gentiles, and Jesus’ disciples. They needed to be healed in two steps. The short story that follows the feeding of the 4000 (the final bookend to this series of stories) is of a blind man that has to be healed in two steps, first he goes from blind to cloudy vision, and then from cloudy to clear vision. By this time his disciples have witnessed two miracles, feeding the 5000 and then later the 4000, But they are still blind to the truth and are constantly seeking more signs. So their eyes have to be opened first to the fact that the signs are all around them, leaving their vision cloudy about the real truth (the one true God), and then second time to clear their cloudy vision by showing them that Jesus is that one true God, but their vision on this subject will not be fully clear until after the ressurection. This two step process also applies to all the gentiles. They needed to first learn who the judeo-christian God is, and then later to understand that Jesus is that one God, made incarnate, sent to save us from our sin.

So what do these metaphors have to tell us all today? This is a story of creation, or maybe more accurately re-creation. There are several references in this reading today that point to the original creation of the universe. First, Jesus groans, which refers back to God speaking the world into creation. Second Jesus spits, which is a clear reference to how God made Adam out of clay. So we have a clear analogy to how man was created from nothing at the beginning of time, we also have Jesus aligining himself with God, as the divine creator. And finally we have the words of Jesus “be opened.” This aramaic word (Ephphatha) is not a request, it is a command. We are in this moment to both recognize His divinity as our creator and our total dependence on Him for everything, as His creation. And second we are to place everything else aside and be opened to the words and wishes He has for our lives. That is the re-creation he wants for us, that is what happens in baptism, and that is what happens when we atone for our sins through confession, and that is what happens when we partake the eucharist, and live our lives in accord with His will for our lives.

Jesus is asking you too today, to “be opened.” Whether you were born into a christian family and are already friends with God, or you never knew God and want to learn about Him, we must all struggle to find the truth, recognize God the Father in heaven, and Jesus Christ His Son. We must learn to reject the lies of the world, and to convert our hearts to Him in all that that means! But it all starts with coming to Jesus and asking Him for healing. Do not wait another minute, get baptised if you are not already, get to confession as soon as possible, and be healed. Jesus is waiting for you to come to Him, so that He can re-create you in His divine image.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, how I wish to hear those words “Ephphatha”, I wish to reject the world and choose only you. Help me to get to this end and find this freedom. Amen.

Mark 7:24-30

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus went to the district of Tyre.
He entered a house and wanted no one to know about it,
but he could not escape notice.
Soon a woman whose daughter had an unclean spirit heard about him.
She came and fell at his feet.
The woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by birth,
and she begged him to drive the demon out of her daughter.
He said to her, “Let the children be fed first.
For it is not right to take the food of the children
and throw it to the dogs.”
She replied and said to him,
“Lord, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s scraps.”
Then he said to her, “For saying this, you may go.
The demon has gone out of your daughter.”
When the woman went home, she found the child lying in bed
and the demon gone.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

He said to her, “Let the children be fed first. For it is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.” She replied and said to him, “Lord, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s scraps.

Oratio (Responding)

This is one of Jesus’s harsh sayings. It makes you wonder how could the true Lord speak to someone like this? Didn’t He come here to save all mankind, not just the jews? Yes, but It is important to note that He was not simply trying to teach her a lesson about persistance in prayer, there was something else happening here as well. Confirming this point…, Here is what St. John Chrysostom said about this passage. “if He [Jesus] was not going to help her before, then He would not have changed her daughter after she persisted.”

Persistence is part of the equation, but there is definitely something more happening here. First Jesus is in the middle of His ministry (aka “feeding”) of the Jewish people. Quite literally, this is the time that He had set aside to show the jews that He is the messiah and Lord. The time for the gentiles would come after His death and resurrection. Second, He is testing her faith, and showing His disciples their future mission to the gentiles at the same time. In testing her, Jesus was making sure that she knew who He was, while at the same time, testing that her faith in Him was sincere. But He was also showing His disciples that there is great faith among these Gentiles, and that His chosen appostles would be called later to preach to these gentiles, and lead them to the lord as well.

This would be hard for them, because jews of this time had a rather large opinion of themselves, as the chosen people of God, they held gentiles in very low regard, and the canaanites, and the samaritans, even lower. So He is showing his followers, that they have to put these prejudices behind them, and preach the gospel to the whole world, because all the people of the world are his Children, and all need his saving grace.

Finally, I believe that as Augustine said, God sometimes refrains from answering prayer, because he wants to prepare our souls to recieve it, and thus appreciate the gift of our answered prayer all the more. I have experienced this in my life, and I know from that experience that if we are given everything we ask for immediately, without effort, we don’t appreciate it as much as if we have to struggle and strive for it.

In summary I would like to quote Peter Kreeft, as he perfectly summarizes this entire reading:

“Jesus thus, at one stroke, gave everyone involved what they most needed: The woman needed His miracle to satisfy her love for her daughter, and she also needed her faith to be tested and strengthened. Her daughter needed the exorcism. The demon needed to go home to hell where he belonged. The disciples needed a lesson in broadness and humility versus narrowness and pride. And the world needed to see Jesus’ love and wisdom and power, the three attributes of God that most clearly manifest his divinity.”

Never stop praying, never stop asking God for his love help and mercy. But be patient, God is the good sheppard and He knows what you need, and He will give it to you when you are ready and can most appreciate it. Trust in Him and allow His grace to wash over you, and you will find the joy you most yearn for, and the happiness that only God can give you, Amen.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, I am a sinner, and I need your help. Please lord help me to be peaceful in the eye of the storm, and loving when others are being jerks. I do truly want this for my life, and for the strength of my family. Amen.

Mark 7:14-23

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus summoned the crowd again and said to them,
“Hear me, all of you, and understand.
Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person;
but the things that come out from within are what defile.”

When he got home away from the crowd
his disciples questioned him about the parable.
He said to them,
“Are even you likewise without understanding?
Do you not realize that everything
that goes into a person from outside cannot defile,
since it enters not the heart but the stomach
and passes out into the latrine?”
(Thus he declared all foods clean.)
“But what comes out of the man, that is what defiles him.
From within the man, from his heart,
come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder,
adultery, greed, malice, deceit,
licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly.
All these evils come from within and they defile.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Hear me, all of you, and understand. Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person; but the things that come out from within are what defile.

Oratio (Responding)

The jewish leaders had a crazy amount of laws regarding cleanliness, and all of them were related to defilement of the body. Specifically by coming into contact with things from the outside of the body. If you came in contact with things carrying disease, you suddenly became unclean. This type of uncleanliness had nothing to do with the state of your soul. Jesus is trying to help theses pharisees and scribes to understand that this was not what God intended with His law. What Jesus wants us to understand, is that to be truly unclean (in your relationship with God) that your defilement is on the inside. If you think disgusting things, if you pursue evil ends, if you say terrible things, then that is what makes you truly unclean, despite how many times a day you wash your hands.

The only way to wash away these internal defilements is to seek Gods forgiveness, and thus be changed from the inside out. This is what Jesus is teaching us, and this is why, whenever He encountered a person in need of healing, He always started by saying that their sins are forgiven. He always tended to the state of their soul, and to disposition of their heart first, and only after they were healed and cleaned on the inside did He then help them with their physical ailments.

It is still the same today, the illnesses of 2000 years ago have been all but irradicated by modern medicine, and basic sanitation, but the people of today are no less sick than they we were 2000 years ago, and I would argue maybe even worse. The answer then is the same as today, we must go to God, confess our sins, and ask for forgiveness. In God’s incredible mercy and forgiveness, we are then made clean. Then and only then, can we partake of the eucharist, and its life-giving sustenance and become one with Him, mind, body and spirit. God wants to heal your heart and then your body comes next. Go to Him and find His healing love.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord help me today to be clean in your sight, and to stay clean for as long as I possibly can.

Mark 7:1-13

Lectio (Reading)

This people honors me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me;
in vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines human precepts.

You disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition.”
He went on to say,
“How well you have set aside the commandment of God
in order to uphold your tradition!
For Moses said,
Honor your father and your mother,
and Whoever curses father or mother shall die.
Yet you say,
‘If someone says to father or mother,
“Any support you might have had from me is qorban”‘
(meaning, dedicated to God),
you allow him to do nothing more for his father or mother.
You nullify the word of God
in favor of your tradition that you have handed on.
And you do many such things.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written: This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines human precepts. You disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition.

Oratio (Responding)

The pharisees here are calling out the disciples for not following the tradition of cleaning before eating. But Jesus knew well God’s law, and that this particular rule was a creation of man and not of God. The laws of cleanliness in the book of Leviticus were given to the jews by God to help them to avoid disease and contagion. But they were never meant to subjugate and enslave people by the law. So how did we get to the point where these church leaders were more concerned with their own laws over God’s?

It started with a sincere desire to not ever transgress God’s Law. The church leaders created rules that would prevent themselves and by proxy, everyone else, from ever getting close to breaking the law…, essentially building fences around the law. But then they became overly legalistic about their own rules, and ended up building even more fences around their fences. For example: In God’s law, if a jew had come into contact with a dead body or blood, or other things that are full of disease, then you are unclean and cannot eat or be around other people until you are clean of potential disease. But in order to protect against offending god in any way, the pharisees extented this “uncleanliness” moniker to every aspect of jewish life…, be it temple access, or participation in daily communal life, or even entering your own home.

The pharisees and scribes were the keepers of the law, and the job that they gave themsleves was to keep track of all the laws and “help” the Jews navigate the legal structure of the vast morass of laws that they themselves had created. But these rules got so numerous that they came to be burdensome, and the obsession with following their own “man-made” law became more important to them that it ultimately distorted the actual reason for why the law was given in the first place.

While the pharisees probably understood God’s law and the actual logical reason for all the rules, the average jew probably did not. So the pharisees began to think of themselves as parents watching over their children, and believed that their job was ultimately to protect these simple jews from themselves, instead of actually teaching the jewish people God’s actual law and why it is so important to follow. The people, on the other hand only knew the pharisees had many rules, and that if they wanted to practice their faith and gain access to the temple, and basically do anything in their jewish community, that they had to do what the pharisees said. This lead to distrust, and indignation of all parties involved.

And so Jesus is calling them out for not actually doing their jobs…, for not actually teaching the law to the people, and the reason for it, but instead using their knowledge of all of the laws to aggrandize themselves with status, power and wealth. In todays reading we find that Jesus (the actual law incarnate) has taught His disciples the true meaning of the law, and as such these men understood what it is that God truly wants from us and they were following those laws, and not the rules of the fallen and corrupt men. If that too is your goal in life, then all of the other things will logically follow. St. Augustine once said “Love God and do as you will” and I think that is also what Jesus is saying here as well.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Help me lord to love you first and foremost, and to make that the driving principal of my life. Amen.

Mark 6:53-56

Lectio (Reading)

After making the crossing to the other side of the sea,
Jesus and his disciples came to land at Gennesaret
and tied up there.
As they were leaving the boat, people immediately recognized him.
They scurried about the surrounding country
and began to bring in the sick on mats
to wherever they heard he was.
Whatever villages or towns or countryside he entered,
they laid the sick in the marketplaces
and begged him that they might touch only the tassel on his cloak;
and as many as touched it were healed.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Whatever villages or towns or countryside he entered, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and begged him that they might touch only the tassel on his cloak; and as many as touched it were healed.

Oratio (Responding)

This reading speaks to the fullest nature of Jesus. He at the very basic level is a healer. He wants to heal all of our ailments, and take away all of our pain. Even touching the tassle of His cloak, whether He is aware of it or not, brings healing. The fact that this is even possible speaks to His fullest nature as a healer.

During the three years of His public ministry Jesus did three things when He encountered the lost, sick and afflicted: He preached, healed the sick, and drove out demons. These are three parts of the same thing.

Preaching heals the soul, and it is also a form of driving out deamons because they hate the truth. Healing is also a form of preaching, because action speak louder than words. And it is also drives out deamons, because demons envy our bodies and our health. Driving out demons is a form of preaching, because exorcism proves the divine reality. and it is also a form of healing becuase it heals the soul. All three represent aspect of each other.

These three ministries preaching, healing, and exorcising — are three dimensions of one and the same thing: They are the three ways in which Christ endeavored to heal our minds, bodies, and souls so as to bring us into full communion with Him.

But why doesn’t He just snap his fingers and heal everyone. I suspect that is because if we do not participate in the process, then the sin and disfunction that caused the illness in the first place, will just return, and the healing will not last. We must come to the lord with an earnest desire to be healed, and a sincere interest in changing.

But when that does happen, then God will pour out His healing love on you. But you must want it, and humbly ask for it. The Lord will not force Himself upon you, you have free will and He will always respect that. So start today, choose to change, and choose to be better, and ask the Lord for His help.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, give me the courage to change, and humility to ask for your help. I want to be better, and I need your help to do so. Amen.

Luke 5:1-11

Lectio (Reading)

While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening
to the word of God,
he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret.
He saw two boats there alongside the lake;
the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets.
Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon,
he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore.
Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat.
After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon,
“Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.”
Simon said in reply,
“Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing,
but at your command I will lower the nets.”
When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish
and their nets were tearing.
They signaled to their partners in the other boat
to come to help them.
They came and filled both boats
so that the boats were in danger of sinking.
When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said,
“Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.”
For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him
and all those with him,
and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee,
who were partners of Simon.
Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid;
from now on you will be catching men.”
When they brought their boats to the shore,
they left everything and followed him.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him.

Oratio (Responding)

What does it mean to catch men, I think, in a nutshell it means evangelization. To go out into the whole world proclaiming the gospel to all the people. Not only by proclaiming the word, but also to live “the way” that Jesus gave us. The way we live can often be more profound than preaching, alone. Peter, although reluctant…, shows us how to live our faith, by simply trusting.

Peter was a working man, he was educated on the torah and he knew about the prophecy of the messiah, but he was also a man with a job to do and he devoted most of his time and attention to the latter endeavor. His brother Andrew was a much more spiritual man. Andrew knew about Jesus. He was a disciple of John the baptist and had heard John talk about Jesus many times. But at this point in the gospel Peter had never met Jesus, and had only heard his brother talking about Him.

It is important here to add a little context. Fishermen at this time would fish at night because that was the time that the fish were most active out looking for food. During the day they would go into the plants that were closer to shore to hide themselves from predators and wait out the heat of the day. Peter was tired, and frustrated at his lack of success in fishing the night before, and catching nothing. It was morning and they were cleaning their nets, and for all intents and purposes the time for fishin was over.

That is exactly when Jesus steps into his boat. This simple action had many deep implications though. First, is that the boat belonged to Peter, thus Peter was the captain, and he was the one in charge of what was done and said in that place. Jesus enters uninvited and sits down. Sitting down is the posture of a rabbi about to teach and so He does. Second, This scene also depicts a model for our church as a whole. The Church is Peters boat, Peter is the leader (Pope), but Jesus teaches his gospel from that church. This is why the roofs our old gothic churches always resembled that hull of a boat upside down on top of the church, because the church is the boat (aka Bark) of St. Peter, and that is where we hear our Lord preach His gospel to us.

But getting back to the story, it is at this point when Peter hears Jesus preach, that he too finally understands who this man is… the great teacher that his brother had been telling him about. But his conversion was not complete yet, so Jesus asks him for an act of faith. Jesus says “put out into the deep,” essentially go out into the water where everyone knows there are no fish! Everything in Peter told him that the request was useless, and that it would only be a waste of time. But regardless he complies. Peter decides to trust, and the reward of this simple act of faith was a catch of fish, that no one in that area had ever seen before.

This is the reward of living your life by trusting in God, whether your mind is telling you to do otherwise. That is why Peter, kneels before Jesus, and asks for forgiveness, because Peter knew his mind did not match in any way what his heart told him to do, and what his outward actions ultimately did. Peter, becuase of his lack of faith did not feel worthy of his reward. And that is when Jesus call him to be a disciple, to become a fisher of men.

The Ignatius Study Bible describes this process as the six stages of the Christian life. The six stages are the process that we all follow as we enter into the Christian life, when we go from living a life according to our will and our design into a life that is lived according to God’s design and will for it. That process follows a standard progression and it looks like this:

It starts with the need, the initial frustration, the difficult situation. For these fishermen, in today’s reading, it meant catching nothing;
Next is the invitation to trust, to put out into deep water.
That invitation is then followed by the disciples’ positive response. To do something that does not make any sense, but doing so because you trust the one (God) that is asking you to do it.
That trust is then rewarded, and the result of the trust, which in these fisherman’s case was the miraculous catch of fish.
In the face of so much grace, the proper reaction is humility and obedience.
This is the point when Jesus then calls you to go out and to be fishers of men, to be evangelists, that bring even more people to the same point of discipleship.

That is the same invitation that Jesus is offering to all of us. He is asking you too, to “put out into the deep.” How will you respond? The world loves to make fun of people of faith. They think it is rediculous to put trust and faith in an invisible God that that they believe does not exist. They believe that He has never done anything that deserves our worship and obedience. But for those of us that do believe we know this not to be true, the evidence is everywhere you look. Creation, and life is the greatest gift that God ever gave mankind, and it is the greatest proof of His existence.

So what should we learn from Peter in this reading? That the thoughts of our minds are not what we are judged by, but instead our actions and how we live our lives is what determines our future in God’s Kingdom. Our minds can think up all kinds of sin and debauchery, but we are only guilty of those sins, if we act upon them. So we should strive everyday to live our lives, by trusting God, and proclaiming the gospel of the Lord with every thing that we do, and tell everyone we meet who God is and invite them “into the deep” as well. When we do that, we too will be fishers of men, and we can catch all of those souls that are wandering aimlessly in the world.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to better live your “way” and to proclaim your gospel to the whole world.

Mark 6:30-34

Lectio (Reading)

The Apostles gathered together with Jesus
and reported all they had done and taught.
He said to them,
“Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.”
People were coming and going in great numbers,
and they had no opportunity even to eat.
So they went off in the boat by themselves to a deserted place.
People saw them leaving and many came to know about it.
They hastened there on foot from all the towns
and arrived at the place before them.

When Jesus disembarked and saw the vast crowd,
his heart was moved with pity for them,
for they were like sheep without a shepherd;
and he began to teach them many things.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

When Jesus disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.

Oratio (Responding)

This passage begins by speaking of going away to seek rest. I think that this is incredibly important, but often gets missed by focusing on other parts of this passage. We often think of God as this distant all powerful being that is so far above us that He could never understand our needs or even care about them. But God created us, and He love us completely, and He knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows that we cannot give of ourselves constantly without taking time to rest and renew. Even more, Jesus was fully God and fully man, and while He recognizes our need for rest, He too as a human man needed rest as well.

There are not many places in the bible that speak directly to the fact that Jesus had a fully human nature and so when we encounter these passages we need to take a moment and recognize them and the fact that Jesus was just like us, He felt all of our emotions, love and joy, fear and pain. He ate food and felt full, and he also fasted and felt the pangs of hunger. He gave of Himself, healed the sick, performed miracles, and poured out love and encouragement to all that He encountered, but He also rested. This is important for us to recognize that God, in the man Jesus was just like us, He knows us, and all of our concerns, and He cares about them so much that He became like us, so that He could save us from our slavery to sin.

And yes, while rest is very important to a well rounded life, and is needed for basic happiness, Jesus shows us, in the last part of this passage, that sometimes, some things are more important than our own needs and when those more important things come around we must make time for them. Every time I have read this passage, I am reminded me of being a father to young children. I can remember several times when I was about to sit down and have a meal and was stopped because of something that was immediately needed by a child, and to them it was way more important than anything else in the world. About to take that first bite of the sandwich and have to stop and set it down and deal with whatever they think needs to be handled first.

This is the call and duty of Fatherhood. Whether it is biological, or spritual fatherhood, we must rise to the occasion and take care of our duties and the needs of those that rely on us. We must put all other things aside, and tend to those things that need our foremost attention, and to do those things with love, and joy, and a spirit of generosity. This is the economy of heaven, there are no selfish and greedy people in heaven, all give completely to everyone, and as a result all are lifted up. That is a beautiful thing to think about, and to look forward to, and to work for in this world. But as you go, and do your best to bring that love and generosity into the world and all you meet, dont forget to rest, so that you can be ready for the next day.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to put first things first, and to do the right thing at the right time, amen.

Mark 6:14-29

Lectio (Reading)

King Herod heard about Jesus, for his fame had become widespread,
and people were saying,
“John the Baptist has been raised from the dead;
That is why mighty powers are at work in him.”
Others were saying, “He is Elijah”;
still others, “He is a prophet like any of the prophets.”
But when Herod learned of it, he said,
“It is John whom I beheaded. He has been raised up.”

Herod was the one who had John arrested and bound in prison
on account of Herodias,
the wife of his brother Philip, whom he had married.
John had said to Herod,
“It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”
Herodias harbored a grudge against him
and wanted to kill him but was unable to do so.
Herod feared John, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man,
and kept him in custody.
When he heard him speak he was very much perplexed,
yet he liked to listen to him.
Herodias had an opportunity one day when Herod, on his birthday,
gave a banquet for his courtiers, his military officers,
and the leading men of Galilee.
His own daughter came in and performed a dance
that delighted Herod and his guests.
The king said to the girl,
“Ask of me whatever you wish and I will grant it to you.”
He even swore many things to her,
“I will grant you whatever you ask of me,
even to half of my kingdom.”

She went out and said to her mother,
“What shall I ask for?”
Her mother replied, “The head of John the Baptist.”
The girl hurried back to the king’s presence and made her request,
“I want you to give me at once on a platter
the head of John the Baptist.”
The king was deeply distressed,
but because of his oaths and the guests
he did not wish to break his word to her.
So he promptly dispatched an executioner
with orders to bring back his head.
He went off and beheaded him in the prison.
He brought in the head on a platter
and gave it to the girl.
The girl in turn gave it to her mother.
When his disciples heard about it,
they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Herod feared John, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man, and kept him in custody.

Oratio (Responding)

Herod being king thought he could do anything he wanted and as such he took his brothers wife for his own. John told him this was unlawful, and would not sanction the marriage. John upset all involved especially Herodias, Herod’s brothers’ wife. John was placed in prison for his outspoken opposition to what Herod was doing and the embarassment it was causing him. But Herod would not execute John because he knew that there was something special about John. Something that he feared transgressing against. And it was because of this fear that he kept John in prison instead of killing him for his disrespect.

Thus we come to the reading today. Herod again lets his desire and pride get the best of him, and he makes a promise that he should not have made. Herod knows that what this girl asks is terribly wrong…, but because of his promise, and even more because of his pride, he does the one thing that he knows he shouldn’t, for fear of looking bad among his courtiers.

It seems insane, that you would kill a man for the sake of “saving face.” But in truth this is done millions of times a day, every day on social networks, people slander and libel each other constantly, and say all kinds of horrible things to each other. Remember that the torah says that to kill a mans “name” is no different than killing his body. If you add in all of the aborted babies, and elderly people that were killed for the sake of convenience, it is not so hard to see the connection to what Herod did.

And so pride strikes again. It caused Satan to fall, it is the reason that many refuse to accept the truth of the Jesus Christ, and it still today is the source of so much pain and suffering. If Herod had simply said, “I let my delight get the best of me, and I made a promise that I clearly cannot fullfill, please accept my apology, and choose something else,” things might have gone very differently for John, but no, the devil was wispering in his Herods ear, saying, “what will they think of you, what will they say about you? They will all say that Herod is a boastful ass, and cannot be trusted.” And then pride took over.

This is the reality that we all must be on guard against, and we must all check our desires, before they get out of control, and this is a very good warning for us all to carefully heed. We should never allow the earthly things of this world and the trappings of power, to subvert our knowledge of what is right and wrong, and we should never boast of anything other than the Lord. If we follow these warnings, then we can be more assured of living in Gods grace, and we can hope in His mercy and forgiveness forever.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to not allow pride to cloud my judgement, and thus leaad me to make bad decisions. amen.

Mark 6:7-13

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two
and gave them authority over unclean spirits.
He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick
–no food, no sack, no money in their belts.
They were, however, to wear sandals but not a second tunic.
He said to them,
“Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave from there.
Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you,
leave there and shake the dust off your feet
in testimony against them.”
So they went off and preached repentance.
The Twelve drove out many demons,
and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over unclean spirits.

Oratio (Responding)

In todays passage, we are focusing on the power that Jesus gave His apostles to heal and exorcise. He gives us all that same power, through our baptisms. When we are baptised we participate in the same offices of priest, propet, and king that Christ established in His life. So when we act in faith, in Jesus’ name, we carry the power of these offices, and we too have the ablity to heal, to prophesy in Jesus’ name, and even drive out demons. But there is a limit, we cannot do anything that Jesus did, the difference between us and Him is authority. Our authority is limited to those people and things that God has given us authority over in this world. In order to be effective you need both Power and Authority. Power gives you the ability to do something in Gods name, but it is only under the correct authority that your powers will actually be effective.

Jesus’ apostles were the predecessors to our current popes and bishops. A Pope has the full power of Jesus for healing and exorcising over the whole world. A bishop has that same authority, but it is limited to the jurisdiction of his diocese, and every single soul that is under his protection and anyone that he also bestows that power on (ie an exorcist). The bishops and their designated exorcists are the only ones that have the authority to drive out deamons in other people within their jurisdictions. The father of a catholic home has the same power and authority, as a bishop, but his jurisdiction is limited to his own home and his own spouse and children, and even sometimes his place of work, if he serves as the patriach of that workplace.

Without the proper authority though, or if you swerve outside of your authority, you will attract the attention of other demons and possibly receive retaliation. Everything in Gods kingdom is governed by power and authority, and if you do not have both the power to do so through christian baptism, and the proper authority over the thing or person in question, the demons will notice and retaliate against you. Exorcist Chad Ripperger says that demons are like “lawyers from hell,” and they follow Gods law to the letter. It is funny, but they respect God’s law better than most humans do, because they are literally bound by natural law, and do not have a choice. But they also know all the loopholes in human behaviour, and they will exploit them all, to punish us dearly if we dare to step out from under Gods protection.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Please lord help me today to find a way to evangelize, and spread your kingdom in this world, and to accept and properly use the authority given to me from above, amen.

Mark 6:1-6

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus departed from there and came to his native place,
accompanied by his disciples.
When the sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogue,
and many who heard him were astonished.
They said, “Where did this man get all this?
What kind of wisdom has been given him?
What mighty deeds are wrought by his hands!
Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary,
and the brother of James and Joseph and Judas and Simon?
And are not his sisters here with us?”
And they took offense at him.
Jesus said to them,
“A prophet is not without honor except in his native place
and among his own kin and in his own house.”
So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there,
apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them.
He was amazed at their lack of faith.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and among his own kin and in his own house. So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there, apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them.

Oratio (Responding)

Further, this reading give us insight into the power of prayer, and the affect that it has upon us. Prayer is not a transaction, where I say a prayer and God gives me a grace in return. Instead the grace is poured out equally onto all of us constantly, but it is prayer that actually makes us capable of recieving it. The point of prayer is to orient our mind and body to the Lord, and mostly to open our hearts to Him. The grace of God is guaranteed always, it is like the rays of the sun, poured out on everything. It is our nature that determines what those rays of sun do in our lives. If our nature is like wax those rays will soften us, if our nature is like clay, those very same rays will harden us. All we need do is to turn toward Him in prayer, with a nature that will allow his grace to work in our lives. Start by asking for His forgiveness, guidance, and help. Ask Him to enter into every part of your life, but be ready because He will listen, and His grace will seriously change you.

This is what is happening today in this reading, Jesus is “not able” to do much with these people because their hearts are like clay and not able to recieve the gifts that God wants to pour out on them. Grace is not a transaction, it is the result of trust and a humble request in faith. His kin see Jesus as just a man, that they have known since He was a little child. They don’t see Him as God, who can do anything for them. This is an extreme example, but it definitely rings true for many things that I have seen in my own life. Truth is often filtered by the person that is speaking it. If the person that is living a life that is contrary to the truth trys to proclaim the truth, we disregard the person and all of the truth that they may be saying. Not because we believe that the truth is false, but because that person is hypocrite. But when the person is good and upright, and they speak the very same truth, we tend to sit up and pay attention. Isnt it the same truth, though? Why does it matter who says it? Probably because we are sceptical and suspicious of everything, and because we generally have such a cloudy understanding of what truth is in the first place.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Mark 5:21-43

Lectio (Reading)

When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side,
a large crowd gathered around him, and he stayed close to the sea.
One of the synagogue officials, named Jairus, came forward.
Seeing him he fell at his feet and pleaded earnestly with him, saying,
“My daughter is at the point of death.
Please, come lay your hands on her
that she may get well and live.”
He went off with him
and a large crowd followed him.

There was a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years.
She had suffered greatly at the hands of many doctors
and had spent all that she had.
Yet she was not helped but only grew worse.
She had heard about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd
and touched his cloak.
She said, “If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured.”
Immediately her flow of blood dried up.
She felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction.
Jesus, aware at once that power had gone out from him,
turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who has touched my clothes?”
But his disciples said to him,
“You see how the crowd is pressing upon you,
and yet you ask, Who touched me?”
And he looked around to see who had done it.
The woman, realizing what had happened to her,
approached in fear and trembling.
She fell down before Jesus and told him the whole truth.
He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has saved you.
Go in peace and be cured of your affliction.”

While he was still speaking,
people from the synagogue official’s house arrived and said,
“Your daughter has died; why trouble the teacher any longer?”
Disregarding the message that was reported,
Jesus said to the synagogue official,
“Do not be afraid; just have faith.”
He did not allow anyone to accompany him inside
except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James.
When they arrived at the house of the synagogue official,
he caught sight of a commotion,
people weeping and wailing loudly.
So he went in and said to them,
“Why this commotion and weeping?
The child is not dead but asleep.”
And they ridiculed him.
Then he put them all out.
He took along the child’s father and mother
and those who were with him
and entered the room where the child was.
He took the child by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum,”
which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise!”
The girl, a child of twelve, arose immediately and walked around.
At that they were utterly astounded.
He gave strict orders that no one should know this
and said that she should be given something to eat.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Jesus, aware at once that power had gone out from him, turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who has touched my clothes?”

Oratio (Responding)

These stories of Jairus’ daugher and the woman with the flow of blood, are full of parallels, and intersting juxtapositions. Lets explore. It begins and ends with a father’s plea for his sick and dying daughter…, but along the way they are delayed by a large crowd and the bleeding woman. Jesus handles both perfectly. We start with Jesus wanting to heal the girl by traveling to Jairus’ home, and laying hands on her. But they quickly gets swamped by a crowd and we have the encounter with the bleeding woman, wanting to lay hands on Jesus. The sybmolism and meaning in today’s passage is vast, and there are several ways that this reading has been interpreted over the years.

The first interpretation is rather metaphorical and is found in the number 12 which traditionally represents the 12 tribes of isreal, and the 12 disciples. This interpretation is based on a belief that these two incidents represent the dreadful state of the jewish leadership and its people (the 12 tribes of Isreal) at that time. The temple was being run by the pharisees, who were not levites, and they were using their power over the temple to gain authority and wealth from the Jewish people, and as a result the temple and the faith was dying. While at the same time the average jewish citizen was lost, and persecuted and exiled. They had no righteous teachers to guide them to right worship and because of the corruption and desecration of the temple they were very much separated from true and full worship.

The parallels here of Jairus (the synagogue official) to the temple leaders, and between the hemoraging woman (exiled by illness from right worship) to the persecuted jewish people are profound. But what is even more profound is how in each situation they found the answer to their problems… they both turned to Jesus (in faith) for His healing touch. Jesus is the great high priest, and the rightful leader of the temple. He is the last and greatest king of the line of David, and the rightful leader of the jewish kingdom. And He is the great teacher and prophet of all of God’s law and love in this world, and the last and only rabbi (teacher) that we ever need. In all things, Jesus is the answer.

So despite the fact that these interpretations are so different, they all have one thing in common, and that is the answer to their suffering…, Jesus! We are called to turn to Him in everything. In our joys, in our trials, and even in our great suffering. He has the power to heal you, but only you can make it happen. You have to choose to turn to Him, to trust Him in all things and to have faith that He will heal you when the time is right and will do so in the way that most glorify the lord Father in heaven. This is not easy, and this is why patience is considered a virtue, because great rewards await those who persevere to the end. We will not understand this mystery in this life, but we will be amazed by it in the next. So please have faith not fear, and trust in the Lord for all things.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to seek you over all things, that all my ailments and weaknesses can be healed simply by reaching out to you. Amen.

Mark 5:1-20

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus and his disciples came to the other side of the sea,
to the territory of the Gerasenes.
When he got out of the boat,
at once a man from the tombs who had an unclean spirit met him.
The man had been dwelling among the tombs,
and no one could restrain him any longer, even with a chain.
In fact, he had frequently been bound with shackles and chains,
but the chains had been pulled apart by him and the shackles smashed,
and no one was strong enough to subdue him.
Night and day among the tombs and on the hillsides
he was always crying out and bruising himself with stones.
Catching sight of Jesus from a distance,
he ran up and prostrated himself before him,
crying out in a loud voice,
“What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?
I adjure you by God, do not torment me!”
(He had been saying to him, “Unclean spirit, come out of the man!”)
He asked him, “What is your name?”
He replied, “Legion is my name. There are many of us.”
And he pleaded earnestly with him
not to drive them away from that territory.

Now a large herd of swine was feeding there on the hillside.
And they pleaded with him,
“Send us into the swine. Let us enter them.”
And he let them, and the unclean spirits came out and entered the swine.
The herd of about two thousand rushed down a steep bank into the sea,
where they were drowned.
The swineherds ran away and reported the incident in the town
and throughout the countryside.
And people came out to see what had happened.
As they approached Jesus,
they caught sight of the man who had been possessed by Legion,
sitting there clothed and in his right mind.
And they were seized with fear.
Those who witnessed the incident explained to them what had happened
to the possessed man and to the swine.
Then they began to beg him to leave their district.
As he was getting into the boat,
the man who had been possessed pleaded to remain with him.
But Jesus would not permit him but told him instead,
“Go home to your family and announce to them
all that the Lord in his pity has done for you.”
Then the man went off and began to proclaim in the Decapolis
what Jesus had done for him; and all were amazed.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Jesus and his disciples came to the other side of the sea, to the territory of the Gerasenes. When he got out of the boat, at once a man from the tombs who had an unclean spirit met him.

Oratio (Responding)

This passage tells us the story of the Garesene Demoniac. This man was a large and powerful strong man. He was possessed by many demons. In the Roman army, a legion was a 100 men. So this already strong man was probably almost superhuman, because of the demonic possession. There are two very interesting things that Jesus is telling us here, Lets dig into it.

We don’t know what happened to these Garesenes, or if the Helenistic Jews ever repented, but it will be an interesting thing to ask God about when we meet him in heaven.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to see you and your will for my life, help me to put away my petty offenses, and to reconcile with those that I have hurt. Amen.

Luke 2:22-40

Lectio (Reading)

When the days were completed for their purification
according to the law of Moses,
They took him up to Jerusalem
to present him to the Lord,
just as it is written in the law of the Lord,
Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord,
and to offer the sacrifice of
a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons,
in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord.

Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon.
This man was righteous and devout,
awaiting the consolation of Israel,
and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit
that he should not see death
before he had seen the Christ of the Lord.
He came in the Spirit into the temple;
and when the parents brought in the child Jesus
to perform the custom of the law in regard to him,
He took him into his arms and blessed God, saying:
“Now, Master, you may let your servant go
in peace, according to your word,
for my eyes have seen your salvation,
which you prepared in sight of all the peoples,
a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and glory for your people Israel.”
The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him;
and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother,
“Behold, this child is destined
for the fall and rise of many in Israel,
and to be a sign that will be contradicted
—and you yourself a sword will pierce—
so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”
There was also a prophetess, Anna,
the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher.
She was advanced in years,
having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage,
and then as a widow until she was eighty-four.
She never left the temple,
but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer.
And coming forward at that very time,
she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child
to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.

When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions
of the law of the Lord,
they returned to Galilee,
to their own town of Nazareth.
The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom;
and the favor of God was upon him.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Mary and Joseph took Jesus up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord, and to offer the sacrifice of a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons, in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord.

Oratio (Responding)

This reading often leads to a lot of confusion… We believe that Mary was a spotless virgin, and Jesus was not conceived in sin, so why did Mary need to go to the temple for ritual cleansing? Even more, many of the church fathers teach that Mary was a perpetual virgin, so that means that Mary did not labor in child brith, and her virginity was left in tact, and not damaged as the result of normal childbirth. Thomas Aquinas taught that Jesus passed from her womb into the world like light passes through glass, thus leaving Mary unaltered by childbirth. So why did they go to the temple for ritual cleansing? The most logical answer was that they were obedient to the law of Moses, and were honoring that law. Just as Jesus later allows himself to be baptised by John, both Jesus and Mary are telling the world that no one is abouve the law, and that we all need to be as obedient.

While, all that is absolutely true, there is also another reason, which I think is even more amazing…. the return of God’s presence to the temple. In the book of the prophet Ezekiel (circa 590 BC), he wrote that the presence of God (the Shekinah cloud) left the temple, never to return. That same temple, was later destroyed in 586 BC, and Even after the temple was rebuilt, the glory cloud never returned, and the temple was left desolate. So for approximately the next 580+ years the presence of the lord was not in the world.

But then Jesus was born, and by this simple act of going to the temple for ritual cleansing, Mary was fulfilling a moment that the Jewish people had been waiting centuries for…, Mary the new Ark of the covenant brought the presence of the lord (in the baby Jesus) back into the temple. Fulfilling the prophesy of Ezekiel, and all of the prophets before him who also spoke of this time. The temple priest Simeon recognized this moment, and proclaimed this fact, but almost everyone else at that time missed the significance completely. We catholics, with the help of the church fathers and 2000 years of reflection, see this significance immediately, but it was completely missed by many of the people at that time.

So what was the role prophetess Anna in this moment. She also recognized the significance of this moment, and she too is present as witness to this moment. But why, why do we need two prophets at this moment? The venerable Bede helps us better understand. Bede reminds us that this woman was married as a virgin, she lived 7 years as a married woman and then was widowed. And after she was widowed she spent day and night living in the temple, in the service of the Lord, until she was 84 years old. 84 divided by 7 equals 12. These numbers are not random, they represent the days of the week (7) and the perfection of appostolic teaching (12). Futher, we also hear about her parents, who were well known and very good citizens of the jewish community. All of this was to establish that Anna was a very good, holy, and faithful woman that devoted her life to serving the lord, and upholding His law.

Consequently Bede, explains, that while Simeon served as a symbol of the priesthood, a priesthood that was deeply affected by the presence of the Lord deserting the temple. Anna served as a symbol of the church. A church that was widowed when the presence of the Lord left 580 years earlier. A church that was now being reunited with it’s bridegroom, the lord Jesus Christ. A church that would be recreated and rebuilt in the image of Jesus, and would be ultimately established in heaven for all eternity. Anna served as a witness to all of that.

So this passage represents the culmination of everything that the jewish people were waiting for. It is the return of the presence of the lord into this world. It is a new marriage covenenant between the people of this world and the Lord, and it is the restoration of the temple of the lord, in His church, and in us…, the body of Christ. And all of these realities are made manifest in the body, blood, soul, and divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ, and we christians are privledges to participate in this miracle through the sacrament of the Eucharist, the only place on this world where broken humanity thouches (for a moment) the perfect divinity of God in Heaven.

Simeon and Anna got it, many many christians over the years have understood this too. And many are still just now begining to understand. Do you believe this? that Jesus christ is truly, physically present in the holy eucharist, and that he is the fulfilment of all prophecy? If not, why not? Jesus told us, that this fact is true, at the breaking of the bread, at the last supper. He said “That this IS my body, and this IS my blood, and that no one comes to the father except by me” (John, chapter 6).

This is without question, the most important thing that we humans will ever struggle to understand in this world. If you dont understand it now, Humbly ask God to show it to you, and then be open to hear what He has to say. Learning, and ultimately believing this one fact, will forever change your life, and will determine your eternal destiny. It is not a small thing, it is everything! “Search and you find, knock and the door will be opened…” so dont put it off another moment.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, thank you for your sacrifice, and your love, make me worthy to be your disciple and to be a fitting tabernacle for you in the Eucharist, Amen.

Mark 4:35-41

Lectio (Reading)

On that day, as evening drew on, Jesus said to his disciples:
“Let us cross to the other side.”
Leaving the crowd, they took Jesus with them in the boat just as he was.
And other boats were with him.
A violent squall came up and waves were breaking over the boat,
so that it was already filling up.
Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion.
They woke him and said to him,
“Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”
He woke up,
rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Quiet! Be still!”
The wind ceased and there was great calm.
Then he asked them, “Why are you terrified?
Do you not yet have faith?”
They were filled with great awe and said to one another,
“Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?

Oratio (Responding)

Today’s passage takes place on the sea of Galilee, in Peter’s Boat (aka. the “Bark of Peter”). For centuries, the “bark” (or boat) of Peter has been a metaphor for the church of christ, of which St. Peter was placed at the head. This is why most of the ceilings, inside old gothic church’s were designed to look like a boat turned upside down. In this scene, all of Jesus’ disciples are with Him, inside the bark of St. Peter (His church). They are safe in the boat, but the world outside the boat is tossing them about, and is in a terrible state of chaos, threatening their destruction. Amusingly Jesus is asleep in the stern.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to see the storm for what it is, a temporary distraction, and to instead focus on you and the blue skys ahead, amen.

Mark 4:26-34

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to the crowds:
“This is how it is with the Kingdom of God;
it is as if a man were to scatter seed on the land
and would sleep and rise night and day
and the seed would sprout and grow,
he knows not how.
Of its own accord the land yields fruit,
first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.
And when the grain is ripe, he wields the sickle at once,
for the harvest has come.”

He said,
“To what shall we compare the Kingdom of God,
or what parable can we use for it?
It is like a mustard seed that, when it is sown in the ground,
is the smallest of all the seeds on the earth.
But once it is sown, it springs up and becomes the largest of plants
and puts forth large branches,
so that the birds of the sky can dwell in its shade.”
With many such parables
he spoke the word to them as they were able to understand it.
Without parables he did not speak to them,
but to his own disciples he explained everything in private.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

This is how it is with the Kingdom of God; it is as if a man were to scatter seed on the land and would sleep and rise night and day and the seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how.

Oratio (Responding)

This parable speaks of the miracle of life. If you have ever spent time in a garden you will know that there is a lot of work involved in tending a garden. Cultivating the ground, planting the seed, watering and weeding, and then eventually harvesting. Among all this work, I wonder how many notice the astounding miracle that is taking place. The dry hard seed, is softened in the moisture of the ground, and life springs forth from it… “and the seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how.” Life! where did that life come from, what force moved this lifeless clump of matter into existence, from nothing to something.

Of course we faithful believers say it is God, but even so it is still a miracle. Consider your own life. You have a soul that is holding all of your atoms together in a form that looks like you. If you eat too much or too little, your external form can change, but you are still you. That thing, that soul, is a gift from god, there is no other like it in the universe, none ever before you, nor none ever after you. Your soul was hand crafted by God and He loves you, and wants the very best for you, in all things.

No scientist has ever been able to explain where a soul comes from, and they cannot explain how things stay held together in life, without it. Why is a flower a flower without some guiding principal to keep it in that form, if there is no “flower soul” there is no flower, it will quickly disintegrate and return to the earth and separate into it’s constituent parts. Same with your dog, same with you. If you have no soul, your body stops functioning, dies, and starts to rot almost immediately.

Have you ever considered how incredible that is? Of all of the miracles that God has ever done, life is without a doubt, the most amazing of them all. And he is constantly working this miracle every moment of every day. From the smallest blade of grass, to the new baby that was born moments ago…, all of existence relies on God’s will and intention. If He ever decided to give up on us, he could blink us out of existence in a second. But god will never do that, he loves us as His children, and wants the best for all of us. It is a love what we cannot ever fully understand, and a gift that we will never be worthy of. Have you ever thanked God for the gift of all life, and especially your own? If not, you should start today. And when winter is over, start a garden, and watch life come from nothing, and marvel at how great God is.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, thank you for my life, help me today to make the most of it, to glorify you, and honor you and to love you in all things I do today. amen.

Mark 4:21-25

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his disciples,
“Is a lamp brought in to be placed under a bushel basket
or under a bed,
and not to be placed on a lampstand?
For there is nothing hidden except to be made visible;
nothing is secret except to come to light.
Anyone who has ears to hear ought to hear.”
He also told them, “Take care what you hear.
The measure with which you measure will be measured out to you,
and still more will be given to you.
To the one who has, more will be given;
from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Is a lamp brought in to be placed under a bushel basket or under a bed, and not to be placed on a lampstand? For there is nothing hidden except to be made visible; nothing is secret except to come to light.

Oratio (Responding)

This parable comes directly after the parable of the sower, and it is meant to be a teaching moment for the disciples. Upon reading comentaries by Sts. Jerome and Chrysostom, it is clear that Jesus is telling His disciples that the truth of His life and His teachings are to be shared with the whole world, not hidden away. Hiding the light of truth away (like under a basket), makes it unclear to those around it, and impossible to understand. But placing the light up high (on a lampstand), allows all to see it clearly, to be affected by it, and come to understand what the light of that truth means to them and the whole world.

This message also speaks to us today. The truth is under more assult today than at any time in the history of the world. So we must be willing to hear what God has to tell us. If we are closed off, then we need to be more open to His nudges. If we are already open to His teachings, then we need to pay closer attention, and take notes, so that we too, can share His message with others. Being open is not always simple though, we must ask for God’s grace to open our ears, and to expand our understanding, and to be humble and listen for what he has to tell us today.

Ask Him today to increase your faith and understanding, but be ready for an amazing grace to pour out upon you. But at the end of the day, the light of Christ and His message must be proclaimed to all the nations with courage and vigor, and you are part of that mission. And when we succeed at this, then the prohesy will come true, and the Jord will finally come and render His perfect justice, and what an amazing day that will be, Maranatha Lord Jesus.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord help increase my faith, and expand my understanding so that I can come to know you better, and to help proclaim your word to all the world.

Mark 4:1-20

Lectio (Reading)

On another occasion, Jesus began to teach by the sea.
A very large crowd gathered around him
so that he got into a boat on the sea and sat down.
And the whole crowd was beside the sea on land.
And he taught them at length in parables,
and in the course of his instruction he said to them,
“Hear this! A sower went out to sow.
And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path,
and the birds came and ate it up.
Other seed fell on rocky ground where it had little soil.
It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep.
And when the sun rose, it was scorched and it withered for lack of roots.
Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it
and it produced no grain.
And some seed fell on rich soil and produced fruit.
It came up and grew and yielded thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold.”
He added, “Whoever has ears to hear ought to hear.”

And when he was alone,
those present along with the Twelve
questioned him about the parables.
He answered them,
“The mystery of the Kingdom of God has been granted to you.
But to those outside everything comes in parables, so that

they may look and see but not perceive,
and hear and listen but not understand,
in order that they may not be converted and be forgiven.”

Jesus said to them, “Do you not understand this parable?
Then how will you understand any of the parables?
The sower sows the word.
These are the ones on the path where the word is sown.
As soon as they hear, Satan comes at once
and takes away the word sown in them.
And these are the ones sown on rocky ground who,
when they hear the word, receive it at once with joy.
But they have no roots; they last only for a time.
Then when tribulation or persecution comes because of the word,
they quickly fall away.
Those sown among thorns are another sort.
They are the people who hear the word,
but worldly anxiety, the lure of riches,
and the craving for other things intrude and choke the word,
and it bears no fruit.
But those sown on rich soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it
and bear fruit thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Hear this! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path…, Other seed fell on rocky ground where it had little soil…, Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it and it produced no grain. And some seed fell on rich soil and produced fruit.

Oratio (Responding)

I love this parable. It is so indicative of different types of human nature. We humans, are so much like this in actual practice. Thinking about your spirtual life specifically. Some look at faith as a fad or a temporary thing, and they are easily snatched away by the evil one. Some go to a retreat, and get revved up and then when they go back to their lives, they quickly return to their old bad habits. Some truly faithful people are raised around pagans or allow the lure of riches to pull them away, and their faith is choked out…, it is so sad! But some are able to go to that retreat, and come home and make lasting changes, in their lives, and the faith blossoms and blooms into a beautiful thing producing much fruit.

Some context on the harvest…, the Palestinian farmer was normally happy with with 7 to 10 fold on their planting. Meaning for every seed planted you would get back 7 to 10 fruits. So a harvest of 30 / 60 / 100 would be completely unbelieveable, but this is what god means for us through our works of evangelization, and it is what we should strive for in our lives and ministries.

The important thing that we need to consider for this parable is that just because your soil is not receptive at this moment, it may be rocky or infested with weeds, and the seed does not find its purchase right away, it does not mean that your soil always has to be that way. We must learn to cultavate our soil. If we find ourselves in rocky soil, or in thorns, you might have to do some weeding and raking to be ready to recieve the seed of Gods word. If you are on the hard path you may need a jackhammer, to break up the rocks and get down to rich soil…, but we need to do whatever we can to prepare ourselves to be open to what God has for us, and make ourselves into rich soil. This may mean changing who you live or hang out with, it may mean changing what you read, or watch or browse. It may mean dedicating your daily routine to prayer, and fasting. But you must do something Gods seed is waiting for you to recieve it.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Please lord help me today to figure out where I am planted and what I need to do to find rich soil. And give me the courage to make the move. Amen.

Mark 3:31-35

Lectio (Reading)

The mother of Jesus and his brothers arrived at the house.
Standing outside, they sent word to Jesus and called him.
A crowd seated around him told him,
“Your mother and your brothers and your sisters
are outside asking for you.”
But he said to them in reply,
“Who are my mother and my brothers?”
And looking around at those seated in the circle he said,
“Here are my mother and my brothers.
For whoever does the will of God
is my brother and sister and mother.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking around at those seated in the circle he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.

Oratio (Responding)

Protestants love to use todays passage to make the case that Mary was not a perpetual virgin, and that she had other children. Nothing could be further from the truth. Jewish people called all of their close reletives, brothers and sisters, and to claim otherwise reveals a profound ignorance of history.

What He is saying in this passage, is that you are all His brothers and sisters, and that He is the Father of all. Jesus is teaching to the disciples, and that is not any less important than what his mother and brothers have to say. It is a beautiful expressions of God’s profound love for us all, and His deep desire to be in a close personal relationship with all of us. So we must not be afraid of that truth, but instead embrace it, and bring Jesus fully into our lives.

Further there is a lesson here about taking the teachings of Jesus “literally” vs. “figuratively”. Many people, not just our protestant brothers, get this wrong. If you take everything Jesus said literally, then we would all have to pluck out our eyes, and cut out our tongues, because they often cause us to sin. If we take everything the bible says figuratively, then you will miss the literal meaning of Jesus statement when he said “unless you eat my body and drink my blood, you will have no life in you”. The bible must be read in the context of the situation in which it is said. You must read before and after that segment to get that context, and you must read multiple translations, and even study the greek and Hebrew versions to better understand the words used.

This is a lifelong, pursuit of study and understanding, and it takes time and persistence. There are billions of words written by our church fathers and even modern commentaries, to help with this endeavor. But if I can give one piece of advice here, do not count on your one translation of the bible in front of you to be the definitive version, and the definitive language. And if you do not understand, do not fill in the holes with your imagination. Look for help, and guidance. There is a good reason for everything that Jesus said, and it all works toward the salvation of our souls.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to hear what you have to say to me, and to not be distracted by the lures of the evil one.

Mark 3:22-30

Lectio (Reading)

The scribes who had come from Jerusalem said of Jesus,
“He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and
“By the prince of demons he drives out demons.”

Summoning them, he began to speak to them in parables,
“How can Satan drive out Satan?
If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.
And if a house is divided against itself,
that house will not be able to stand.
And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided,
he cannot stand;
that is the end of him.
But no one can enter a strong man’s house to plunder his property
unless he first ties up the strong man.
Then he can plunder his house.
Amen, I say to you, all sins and all blasphemies
that people utter will be forgiven them.
But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit
will never have forgiveness,
but is guilty of an everlasting sin.”
For they had said, “He has an unclean spirit.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.

Oratio (Responding)

Jesus’ response is so good. He uses logic to defeat the accusation on its face, and then at the same time turns the tables on them. Jesus is basically saying, If you are the devil and you are trying to destroy the work of god, why would you be so dumb as to work against your own efforts. The devil is smarter than that, and it is only Jesus’ own people that are dumb enough to act this way.

This was a powerful indigtment, and the shock value of it cannot be understated. Jesus was not a shrinking violet in the face of great power and authority. He instead, spoke truth to power and did it in a way that they could not ignore. Truly amazing.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me to speak truth to power as well. and to not shrink the face of great accusation. Amen.

Luke 1:1-4; 4:14-21

Lectio (Reading)

Since many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the events
that have been fulfilled among us,
just as those who were eyewitnesses from the beginning
and ministers of the word have handed them down to us,
I too have decided,
after investigating everything accurately anew,
to write it down in an orderly sequence for you,
most excellent Theophilus,
so that you may realize the certainty of the teachings
you have received.

Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit,
and news of him spread throughout the whole region.
He taught in their synagogues and was praised by all.

He came to Nazareth, where he had grown up,
and went according to his custom
into the synagogue on the sabbath day.
He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah.
He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring glad tidings to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.
Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down,
and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him.
He said to them,
“Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Oratio (Responding)

This passage is about Jesus reading the scroll of Isaiah in the synagogue of His home town of Nazareth. Now this might seem like a small thing at first, but that is because there is a lot of missing context here. Let me try to explain.

First is the teritorial context of where this happens. This scene takes place in Nazareth, Jesus’ home town. This is important for a couple reasons. Primarily because he grew up there and knows every person in this small little community. But secondarily because Naazreth is a town that consisted of mostly descendants of the line of David. The Romans were very efficient at eliminating threats to the kingship of their Ceasar. And so they actively sought out the descendants of David and tried to eliminate them as potential rivals to Ceasar. As a result, at this time, all of the people of the line of David had fled the big cities and gathered in this tiny little backwater town of Nazareth, and tried to live lives that would go unnoticed by the Roman elites.

Next we have spiritual context of where this happened. This passage takes place in the synagogue of Nazareth. But not just anyone was given the priveledge of reading the scroll in synagogue, that was the role of a rabbi (or teacher), and was a high honor to be asked to do so. So we take from this that Jesus’ family and friends had heard the rumours about Jesus and His ministry, and thus want to hear for themselves what He had to say. But the people of Nazareth (the tribe of Judah) have always held themselves as special among the jews because all of the prophets proclaimed that the messiah would come from the tribe of Judah, and would restore the kingdom of David, and bring the peace that they have always yearned for. It is with that understanding that they hand Jesus the scroll of Isaiah to read from. This was done because the people of Nazareth wanted to test Jesus’ skill as a rabbi, and hear for themselves if all of the rumours about Jesus were true. But of all of the passages in the scroll of Isaiah, Jesus reads the one passage that was most debated among all of the great rabbis and sages of the jewish world. This passage specifically teaches about what the messiah will do when He returns.

The jewish people believed that the messiah would restore the priesthood that was lost in the desert during the “golden calf” incident. It is important to remember here that before the “golden calf” God willed that the patriarch of every family serve the high priest for their families and tribe, and offer worship and sacrifice to God on their behalf. It was the mysterious figure of Melchizadek that most fully embodies this persona in the Old Testament. Mechiadek was both the king and priest of the early tribe of people that would later be know as the Jews. It was only after the “golden calf” incident that the lord took that priesthood away the patriarchs, and bestowed it upon the Levites from that time on, because they did not worship the golden calf. Secondly the jews believed that the messiah would restore the Kingdom of David that was lost when the kingdom was divided, and fell into pagan worship and idolotry. God always planned for Him to be our King and we to be His people. It was only after the people revolted and rejected that offer that God allowed us to have a human king, starting with Saul and then ultimately being fulfilled in His annoited David, “a man after God’s own heart.”

The scroll of Isaiah that Jesus reads in today’s passage specifically speaks to this two fold nature of the coming messiah. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor.” The anointed refers to God anointing David as King of the Jews, Jesus is connecting Himself with that same anointing. “He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free,” This prophesy speaks of the miracles that the messiah would perform to confirm his divine origin, but it also speaks to Jesus’ divine mission to come to save us from the slavery to sin. “and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.” This specifically speaks to the tradition of the Jubilee. The Jubilee happened in the 50th year after 7 consequtive 7 year cycles of preparation, and resting on the 7th year. The Jubilee is an incredible gift from God to His people that bought freedom from opression, and forgiveness of sin in exchange for their obedience to God and His laws. It showed God’s infinite mercy and never ending goodness, and ultimately His total love for His people and their happiness. The Jubilee is something that deserves a much deeper dive than we have time for in this reflection. But there was one other time that a Jubilee could be declared, and that is when a new King was anointed, no matter where they were in that 49 year cycle, the newly anointed king could declare a jubilee year, and often did. This is what it means to “to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.” And this what Jesus is associating Himself with in this passage.

So with all that context in mind, lets explore what is happening in today’s reading. Jesus reads the scroll and after reading the scroll he sits down. Please note that in the synagogue, Rabbi’s would stand to read the scripture, but then sit when he was ready to teach. So Jesus is sitting, taking the posture of a rabbi that is about the give wisdom and understanding about the scripture that He just read, and when all are ready and eagerly waiting to hear what He has to say, He drops the bomb on them by saying that “…these words are fulfilled in your hearing.”

I cannot stress strongly enough how startling and shocking this statement would be for these jews to hear. Jesus is saying plainly that He is the Messiah that was fortold in Isaiah. Jesus has come to the tiny village where the descendants of David live, He comes as a great Rabbi that is renowned for His wise teaching, and He reads the scroll of the most revered of all of the Prophets. The prophet that fortold the coming of the messiah, and Jesus says that all of that prophesy and all of that anticipation is fulfilled in this moment, in their hearing. Jesus is saying that He is now come to restore the patriarical priesthood of Melchizadek, and putting to an end the Levitical priesthood, and taking His place as the Great High Priest that God always promised. But He is also claiming to be the Lion of Judah, the descendant of David that would come and restore the Kingdom of David, but more importantly the Kingdom of God in this world. Jesus is saying in this moment that everything that God, and the Law, and the prophets ever foretold is fulfilled in this moment. Wow, that is mic-drop of all mic-drops, amazing.

But He is also making this claim to you as well today. He is saying that I am the one that you too are waiting form, the one that was sent to save you from your sins…, Do you accept this claim, do you believe that He is who He says He is, or are you going to reject Him. That is what He is calling for you to consider today, How will you respond? Your eternity depends on the answer. I would not take this call lightly, it is the most important question you will ever answer in your life, and that answer will determine if you spend eternity with God, in heaven, in Hell with the evil one. The choice is yours, choose wisely.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me to be a prophet that brings your word to the world. And allow me to be humble enough to see the prophetic word that comes from the mouth of others that I encounter in my life today. Amen.

Mark 16:15-18

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus appeared to the Eleven and said to them:
“Go into the whole world
and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved;
whoever does not believe will be condemned.
These signs will accompany those who believe:
in my name they will drive out demons,
they will speak new languages.
They will pick up serpents with their hands,
and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them.
They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Oratio (Responding)

This is the story of the great commission, the last instruction that Jesus Gave us before He ascended into heaven. So what is God telling His apostles, and by proxy all us today as well? The great commission is one of the most important things Jesus ever told us to do. I like to think of it in this way…, If you had a tried and true, foolproof manual for happiness, and peace, and it made your life so much better, wouldn’t you want to share it with those you love, and if you could, with the whole world. Well, Jesus Christ is the way and the truth and the life, and no one comes to the Father but through Him. This truth combined with all of Jesus’ teachings is what the disciples of Jesus called “the way” and it is indeed the manual to perfect happiness.

If you believe this, and live it, it will bring you true peace, and eternal happiness with God in heaven. If you already know “the way” and already follow it, then I ask, are you sharing it with the world? Do you believe that other can benefit from knowing it as well? Do you think that it is worth sharing? This ultimately, is the point of todays reading and Jesus’ “great commission”…, it does not matter what you think, Jesus is commanding you to go out and share it with the world, and do the things that He said we will all do in His name. It is your duty as His disciple.

And in fact, all of the things that Mark mentions Jesus’ disciples will do, not only happened in the early church, but they are all still happening today.

Mark said we will perform Exorcisms, and infact this is happening more than at anytime in history. Most diocese employ at least 2 or 3 full time exorcists, because the demand is so high.
Mark said we will speak new languages, and infact the gospel has been translated into every known language, and missionaries have preached the word all over the whole world.
Mark said that we will pick up serpents without fear. While this may not be litterally happening in churches all over the world, it is a direct reference to to the church’s authority over evil in this world, and the primary reason why the catholic church is hated more than any other world religion, and under constant attack.
Mark says we will drink deadly things and not be harmed. Again this is metaphor, that is referring to the church’s ability to withstand false teaching. And in fact, the church stands 2000+ years later, teaching and proclaiming the same doctrine that Jesus gave us in His ministry. Yet another reason the world hates the Catholic Curch so much.
Finally Mark says we will heal the sick. This is the most obvious of all of these proclamations, The prevalence of catholic hospitals, catholic social services, catholic orphanages, and catholic street ministries, all over the world attest to this fact.

The book of revelation states that Jesus will not return until several signs have come to pass, and one of those is that the whole world will have the gospel preached to them. In other words the great commission will be fulfilled. You might think that that has already happened, but the Lord has not returned yet, so that means we still have work to do. Jesus died with perfect faith and impells us to strive for the same. We are to be lions of faith and roar the good news to the world. So lets start today.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to proclaim your word, to spread it to the extent that it is possible to do so. amen.

Mark 3:13-19

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus went up the mountain and summoned those whom he wanted
and they came to him.
He appointed Twelve, whom he also named Apostles,
that they might be with him
and he might send them forth to preach
and to have authority to drive out demons:
He appointed the Twelve:
Simon, whom he named Peter;
James, son of Zebedee,
and John the brother of James, whom he named Boanerges,
that is, sons of thunder;
Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew,
Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus;
Thaddeus, Simon the Cananean,
and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

He appointed Twelve, whom he also named Apostles, that they might be with him and he might send them forth to preach and to have authority to drive out demons:

Oratio (Responding)

It says that Jesus calls to himself those whom He desired. Who are these few that He called, they were not like His other disciples, they were called apostles and were give special authority. He appoints 12 of them representing the 12 tribes of Isreal that He is restoring to Himself. But more importantly, apostle means “to be sent.” These men were charged with a special mission to go out to all the world, and to spread His kingdom.

These were Jesus’ first bishops. and they would go out and preach, cast out demons, and ordain new priests and eventually even more bishops, and the kingdom would be spread throughout the whole world. These men were the begining of the church. The church that He would later found in the upper room on the night of His passion. These are the ones that He entrusted with this calling, and they did indeed bring Jesus’ message of peace and love to the whole world. If only all of the bishops of the world today would heed the same call and respect the responsibility of that high office, we might not be in the huge mess that we currently find ourselves in.

But we too as average lay people are called to be apostles as well. We are meant to bring the word of God into all the aspects of our lives, to teach our children, and spouses, and siblings, and parents. We too are entrusted with the great call of bringing His message into the world, and that is what He is saying to you in this reading today, How will you answer this call?

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord help me today to hear your call and to follow your lead and bring your word into the whole world. amen.

Mark 3:7-12

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus withdrew toward the sea with his disciples.
A large number of people followed from Galilee and from Judea.
Hearing what he was doing,
a large number of people came to him also from Jerusalem,
from Idumea, from beyond the Jordan,
and from the neighborhood of Tyre and Sidon.
He told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd,
so that they would not crush him.
He had cured many and, as a result, those who had diseases
were pressing upon him to touch him.
And whenever unclean spirits saw him they would fall down before him
and shout, “You are the Son of God.”
He warned them sternly not to make him known.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

He had cured many and, as a result, those who had diseases were pressing upon him to touch him. And whenever unclean spirits saw him they would fall down before him and shout, “You are the Son of God.”

Oratio (Responding)

The gospel of Mark is the shortest of the four, but it is packed full of information and meaning. Scholars say that even though Mark did not cover all of the stories that are in the other gospels, the ones he did recount, have the most detail. So knowing that, we have to ask why is today’s passage in Mark’s gospel, it seems unnecessary. I believe it is about the testimony of the demons, showing that even the deamons of this world proclaim Jesus is Lord.

The passage says that the crowd was thronging to Him. This would be akin to those scenes where the starving people in Africa are pressing in against the U.N. Food truck, because they are starving and need food. This is how Jesus must have felt, but instead of hunger, the people here, are starving for healing. This is why He needed a boat so that He had a means of respite when He became tired.

But the real reason for this passage, I believe, is to show us today, that those throngs of people that were pressing in on Jesus were all healed, simply by touching Him. Jesus has command over all demons, that they cannot even stand being close to Him, and simply touching Jesus forces them to leave. and when they leave they are forced to proclaim that Jesus is the Son of God.

Incedentally, this also shows very clearly, that no matter how possessed or oppressed by a deamon a person might be, that the human will is still more powerful than anything the possessing deamon can do to stop it. But to put deamons in their place we must make that choice in our mind to choose Jesus over their temptations. That choice is not something they can stop from happening. But if you turn to Jesus, and reach out your hand to him, he will save you from your toment.

This passage is in the gospel, I feel because it was a way for all the people following Jesus to see with their own eyes that Jesus is indeed Lord, because even the deamons proclaim it. And further, It was also for the pharisees that were trying to trap him to recognize that they are indeed wrong about Him.

This is one of those great moment in the bible, like the baptism of Jesus, where the Father declares that Jesus is Lord. The baptism scene was only for His closest followers, this scene, of the mass healings, is for all the rest of us. Jesus simply asks us, in this passage, do you believe, or do you need more evidence. I suggest that we deeply reflect on this quesion, and asks ourselves do we need more evidence…, do we actually believe that Jesus is God, the second person of the trinity? If you dont, what more do you need?

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh Jesus, I believe, help my unbelief. Help me today to recognize that you are the lord of the universe and that you want my friendship and love. I am not worthy of such a gift, but I am sooo grateful.

Mark 3:1-6

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus entered the synagogue.
There was a man there who had a withered hand.
They watched Jesus closely
to see if he would cure him on the sabbath
so that they might accuse him.
He said to the man with the withered hand,
“Come up here before us.”
Then he said to the Pharisees,
“Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil,
to save life rather than to destroy it?”
But they remained silent.
Looking around at them with anger
and grieved at their hardness of heart,
Jesus said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.”
He stretched it out and his hand was restored.
The Pharisees went out and immediately took counsel
with the Herodians against him to put him to death.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Then he said to the Pharisees, “Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?”

Oratio (Responding)

Here again we have a group of pharisees trying to trap Jesus. And once again we have Jesus responding in the perfect way, while at the same time calling out the pharisees for their astonishing hypocrisy. Jesus asks, is it lawful on the sabbath to do good. In the question he is making a reference to the Maccabean revolution. A reference that these Pharisees would not have misunderstood.

During the time of the Maccabean revolution the Greeks attacked Isreal on the sabbath. The jews asked the leaders if it is lawful to fight on the sabbath. They chose to not fight and they were slaughtered. After this tragedy, it became clear to the Greeks that they should only ever attack the Maccabees on the sabbath. And so the Maccabean leaders had to do something, and then decided that it would be lawful to fight in self-defense on the sabbath, in order to save life.

In today’s scene with the Pharisees, Jesus is bringing to mind the Maccabean revolution, and ultimately asking them this one question, if it is lawful to kill on the sabbath in the defense of life, then how much more lawful, would it be to heal life on the sabbath? So Jesus accomplishes two things in this one statement. He clearly makes a case for the lawfulness of His actions, but He also clearly points out the treachery of the pharisees, by showing that they are no different then the Greeks that attack only on the sabbath, in order to catch and defeat their enemy. The insult was not lost on them, but their pride prevented them from understanding and introspection.

Also interesting here is the meaning of the withered hand. In psalm 137, it says “if I ever forget you Jerusalem let my right hand wither.” After Solomon’s death in the divided kingdom, his son Jeroboam fell victim to the temptation of the devil and allowed pagan worship in the northern tribes of Isreal. He sets up two golden calves in bethel and dan and told the people to worship them as the God that saved them from egypt. This idolotry cannot stand, and so the true Lord sent an anonymous man (probably a type of Jesus) to prophesy. This man cries out, and says that the idol will be destroyed, and the son of man will come to restore the Kingdom of Isreal. Jeroboam points at the man and says seize that man, and his hand immediately stiffened, and withers, and he cannot withdraw it (recalling the psalm).

The act of healing that Jesus performs here is not only representative of all of the things mentioned above but it is also a great sign of the fullfillment of prophecy that the anonymous man made to Jereboam. Jesus, by restoring the hand of this crippled jew in capernaum, is telling us that He is essentially healing the wound of Jeroboam, and restoring the 12 tribes to Himself.

The story of Jesus, IS the story of Isreal reaching its ultimate fulfillment. This analogy was also not lost on the jews, and the claim that Jesus is making here is of divinity. The Pharisees cant take it anymore and have to figure out how they are going to deal with this man, and further indict themselves, because they hold counsel (aka. doing work) on the sabbath in order to decide how they are going to destroy Him.

How often does this happen in our lives. How often are we blinded by our ambition and singular focus, and miss the clear message of God’s divine will for our lives. Jesus in this gospel, is pointing out the danger of that reality, and calling us to humility. What will your response be? I hope it is conversion, and change of heart.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to worship you in the way that is right, and true, and to not be distracted by the tempations of this world.

Mark 2:23-28

Lectio (Reading)

As Jesus was passing through a field of grain on the sabbath,
his disciples began to make a path while picking the heads of grain.
At this the Pharisees said to him,
“Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the sabbath?”
He said to them,
“Have you never read what David did
when he was in need and he and his companions were hungry?
How he went into the house of God when Abiathar was high priest
and ate the bread of offering that only the priests could lawfully eat,
and shared it with his companions?”
Then he said to them,
“The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath.
That is why the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath. That is why the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath.

Oratio (Responding)

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to speak clearly, and truthfully, and to follow your model in all things. amen

Mark 2:18-22

Lectio (Reading)

The disciples of John and of the Pharisees were accustomed to fast.
People came to Jesus and objected,
“Why do the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees fast,
but your disciples do not fast?”
Jesus answered them,
“Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them?
As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast.
But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them,
and then they will fast on that day.
No one sews a piece of unshrunken cloth on an old cloak.
If he does, its fullness pulls away,
the new from the old, and the tear gets worse.
Likewise, no one pours new wine into old wineskins.
Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins,
and both the wine and the skins are ruined.
Rather, new wine is poured into fresh wineskins.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast. But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast on that day.

Oratio (Responding)

The pharisees here are trying to scandalize Jesus and separate Him from His disciples. Lets start with a little context…, The pharisees, at this time, made a practice of fasting two days a week in order to morn the destruction of the temple, and the absence of the pressence of the lord. For over 600 years the Glory Cloud was not present in the temple, and all of Isreal was eagerly awaiting the return of the the pressence of the lord to the temple. And so the fasted as they awaited the return of the pressence of the lord.

What these jews did not understand, at this time, was that the thing that all of Jerusalem was waiting for had already happened. At the presentation of Jesus in the temple the fullfillment of all the old prophecy had been completed, and the pressence of the Lord had indeed returned to the temple, in the form of Baby Jesus. And so those disciples of Jesus were no longer mourning, but celebrating, because the pressence of God was litterally with them. And it will not be until the bridegroom leaves them again that they will need to fast. Incidentally, the reason that christians today, fast on fridays, is because it was on Friday that Jesus (the bridegroom) was taken from them.

But returning to today’s narative, The pharisees knew that any jew that did not observe the weekly practice of fasting, was going directly against the teachings of the pharisees, and also the regular practice of praying for the return of the lord. This was clearly upsetting to the pharisees at that time. But what really upset them was Jesus claiming that He is the bridegroom and that His disciples should not fast when He, the bridegroom is with them. But by saying this, Jesus is clearly saying that He is God, and this enraged the pharisees, so much so, that they strarted trying to plan out how they are going to destroy Him for His blasphemy.

But what must it have been like to be with Jesus at this time? They clearly did not fully understand what they had, but still, it must have been amazing. That kind of closeness is what the Lord wants with us all, He yearns to be our friend, to hear our problems and to help us along our journey, but we reject Him and think that we dont need Him, and we fool ourselves into misery. But the secret to this entire problem is to simply open your mind and heart to Him.

“No matter how many steps you take away from Jesus, it is only one step back”, and if you do, you will find him running to you like the father of the prodigal son. So, get some humility, suck up your pride, and turn to Him, now today, dont wait another minute. This decision will forever change your life! If you have already turned back, continue that way, and dont fall away again. And if you are already there, in His loving embrace, then you need to go out, find others, and bring them back to God as well. It is a lifelong journey, and we have only just begun. But start today!

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to recognize you the bridegroom, and to not miss the opportunity I have to be with you right now, help me to not miss it, and to celebrate those moments so that I can be consoled when you are gone. Amen.

John 2:1-11

Lectio (Reading)

There was a wedding at Cana in Galilee,
and the mother of Jesus was there.
Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding.
When the wine ran short,
the mother of Jesus said to him,
“They have no wine.”
And Jesus said to her,
“Woman, how does your concern affect me?
My hour has not yet come.”
His mother said to the servers,
“Do whatever he tells you.”
Now there were six stone water jars there for Jewish ceremonial washings,
each holding twenty to thirty gallons.
Jesus told them,
“Fill the jars with water.”
So they filled them to the brim.
Then he told them,
“Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.”
So they took it.
And when the headwaiter tasted the water that had become wine,
without knowing where it came from
— although the servers who had drawn the water knew —,
the headwaiter called the bridegroom and said to him,
“Everyone serves good wine first,
and then when people have drunk freely, an inferior one;
but you have kept the good wine until now.”
Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs at Cana in Galilee
and so revealed his glory,
and his disciples began to believe in him.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

When the wine ran short, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, how does your concern affect me? My hour has not yet come.”

Oratio (Responding)

This is the story of the wedding at cana. The Gospel of John is the only one of the four gospel writers that recount this story. In his commentary on this gospel, Dr. John Bergsma has claimed that this is because John was the most poetic and mystical of all of the gospel writers, and he wrote his Gospel in this way because he wanted to show that Jesus’ ministry began and ended with a wedding feast. In both the Wedding at Cana, and in His passion on the cross, Jesus is present at a wedding feast and He miraculously provides the means of the celebration.

In Cana, Jesus is at a wedding feast for a close relative, at the cross He is the bridegroom, wedding himself to his Bride the Church. In Cana the wedding is at risk of ending embarassingly early, because of the lack of physical wine, Jesus as the source of superabuncance, provides wine that is better than anything they have ever tasted before. On the Cross, Jesus offers Himself in the eucharist as the the feast, and provides a real food that is not only the best food ever made, but a food that provides eternal life. In Cana, He satisfies completely the immediate need of the people. On the Cross, He offers Himself fully for us, and satisfies completely our eternal needs. The symbolism and beauty of these moments are astounding.

Another beautiful analogy that John employed in his gospel was to make reference to the days of creation in Genesis. Today’s reading takes place on the “third day.” This is chronologically (within the Gospel) the third day after Jesus’ meeting with Nethaniel, but it is also a beautiful reference to the third day of creation in Genesis. On the third day The Lord God created all of the plants of the world (including grapes). All of the plants were ultimately given to man to cultivate, care for and also enjoy. Wine in particular, is a gift from God, and has always been considered a sign of joy and celebration, among all people, for all time, as it is today.

Mary’s role in this reading also reveals some incredible insights. First that it is she that recognizes the need for more wine. A lack of wine would be considered a major problem for the bridegroom at this time. Weddings often were celebrated over a week, and the wine was always at the center of that celebration. It seems clear that because Mary spoke up about this issue reveals that she cared deeply for the new couple and for the success of their celebration. It is quite likely that the couple being married, were close relatives, and very close friends of Mary.

The second interesting thing about Mary in this reading is how she brings this problem to the attentions of Jesus. She recognizes the problem, humbly brings it to the attention of Jesus, and allows Him to solve the problem in the way that He wishes to do so. Jesus’ response to her, brings attention to the importance of this moment and reveals a deep theological insight that Mary is carrying out in this moment. He calls her “woman,” but it was not as an insult. It is impossible to imagine that Jesus would ever intentionally insult His mother. But the word “woman” is used here instead as a reference to the first woman Eve (Eva). Eve took from God something that she was not allowed to have, and thus brought sin into the world. Mary (Ave), on the other hand reverses all of that, and redeems all women, by meekly bringing the needs of the people to the attention of Jesus, and intercesses on their behalf. And so today, Mary still listens to the cries and prayers of all mankind, and brings those intercessions to the feat of Jesus to do with as He wills.

This reading more than most, is evidence that Mary is truly the great intercessor of the people. If you need something, ask mary to ask Jesus, and Jesus will not refuse her. He loves his mother deeply, and he will not ignore her requests. This is truly a wonderful thing to contemplate, because often we think that God is too big to notice our prayers, but Mary is not! She is the mother of all of us, and she wants the best for all of us. But she is also the Mother of God, and she will let Him know when we need something, and He will not refuse her request. So pray for her intercession, and watch miracles happen in your life.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh Lord, help me to do your will, and help me to love mother Mary the way you do. Amen.

Mark 2:13-17

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus went out along the sea.
All the crowd came to him and he taught them.
As he passed by, he saw Levi, son of Alphaeus,
sitting at the customs post.
Jesus said to him, “Follow me.”
And he got up and followed Jesus.
While he was at table in his house,
many tax collectors and sinners sat with Jesus and his disciples;
for there were many who followed him.
Some scribes who were Pharisees saw that Jesus was eating with sinners
and tax collectors and said to his disciples,
“Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
Jesus heard this and said to them,
“Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do.
I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.

Oratio (Responding)

Jesus came to save the sinners, not the righteous. But who in this reading is the greater sinner? The tax collector Levi (aka. Matthew) was indeed a great sinner that was carrying out a great injustice on his own people for money. Tax collectors were hated world-wide, because they made their living by extorting money above and beyond what the king told them to collect. They were often greedy and sometimes violent. But Levi was a Jewish tax collector. He was especially hated because he made his living by taking wealth from the people of Isreal, and out of the temple, and giving it to pagan kings. But despite all this, Levi knew that he was a sinner and we know that he wanted something more. He wanted to live a life that honored and glorified God, and that is why he answered the Lord’s call, and left his post.

The pharisees on the other hand were also great sinners. They use the law to subjegate the jewish people, and their knowledge of it to aggrandize themselves. They would gather together in the sanhedron and make many laws that they placed on the backs of the jewish people. Laws that governed, washing, and eating, and worship. They then used their knowledge of that law to subjugate the people and burden them with many things, and ultimately they placed themselves in a position of honor as the only ones that could arbitrate who was righteous and who was not under that same law. But despite this obvious hypocrisy, the pharisees did not see anything wrong with what they were doing, they thought that they were righteous, and they definitely did not think that they were sinners.

So what is happening here in today’s reading…, the answer is simply that Jesus “did not come to call the righteous but sinners.” But He is a gentleman, and He will not force himself upon you, He is not going to help you if you dont want His help. The sick and the needy recognize their helplessness and are not shy about begging for God’s mercy, and thus that is why Jesus is with them, trying to get them to repent and reconcile their sin and return to full communion with the Lord. The pharisees on the other hand were arogant, and hard hearted, and they didn’t recognize this fact, they do not think that they are the ones that need any help, and as a result, Jesus is not with them. As St. Paul said in Hebrews (paraphrasing) “Jesus does not call the equiped, he equipts the called.” He wants the same for you, He is calling your name, are you ready to join Him? Start by humbly asking for His help.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to recognize my sin, and my weekness, and bring it to you for healing. Amen.

Mark 2:1-12

Lectio (Reading)

When Jesus returned to Capernaum after some days,
it became known that he was at home.
Many gathered together so that there was no longer room for them,
not even around the door,
and he preached the word to them.
They came bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men.
Unable to get near Jesus because of the crowd,
they opened up the roof above him.
After they had broken through,
they let down the mat on which the paralytic was lying.
When Jesus saw their faith, he said to him,
“Child, your sins are forgiven.”
Now some of the scribes were sitting there asking themselves,
“Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming.
Who but God alone can forgive sins?”
Jesus immediately knew in his mind what
they were thinking to themselves,
so he said, “Why are you thinking such things in your hearts?
Which is easier, to say to the paralytic,
‘Your sins are forgiven,’
or to say, ‘Rise, pick up your mat and walk’?
But that you may know
that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth”
–he said to the paralytic,
“I say to you, rise, pick up your mat, and go home.”
He rose, picked up his mat at once,
and went away in the sight of everyone.
They were all astounded
and glorified God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Unable to get near Jesus because of the crowd, they opened up the roof above him. After they had broken through, they let down the mat on which the paralytic was lying. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to him, “Child, your sins are forgiven.”

Oratio (Responding)

I want to start by bringing your attention to the fact that Jesus saw “their” faith, meaning the other people that brought the paralytic, and then looked down at the paralyzed man and said “your” sins are forgiven.

I cannot think of a more poingnant example in the bible of the power of petitionary prayer. Jesus wants us to know that our prayers are efficatious. That when we show love for our fellow man, we move Jesus’ heart to action. We must never forget this, and if you have lost children, or wayward friends, that your prayers for them do not go unheard. They will be answered in time and in His way. We must have faith and trust in God’s will and goodness.

Next, we should look at the ‘granting’ of forgivenes. We in the modern world have a tendency to miss how big a deal it was for Jesus to say this to the paralized man. In the jewish world you could only be forgiven of sin if you made a pilgrimage to the temple, offered a sacrafice, and if God was moved by your sacrifice, then God would forgive you. For a “man” to claim this ability, while outside of the temple walls, was beyond ridiculous to them, and this is why the pharisees called it blasphemy. But then, to prove His divinity, Jesus gave the sign of the physical healing to prove to all present, that He was indeed the Lord.

This must have been an incredible thing to witness, much less to be the paralytic that can now walk. but what is even more amazing is that the pharisees did not get it. they walked away from this moment not astounded that the messiah was here, but that they were upset that He broke the law, and claimed to be God. Bogged down in the law, they totally missed the miracle. How often does this happen to us in our own lives, and in our interactions with other people? Let try to be better today.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to not miss the miracle, to see your healing and redemptive work all around us. So that I can praise and worship you completely, and be redeamed as well. Amen.

Mark 1:40-45

Lectio (Reading)

A leper came to him and kneeling down begged him and said,
“If you wish, you can make me clean.”
Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand,
touched the leper, and said to him,
“I do will it. Be made clean.”
The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean.
Then, warning him sternly, he dismissed him at once.
Then he said to him, “See that you tell no one anything,
but go, show yourself to the priest
and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed;
that will be proof for them.”
The man went away and began to publicize the whole matter.
He spread the report abroad
so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly.
He remained outside in deserted places,
and people kept coming to him from everywhere.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Oratio (Responding)

This line “if you will it, you can make me clean” is how I begin my nightly examine everyday. This is one of those expressions of pure faith (like James’ statement: “my Lord and my God”), that express the deepest yearnings of our hearts. We need to learn how to incorporate these expressions into our daily lives, because they speak to something that is very important in our lives, and that is to talk to God from the very depths of our hearts.

This healing from Jesus would have been scandalous to the temple leaders at that time. Lepers were considered unclean, and no leper could ever be allowed to even come close any of the pious jews. In fact, they were required to yell out “unclean, unclean” when they came near anyone else. But Jesus turns that all around. By touching the leper, instead of being made unclean Himself, He made the leper clean. There is another reason why this healing would be scandalous to the temple leaders. When Jesus says “be made clean,” he is claiming the authority and power of God in Heaven. The word “be” here, is the same word that God the Father spoke when He created the universe. Bringing to mind that God is the creator of all things, and that that all things bow to His power and authority, and it penetrates everything. Disease, possession, and even our social constructs.

The stain of sin is something that we alone as humans bring upon ourselves, but it is a stain that we cannot remove on our own. Only God has the power to remove the stain from our souls. And so we are then left with this humble petition for God to save us, and to be made clean. We cannot do it without Him. God is more than willling to do it if we simply ask…, but we must ask.

So, like the leper in this story, we must be humble in our petitions, but we must be bold in our asking. Do not be afraid, God is waiting for us, to just ask.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help us today to humbly ask for your forgiveness, and allow you to clean us from the stain of sin, amen.

Mark 1:29-39

Lectio (Reading)

On leaving the synagogue
Jesus entered the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John.
Simon’s mother-in-law lay sick with a fever.
They immediately told him about her.
He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up.
Then the fever left her and she waited on them.

When it was evening, after sunset,
they brought to him all who were ill or possessed by demons.
The whole town was gathered at the door.
He cured many who were sick with various diseases,
and he drove out many demons,
not permitting them to speak because they knew him.

Rising very early before dawn,
he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed.
Simon and those who were with him pursued him
and on finding him said, “Everyone is looking for you.”
He told them, “Let us go on to the nearby villages
that I may preach there also.
For this purpose have I come.”
So he went into their synagogues, preaching and driving out demons
throughout the whole of Galilee.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Simon’s mother-in-law lay sick with a fever. They immediately told him about her. He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up. Then the fever left her and she waited on them.

Oratio (Responding)

A lot of feminists love to use this reading to impugn Jesus, as a mysoginist, or at the very least as a represention of a society that “tells women that they have to serve men.” I suggest an alternative explanation.

Simon’s mother was very ill for many days, and she had a high fever. We have all been sick with a high fever, and we can all confirm that it is miserable. I believe that when Jesus rebuked the fever, it was likely immediately gone, as well as what was causing the fever. Can you imagine being completely, instantaneously, relieved of an illness like that? I bet she had never felt better in her life.

So my theory is that she, feeling amazing, wanted to do something in return for this man that just did a miracle for her. She was a mother and a wife, and the one thing she knew how to do was to take care of her family and thus welcoming Jesus into her family, she did the small thing she could in return…, and took care of Jesus, and the other members of her family. I do not see this as anything other than a beautiful response of love, to an amazing gift from God. It should not be contorted into anything other than that.

So I ask you, what gifts has God given you in your life? Have you recognized them for the miracles that they are? if not, why not? God is constantly working in our lives daily, and He is constantly healing all kinds of maladies. Do you recognize that? Today look for the “little” miracles that happen all the time, and use them as an opportunity to move closer to God, and to invite God into your life and family as well.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord help me today to recognize your gifts for what they are, incredible gifts of love. amen.

Mark 1:21-28

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus came to Capernaum with his followers,
and on the sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught.
The people were astonished at his teaching,
for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes.
In their synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit;
he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth?
Have you come to destroy us?
I know who you are–the Holy One of God!”
Jesus rebuked him and said, “Quiet! Come out of him!”
The unclean spirit convulsed him and with a loud cry came out of him.
All were amazed and asked one another,
“What is this?
A new teaching with authority.
He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him.”
His fame spread everywhere throughout the whole region of Galilee.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

The people were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes.

Oratio (Responding)

What does this mean to say, that He did not teach as the scribes do? The scribes were the keeper of the scripture, and when they taught they would simply recite the scriptures, only adding contextual understanding and maybe definitional understanding, when needed. I suspect that they probably spent very little time explaining and teaching on what the readings should mean to their audience in their time. This process is called “exegesis”. This is what is supposed to happen at sunday mass. If you have a wise and knowlegeable priest that can unpack the bible and make it relevant to your life today, you should be very grateful, for this process is not easy, and requires a lot of study and preparation.

This is what I suspect that Jesus was doing in this passage. He was unpacking the scriptures, connecting them to other scriptures, and giving deeper understanding, and explanation to the audience. This is a really important part of any study of the bible, and it is what I am trying to do here every day. The great majority of christians go to mass only once a week, if at all, and that 15 minutes of the priests homily is the only bible study they get all week, so it is really, really important that it is explained in a way that is digestible, and applicable to their lives, this this world today.

So lets dicsuss what is happening in todays scripture. What does it mean to teach with authority? Well this reflects back to the book of Deuteronomy. Near the end, right before they cross the Jordan and enter into the promised land, Moses gives a speech. It is the last thing he will say to his fellow Jews before he dies. In that speech he tells them that the LORD with raise up for them a prophet “like” him, from among his kin. This word “like” is crucial here, because it can mean “similar to” or “equal to”. The jewish people believed that there was no human before or after Moses that was equal to him, not even the great prophets like Isaiah or Jeremiah. So this prophesy can only mean one thing, that the messiah will come from the jews, and will be not only equal to, but greater than Moses.

So in todays reading, the Jews murmur among themselves, thinking…, “who is this man that teaches with authority.” they are saying that Jesus is teaching like the prophet that Moses prophesied. And teaching as if He has that authority that was foretold by Moses. What I find really interesting is that it is not the chosen people that recognize that Jesus is actually that promised prophet, but it is the deamons that do. And they recognize that Jesus is, the one whom all the prophets after Moses, fortold, and that he is not only equal to Moses, but that He is the great high priest, The Son of God, and the Messiah that they have all been waiting for.

This is a lesson for us all, that we should not presume to know what everything that happens in the world means. That we need to be humble and listen for God’s teaching, and recognize Him when He appears in our lives, even if it is the most unlikely of persons that points Him out to you. Nevertheless, What a scene this must have been…, It would have been amazing to hear the Word of God, explained by God Himself. I hope that when we get to heaven we will get to do just that, and a million other amazing and wonderful things that God has planned for us in eternity with Him in Heaven.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to come to know you better, so that I can share your word with all the world. amen.

Mark 1:14-20

Lectio (Reading)

After John had been arrested,
Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the Gospel of God:
“This is the time of fulfillment.
The Kingdom of God is at hand.
Repent, and believe in the Gospel.”

As he passed by the Sea of Galilee,
he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea;
they were fishermen.
Jesus said to them,
“Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
Then they left their nets and followed him.
He walked along a little farther
and saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John.
They too were in a boat mending their nets.
Then he called them.
So they left their father Zebedee in the boat
along with the hired men and followed him.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Jesus said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Then they abandoned their nets and followed him.

Oratio (Responding)

This passage sets a very high bar for all of us. To ask anyone to give up everything they know and love to follow an unknown man, Jesus, is a lot to ask. But to do so, as these men did…, to simply respond to Jesus’ call, seems unbelievable. The Father in heaven and the holy spirit must have supplied them with so much grace that the decision must have been clear as a green traffic light. But it is still amazing to me 2000 years later.

For more context though, and to help you understand how dramatic this scene actually is, I want to explain the culture in the jewish community, at this time. A young jewish man was expected to help his father in the family trade, and eventually, one day take it over completely. There was only one acceptable reason to leave the family trade or business, and that was if you were instead going to the temple, to study the torah under the Pharisees, and maybe someday become a Rabbi. Any other reason would be considered abandoning your family for selfish reasons. And dont be fooled, that is exactly what these men were doing in todays reading, and it was truly dramatic. I think John Bergsma sums it up nicely… “They gave up their profession (“nets”) and family relationships (“father”) to follow Jesus.”

We moderns, with lens of history can look back on this moment and we can tell that these men were leaving their families and their professions for an even higher reason than studying the torah. They were leaving to study under the great High Priest, the Messiah, the Son of God, Jesus Chirst, and they were leaving so that they could eventually be the new priests and bishops of the new church that Jesus would create. But these men, at that time, did not know that, they simply trusted in the man Jesus, and their faith carried them to the end.

We are all called to do the same. You are probably not being called give up “everything”, and become like St. Francis, but you are being called. Further, I do not believe that Jesus is saying here, that family or work are necessarily bad…, but He is very clearly saying that the things of this world cannot take precedence in your life, over God. But regardless of the extent to which Jesus is calling you, there is no doubt that Jesus is calling you to something higher, and He is looking to you to respond in a way that will ultimately bring glory to His Kingdom in Heaven.

So you need to set down your nets, and you need to take a moment and listen for what Jesus is calling you to do, and when you hear that call you must put everything else aside and respond. Your present life, your ultimate happiness, and your eternity in heaven with God depend on the choice you make. So choose wisely.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh Lord, help me today to hear your call, to choose to follow you, and to not be concerned with the worries and fears that come with doing your will and following your call. Amen.

Luke 3:15-16, 21-22

Lectio (Reading)

The people were filled with expectation,
and all were asking in their hearts
whether John might be the Christ.
John answered them all, saying,
“I am baptizing you with water,
but one mightier than I is coming.
I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals.
He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”

After all the people had been baptized
and Jesus also had been baptized and was praying,
heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon him
in bodily form like a dove.
And a voice came from heaven,
“You are my beloved Son;
with you I am well pleased.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

After all the people had been baptized and Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

Oratio (Responding)

Today’s reading tells the story of the baptism of Jesus. Why does the king of the universe need to be baptised, He is not a sinner, and He is the fully divine second person of the trinity. It seems almost scandalous (at worst), and totally useless (at best) for God to be baptised for the forgiveness of sin. But there are actually several things happening, here that are of great importance. The church fathers mention multiple reasons for why this moment is happening, and I would like to dig into those now.

We begin by remembering what Jesus came into the world to do…, His mission was to teach us how to worship and love God, and to show us “the way” He wants us to live. Jesus was fully devine, but He was also fully man. But human flesh is fallen because of original sin, and thus must be baptised, in order to be cleansed. Jesus came to live a perfect human life, and show us the way, thus He must also be baptised in order to be that perfect example for us as well. St. Paul said: “nothing unclean can enter heaven.” and so we must be cleaned (in baptism) so that we can enter heaven. John was baptising for the forgiveness of sins, and so Jesus, by submitting this act, was in a very clear way certifying this act and telling His diciples that they too need to to the same, and to continue this practice amongst all of their followers, for all time.

Next is the location of this act. It is believed by many scholars, that this is the very spot on the banks of the Jordan where the ark sat when the irealites, after wandering in the desert for 40 years, finally cross over into the promised land. This place clearly has great significance for the jews and God. It represents the ultimate promise of salvation for the jews from the slavery to the egyptians. It also calls to mind the crossing of the red sea, when the jews (followed) by the egyptians plunged into the very depths of the sea, and only the jews made it to the other side, the egyptians were swallowed up by the sea and perished. A similar thing is happening in baptism. The word litterally means “drown” or “submerge.” It is symbolic act of pluging into the sacramental waters, dying to your sin, and then rising on the other side a new creation (child of God), freed from slavery, but this time it is freedom from sin.

The last reason that I have found the fathers speak of is that Jesus, by allowing himself to be baptised in the Jordan, is actually sanctifying the waters of the whole world with His blessing. Meaning that all of the waters of the world, and all of the people that will be baptised after Him will also be blessed by this single act. Evidence for this can be found in the words used for the Dove (Holy Spirit) descending upon the waters, This expression and imagery is only used one other place in the bible (Genesis 1) where it says that the spirit hovered over the water and created the land, and plants and animals, and eventually man. This imagery invokes the metaphor of new creation, and that is what indeed happens at baptism, we die to our old life, and are born again as beloved son’s and daughters of God.

I dont know if all of these reasons are correct, but I suspect they all are correct, in some degree. Nevertheless, this is, no doubt, one of the most important moments in the whole bible. You will notice that all 3 persons of the trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) are present at this moment. This is not to be missed…, baptism is the most important of all of the 7 sacraments. None of the other sacraments are even possible without baptism. It is the golden ticket that you need in order to enter heaven, assuming that you are in a state of grace. But you cannot enter heaven without being baptised.

Thus the significance of this moment cannot be understated. And the importance of Baptism for you and your life, is not to be taken lightly either. If you are not baptised, or your kids are not, dont wait another moment, talk to your priest today, the eternity of you and your children’s soul could very well depend on it. For those of you that are baptised, and read this, today is an opportunity for us all to recall our own baptism, and to reflect on how far we have fallen from the singular sanctifying moment. If it is far you need to get to confession, and restore that baptismal promise that was made many years ago. It is the key to our salvation, and the only way that we can come back into communion with God, after the fall, embrace it, remember you baptismal day, and stay close to the sacraments so that you can find your way to heaven, and an eternity with God forever.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to speak your truth, and spread your word about faith and baptism to the whole world. amen.

John 3:22-30

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus and his disciples went into the region of Judea,
where he spent some time with them baptizing.
John was also baptizing in Aenon near Salim,
because there was an abundance of water there,
and people came to be baptized,
for John had not yet been imprisoned.
Now a dispute arose between the disciples of John and a Jew
about ceremonial washings.
So they came to John and said to him,
“Rabbi, the one who was with you across the Jordan,
to whom you testified,
here he is baptizing and everyone is coming to him.”
John answered and said,
“No one can receive anything except what has been given from heaven.
You yourselves can testify that I said that I am not the Christ,
but that I was sent before him.
The one who has the bride is the bridegroom;
the best man, who stands and listens for him,
rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice.
So this joy of mine has been made complete.
He must increase; I must decrease.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

You yourselves can testify that I said that I am not the Christ, but that I was sent before him. The one who has the bride is the bridegroom; the best man, who stands and listens for him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. So this joy of mine has been made complete. He must increase; I must decrease.”

Oratio (Responding)

John’s words in this reading “He must increase; I must decrease.” echo throughout the centuries. It is prophetic, but it also reveals a deep theological understanding of who he was, but more importantly who Jesus was.

First I want to focus on the location of these events, and what is happening there. John was in “Aenon near Salim,” this place is not really known today, but many scholars claim that it was near Salem, the anchient home of the mysterious Melchizadek, who was the both the king and great high priest of Salem. This has importance because of Jesus and all of his disciples are said to be priests forever in the line of Melchizadek. So when considering the location and what Jesus and His disciples are doing (performing the priestly role of batism) we see that there is great significance in what is happening at this moment. Jesus has assembled his first apostles, taken up a position in the desert near John the Baptist, stated His ministry, and is carrying out the priestly role of baptising souls for the forgiveness of sins.

John’s disciples are arguing about what they should do about this. John responds with what seems like divine understanding. He recognizes Jesus as the Christ, the one that will unite all of the tribes of Israel, and reign as great high king. John also sees that Jesus has gathered His apostles (His Bride the church), and started His ministry. John knows his role was simply that of the precursor. To, as Isaiah said, prepare the way of the lord, and make straight His path. And now that the king is here, it is now time for Him to decrease so that the Lord Jesus, can increase. John does not want to compete with Jesus, he wants Jesus to rise to the mission that He was entrusted…, like St. John Chrisostom said “that he should be happy to see all his followers desert him, to run to Jesus Christ.”

But that decrease is not just to disappear, he is saying that his time is at an end. That he is to give everything, his ministry, his disciples, his blessing, and even his life to support the mission of Jesus. And this is infact what happened. Soon after this momemnt, He challenges Herods adultery, is put in prison and ultimately is executed because of Herod’s jealousy and pride. Bernard Orchard references this in his commentary, that the traditional breviary (Aug. 29) reads: “John dwindled by decapitation, Christ grew on the cross.” That is what decrease means, to die to yourself, so that Christ can increase and you can rise with Him, and this is why John say that His joy has now been made complete. He has fulfilled his mission, and it is time for Jesus’s to begin.

And this is ultimately the call that God wants us all to face. It is the choice between choosing God’s will for our lives and letting go of our own. All of the sin of this world comes from people saying the opposite of John, “that I must increase, and everyone else (including God), must decrease. This only causes pain and suffering. To follow God’s will for your life will bring you the most happiness and joy, and will ultimately lead you to heaven. This is your call today, ask God how you can decrease, and how you can allow Him to increase in your life. This, I promise, will change your life.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me understand today how you want me to decrease, and how I can let you increase in me and in the world around me, Amen.

Luke 5:12-16

Lectio (Reading)

It happened that there was a man full of leprosy in one of the towns where Jesus was;
and when he saw Jesus,
he fell prostrate, pleaded with him, and said,
“Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.”
Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him, and said,
“I do will it. Be made clean.”
And the leprosy left him immediately.
Then he ordered him not to tell anyone, but
“Go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing
what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.”
The report about him spread all the more,
and great crowds assembled to listen to him
and to be cured of their ailments,
but he would withdraw to deserted places to pray.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Oratio (Responding)

This healing from Jesus would have been scandalous to the temple leaders at that time. Lepers were considered unclean, and no leper could ever be allowed to even come close any of the pious jews. In fact, they were required to yell out “unclean, unclean” when they came near anyone else. But Jesus turns that all around. By touching the leper, instead of being made unclean Himself, He made the leper clean. There is another reason why this healing would be scandalous to the temple leaders. When Jesus says “be made clean,” he is claiming the authority and power of God in Heaven. The word “be” here, is the same word that God the Father spoke when He created the universe. Bringing to mind that god is the creator of all things, and that that all things bow to His power and authority, and it penetrates everything. Disease, possession, and even our social constructs.

The stain of sin is something that we alone as humans bring upon ourselves, but it is a stain that we cannot remove on our own. Only God has the power to remove the stain from our souls. And so we are then left with this humble petition for God to save us, and to clean us. We cannot do it without Him. God is more than willling to do it if we simply ask…, but we must ask.

So, like the leper in this story, we must be humble in our petitions, but we must be bold in our asking. Do not be afraid, God is waiting for us, to just ask.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help us today to humbly ask for your forgiveness, and allow you to clean us from the stain of sin, amen.

Luke 4:14-22

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit,
and news of him spread throughout the whole region.
He taught in their synagogues and was praised by all.

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring glad tidings to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.

Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down,
and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him.
He said to them,
“Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.”
And all spoke highly of him
and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Oratio (Responding)

But He is also making this statement and claim to you as well today. He is saying that I am the one that you too are waiting for, the one that was sent to save you from your sins…, Do you accept this claim, do you believe that He is who He says He is, or are you going to reject Him too? That is what He is calling for you to consider today, How will you respond? I would not take this call lightly, it is the most important question you will ever answer in your life, and that answer will determine if you spend eternity with God, in heaven…, or in Hell with the evil one. The choice is yours, choose wisely.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Mark 6:45-52

Lectio (Reading)

After the five thousand had eaten and were satisfied,
Jesus made his disciples get into the boat
and precede him to the other side toward Bethsaida,
while he dismissed the crowd.
And when he had taken leave of them,
he went off to the mountain to pray.
When it was evening,
the boat was far out on the sea and he was alone on shore.
Then he saw that they were tossed about while rowing,
for the wind was against them.
About the fourth watch of the night,
he came toward them walking on the sea.
He meant to pass by them.
But when they saw him walking on the sea,
they thought it was a ghost and cried out.
They had all seen him and were terrified.
But at once he spoke with them,
“Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid!”
He got into the boat with them and the wind died down.
They were completely astounded.
They had not understood the incident of the loaves.
On the contrary, their hearts were hardened.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

About the fourth watch of the night, he came toward them walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them.

Oratio (Responding)

Todays reading is the story of Jesus walking on water. In Matthew’s version of this story we normally focus on the miracle of Peter being called out of the boat to stand with Jesus on the water. But in Mark’s version he leaves out this episode, and instead focuses directly about the miracle of Jesus walking on water, and Mark gives us a lot of extra, very interesting details, and I want to focus on those.

The reading starts with Jesus sending His discples ahead of him in boats to the other side of the sea. And Jesus stays behind to pray. This event happens directly after the feeding of the five thousand, and He wants to pray, and He wants His disciples to go out and contend with that miracle as well. Many of the disciples are still not able to understand what they saw, and they do not know (or believe) who Jesus really is, and are contending with the reality that Jesus is actually God, and some do not understand the miracle of the bread. As such as they go out onto the sea they are being tossed about by the world.

Then it says “about the fourth watch,” Jesus comes walking on the sea. The fourth watch of the night consisted of the hours just before dawn (3am to 6am). They were considered the darkest of hours, and some scholars suggest that these are the hours where the deamons are most active. It is at this time that Jesus comes walking “by” them, not “to” them. Jesus was showing that He was near, but was waiting for them to cry out to Him. And when they do, Jesus speaks, says take courage, and gets in the boat. Immediately the winds die down, and they are all astounded.

I think the message is clear here. Jesus performs miracles in our lives all the time. We hardly ever notice them. Many of us even reject them and the part that God plays in bringing them to us. As a result we are tossed about by the trials and tribulations of life, and we are often terrified. But Jesus is always there, and always watching, and when the times are hardest, and the hour is darkest, that is when He comes near. You only need cry out to Him, and He will be with you. And when He climbs into your boat, the storms will cease, and the tribulations will dissappear.

This is the message that God wants you to understand…, that He is always with you. Good times and Bad, it is up to you to recognize that, and invite Him into every moment of your life. He wants to be with you, but He will not force Himself upon you, you must call Him to you. But be assured that when you do He will be there, and your life will be forever changed. This is the call today, invite Him into your life and watch the world around you calm into peace.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to invite you into every aspect of my life, and to believe that you are God, and that with you all things are possible, amen!

Mark 6:34-44

Lectio (Reading)

When Jesus saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them,
for they were like sheep without a shepherd;
and he began to teach them many things.
By now it was already late and his disciples approached him and said,
“This is a deserted place and it is already very late.
Dismiss them so that they can go
to the surrounding farms and villages
and buy themselves something to eat.”
He said to them in reply,
“Give them some food yourselves.”
But they said to him,
“Are we to buy two hundred days’ wages worth of food
and give it to them to eat?”
He asked them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.”
And when they had found out they said,
“Five loaves and two fish.”
So he gave orders to have them sit down in groups on the green grass.
The people took their places in rows by hundreds and by fifties.
Then, taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven,
he said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to his disciples
to set before the people;
he also divided the two fish among them all.
They all ate and were satisfied.
And they picked up twelve wicker baskets full of fragments
and what was left of the fish.
Those who ate of the loaves were five thousand men.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

So he gave orders to have them sit down in groups on the green grass. The people took their places in rows by hundreds and by fifties. Then, taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before the people;

Oratio (Responding)

From 5 barley loaves, and 2 fish, 5000 people ate their fill and there were 12 baskets of fragments left over. This miracle is a fulfillment of the promise and abundance of God’s love, it prefigures the miracle of transubstantiation that Jesus created at the last supper, and it forsadows the miracle of the eucharistic that happens at every mass. The numbers mentioned here are very intresting to consider as well. The young boy represents the jewish people bringing their meager offering to the Lord, the 5 loaves represents the 5 books of the torah (the law), the 2 fish represents the teachings of the prophets, the 5000 represents a great multitude of the worlds people, and the 12 baskets represents the 12 tribes of isreal, and the new gathering in of the dispersed people of Isreal.

But there is much more to this event than simply the miracle of multiplication, it is actually a fullfillment of the all of the care and protection that God provided the Jews in the old testament, and a prefigurement of the future and how god will provide all that we need in the eucharist? There are many times in the old testament that stories have forshadow the this moment of the 5000, and the future feeding of the whole world in the eucharist. You could start with Joseph storing up grain in egypt for Pharoah, and then feeding the whole world when the famine came. Also with Moses in the desert, asking for God to give them food, and the Lord sends down manna in the morning, and quail in the evening, and all were fed. Or you could look to 1st Kings where Elisha feeds 100 people from 20 barley loaves.

All of these moments forshadow todays reading, and the future miracle of the eucharist but the ties between Elisha in the old testament, and Jesus at the last supper are very striking. They both occur close to the time of passover. They both consist of the people sitting down and reclining. They both consist of the great high priest saying the words of institution…, Take this bread, give thanks, break the bread and distribute to all that are present. You do not have to be a bible scholar to see the connections, and it is truly remarkable when you really think about it. This moment had be planned and forseen by God from the very beginning.

Ultimately, most of us still need food to live, and our time in this world is often devoted to the procurement and consumption of these earthly goods. But with great faith “our daily bread” in the eucharist, is really all that we need to survive. And as proof of this, there are even miracles of saints that lived for years on only the bread and wine of the eucharist. But for the rest of us with a small faith, the gift of the eucharist will, over time, start to transform our small gifts into a superabundant food that will ultimately sustain us for all eternity.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord Help me to see every gift given from god in the same way. Amen.

Matthew 4:12-17, 23-25

Lectio (Reading)

When Jesus heard that John had been arrested,
he withdrew to Galilee.
He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum by the sea,
in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali,
that what had been said through Isaiah the prophet
might be fulfilled:

Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,
the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles,
the people who sit in darkness
have seen a great light,
on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death
light has arisen.

From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say,
“Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

He went around all of Galilee,
teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom,
and curing every disease and illness among the people.
His fame spread to all of Syria,
and they brought to him all who were sick with various diseases
and racked with pain,
those who were possessed, lunatics, and paralytics,
and he cured them.
And great crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, and Judea,
and from beyond the Jordan followed him.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Oratio (Responding)

This passage may seem to be a simple narative about movements and actions of the various characters at that time. However, there is a major thing happening here, even if it is not immediately obvious. This passage marks the official beginning of Jesus’s Ministry. St. Jerome, writing about this, says “Christ begins to preach as soon as John was delivered to prison, because when the Law ceased, the Gospel commenced.” What he is saying here, is that before this moment the law consisted of the teachings of Moses, the Sages, and the centuries of prophets, but now that all will be fulfilled in the teachings of Jesus Christ, known as the gospel.

The “kingdom” before this moment consisted of the kingdom of David and the protocols and traditions that were established therin. One of those traditions was that of the queen mother. David was annointed by God, and upon his death his son Solomon inherited the kingdom. And at this time Solomon’s mother (Bathsheba), not one of his wives, became the queen of the kingdom. This tradition was then repeated throughout the generations until the moment of todays reading.

John’s preaching, represented the fullfillment of all of the law and the prophets. The old tradition of queen mothers is ultimately fulfilled in Mary the queen mother of Jesus, and finally Jesus would be annointed the last of the Davidic Kings who would reighn over the new and final kingdom in heaven.

So the old dividic kingdom has come to an end, and Jesus builds the kingdom in heaven. This is what all of the Old Testament was pointing to, what all of the prophesies fortold, and what all of the people of isreal were waiting for. But instead of hearing the preaching of John, and heeding his warnings, and seeing the fullfillment of all prophesy in the person of Jesus Christ, the pharisees instead rejected john, imprisoned him, and eventually martyred him. The pharisees, ultimately rejected the law, and the prophets, chose themselves instead. And eventually they would kill their king as well. This moment marks the point were the new covenant will begin, and this new covenant will be proclaimed by the gospel.

The gospel is the way and the truth and the life. It is, in a word, Jesus. This gospel is the new teaching of the “kingdom of heaven,” and it is indeed now at hand. But how can the kingdom be at hand? Because Jesus is remaking the davidic kingdom in himself. Jesus’ life death and resurrection was the work that built this new kingdom. It did not exist before Jesus’ sacrificial action. This is why Jesus is our saviour, he created a place for us to be with him in eternal happiness, and he showed us the way to live so that we will be invited into eternity with him, and then He open the gates, so that we too could enter upon our deaths.

This is why the kingdom is at hand. Because its gates lie before us, the invitation is real, and the oportunity for eternal happiness simply awaits our assent. What an incredible gift that Jesus has placed at our feet, we simply need to bend down and pick it up. The old is over, and the new has begun, and we should indeed repent in the light of this new covenant and promise. The gates of heaven are now wide open to, if you simply repent, and humby ask for God’s forgiveness…, the eternity of happiness awaits.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, thank you for loving us so much that you would send your son, to open the gates of heaven to us, and show us the way to reconcile our sin with you. We truly do not have any way to fully express our gratitude, but Thank you anyway, Amen.

Matthew 2:1-12

Lectio (Reading)

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea,
in the days of King Herod,
behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying,
“Where is the newborn king of the Jews?
We saw his star at its rising
and have come to do him homage.”
When King Herod heard this,
he was greatly troubled,
and all Jerusalem with him.
Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people,
He inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea,
for thus it has been written through the prophet:
And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
since from you shall come a ruler,
who is to shepherd my people Israel.”
Then Herod called the magi secretly
and ascertained from them the time of the star’s appearance.
He sent them to Bethlehem and said,
“Go and search diligently for the child.
When you have found him, bring me word,
that I too may go and do him homage.”
After their audience with the king they set out.
And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them,
until it came and stopped over the place where the child was.
They were overjoyed at seeing the star,
and on entering the house
they saw the child with Mary his mother.
They prostrated themselves and did him homage.
Then they opened their treasures
and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod,
they departed for their country by another way.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.”

Oratio (Responding)

The Wise men came to do him Homage…, I don’t think that the word “homage” in this translation does justice to what is actually being said here. The word in greek (proskynēsai), means to “lay down in front of” or “worship”. The Douay Rheims version of the bible translates this word as “adore” which I think is much better.

So why were strangers coming from distant lands to adore the new king, when at the same time, the people that He was promised to, were trying to kill him. Well the answer is pride and power. The Magi were wise learned men, that have read all of the prophecies and recognized the signs and were humble enough to come and honor the new king. They had nothing to gain, and much to lose, but they came anyway because their love for God was more important than any of their wealth or power.

Herod on the other hand, was a usurper to the throne of David, he had much to lose and nothing to gain by coming to recognize the new king, He loved his power and his wealth, too much to recognize the rightful king of the Jews, and heir to the throne of David…, an heir to “his” throne. You could say the same thing for the pharisees and scribes. They too were usuprers. They were not priests of the tribe of Levi, and they only had their power because the Romans gave it to them.

Nevertheless, and it is easy to miss in this reading, but you will notice that Herod first assembles all of the scribes and pharisees, to hear the news from the magi, and it even says therein, that all of Jerusalem was greatly troubled by this news. This does not mean the faithful Jews that have been waiting thousands of years for this moment were distressed. But it points directly to all of the people in power at this time. Namely the Romans, King Herod, and all the leaders of the temple. They all knew that if a new king were to arrise, one that all of prophecy had foretold, one from the line of David, one that is the true son of God, then that would mean that all of their authority would be questioned, and their tenuous hold on power would be threatened. And that is why they all started scheming a plan to eliminate this threat.

So what is the message for us today? We too have to make the same choice. Do we choose the world, and the things it offers, power, and wealth, or do we recognize the Lord, when He comes into our lives? Do we humbly respond to His offer of eternal happiness, or do we allow the allurements of this world to pull us away from right relationship with Him. I do hope that you will choose the Lord, and eternal perfection with Him in Heaven forever.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to choose you over this world, am.

John 1:35-42

Lectio (Reading)

John was standing with two of his disciples,
and as he watched Jesus walk by, he said,
“Behold, the Lamb of God.”
The two disciples heard what he said and followed Jesus.
Jesus turned and saw them following him and said to them,
“What are you looking for?”
They said to him, “Rabbi” (which translated means Teacher),
“where are you staying?”
He said to them, “Come, and you will see.”
So they went and saw where he was staying,
and they stayed with him that day.
It was about four in the afternoon.
Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter,
was one of the two who heard John and followed Jesus.
He first found his own brother Simon and told him,
“We have found the Messiah,” which is translated Christ.
Then he brought him to Jesus.
Jesus looked at him and said,
“You are Simon the son of John;
you will be called Cephas,” which is translated Peter.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Jesus turned and saw them following him and said to them, “What are you looking for?”

Oratio (Responding)

Anytime that Jesus asks one of His disciples a question, it is a good practice to ask yourself the same question. So “what are you looking for?” Andrew and Peter were drawn to Jesus because of what John said, and they followed Him because of their curiosity, and because they new that john was proclaiming the coming of the messiah.

I think most of us would be just as curious, and would have probably responded in the same way, but today that question has a more poingnant demand on us. So if you are a “seeking” christian today, this question is actually a higher bar. What are you looking for? Are you looking for answers? for peace? for salvation? for everything?

The gospel today makes two calls on us. The first is to understand, what was Jesus saying in the context of the culture at that time…, in the translation of the ancient texts…, and in how those statements are relevant to our lives today. The second call is to be humble enough to allow the gospel to rule your life completely, to accept these teachings as true, to trust that Jesus is indeed God, and to have faith that He will lead, protect, and provide for you, everything you will ever need in this life.

For me this is what it means to be a christian. If I beleive this, then the answer to what I am looking for…, is Jesus! For He is the way and the truth and the life, and no one comes to the Father, except by Him. What else could you ever need?

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to believe, and trust you, and to follow you whereever you lead me. Amen.

John 1:29-34

Lectio (Reading)

John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said,
“Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.
He is the one of whom I said,
‘A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me
because he existed before me.’
I did not know him,
but the reason why I came baptizing with water
was that he might be made known to Israel.”
John testified further, saying,
“I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from the sky
and remain upon him.
I did not know him,
but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me,
‘On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain,
he is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’
Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.

Oratio (Responding)

The lamb of god. What a thing to say. We moderns have a tendency to gloss over this and miss how significant it is. We today tend to think that this is a reference to Jesus’ nature, meek, and peacful. And while that is true…, There is also a much more meaningful reason as well.

No first century jew did not know what lambs were used for…, the passover sacrafice. Every jewish man was supposed to raise lambs, pick the very best one, and every year bring it to the temple for the passover sacrafice. And what was the passover sacrifice done for? It was for the forgiveness of sins of him and his family.

But John calls Jesus the Lamb of god, who takes away the sins of the world. This reference can mean only one thing that Jesus is the lamb that God himself is offering for the forgiveness of all sins for all of the world. But it is also a direct reference to prophecy of the messiah. Jesus is the messiah, but He is also the God of the universe, the one promised for centuries to the jews.

But even more incredbly, for John to say such a thing out loud for all to hear was not only considered blasphemy by the jews, but it was an offense against the romans, that required execution as the punishment. That is of course, Unless Jesus really is God. We today, know that to be true, but many at this time did not. and so the shock factor on John’s statement cannot be understated.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to recognize your greatness and your kingship. and to give you the proper and due honer required. amen.

John 1:19-28

Lectio (Reading)

This is the testimony of John.
When the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to him
to ask him, “Who are you?”
he admitted and did not deny it, but admitted,
“I am not the Christ.”
So they asked him,
“What are you then? Are you Elijah?”
And he said, “I am not.”
“Are you the Prophet?”
He answered, “No.”
So they said to him,
“Who are you, so we can give an answer to those who sent us?
What do you have to say for yourself?”
He said:
“I am the voice of one crying out in the desert,
‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’
as Isaiah the prophet said.”
Some Pharisees were also sent.
They asked him,
“Why then do you baptize
if you are not the Christ or Elijah or the Prophet?”
John answered them,
“I baptize with water;
but there is one among you whom you do not recognize,
the one who is coming after me,
whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.”
This happened in Bethany across the Jordan,
where John was baptizing.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Oratio (Responding)

The messiah is one of the most misunderstood characters in the old testament. Some prophesy tought the messiah would be a political leader and conquering king, that would free them from slavery. Other prophets tought that He would be a suffering servant that would come to sacrafice and die for us. Most Jews believed that when He came He would be the former, and did not understand what it would mean for Him to come as a suffering servant.

Nevertheless there are 3 things that the Jews knew and proclaimed about the messiah. First that Elijah would appear and he would proclaim the coming of the Lord. Second, The christ (messiah) figure would arrive, and he would Rebuild the temple, Unite the tribes of Israel, and put all of Isreals enemies under its feet. Lastly He would be the great profit that was promised by God to Moses.

John did not fulfill any of these roles. He was not elijah, or the messiah, or the great prophet, but He did maintain parts of all these things, only to the extent that they pointed to the true Messiah Jesus who was the true fulfillment of all three. But John did have the firery spirit of elijah. He was the voice crying out in the wilderness, making straight the way to the Lord, and he was a (minor) prophet, the last in fact, that would point to the arrival of the great high priest and King of the universe.

This is how we are to understand the statements of todays readings. John is not any of the things that the Jews accused him of being, but he is instead the one that points to the one that is to come, the one that would fulfill all of the prophecy…, Jesus Christ.

So Today, rejoice because the Lord of the universe is about to become man, and He comes to save us from our sins, because He loves us so much that He would give everything to save us. This is a love that we cannot fully understand, and do not deserve, but a gift that we should be eternally grateful for.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh Lord, help me today to love you above all, and to prepare my heart, and all that I am, for your arrival…, both 2000 years ago, and the one that is yet to come.

Luke 2:16-21

Lectio (Reading)

The shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph,
and the infant lying in the manger.
When they saw this,
they made known the message
that had been told them about this child.
All who heard it were amazed
by what had been told them by the shepherds.
And Mary kept all these things,
reflecting on them in her heart.
Then the shepherds returned,
glorifying and praising God
for all they had heard and seen,
just as it had been told to them.

When eight days were completed for his circumcision,
he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel
before he was conceived in the womb.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

The shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger.

Oratio (Responding)

Today is the feast of Mary, Mother of God. Why do we celebrate this feast? The answer is because of basic biology. When a woman gives birth to a child, we know that, that makes her the mother of that child. The Man Jesus Christ, received half of His genes from the Holy Spirit, and half of His genes come from Mary. This is not a difficult mystery to understand, but our protestant brothers and sisters struggle mightily with this fact. I think that it is, not necessarily because of the fact of motherhood, but rather because of the praise that we, in the catholic church, give Mary.

So in an effort to help explain this mystery further, I would like to recount a reflection on this reality, that my parish pastor gave at mass. It is ultimately a reflection by pope Benedict… that was given several decades ago. It goes like this… The moon is a great light in the night sky, but it does not generate its own light. It is an otherwise desolate grey rock floating in space, but because of the sun, on the sunny side of the planet, the moon is able to reflect light onto the other side, the side would be otherwise be cast in darknes during the night. The moon, in the night sky, is glorious, but only because it is simply reflecting completely the glory of the sun.

Just so with Mary. She is the only human being other than Adam and Eve, that was born without sin. The difference between them and her, is that she never chose sin ever in her life. All her life she never took any glory for herself, she always redirected (reflected) all glory to Jesus. She is just like the moon, in that she only ever reflects the total goodness of God in the “son” Jesus christ…to the world, and she does it perfectly. It is because of this fact that we reverence Mary so highly. Not because of her light, or her goodness, but because she perfectly reflects the Lord in everything she does. And so, in reverencing her, we are only reverencing the light she is reflecting to us, the light of Christ. And Mary never takes any of our praise unto herself, but instead redirects all of our praise and worship of that light, perfectly and obediently to Jesus. She is like the moon that brings the light of Christ into the dark places, where the light would otherwise be kept out, and in-so-doing points all of the glory (not to herself) but to Him.

You and I are also called to be like Mary and reflect the light of Christ to all the world, and to redirect any praise you get ultimately to Jesus. The more you can accomplish this task, the more closely you will come to being that person that God willed you to be from the very beginning. We should all strive to copy the life that Mary modeled for us, and be the moon for all of those that God has put in your life to lead and guide, and to reflect the light fo God to them. Amen.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to resist my will and my ego, and to be like mary and reflect your light into the dark places. Amen.

John 1:1-18

Lectio (Reading)

In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God.
All things came to be through him,
and without him nothing came to be.
What came to be through him was life,
and this life was the light of the human race;
the light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness has not overcome it.

A man named John was sent from God.
He came for testimony, to testify to the light,
so that all might believe through him.
He was not the light,
but came to testify to the light.
The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.

He was in the world,
and the world came to be through him,
but the world did not know him.
He came to what was his own,
but his own people did not accept him.

But to those who did accept him
he gave power to become children of God,
to those who believe in his name,
who were born not by natural generation
nor by human choice nor by a man’s decision
but of God.

And the Word became flesh
and made his dwelling among us,
and we saw his glory,
the glory as of the Father’s only-begotten Son,
full of grace and truth.

John testified to him and cried out, saying,
“This was he of whom I said,
‘The one who is coming after me ranks ahead of me
because he existed before me.’”
From his fullness we have all received,
grace in place of grace,
because while the law was given through Moses,
grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
No one has ever seen God.
The only-begotten Son, God, who is at the Father’s side,
has revealed him.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth.

Oratio (Responding)

This line from the bible speaks of a mystery we might never fully understand, even after this life, when we are in heaven.

Think about what humility it must have taken go from infinite and perfect God in heaven, to the finite and very imperfect man on earth. I always think of the genie in the Aladdin cartoon, when he says being a genie is like having “phenomenal cosmic power, in an itty-bitty living space”. It might be blasphemy, to use that analogy, but it always makes me think of this reading, and the incredible act of putting His omnipotent divine nature into a very limited human body.

Many church fathers have contemplated this mystery, and all have eventually agreed that Jesus was fully man and fully divine. That is why it is a mystery…, how can it be that an infinite God could exist in a finite body. This is where speculative theology comes in. I suggest that Jesus was completely divine, but in in His Human form He was perfect…, when He was a baby He was the most perfect baby that ever was, when He was child He was the most perfect child that ever was, and when He was a man, He was the most perfect man that ever was. Although limited by human flesh, Jesus taught us how to live, and showed us what a human is supposed to be, and the way humans all were before the fall.

That is the reason for this amazing gift of love, God wanted a way to help us to reject original sin, and to return to the garden with Him. God loves us so much that He sacrificed Himself for us, what are you willing to sacrifice for Him?

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to recognize your love and sacrifice for me, and to respond in a way that is righteous and commiserate with that love. Amen.

Luke 2:36-40

Lectio (Reading)

There was a prophetess, Anna,
the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher.
She was advanced in years,
having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage,
and then as a widow until she was eighty-four.
She never left the temple,
but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer.
And coming forward at that very time,
she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child
to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem. When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions
of the law of the Lord,
they returned to Galilee,
to their own town of Nazareth.
The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom;
and the favor of God was upon him.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Oratio (Responding)

Today’s passage follows immediately after passage where Mary and Joseph, brought Jesus to the temple to offer sacrifice for the birth of Jesus, and to obtain ritual cleansing, acording to the jewish law. That passage ends with the temple priest Simeon rejoicing over the arrival of the baby Jesus, and gives Mary the dier prophecy about her heart being peirced.

Then we come to today’s reading, with the prophetess Anna. She also recognized the significance of this moment, and she too, it seems, was given a long life, so that she too could live to announce this moment to all the world. So the question comes up, why do we need two prophets at this moment? The venerable Bede helps us better understand this moment.

Bede reminds us that this woman was married a virgin, she lived 7 years as a married woman and then was widowed. And after she was widowed she spent day and night living in the temple, in the service of the Lord, until she was 84 years old. 84 divided by 7 equals 12. These numbers are not random, they represent the days of the week (7) and the perfection of appostolic teaching (12). Futher, we also hear about her parents, who were well known and very good citizens of the jewish community. All of this was to establish that she was a very good, holy, and faithful woman that devoted her life to serving the lord, and upholding His law.

Consequently Bede, explains, that while Simeon served as a symbol of the priesthood, that Anna served as a symbol of the church. A church that was widowed when the shekina cloud left 580 years earlier. A church that was now being reunited with it’s bridegroom, the lord Jesus Christ. A church that would be recreated and rebuilt in the image of Jesus, and would be ultimately established in heaven for all eternity.

So this passage represents the culmination of everything that the jewish people were waiting for. The return of the presence of the lord into this world. An new marriage covenenant between the people of this world and the Lord, and a new temple of the lord, in His church. And all of this would be humanly and physically represented in the body blood soul and divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ (aka. the Eucharist).

Simeon and Anna got it, many many christians over the years have understood this too. And many are still just now begining to understand. Do you believe this? that Jesus christ is truly, physically present in the holy eucharist? If not, why not. He told us at the breaking of the bread, at the last supper, “That this IS my body, and this IS my blood, and that no one comes to the father except by me” (John, chapter 6).

This is without question, the most important thing that we humans will ever do or understand in this world. If you dont understand it now, Humbly ask God to show it to you, and then be open to hear what He has to say. Learning, and ultimately believing this one fact, will forever change your life, and will determine your eternal destiny. It is not a small thing, it is everything! “Search and you find, knock and the door will be opened…” so dont put it off another moment.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh Lord, help me today to search for you, to give my life for you, and to ultimately find you in the Holy Eucharist. Amen.

Luke 2:41-52

Lectio (Reading)

Each year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the feast
of Passover,
and when he was twelve years old,
they went up according to festival custom.
After they had completed its days, as they were returning,
the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem,
but his parents did not know it.
Thinking that he was in the caravan,
they journeyed for a day
and looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances,
but not finding him,
they returned to Jerusalem to look for him.
After three days they found him in the temple,
sitting in the midst of the teachers,
listening to them and asking them questions,
and all who heard him were astounded
at his understanding and his answers.
When his parents saw him,
they were astonished,
and his mother said to him,
“Son, why have you done this to us?
Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.”
And he said to them,
“Why were you looking for me?
Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”
But they did not understand what he said to them.
He went down with them and came to Nazareth,
and was obedient to them;
and his mother kept all these things in her heart.
And Jesus advanced in wisdom and age and favor
before God and man.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?

Oratio (Responding)

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me to achieve sanctity in my life, so that I can more perfectly commune with you, both here and someday in heaven.

Matthew 2:13-18

Lectio (Reading)

When the magi had departed, behold,
the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said,
“Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt,
and stay there until I tell you.
Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him.”
Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night
and departed for Egypt.
He stayed there until the death of Herod,
that what the Lord had said through the prophet might be fulfilled,
Out of Egypt I called my son.When Herod realized that he had been deceived by the magi,
he became furious.
He ordered the massacre of all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity
two years old and under,
in accordance with the time he had ascertained from the magi.
Then was fulfilled what had been said through Jeremiah the prophet:

A voice was heard in Ramah,
sobbing and loud lamentation;
Rachel weeping for her children,
and she would not be consoled,
since they were no more.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him.”

Oratio (Responding)

This day marks the death of the holy innocents. An unthinkable act of brutality against the most innocent an helpless of us all… Babies.

After being decieved by the Magi, and in a futile and capricous attempt to destroy Jesus, Herod commanded that all boys in Egypt under the age of 2 years old, be murdered. Why was Herod afraid of the child Jesus? Because the Herods were all usurpers. The Herods had no legitimate claim to the throne of David, They were not of the tribe of Levi, and they were not even of jewish decent. They only controlled the throne because it was given to them from the Romans, and the Romans only gave it to them, because their lust and greed for power, made them controllable.

The true sons of david were in hiding because they could not be controlled by the Romans, because the true sons of David were only loyal God in Heaven. As a result the Heir of David was a threat to both the Herods and the Romans, and as such, they were hunted by the Romans. So despite the fact that the Herods were installed as stooges of Rome, the Herod’s grasp on the seat of power was very weak and fragile. Thus the Baby Jesus stood as a direct threat not only to the Romans, but also as an irrefutable challenge to the kingship of Herod. If Herod did not destroy this challenge, Herod would either be unseated by Jesus, and ultimately stoned by the jews for his crimes, or unseated by the Romans, and ultimately killed for allowing the Davidic Heir to rise. Herod’s response then, while savage and egregious, was actually the only thing he could to to save his own skin.

But there is a message in this gospel for us as well. Herod was obsessed with the trappings of power and wealth, and as such he was a slave to them. He was forced to do the worst things possible in order to maintain the status quo. We must strive in our lives to avoid this kind of slavery. Herod used people and loved things, we must strive to love people and use things. And only use those things to the extent that they further glorify God.

Let us pray today, for those holy innocents, and the many innocent souls, even today, that are snuffed out for the sake of convenience and fear. We pray that the adults that perpetrate these atrocities seek forgiveness, and make reparations for their sins. And for the lost souls…, that God has a plan for helping them make it to heaven. Amen.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to help more people come to understand and love the gift of life, and the work to protect it at every stage of life. Amen.

John 20:1a, 2-8

Lectio (Reading)

On the first day of the week,
Mary Magdalene ran and went to Simon Peter
and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them,
“They have taken the Lord from the tomb,
and we do not know where they put him.”
So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb.
They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter
and arrived at the tomb first;
he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in.
When Simon Peter arrived after him,
he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there,
and the cloth that had covered his head,
not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place.
Then the other disciple also went in,
the one who had arrived at the tomb first,
and he saw and believed.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter

Oratio (Responding)

The story being told here, is more than just an amusing story about a young man outrunning an older man, it is a metaphor for a deep theological truth present in our church’s structure and hierarchy.

Peter Kreeft calls this the story of the mystic and the magisterium. Meaning that John (the mystic), almost always understood what was being said to him by Jesus, he was very aware, and very perceptive, and very quick to get it. Peter (the magisterium), was much slower and took his time to come around to understanding what was being told to him.

This is the same for the church and its parishoners. The personal revelation of our mystics and staints, is quick to move the people to faith and have an immediate affect on whole communities, but the church, on the other hand, takes its time to catch up, to fully understand, and then eventually using its full authority to declare that same personal revelation valid and worthy of belief.

Consider the appirition of our Lady of Guadelupe to Juan Diego, in Mexico. It happened in 1531 in Tepeyac Mexico, and within 10 years 90% of the population of Mexico converted from Aztec Pagan worship, to Christianity. The Aztec human sacrifices ceased almost immediately. and the almost the entire continent was saved from the darkness of the evil one. This is the power of the mystic, and the incredible transformative power of our lady and our lord. But the Magisterium took its time to fully understand what was happening in Mexico, and it was not until 360 years later in 1895, under Pope Leo the 13th that this mircale of Guadelupe was considered true and worthy of belief.

This is something we should all consider seriously in our own lives. The world is quick to follow the zietghiest (spirit of the times), but the church is not, and this caution, and deliberateness, is wise and prudent, and should be held as a model for our own lives. Instead of jumping to conclusions, and not simply reacting instead of patiently responding, we all could learn a lesson from the church, by waiting, and seeing how things work out, and giving them the proper time and consideration to see them clearly and without emotion.

Our current craziness in our church today, is no different. Some day there will be a new pope, and new bishops, and we will have to deal with new issues. Lets just hope that the church will withstand all of this new stuff like it has withstood the 2000 years of “new” ideas before it. Amen.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh. lord, help me today to respond, with thoughtful reflection, to the things that happen to me today and not react hastily and abruptly. Amen.

Matthew 10:17-22

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Beware of men, for they will hand you over to courts
and scourge you in their synagogues,
and you will be led before governors and kings for my sake
as a witness before them and the pagans.
When they hand you over,
do not worry about how you are to speak
or what you are to say.
You will be given at that moment what you are to say.
For it will not be you who speak
but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
Brother will hand over brother to death,
and the father his child;
children will rise up against parents and have them put to death.
You will be hated by all because of my name,
but whoever endures to the end will be saved.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

You will be given at that moment what you are to say. For it will not be you who speak but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

Oratio (Responding)

Why not plan your defense? Simply, because you will be thinking the way humans do, and not how God wants you to. You may be concentrating on defending your beliefs or your actions, when instead God may be wanting to challenge the conscience of your attacker. You may be trying to defend your life when God may be calling you to martyrdom. You may think to focus on one thing, while the listener may need to hear something completely different.

I am part of the cursio movement in Flagstaff, and every year, for weeks before the event, I would prepare my talk, and rehearse it multiple times. One year I planned and practiced for months, and at the time of the talk I simply prayed for the spirit to give me the words I need to reach these men in their lives. I remember saying that prayer, and I remember speaking for about 40 minutes, and I remember sitting down utterly exhausted, but not remembering anything that I said. I don’t even know if I said what I planned to say. I felt the spirit flowing through me, and I do believe that He gave me the words that I needed at that time. Afterwards I was told by many that my talk was very moving. I would respond, that that is great, I don’t remember any of it, the spirit was using me to talk to you.

This is a real thing, it is not something that you should take lightly, if you love and trust in the lord He will give you the words you need at the moment you need Him. You simply need to pray and ask for His help before you begin. But don’t forget, sometimes the best words, are no words at all. So be open to that as well.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Help me today to be the servant and conduit you need me to be to bring others to you and to increase your kingdom of heaven.

Luke 1:67-79

Lectio (Reading)

Zechariah his father, filled with the Holy Spirit, prophesied, saying:

“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;
for he has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty Savior,
born of the house of his servant David.
Through his prophets he promised of old
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all who hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant.
This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
to set us free from the hand of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear,
holy and righteous in his sight
all the days of our life.
You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High,
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
to give his people knowledge of salvation
by the forgiveness of their sins.
In the tender compassion of our God
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way, to give his people knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins.

Oratio (Responding)

This reading is called the canticle of Zachariah. It is read every day in the liturgy of the hours, Morning Prayer. Like the magnificat of Mary this canticle harmonizes the character of Zachariah with his position as a the high priest.Zachariah was the high priest of the temple, he alone was the one that offers prayer and sacrifice on behalf of the people. But in this moment when his son is born and his voice is restored, it is then that his vocation is completely fullfilled. The high priest’s job was to show the people right worship and bringing their prayers to the lord, and finally teaching them about God’s law. And that is ultimately what he is doing in this moment.

This reading is called the benedictus by our church fathers, because it includes the 18 benedictions that sum up all the hopes of all of Isreal. This is more than just hope though, it is the fulfillment of all of the law and the prophets, from the patriarchs to this very moment. Zachariah is ultimately recognizing that this momemnt is the hinge upon which all of Israel is waiting, and he is telling his son that he will be the one that will proclaim the coming of our lord, like Isaiah foretold in centuries before. It is indeed a momentus occasion, and an incredible prophesy of the coming of the lord and His son’s part in announcing that advent.

Zachariah prior to this moment, had been mute for 9 months. But because of his obedience to the angel of the Lord, in naming his son “John,” his toungue was loosened. He did not waste the moment, instead he use the this time to prophesy, and proclaim the momentus nature of what was coming. He must have been dying to say these word for weeks, or maybe when given the chance, with the help of the Holy Spirit, it all just comes pouring out.

But this passage is a prophesy for his son, it is as if he is speaking directly to him, and him alone. The boy is only 8 days old, but just like when John heard the voice of Mary, and jumped in his mother’s womb, we know that this boy can hear the word of God when it is spoken. But nevertheless, Zachariah’s message perfectly predicts what will happen in the next 33 years, that John will be the one that Isaiah predicted, who will make striaght way for the lord, and who will baptise for the forgiveness of sins. The message is truly impressive, and is without a doubt inspired by the Holy Spirit, and it reminds us that we too need to be more like John and make striaght the way of the lord into our own hearts, and welcome him into our lives as wekk, for tomorrow he will be here.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to prepare my heart for the lord, and to make room for him in my life. So that I can have eternity with him in heaven.

Luke 1:57-66

Lectio (Reading)

Meditatio (Reflecting)

No. He will be called John.” But they answered her, “There is no one among your relatives who has this name.” So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called. He asked for a tablet and wrote, “John is his name,”

Oratio (Responding)

To best understand this reading we must remember a previous reading, wherein Zachariah was punished with muteness because of his lack of faith regarding the miraculous conception of John. Today’s reading marks the culmination of that promise. John is born and the elders come to circumcize, and name the boy. The elders originally scoff at the name John, and did not think that it was a good name for the son of the High Priest. But Zachariah and his wife were told, by the archangel Gabriel to name him John, and in an act of faithful trust, they confirm that his name would be John. And this faithfullness is rewarded with the restoration of Zachariah’s voice.

I cannot emphasize strongly enough how important a voice is to a priest. There is no way to do the job of priest without a voice. it would be like a priest today offering the liturgy of the eucharist without hands. it is unthinkable. So the Birth of the this little boy john restored not only his voice, but it also restored Zachariah to his priesthood, and allowed him to serve, proclaim and prophesy once again.

Secondly, we should discuss what the name “John” means. It translates too “graced by God.” And John was indeed graced, by God. Some of the church fathers have even taught that John was so graced, that he too was given the gift of freedom of sin. But for John it did not happen until after he was conceived. Mary was conceived free of sin, and was born free, and lived her whole life free from sin. But, John on the other hand, it is believed, was concieved in the state of original sin, but was graced (by God) with the freedom of sin, at some point after his conception. Some have taught that this happened when he first recognized Jesus, and leaped in his mother’s womb, but I like to think that it happened at the moment of today’s reading, when he was named John (graced by God), that from that moment on…, this freedom from sin was bestowed upon him.

This belief is not a required dogma of our church, but it is considered a pius tradition. But when you ponder it, it is too perfect to not be true. The angel Gabriel told Zachariah and his wife that “his name shall be John.” So it is safe to assume that that name is what God calls him in heaven, and if that is indeed God’s name for him, then I beleive it is safe to believe that John was indeed graced by god with freedom from sin.

John was indeed a very faithful and righteous man. He lived as an essene in the Desert, He owned no possesions, and he devoted his whole life to the watchful waiting for the coming of the messiah. When Jesus arrived, John spent his entire ministry pointing to the one greater than him. And he spoke truth, at all times, even when it would eventually cost him his life. And the most important piece of evidence is that after he died, Jesus Himself said that no one among men was greater than John the Baptist.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me to hear your call today, and to live out my life in the way that you have willed for me to live. Amen.

Luke 1:39-45

Lectio (Reading)

Mary set out
and traveled to the hill country in haste
to a town of Judah,
where she entered the house of Zechariah
and greeted Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting,
the infant leaped in her womb,
and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit,
cried out in a loud voice and said,
“Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
And how does this happen to me,
that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears,
the infant in my womb leaped for joy.
Blessed are you who believed
that what was spoken to you by the Lord
would be fulfilled.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.

Oratio (Responding)

This story of the visitation is so full of typology, that I could write 10 pages about it, But we will try to stick to the highlights.

When the temple was finally built the ark was moved into the inner sanctum of the temple behind the veil, where it resided for centuries, until the ark was stolen by the invading Babylonians. Eventually David recovered the ark and returned it to Jerusalem. When the ark was finally found, David said “who am I that the ark of the Lord should come to me?” Then we have the unfortunate incident with Uziah, touching the ark and dying. So in reparation, David decides to send the ark into the hill country while he prepares a proper reception of the ark into Jerusalem, this is the same hill country where Elizabeth and Zecchariah resided in todays reading. And then when David finally brings the ark into Jerusalem, he dances and leaps before it. Does this sound at all familiar? If not, you need to re-read todays reading.

Later in Ezekiel, before the temple is destroyed the first time, the presence of the Lord leaves the ark and the temple completely, never to return, for centuries. Even after they built a new temple, the presence of the lord never returned. Elizabeth and John represent the new david receiving the ark in the hill country. And in an upcoming chapter, Mary will ultimately bring the infant Jesus back into the temple, thus returning the presence of the Lord, and completing the temple’s full restoration.

It cannot be understated how important Mary’s yes was. and how the salvation of the world pivoted on that decision. Today let us reflect on Mary’s yes, and what God might be calling us to do today…, are you ready to say yes?

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh Lord, Let us hope that when you call us, that we too can have the faith and courage to say yes in the same way.

Luke 1:5-25

Lectio (Reading)

In the days of Herod, King of Judea,
there was a priest named Zechariah
of the priestly division of Abijah;
his wife was from the daughters of Aaron,
and her name was Elizabeth.
Both were righteous in the eyes of God,
observing all the commandments
and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly.
But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren
and both were advanced in years. Once when he was serving as priest
in his division’s turn before God,
according to the practice of the priestly service,
he was chosen by lot
to enter the sanctuary of the Lord to burn incense.
Then, when the whole assembly of the people was praying outside
at the hour of the incense offering,
the angel of the Lord appeared to him,
standing at the right of the altar of incense.
Zechariah was troubled by what he saw, and fear came upon him.

But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah,
because your prayer has been heard.
Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son,
and you shall name him John.
And you will have joy and gladness,
and many will rejoice at his birth,
for he will be great in the sight of the Lord.
He will drink neither wine nor strong drink.
He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb,
and he will turn many of the children of Israel
to the Lord their God.
He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah
to turn the hearts of fathers toward children
and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous,
to prepare a people fit for the Lord.”

Then Zechariah said to the angel,
“How shall I know this?
For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.”
And the angel said to him in reply,
“I am Gabriel, who stand before God.
I was sent to speak to you and to announce to you this good news.
But now you will be speechless and unable to talk
until the day these things take place,
because you did not believe my words,
which will be fulfilled at their proper time.”
Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah
and were amazed that he stayed so long in the sanctuary.
But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them,
and they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary.
He was gesturing to them but remained mute.

Then, when his days of ministry were completed, he went home.

After this time his wife Elizabeth conceived,
and she went into seclusion for five months, saying,
“So has the Lord done for me at a time when he has seen fit
to take away my disgrace before others.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Then Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.”

Oratio (Responding)

Why was Zachariah punished? The answer is simply his lack of trust. I have read some of the church fathers on this, and they all say that his punishment is the result of not immediately believing. When the similar scene happened with abraham, his wife did not believe but Abraham did and Abraham was rewarded with his son Isaac, despite his wife’s disbelief. When Mary was told the same thing, she immediately believed, but responded in a similar way, but was not punished, So what is the difference?

It must be state of mind, Mary did not understand how it would happen, but believed it would happen. Zachariah, on the other hand did not understand how it would happen, and also did not beleive it would happen. And I suspect that even if he did not outwardly scoff at this news, I believe his outward demeanor revealed that disbelief.

One of the church fathers, Cornelius a Lipide, suggests that the reason that Zachariah did not believe was because he was the high priest of that temple at that time, and that Cornelius felt that Zachariah needed to spend time reflecting and pondering what this prophesy and sign might mean. Further Cornelius suggests that Zachariah would not be able to believe until he had taken that time to do so.

So his punishment was commiserate with his sin. His disbelief was not a complete rejection of god’s power, but a prideful human need to understand that which cannot be understood. I like this explanation, because his sin was, at most, a venial sin, and his punishment, muteness, would give him the time he needed to properly reflect on the full meaning of this sign.

Later when John is born and named, Zachariah is completely obedient to the angels instruction, and names his son, John, as he was instructed. And as we see in a later reading, this act of complete obedience was rewarded with the restoration of his voice.

The bible truly is a beautiful peice of literature, and has so much to teach us if we spend the time to understand. I pray that we all take the wisdom of Abraham and Mary, and the lesson of Zachariah to heart, and simply believe, God has so much to share with us, but it all starts with that simple act of faith.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh. lord, help me today to build up my faith, and to help me believe where my mind tells me it is impossible. For we know that that with you all things are possible. Amen.

Matthew 1:18-25

Lectio (Reading)

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about.
When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph,
but before they lived together,
she was found with child through the Holy Spirit.
Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man,
yet unwilling to expose her to shame,
decided to divorce her quietly.
Such was his intention when, behold,
the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said,
“Joseph, son of David,
do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home.
For it is through the Holy Spirit
that this child has been conceived in her.
She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus,
because he will save his people from their sins.”
All this took place to fulfill
what the Lord had said through the prophet:
Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel,which means “God is with us.”
When Joseph awoke,
he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him
and took his wife into his home.
He had no relations with her until she bore a son,
and he named him Jesus.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about.When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit.

Oratio (Responding)

This is one of the most amazing and beautiful mysteries in the church. Mary was born and lived her whole life to fulfill her incredibly special role among all humanity. And this is why we say that Mary was the most perfect of all human beings, and the role model for all of us in how we should relate to God.

Consider this. Mary was born into this world a daughter of God, existing for her whole life in immaculate sinlessness, just as God always willed for her life. A perfect daughter and disciple. In the incarnation, she became the spouse of the holy spirit and as a result of that marriage and the mystical union of the mortal and divine, she became the mother of Jesus.

Each person of the trinity has an extremely intimate relationship with Mary. And Mary filled each of these roles perfectly. She lived a human life without sin, as God intended all mankind to live. She accepted the marriage to the Holy Spirit with complete trust and faith in God. And She served as the mother of God, loving, raising, and protecting the child Jesus. She was His greatest disciple, and she sacraficed more than any of us, as she witnessed the loss of Jesus on the cross. She is a model for all human beings, not just Women.

Second Reflection

This reading today makes me want to reflect on Joseph and his righteousness. There are several theories about who Joseph was, was he young or old, was he rich or poor, did he have children or not. These are all very interesting things to contemplate, but they are extraneous to the most important of his attributes.

The gospel calls him a righteous man. and why wouldnt he be. It is understood that Mary was going to be a consecrated virgin, and not have any children, and Joseph married her knowing that their marriage would not be a physically intimate one. So this means that he was also a deeply spiritual, and pious person. It means that he deeply loved Mary that he would make this sacrafice for her, and it means that he was a man of extreme personal self control. That sounds like righeousness to me.

Joseph is only mentioned a couple times in the bible and yet we know so much about him because of his closeness to Jesus and mary. So that brings us to the annunciation, and what that must of meant to him to hear that his virginal wife was pregnant, and not by him. I have great sympathy for him and his doubts about the situation. I understand that Gabriel was sent to him to bolster his courage, and we know that he never faltered again, but this situation is still a lot to handle.

We should all hope for such fidelity and trust in our lives and our marriages. Amen

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh, lord, help me today to discern what you want from me today, and give me the courage to set out towards that end. Amen.

Matthew 1:1-17

Lectio (Reading)

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ,
the son of David, the son of Abraham.

Abraham became the father of Isaac,
Isaac the father of Jacob,
Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers.
Judah became the father of Perez and Zerah,
whose mother was Tamar.
Perez became the father of Hezron,
Hezron the father of Ram,
Ram the father of Amminadab.
Amminadab became the father of Nahshon,
Nahshon the father of Salmon,
Salmon the father of Boaz,
whose mother was Rahab.
Boaz became the father of Obed,
whose mother was Ruth.
Obed became the father of Jesse,
Jesse the father of David the king.

David became the father of Solomon,
whose mother had been the wife of Uriah.
Solomon became the father of Rehoboam,
Rehoboam the father of Abijah,
Abijah the father of Asaph.
Asaph became the father of Jehoshaphat,
Jehoshaphat the father of Joram,
Joram the father of Uzziah.
Uzziah became the father of Jotham,
Jotham the father of Ahaz,
Ahaz the father of Hezekiah.
Hezekiah became the father of Manasseh,
Manasseh the father of Amos,
Amos the father of Josiah.
Josiah became the father of Jechoniah and his brothers
at the time of the Babylonian exile.

After the Babylonian exile,
Jechoniah became the father of Shealtiel,
Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel,
Zerubbabel the father of Abiud.
Abiud became the father of Eliakim,
Eliakim the father of Azor,
Azor the father of Zadok.
Zadok became the father of Achim,
Achim the father of Eliud,
Eliud the father of Eleazar.
Eleazar became the father of Matthan,
Matthan the father of Jacob,
Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary.
Of her was born Jesus who is called the Christ.

Thus the total number of generations
from Abraham to David
is fourteen generations;
from David to the Babylonian exile, fourteen generations;
from the Babylonian exile to the Christ,
fourteen generations.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Thus the total number of generations from Abraham to David is fourteen generations; from David to the Babylonian exile, fourteen generations; from the Babylonian exile to the Christ, fourteen generations.

Oratio (Responding)

This gospel starts with this long geneology of 3 sets of 14 generations. I always used to get hung up on this because it is well established that a generation is 30 years, so 14 generations are 420 years. But the time between abraham and david is thought to be about 1000 years. The time between david and babylonian exile is roughly 600 years. And the time between the baylonian exile and Jesus was 400 years. The only one of those geneologies that makes any sense is the last one.

So how do we make sense of this? Well the most simple answer is that generations used to be longer. Adam lived to 930 years old, Noah lived to be 950 years old. Abraham lived to 175 years old, Moses 120, and David was only 70. So it is clear to me that humanity’s life span has gotten shorter and shorter, over time. But why? The reason for this is simply sin. Human beings, after the fall have, done horrible things to themselves and each other, and as a result of our decadence and depravity our genetic code has been poluted by drugs and disease, and as a consequence our lifespan has been shortened. But also there is also an aspect of tribalism and clanish interbreading that may well have lead to this as well.

Why does all this matter? Fourteen is a weird number. Some of the church fathers say that we should think of it in this way, that you dont count the generations of Abraham, David, the Babylonian Exile and Jesus because they are the beginning and end of each set, and are repeated in each set. Thus, you are left with 3 periods of 12 twelve generations in between. 3 and 12 are very important numbers jewish people and are thus more symbolic. Other church fathers have said that the number 14, represents the 10 commandments, and the 4 gospel writers. While others say that the 3 sets of 14 (42) represents 7 (the perfect number) times 6 (the number of labor).

What is the correct interpretation? I dont know! I think that a lot of these answers are people trying to make sense of things after the fact. The most important takeaway from this reading is that the lineage of Jesus can be traced all the way from Abraham to david. All of the prophesies of the messiah say that the Messiah will come of the line of David, and that he will be the new king that will lead the people of Isreal out of bondage, and slavery. This is why Matthew starts his gospel this way. He is laying the ground work for why he is even writing this book in the first place, and why we should care about this humble carpenter from Nazareth? Matthew is going to tell us the story of the incarnation and life of the great king of the universe, and we should sit up and take notice.

What do you think about this, does this matter? Because if this does not matter to you then nothing else in the bible will mean anyting to you either. But if Jesus is the one that fullfilled all of the prophecies, if He is the one true God of the universe, then this book and this story is the most important thing that has ever happened in this world, and how you respond to that truth is the most important thing you will ever do in your life.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to see you for who you really are, and what you really mean to this people. So that I can show you the devotion that you rightly deserve.

Matthew 21:23-27

Lectio (Reading)

When Jesus had come into the temple area,
the chief priests and the elders of the people approached him
as he was teaching and said,
“By what authority are you doing these things?
And who gave you this authority?”
Jesus said to them in reply,
“I shall ask you one question, and if you answer it for me,
then I shall tell you by what authority I do these things.
Where was John’s baptism from?
Was it of heavenly or of human origin?”
They discussed this among themselves and said,
“If we say ‘Of heavenly origin,’ he will say to us,
‘Then why did you not believe him?’
But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ we fear the crowd,
for they all regard John as a prophet.”
So they said to Jesus in reply, “We do not know.”
He himself said to them,
“Neither shall I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

“I shall ask you one question, and if you answer it for me, then I shall tell you by what authority I do these things. Where was John’s baptism from? Was it of heavenly or of human origin?”

Oratio (Responding)

Why was John the baptist offering baptism in the wilderness? Well the dead see scrolls give us the answer. In John Bergsma’s book, “Jesus and the Dead Sea Scrolls” he explains in great detail why John was doing what he was doing and why it matters. It is believed that John was part of the Essene community. A group of monks that lived celibate lives and were cloistered from women and all other people.

They made many vows to be part of this community, a few are relevant to this reading. First they wore camel hair when they traveled outside their communities. They did this because Isaiah said that Elijah would return and herald the coming of the lord. The Essenes also believed that they would be the ones to proclaim the news that the messiah was coming. Camel hair is what Elijah wore when he lived on Earth, and so the Essenes honored him by doing the same. Second the Essenes took a vow to not eat any food that was prepared outside their community, and so when baptizing he would only eat from the land, meaning locusts, and wild honey.

So why was he baptizing in the wilderness? The Essenes believed that the pharisees had been so corrupted, and because they were not Levites, the Essenes believed that the pharisees could not offer true sacrifice in the temple, and the faithful could no longer get forgiveness from God at this now desecrated temple. As such, John was offering an alternative service for the holy jews that had been disenchanted by the pharisees, and agreed that the temple was not a sacred place anymore.

So in today’s reading, when Jesus asks the pharisees, about John’s baptism, He is setting a trap for them. Either they say it was heavenly and admit that John was a prophet of God, that they killed. Or they say it was humanly, and they deny their own eyes, and risk the wrath of the many people of Israel (including Herod), who revered and loved John the baptist and called him a prophet.

So Jesus is basically asking them…, if you will not believe John, a highly revered and accepted prophet of God, why would you accept that Jesus is the son of God. And if you will not believe either of those things why would He waste His time trying to convince them. This is a truly valid question, that needs to be considered by the pharisees, and also ourselves today. Faith requires assent, and if you cannot believe the earthly miracles and human prophets, why would you believe that Jesus is the divine Lord? This is a question that needs to be mulled over, and prayed with, in each and every one of our hearts.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Luke 3:10-18

Lectio (Reading)

The crowds asked John the Baptist,
“What should we do?”
He said to them in reply,
“Whoever has two cloaks
should share with the person who has none.
And whoever has food should do likewise.”
Even tax collectors came to be baptized and they said to him,
“Teacher, what should we do?”
He answered them,
“Stop collecting more than what is prescribed.”
Soldiers also asked him,
“And what is it that we should do?”
He told them,
“Do not practice extortion,
do not falsely accuse anyone,
and be satisfied with your wages.”

Now the people were filled with expectation,
and all were asking in their hearts
whether John might be the Christ.
John answered them all, saying,
“I am baptizing you with water,
but one mightier than I is coming.
I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals.
He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
His winnowing fan is in his hand to clear his threshing floor
and to gather the wheat into his barn,
but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
Exhorting them in many other ways,
he preached good news to the people.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

“I am baptizing you with water, but one mightier than I is coming. I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Oratio (Responding)

This reading starts today with the crowds asking questions of John. Many at this time believed that John was the messiah, and while his message of charity to the poor, and ministry to the sinful is consistent with Jesus’ and the that of the messiah, John never once allowed anyone to assign to him the role of the messiah, He always pointed to the one that would come after him, as we see in the last portion of todays reading. Thus, John then is the perfect embodiment of the “voice crying out in the wilderness” and completely fulfills the prophesy of Isaiah in Chapter 40 of his book.

Many believe that because of the old age of his parents that John was sent as a very young boy to live in the wilderness with the Essenes. There were several religous sects in practice during this time. We hear about the Scribes, Pharisees, and Saducees, in the bible, and there were also radical sects like the zealots, but there was at least one other we know of (from the dead sea scrolls) called the Essenes. The Essenes, were what you would call today, religious fundamentalist. They believed that the temple had been completely corrupted by the Pharasees, and Saducees, and so they lived in the desert, and litterally lived out the words from Isaiah, waiting for the signs of the coming of the messiah.

The Essenes were a cloistered society of men. They would prepare all of their own food, they would carry their own water, and they would do all of the things that were traditionally done by both men and women. In community, they wore white like the temple priests, and ate only food that was provided from the community in which they lived. But when outside of the community, they would only use what was provided by nature, wearing animal skins, and eating things like locusts, and wild honey.

It is believed by scholars though that John did not agree that the essenes should be totally insular, and not preach to the people about the truth of the temple and the coming of the lord. The average jew was left with only the temple, and the corrupt leaders running it. And the Gentiles had no one to preach the truth to them. So John began teaching and proclaiming outside his community, and as such it is beleived that he was excluded from the essene community, sent out into the desert alone. But because of his pius faith, he maintained his essene religious practices and was thus forced to wear animal skins and eat locusts and honey.

John began his ministry, by setting up camp in the northern area of the dead sea near the Jordan river. This location was pilgrimage route for many jews coming to the temple in Jerusalem. It was also a major trade route, that gentiles of all kinds would use to trade with the romans and jews in Jerusalem. So John began proclaiming the coming of the lord, and preparing them all for that moment through baptism.

The essenes had a daily practice of washing (baptizing) for forgiveness, but what John offered in the desert was different, He gave a one time baptism of repentance for forgiveness of sins. A clear precursor to our current sacrament of baptism. But this was a big deal, for a jew to wash his whole body in baptism, because it meant your whole body was ritually unclean… not something many jews would readily confess to a stranger in the desert, because it required a humiliating public display of guilt and a similar public admission of sin. This kind of ritual washing was only ever done by a jew at the temple, and was performed with a temple priest, and only done so that one could enter the temple, and obtain forgiveness of sins through ritual sacrifice. But John was offering this same forgiveness, as a stand-in for the priests at the temple.

Nevertheless, many flocked to John, and sought his baptism. I think that this points to the fact of how corrupt the Pharisees and Saducees actually were, and to how much the average jew yearned for the temple sacrifices of old, and it also points to the general understanding that the coming of the messiah was imminent. The people knew the truth, even if the temple leaders refused to recognize it. And it is this difference that clearly show why those temple leaders were so upset with John for doing this, and ultimately killed him because of it.

Lastly, I want to mention the line from the end of this reading “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” This has always been a really confusing thing for me. Our church says that our baptism is not valid unless it is in the “name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” But John only says “the Holy Spirit and Fire.” Was John mistaken, or was this a translation error. Greater insigt can be found on this line in the Haydock bible commentary. And in that, he says that Fire was used in many places of the Bible to refer to both the Holy Spirit but also the divine love of the Father. So since John mentions both the Holy Spirit and Fire, and since the one that will come and offer this new baptism is Jesus, then the baptism that He will offer will be in the name of all three persons of the holy trinity. I know that it is a small thing, but for me it is another example of the inerrancy of scripture and proof of it’s divine inspiration.

So what is the message for us today. Simple, that the lord is coming symbolically at christmas, but also bodily, when he comes back to render his final judgement. The question is, are you ready? Are you prepared to welcome Him when He arrives. That is what we need to ponder during this season of advent, and to make straight the paths in our own lives for Him to come into our own hearts. Start today, the time is growing short, He will be here before you know it.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Matthew 17:9a, 10-13

Lectio (Reading)

As they were coming down from the mountain,
the disciples asked Jesus,
“Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”
He said in reply, “Elijah will indeed come and restore all things;
but I tell you that Elijah has already come,
and they did not recognize him but did to him whatever they pleased.
So also will the Son of Man suffer at their hands.”
Then the disciples understood
that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Elijah will indeed come and restore all things; but I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him but did to him whatever they pleased. So also will the Son of Man suffer at their hands.

Oratio (Responding)

The passage that immediately preceeds this reading is the transfiguration of christ on the mountain. As they come down the mountain they ask the quesion about why the scribes say that Eliajh must proceed the messiah. They are confused because they have just seen Jesus in all His glory, and His devine nature and His claim to the title messiah, are not in question at all. Further, they saw Elijah on the mountain at the transfuguration, and they did not see Elijah annouce the coming of the Lord in his firey chariot. This is why Jesus reminds them that Elijah has already come, and he is John.

But why this confusion. It stems from a misundertanding of the scripture, by the scribes, and the unexpected nature of both Jesus and John. The scribes believed that the messiah would come and gather all of the tribes of Isreal, restore the kingdom, bring justice to the world. And they believed the that Elijah would arrive first on a firey chariot announcing the coming of the Lord.

Jesus and John did not come this way. John cried out in the wilderness, like Isaiah prophesied, making straight the way of the lord. And Jesus arrived as a suffering servant here to die for the salvation of the world as Jeremiah and Isaiah prophesied. The jews, on the other hand, were looking for a firey chariot and a conquering king, and totally missed the arrival of the true Lord.

So why did they get this wrong. Well I believe it is because the prophets of the old testament were, despite their knowledge, simultaneously prophesying both a proximate, and a distand comings of the lord. The first coming was Jesus, the meek, suffering savior, here to teach us how to live and to come to know and love the Lord, and the second coming will be the last judgment, and the time that justice is dealt out, and the kingdom is restored.

This second coming will likely have Elijah arrive on a firey chariot, and Jesus the conquering king will arrive, and the vision that the scribes predicted will come to pass, but that will not happen for some time still to come.

The jews were (and still are), waiting for the second coming of christ, and totally missed the first coming. You as a christian are privledged to know the Lord in his first coming, and if you stay in His grace you will hopefully be restored to His glory in the second coming. But do not fall away, or you will feel the judgement that is dealt out at the end. How you love Jesus in this life will determine how you live with Him in eternity.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to get closer to you, to know and love you better, so that when you return, I will be in friendship with you and that we can be together in eternity amen.

Matthew 11:16-19

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to the crowds:
“To what shall I compare this generation?
It is like children who sit in marketplaces and call to one another,
‘We played the flute for you, but you did not dance,
we sang a dirge but you did not mourn.’
For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they said,
‘He is possessed by a demon.’
The Son of Man came eating and drinking and they said,
‘Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard,
a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’
But wisdom is vindicated by her works.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they said, ‘He is possessed by a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking and they said, ‘Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard.

Oratio (Responding)

This is one of those readings that really indights humanity. The jewish people have a long history of rejecting and killing prophets, then later discovering that the prophet was right all along. Then after they are dead, those prophets are held in great esteem. Isaiah, is the greatest of all the prophets, and he was definitely not loved in his own time. He was, in fact so hated, that the sawed him in half upside down from butt to head.

The Jews always said that they we are waiting for the return of elijah, but when John arrives and starts crying out in the wilderness, instead of repenting and participating in his baptism, they threw him in jail, and then later cut off his head.

Similarly the Jews always said that they were waiting for thousands of years for the messiah to come, and save them. But when He arrives, instead of embracing Him, they accused Him of being a sinner that surrounds Himself with sinners, and they brutally tortured Him and nailed Him to a cross to die.

We today say that we want the Lord to return and bring justice to the world, but I wonder if we would we recognize Him if He actually comes.

This is why the anti-christ will be so readily followed and loved by his followers, because he will come preaching the ways of the world, and he will affirm everyone in their sin, and many will fall for his lies, and false hope. But when the Lord comes will He find faith? will we even recognize Him. I pray that on that day, I will see the truth

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh Lord, help me today to get to know you better, to know your voice, to stay in your flock, and to follow you, wherever you might lead me.

Matthew 18:12-14

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his disciples:
“What is your opinion?
If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray,
will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hills
and go in search of the stray?
And if he finds it, amen, I say to you, he rejoices more over it
than over the ninety-nine that did not stray.
In just the same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Father
that one of these little ones be lost.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hills and go in search of the stray? And if he finds it, amen, I say to you, he rejoices more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not stray.

Oratio (Responding)

If a man has a 100 sheep and one strays away. Would he leave the flock and go looking for it…? In a word no, this would be totally crazy. The idea that any shepard would leave the rest of the flock at risk to predators or poachers, to go seek the lost sheep is not only crazy but negligent. Shepherding is a business like any other, and you do not put your entire business at risk for fear of the loss of 1% of it.

But we humans are not exactly like sheep either, We are not completely helpless and vulnerable to the attacks of the evil one. We have the ability to choose not to stray, and we have the ability to fight off predators, on our own. But our best protections comes from staying with Jesus, in His flock. When we stray from his flock, we put ourselves at the most risk, and make oursleves most vulnerable to the evil one and his minions. But that is when Jesus comes looking for you! That is how crazy in love with us He is. We dont deserve to be loved this much. but we are, and I am so grateful for it.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, thank you for being crazy in love with us. I feel unworthy, but I am so grateful. Help me today to stay close to your flock, and to help you track down those that have strayed away, amen.

Luke 3:1-6

Lectio (Reading)

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar,
when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea,
and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee,
and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region
of Ituraea and Trachonitis,
and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene,
during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas,
the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the desert.
John went throughout the whole region of the Jordan,
proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins,
as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah:
A voice of one crying out in the desert:
“Prepare the way of the Lord,
make straight his paths.
Every valley shall be filled
and every mountain and hill shall be made low.
The winding roads shall be made straight,
and the rough ways made smooth,
and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

John went throughout the whole region of the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah: A voice of one crying out in the desert: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.

Oratio (Responding)

Today’s passage ends with a direct quote from the book of Isaiah: A voice of one crying out in the desert: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths. Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill shall be made low. The winding roads shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”

So who was this voice? Many believe that because of the old age of his parents that John was sent as a very young boy to live with the Essenes. They were several religous sects in practice during this time. We hear about the Scribes, Pharisees, and Saducees, in the bible, and there were other radical sects like the zealots, but there was at least one other we know of (from the dead sea scrolls) called the Essenes. The Essenes, were what you would call today, religious fundamentalist. They believed that the temple had been completely corrupted by the Pharasees, and Saducees, and so they lived in the desert, and litterally lived out the words from Isaiah, waiting for the signs of the coming of the messiah.

The Essenes were a cloistered society, and they were segregated by sex as well. The men of this community would prepare all of their own food, they would carry their own water, and they would do all of the things that were traditionally done by both men and women. In community, they wore white like the temple priests, and ate only food that was provided from the community in which they lived. But when outside of the community, they would only use what was provided by nature, wearing animal skins, and eating things like locusts, and wild honey.

It is believed though that John did not agree that the essenes should be totally insular, and not preach to the people about the truth of the temple and the coming of the lord. The average jew was left with only the temple, and the corrupt leaders running it. And the Gentiles had no one to preach the truth to them. So John began teaching and proclaiming outside his community, and as such it is beleived that he was excluded from the essene community, sent out into the desert alone. But because of his pius faith, he maintained his essene religious practices and was thus forced to wear animal skins and eat locusts and honey.

The essenes had a daily practice of washing (baptizing) for forgiveness, but what John offered in the desert was different, He gave a one time baptism of repentance for forgiveness of sins. A clear precursor to our current sacrament of baptism. But this was a big deal, for a jew to wash his whole body in baptism, because it meant your whole body was ritually unclean… not something many jews would readily confess, because it required a humiliating public display of guilt and a similar public admission of sin. This kind of ritual washing was only ever done by a jew at the temple, and was performed with a temple priest, and only done so that one could enter the temple, and obtain forgiveness of sins. But John was offering this same forgiveness, as a stand-in for the priests at the temple, because the pharisees and saducees were so corrupt. It is clear to see why those temple leaders were so upset with John for doing this.

Nevertheless, many flocked to John, and sought his baptism. I think that this points to the fact of how corrupt the Pharisees and Saducees actually were, and to how much the average jew yearned for the temple sacriafices of old, and it also points to the general understanding that the coming of the messiah was imminent. The people knew even if the temple leaders refused to recognize it.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to prepare for your coming. Help me to understand what you need from me to recieve you with joy and happiness. Amen.

Matthew 9:35 – 10:1, 5a, 6-8

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus sent out these Twelve after instructing them thus,
“Go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’
Cure the sick, raise the dead,
cleanse lepers, drive out demons.
Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons.

Oratio (Responding)

In todays passage, we are focusing on the power and authority that Jesus gave His apostles to heal and exorcise. Many do not know this, and it seems incredible but Jesus gives that same power and authority to all christians, via our baptism. All baptised christians have the power to heal others and even drive out deamons in God’s name, but the average christian is limited in his authortity to do so. Limited solely to those that are under his authority in the sight of God. So for your power to be effective, you need to be exercising that authority in a ways that is ordered by God’s will. Power gives you the ability to do something in Gods name, but it is only under the correct authority that your powers will actually be effective.

Our present day bishops, are the ultimate decendants of Jesus’ first 12 apostles. In todays reading you can see that Jesus gives His bishops the full power to heal and exorcise, but their authority is limited to the jurisdiction of their individual dioceses. Every single soul in their diocese is under their protection and anyone that they also bestow that power on (ie an exorcist). The bishop and his designated exorcist are the only ones that have the authority to drive out deamons in other people in their diocese.

The father of a catholic home has the same power and authority, as a bishop, but the jurisdiction of his authority, is limited to his own home and his own family, and it is very important to stay within the limits of that authority. Acting without the proper authority, or swerving outside of that proper authority, will attract the attention of other deamons and possibly invite relatiation.

Everything in God’s kingdom is governed by power and authority, and if you do not have both, the deamons will notice. And like Father Ripperger says demons are like lawyers from hell, and they follow Gods law to the letter. It is funny actually, but they respect God’s law more than most humans do, for they know that it is real and cannot be denied but they know all the loopholes in the law, and they will exploit them all, and punish you dearly if you step out from under Gods protection.

But the message for today is clear, that (with the proper authority), we have the power to heal and to excorcise, in our homes, in our families, and in our places of work. So, if we have this opportunity, and are properly disposed, we are called to do so…, the kingdom of God depends on it.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Please lord help me today to find a way to evangelize, and spread your kingdom in this world, and to accept and properly use the authority given to me from above, amen.

Matthew 9:27-31

Lectio (Reading)

As Jesus passed by, two blind men followed him, crying out,
“Son of David, have pity on us!”
When he entered the house,
the blind men approached him and Jesus said to them,
“Do you believe that I can do this?”
“Yes, Lord,” they said to him.
Then he touched their eyes and said,
“Let it be done for you according to your faith.”
And their eyes were opened.
Jesus warned them sternly,
“See that no one knows about this.”
But they went out and spread word of him through all that land.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Do you believe that I can do this? “Yes, Lord,” they said to him. Then he touched their eyes and said, “Let it be done for you according to your faith.” And their eyes were opened.

Oratio (Responding)

How would you respond if Jesus asked you that question? “Do you believe I can do this?” I am not being sarcastic when I ask that question, many people (including myselft, years ago), treated Jesus as a mythological figure, who did things that seemed like impossible and were probably just exagerated, and overblown stories. Truly I thought that Jesus was just another zues or apollo, historical characters with legendary stories that were associated with their names.

If Jesus had asked me that question back then, I would probably have told Him no! But today I have come to believe in God, King of the universe, creator of all things, Father of all, Lord of all and Soverigh ruler of all things, and that Jesus Christ, His son, is the way and the truth and the life, and no one comes to the Father but through him. Today if Jesus asked me that question, I would say yes, but I would be thinking inside, that I am so small and so unworthy of His love that I dont think it right that He trouble Himself with me.

But that reveals the most amazing thing about God. No matter how big and incredible He is, and no matter how small and insignificant we are, He still wants to have a presonal relationship with each of us. He wants to be your best friend, and He is waiting patiently for you to make the first move, because He is also the perfect gentleman and will not force Himself upon you.

I dont know why we deserve this love and mercy, I dont know what we have done that makes us worthy of this gift. But it is a real thing, and it is possible to have a real relationship with Him, and invite everyone that has not yet done so to invite Him in and wait for the graces to be poured out upon you.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to grow closer to you, and to help bring others to you as well.

Matthew 7:21, 24-27

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’
will enter the Kingdom of heaven,
but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. “Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them
will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.
The rain fell, the floods came,
and the winds blew and buffeted the house.
But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock.
And everyone who listens to these words of mine
but does not act on them
will be like a fool who built his house on sand.
The rain fell, the floods came,
and the winds blew and buffeted the house.
And it collapsed and was completely ruined.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.

Oratio (Responding)

Jesus says that if we do the will of the Father, then we will enter the kingdom of heaven. And if we do, it will be as if we have built our lives on the foundation of rock and it will not be damaged by the storms and trials of this world. This does not mean that the storms will not come, we all will find ourselves in many different storms over the years of our lives, no one can escape that, but when our lives are built on the foundation of God, then these storms will not destroy us.

So what does it mean to say you are doing God’s will versus actually doing so? Pretending to do God’s will, is going to church on Sunday, singing loudly, and appearing to be holy, but then honking and curseing at people in the parking lot after mass. Actually doing so is much harder. It means taking Jesus’ teachings to heart, and incorporating them into every part of your day. It means loving those that persecute you, turning the other cheek, sacrificing, and being of service to everyone, but doing it all with love and charity.

When you change your life to live in God’s divine will…, then when the person cuts you off in traffic, or singles you out because of your beliefs, or persecutes you because you will not go with the herd, you will be standing on the firm foundation of the truth and goodness of God. You will know that you are doing what is right, and God will give you the words and courage you need to persevere, and the evil one will not be able to sway you. The evil one will not give up though, and he may even throw more and worse trials at you, but because of your faith and trust, you will not be moved.

Augustine said that “peace is the tranquility that comes from order.” This is the secret to life. Strive to order your life with God’s will for you, and you will find the perfect peace that He wills for your life. I wish this for everyone, I wish that we can all rest assured in our salvation, so that one day we can revel in the glory of the presence of God forever in heaven.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Matthew 15:29-37

Lectio (Reading)

At that time:
Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee,
went up on the mountain, and sat down there.
Great crowds came to him,
having with them the lame, the blind, the deformed, the mute,
and many others.
They placed them at his feet, and he cured them.
The crowds were amazed when they saw the mute speaking,
the deformed made whole,
the lame walking,
and the blind able to see,
and they glorified the God of Israel. Jesus summoned his disciples and said,
“My heart is moved with pity for the crowd,
for they have been with me now for three days
and have nothing to eat.
I do not want to send them away hungry,
for fear they may collapse on the way.”
The disciples said to him,
“Where could we ever get enough bread in this deserted place
to satisfy such a crowd?”
Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?”
“Seven,” they replied, “and a few fish.”
He ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground.
Then he took the seven loaves and the fish,
gave thanks, broke the loaves,
and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds.
They all ate and were satisfied.
They picked up the fragments left over–seven baskets full.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

He ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves and the fish, gave thanks, broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds. They all ate and were satisfied.

Oratio (Responding)

The stories of the feedings of 5000/4000 are some of the most clear prefigurements we have of the Eucharist, and it is inextricably tied to Jesus’ mission while here on earth. So if you don’t understand the story of the bread you will never understand the story of Jesus. These stories of feeding are there to prepare us for the ultimate bread, and the ultimate feast that Jesus gives us in the eucharist, on the eve of his passion at the last supper.

For some context, the miracle of feeding 5000 took place in jewish territory. It fed all of the Jews from 5 loaves, leaving 12 baskets (referencing the 12 tribes of isreal). This miracle places Jesus as the new moses feeding isreal with new bread, new mana from heaven. The miracle of 4000 took place in gentile territory. It fed all the gentiles from 7 loaves leaving 7 baskets (referencing the number of the covenant and the 7 gentile peoples in the land of canaan. This miracle places Jesus as the new moses feeding the gentiles with new bread.

Why was there less left over for the Gentiles? St. Jerome suggests it was because they were hungrier. “Four thousand men—fewer certainly in number, but greater in faith. The one who is greater in faith eats more, and because he does, there is less left over!” The jewish people had less to learn from Jesus, because they knew the Father, and they lived the law, but they were complacent, and lazy about their faith. The gentiles on the other hand took longer to understand and had much more to learn, but once they knew the truth they were far hungrier to know more. Isn’t this the way with all things? Converts always make better catholics then those that were born into it.

There is so much to cover with regard to these miracles, but the main message for today, is that Jesus meets us where we are, and brings us to the truth in the way that we will best be able to understand at that time. So pay attention and be opened, because He is always speaking to you.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh Lord, help me to today to listen to your word, to let it work in my heart and in my life. Let me be opened to the grace you want to pour out on me and my life.

Luke 10:21-24

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said,
“I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
for although you have hidden these things
from the wise and the learned
you have revealed them to the childlike.
Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.
All things have been handed over to me by my Father.
No one knows who the Son is except the Father,
and who the Father is except the Son
and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.” Turning to the disciples in private he said,
“Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.
For I say to you,
many prophets and kings desired to see what you see,
but did not see it,
and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike.

Oratio (Responding)

The word “hidden” here is one that I think most people misunderstand. I believe that most people think of this as God actively “preventing” them from seeing what the little children see clearly. I would argue that this is not what is happening here, but rather it is a reference to the inner nature of both.

If you set out in the sun both clay and butter, one will melt into a pool, and the other will harden like pottery. The sun is not treating each differently, but simply it is the inner natures of each of these substances that is causes different results when exposed the same warm rays of the sun.

So too are the wise and learned in contrast to a child. As Margaret Thatcher once said: “They know so much that isn’t so.” The main problem that the wise and learned face is that they know so much, that they do not have room for anything new, much less things of spiritual import, or things that require faith and trust. Children on the other hand, are completely open, they have an easier time taking things on faith, as long as the person who is telling them is trustworthy.

So we are called to be childlike in our relationship to the good Lord. This is not to say that you cannot use your mind and logic to find your way to faith…, that is how I began. But you must at some point put down the logic, and simply just trust in the goodness of God, and with faith believe the things that cannot be understood with logic and reason alone. If you can do this, the craziest thing will happen to you…, when you open your mind to the faith that God is real and truly loves you and wants the best for you, at that point you will be graced with an understanding that super-cedes all logic and reason. And the things that you could not understand with your mind, will become abundantly clear when considered with the eyes of your heart.

So be childlike, and accept the grace that God wants to give you.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh Lord, help me to have the humility today to see you as you are, as a good and trustworthy father, and to look at you more with my heart, than my mind.

Matthew 8:5-11

Lectio (Reading)

When Jesus entered Capernaum,
a centurion approached him and appealed to him, saying,
“Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully.”
He said to him, “I will come and cure him.”
The centurion said in reply,
“Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof;
only say the word and my servant will be healed.
For I too am a man subject to authority,
with soldiers subject to me.
And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes;
and to another, ‘Come here,’ and he comes;
and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him,
“Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith.
I say to you, many will come from the east and the west,
and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
at the banquet in the Kingdom of heaven.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed.

Oratio (Responding)

This line of scripture is said by the congregation at mass,during the consecration prayers, just moments before we partake in the eucharist. It is important, at mass, when we make this proclamation that we remember the centurion.

A centurion was a military leader that was in charge of over 100 men. He was well respected and admired among his people, and on a material level he had great authority, and political power. There are few people in this world that he could not welcome under his roof, but recognizing who Jesus was, and the spiritual greatness of Jesus, he recognized that he is as lowly as the lowliest of men, and does not warrant even the reception of the Lord, “under his roof”.

We should never forget this scene, or the fact that we are in many ways just as lowly as this centurion, and that we too need God’s grace and mercy, to merely be in His pressence. Let us never forget, who He is, and who we are. When we encounter the lord in the eucharist, lets us bring to mind how humbling that sacrafice is for the Lord, and to not ever forget how humbling it shoud be for us as well.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh, lord, help me today to be as humble as the centurion, but give me the courage to ask for your grace as well.

Luke 21:25-28, 34-36

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his disciples:
“There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars,
and on earth nations will be in dismay,
perplexed by the roaring of the sea and the waves.
People will die of fright
in anticipation of what is coming upon the world,
for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
And then they will see the Son of Man
coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
But when these signs begin to happen,
stand erect and raise your heads
because your redemption is at hand.

“Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy
from carousing and drunkenness
and the anxieties of daily life,
and that day catch you by surprise like a trap.
For that day will assault everyone
who lives on the face of the earth.
Be vigilant at all times
and pray that you have the strength
to escape the tribulations that are imminent
and to stand before the Son of Man.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life, and that day catch you by surprise like a trap.

Oratio (Responding)

There is great confusion about this passage from Luke. In another Gospel the author claims that all of these things will come to pass before this generation passes away. And as a result modernist scholars that have claimed that there is error in this message because Jesus’s prediction did not come to pass within the ifetime of his disciples. But as in all things in scripture prophecy has both an immediate and a future aspect to it. The Jewish historian Josephus wrote about major calamities and celestial events that coincided with the destruction of the temple in 70 AD. And though that definitely explains what Jesus was describing in the near future, but we can also expect to see similar things happen when the end times come and Jesus returns.

Lately it does seem like we are on the cusp of end times, and whether we are in end times or not, i don’t claim to know. But we see great suffering in the world, we see the evil one having the time of his life. Lies, stealing, corruption, and sin are the norm and not the outlier. It is almost enough to make one despair. But we cannot, becuase we know who wins in the end.

And as bad as the devil can make this world, it is nothing compared to what god has planned for those who love him. Heaven it is going to be perfect happiness, love will be the rule, and anger and sin will not be possible. We will be able to walk in the garden with the Lord, talk to Him and have a relationship with Him. All of the things in this world that give status or fame will be irrelevant, and you will only be judged by how much you love God.

So how do we make ourselves ready for the end. Jesus gives us that answer as well…, He says “stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand.” We do that, by not becoming “drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life” Carousing and drunkenness are a failure of temperance, and anxieties of daily life are a failure of fortitude. We must strive the to live our lives as chastely as possible and to be prepared for the end when it comes.

We must be vigilant, like the wise virgins, keeping your lamps trimmed and carrying extra oil…, so when the bridegroom comes we will be ready. What does this mean for our lives, it means getting baptized and confirmed. Working at every moment to stay in a state of grace, by frequently going to the sacraments, eucharist and confession. It means living out our vocations (of motherhood, or fatherhood), with joy, and zeal. And then when you are sick, or at the end of your life, to seek the anointing of the sick. This is not the only way to heaven, and we cannot account for the grace of God, but if you do these things with faith and charity, you will be ready.

Make your life a prayer. Pray always, and offer up every part of your day to the lord. Saint Francis de Sales once said “Every one of us needs half an hour of prayer every day, except when we are busy—then we need an hour.” Our lives need to be a constant prayer, because it is only through God’s love and grace that we are able to do any of these things in our lives, so we need to stay close to that source so that we can become a conduit of those graces to all of the other people in our lives. If you do this then you can rightly hope in Gods love and protection and you will be spared the tribulations and the final test.

The tribulations spoken of in all of the bible’s apocalyptic verses are not something to trifle with, you do not want to experience them. Famine, earthquakes, plagues, persecution, and great suffering. Pray that you can be spared these things, because who knows how you will handle the test if you are put to it. But If you can be ready, then the promise of eternal joy in heaven awaits you. And like St. Teresa of avila said this life will be no worse than an uncomfortable night in a cheap motel.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh Lord, I pray that we all can find our way to heaven and bask in the glory of the lord and that we all feel like the trials and tribulations of this world are meaningless compared to the wonders and joys of heaven. Amen.

Matthew 4:18-22

Lectio (Reading)

As Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers,
Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew,
casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen.
He said to them,
“Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
At once they left their nets and followed him.
He walked along from there and saw two other brothers,
James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John.
They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets.
He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father
and followed him.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.

Oratio (Responding)

Can you imagine what it would take to have you drop everything, your work, your livelihood, even leave your family…, everything you knew to follow a stranger? That Jesus must have been a charismatic and convincing man. I do not know if I would be able to drop everything. I want to think I could, but if I am being honest, I just don’t know.

This world, as painful and stressful as it is, still puts a really strong hold on us. At the end of the day, you still need to eat, and to feed and shelter your family. Wouldn’t following Jesus be abandoning your family and responsibilities? With the exception of Peter, most of the apostles were unmarried, and of an age that they were not putting their parents in a precarious situation. Even still, it is an amazing thing that they dropped everything and followed Him.

So what is this passage saying to us today? I think that it means that we need to put Jesus first in our lives. The hierarchy of our relationships should be God, Spouse, Children, and then everyone else. If God is not first, then none of the rest is possible. You must reconcile your relationship with God before you can figure out any of your other relationships. God is the ultimate source of all love and trust, and goodness, and if you do not have a healthy relationship with that source, how can you truly know any of those things with anyone else.

So we start by following Jesus, become friends with him, and as a result, you will find that you will attract many others to you, and without even noticing…, you will indeed become a fisher of men.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to speak your truth, and to draw more souls to you.

Luke 21:29-33

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus told his disciples a parable.
“Consider the fig tree and all the other trees.
When their buds burst open,
you see for yourselves and know that summer is now near;
in the same way, when you see these things happening,
know that the Kingdom of God is near.
Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass away
until all these things have taken place.
Heaven and earth will pass away,
but my words will not pass away.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

Oratio (Responding)

The line”this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place,” has led to great confusion over the years, especially during the modernist reforms in the early 1900’s. The modernists wanted to try to understand all of scripture in the context of scientific analysis. So they studied weather and star charts, and tried to explain all of the miracles of the bible, through scientific observation, instead of trusting that the bible is without error, and looking at these events and prophecies in the way that He meant for us to understand them, rather than what we think He meant.

Thus, these scientific modernists looked at this line “that generation did pass away” and said to themselves, all of these things did not happen. So they concluded that there was error in scripture, and if there is error in scripture, then all of the claims and miracles of Jesus can also be called into question. And so began the gradual dismantling of the meaning and the purpose of the bible. What they missed is that bible prophecy must be intrepreted as having both an imminent and distant fulfillment. Meaning that there is a purpose of the prophecy that applies to the time when it is being made but also a distant prophecy about the end times, when all will be brought to fulfillment. Prophecy is never to be considered as “either, or” but rather as “both, and”. The prophet Isaiah did this frequently. Many of his predictions about the fall of the first temple were also a prophesy of the coming of Jesus and the ultimate destruction of the second temple.

It has been suggested by the early church fathers, and again more recently by traditionalist scholars, that this apocalyptic narrative can be read as a prediction of both the destruction of the temple in 70AD, and also of the coming of end times. The scholar Josephus reported in his writings that many ominous celestial events occured during the time of the temple destruction and thus fulfills the propecy at that time. And the “Generation” that He is speaking to here did indeed live to witness the temple being destroyed in 70AD. But the “generation” here is not meant to be only understood as the current generation but also of a perpetual generation of man for all time. Not only those that are alive at the time of Jesus, who will see the destruction of the temple. But also understood as the sons of adam, and the daughters of eve, that will not be destroyed until the Lord comes at the end times, to bring justice and final judgement.

So for our studies of scripture we must not pigeon hole the scriptures into our world view, and political agendas, but instead read the 2000 year history of the church, and the voluminous commentaries on the scriptures by the church fathers. And when we better understand what greater minds concluded, about these things, then we can come to better understand what the scriptures are saying to us now at this moment.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, please today help me to read the scriptures in the way that you intended for us to read them. Amen.

Luke 21:20-28

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his disciples:
“When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies,
know that its desolation is at hand.
Then those in Judea must flee to the mountains.
Let those within the city escape from it,
and let those in the countryside not enter the city,
for these days are the time of punishment
when all the Scriptures are fulfilled.
Woe to pregnant women and nursing mothers in those days,
for a terrible calamity will come upon the earth
and a wrathful judgment upon this people.
They will fall by the edge of the sword
and be taken as captives to all the Gentiles;
and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles
until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

“There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars,
and on earth nations will be in dismay,
perplexed by the roaring of the sea and the waves.
People will die of fright
in anticipation of what is coming upon the world,
for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
And then they will see the Son of Man
coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
But when these signs begin to happen,
stand erect and raise your heads
because your redemption is at hand.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

But when these signs begin to happen, stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand.

Oratio (Responding)

While it is understood that this passage is also talking about the destruction of the temple, it also speaks clearly about the end times. Whether we are in end times or not, i don’t claim to know. But end times are definitely on my mind lately. We see great suffering in the world, we see the evil one having the time of his life. Lies, stealing, corruption, and sin are the norm and not the outlier. It is almost enough to make one despair. But we cannot.

The lord has told us who wins in the end. And as bad as the devil can make this world, it is nothing compared to what god has planned for those who love him. Heaven it is going to be perfect happiness, love will be the rule, and anger and sin will not be possible. We will be able to walk in the garden with the lord, talk to him and have a relationship with him. All of the things in this world that give status or fame will be irrelevant, and you will only be judged by how much you love god.

So “stand erect, and lift your heads” because when our redemption comes none of this current pain and suffering will matter, and as St. Teresa of avila said it will be no worse than an uncomfortable night in a cheap motel.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to not fear the pains of this world, and to rightly order my life to you, so that I can be with you for eternity. Amen.

Luke 21:12-19

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to the crowd:
“They will seize and persecute you,
they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons,
and they will have you led before kings and governors
because of my name.
It will lead to your giving testimony.
Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand,
for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking
that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute.
You will even be handed over by parents,
brothers, relatives, and friends,
and they will put some of you to death.
You will be hated by all because of my name,
but not a hair on your head will be destroyed.
By your perseverance you will secure your lives.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand, for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute.

Oratio (Responding)

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to have the words I need to bring more people into your loving embrace. And to come to know you better.

Luke 21:5-11

Lectio (Reading)

While some people were speaking about
how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings,
Jesus said, “All that you see here–
the days will come when there will not be left
a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down.”

Then they asked him,
“Teacher, when will this happen?
And what sign will there be when all these things are about to happen?”
He answered,
“See that you not be deceived,
for many will come in my name, saying,
‘I am he,’ and ‘The time has come.’
Do not follow them!
When you hear of wars and insurrections,
do not be terrified; for such things must happen first,
but it will not immediately be the end.”
Then he said to them,
“Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues
from place to place;
and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

All that you see here – the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down.

Oratio (Responding)

While in this passage Jesus is clearly talking about the destruction of the temple, he is also making a clear reference to the end times. Whether we are in end times or not, I don’t claim to know. But end times are definitely on my mind lately. We see great suffering in the world, we see the evil one having the time of his life. Lies, stealing, corruption, and sin are the norm and not the outlier. It is almost enough to make one despair. But we cannot. The lord has told us who wins in the end. And as bad as the devil can make this world feel, it is nothing compared to what god has planned for those who love him.

Heaven it is going to be perfect happiness, love will be the rule, and anger and sin will not be possible. We will be able to walk in the garden with the Lord, talk to Him and have a relationship with Him. All of the things in this world that give status or fame will be irrelevant, and you will only be judged by how much you love God.

So “stand erect, and lift your heads” because when our redemption comes none of this current pain and suffering will matter, and as St. Teresa of Avila said, in comparison to what awaits us in heaven, it will be no worse than an uncomfortable night in a cheap motel.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to not fear the pains of this world, and to rightly order my life to you, so that I can be with you for eternity. Amen.

Luke 21:1-4

Lectio (Reading)

When Jesus looked up he saw some wealthy people
putting their offerings into the treasury
and he noticed a poor widow putting in two small coins.
He said, “I tell you truly,
this poor widow put in more than all the rest;
for those others have all made offerings from their surplus wealth,
but she, from her poverty, has offered her whole livelihood.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

I tell you truly, this poor widow put in more than all the rest; for those others have all made offerings from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has offered her whole livelihood.

Oratio (Responding)

The woman in today’s reading was widowed and very poor. Her gift was to give two copper coins. It is important to understand that these coins were of very little value (les than 1/64 of a daily wage). It might have been barely enough to buy a very small meal, but nothing filling or extravagant. But she gives everything she had (her whole life) anyway, even as it were, maybe her last meal before she died.

The pharisees on the other hand were very wealthy, they paid themselves from the temple treasury, and lived like kings off of the people’s contributions. The gift that they gave would have been much more than the widow, but it would not be registered as a loss to them, because they gave from their excess wealth. But it is even worse than that because their contribution went back into the same treasury that they paid themselves from. So, you could almost even say that they were paying themselves not God.

This is why Jesus says that she gave more. Because she would not know what she was going to do next, but she trusted that the Lord would provide. She gave all that she had, to the old temple, her entire livelihood, as a gift to God and his church on earth. A gift to a temple that was bankrupt and about to be destroyed, but still, an act of total trust and commitment that God would not abandon his promises to the chosen people. He will hear the cry of the poor, and render justice, and so her trust in God is not in vain.

So the message for us today is to trust like this widow. I don’t think Jesus is telling us that we all have to give our entire livelihood to the church, but He is saying that we need to care less about the things of this world, and the work that we do, and trust more, that God will provide.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, There is so much in these reading to ponder and consider. Please help us to make time today to think about it, and bring it into our hearts, so that it can change us and make us stronger, Amen.

John 18:33b-37

Lectio (Reading)

Pilate said to Jesus,
“Are you the King of the Jews?”
Jesus answered, “Do you say this on your own
or have others told you about me?”
Pilate answered, “I am not a Jew, am I?
Your own nation and the chief priests handed you over to me.
What have you done?”
Jesus answered, “My kingdom does not belong to this world.
If my kingdom did belong to this world,
my attendants would be fighting
to keep me from being handed over to the Jews.
But as it is, my kingdom is not here.”
So Pilate said to him, “Then you are a king?”
Jesus answered, “You say I am a king.
For this I was born and for this I came into the world,
to testify to the truth.
Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Jesus answered, “You say I am a king. For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”

Oratio (Responding)

Today is a special feast day…, the “Solemnity of our Lord Jesus Christ the King.” This feast was originally created by Pope Pius XI in 1925 in direct response to the comunist threat that was encircling the globe, and the secular athiest mindsets that follow in the wake of this evil movement. Pius wanted to help the world understand that while governments come and go, Christ reigns forever as king of the universe.

What does it mean that Jesus is king of the universe? The catholic church teaches that there are 3 churches in god’s kingdom. The church militant is the faithful here on earth that are fighting to make it to heaven. The church suffering are the faithful in purgatory, that have the hope of being with god in heaven but still need to be purged of all of their remaining attachment to sin. Finally there is the church triumphant, which consists of the faithful that are with God in heaven. Jesus’ kingdom is in heaven, and while his dominion covers the entire universe and all of his faithful, only the Church Triumphant are able to see Him in all His glory.

The church militant and suffering yearn to be with Him in heaven, but we must fight the good fight here on earth before we can earn that joy and right. This world, and the world of purgatory, are stained and corrupted by sin. The devil has succeeded in destroying the world that God created, and marring it with the ugliness of his lies. The Lord our God, allows this evil and this sin because He can use it to make good from it. The bible says that all of heaven rejoices when one sinner turns from their evil ways. And that only happens when a sinner climbs out of the mire and muck of their sin, and washes themselves clean in the blood of Jesus Christ and His sacrifice on the cross. If Jesus were to enter into this world, and make His divinity known, it would rob us of that triumph. And so the church militant, and the church suffering strive and struggle to overcome their weakness and to finally make it to heaven.

But for many in this world that love their sin and hate God, they find the idea of Christ as King as so offensive, that they will violently oppose it. We have public figures that have claimed that saying “christ is king” is anti-semitic and even racist. Far left atheist politicians have claimed that those that believe that christ is king, like Traditional Catholics, are domsetic terrorists and white supremesists. But it is not just a modern problem, The pharisees and the romans killed Jesus because of their fear of losing their earthly power, and influence.

But why is this statement so offensive to many? Because if christ is king, then it means that all of their other reliegions are false. It means that their idols of money, power, and politics are meaningless, and fleating. And it means that everything that they have acquired through theft and violence, and deciet will not save them from the judgement that the true king of the universe will levy upon them.

The difference is the truth. The truth is that Christ is indeed King. And because that is true that means that all of the other world religions that put their faith and worship in something other than christ are pagans, and their gods are fake, if not disguised demons. If Christ is indeed king, then that means the rich and powerful people of this world, while in possession of many things, are utterly bankrupt in what really matters, and what will ultimately bring them eternal happiness. This is why Pilot scoffs at the idea of truth and says “what is truth?” He denied the truth, in fact damned the truth, and ultimately killed the truth in one of the most horrific ways humanly possible.

Jesus knowing all this responds by saying, “anyone that hears the truth obeys me.” And that is ultimately the point of this whole dialog. When you see Jesus as who he truly is, God of the universe, and you confront what that truth means to your life, it is at that moment that everything changes. You cannot confront the truth that Christ is King, and not be moved by it. If you reject it you will violently revolt against it (like many do), but if you accept it, you must change your life, and order it according to his will for you. And when you do that you will find yourself a Christian, and your life will be forever changed. This is my wish for you that you too confront this truth, that you too will be changed by it. Viva Christo Rey.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh Lord, help my brothers and sisters to see you as you truly are, king of the universe, and to be utterly changed by it.

Luke 20:27-40

Lectio (Reading)

Some Sadducees, those who deny that there is a resurrection,
came forward and put this question to Jesus, saying,
“Teacher, Moses wrote for us,
If someone’s brother dies leaving a wife but no child,
his brother must take the wife
and raise up descendants for his brother.
Now there were seven brothers;
the first married a woman but died childless.
Then the second and the third married her,
and likewise all the seven died childless.
Finally the woman also died.
Now at the resurrection whose wife will that woman be?
For all seven had been married to her.”
Jesus said to them,
“The children of this age marry and remarry;
but those who are deemed worthy to attain to the coming age
and to the resurrection of the dead
neither marry nor are given in marriage.
They can no longer die,
for they are like angels;
and they are the children of God
because they are the ones who will rise.
That the dead will rise
even Moses made known in the passage about the bush,
when he called ‘Lord’
the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob;
and he is not God of the dead, but of the living,
for to him all are alive.”
Some of the scribes said in reply,
“Teacher, you have answered well.”
And they no longer dared to ask him anything.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

The children of this age marry and remarry; but those who are deemed worthy to attain to the coming age and to the resurrection of the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage.

Oratio (Responding)

I love this passage. here again we have the Saduccees trying to capture Jesus in a false teaching. The Saduccees were different from the pharisees, in that they only believed that the torah (first five books of the bible), were the divine word of god, and that all other books should not be considered canonical. To that end, they believed that the torah did not discuss life after death, at all. And as such they did not believe that eternal life was possible.

Jesus, spoke often about the kingdom of heaven, and taught about the resurrection just as often. As such, the Sadducee’s believe that they could trap Jesus in this question about the woman with 7 husbands. The technique they used here is called “reductio ad absurdum,” In philosophy, reductio ad absurdum (Latin for “reduction to the absurd”) is a logical fallacy that attempts to establish a claim by showing that the opposite scenario would lead to an absurd contradiction. Basically, the Sadducees have no way to prove their theory by positive evidence, that there is no afterlife, thus they must come up with this utterly ridiculous example to prove their theory. They ultimately assert that god would not ever allow this most absurd set of circumstances to happen, and so they thus conclude that Heaven is not possible. This is why it is a logical fallacy, because it requires the proof of a negative. It sounds good in debate, but it will never hold up against scrutiny from a trained logician. That is where we are in this passage today, the sadducees find themselves tangling with the most cunning debater of all time.

The Sadducees, in this crazy example of the 7 times widow are attempting to catch Jesus in a trap. The sadducees believed that if Jesus says yes (that the woman will only be one mans wife), then that will be an obvious insult to the 6 other men. This would ultimately have rendered those other marriages meaningless, and would have diminished Jesus’ credibility among His disciples. On the other hand, if Jesus were to say no (that she would be all their wives), then He would be making a mockery of the law of Moses and the clear teaching of the sacrament of Marriage. So it appears there is no good answer to this question. But once again Jesus answers perfectly, not only making a point that they never anticipated, but also by using their own faulty reading of the torah against them.

Jesus starts by clarifying that marriage is only a convention between man and woman in this world, and does not exist in Heaven. Marriage is a sacrament that is meant for the procreation and for the raising of children in the faith. It is a way of baptizing sex and putting it into the context of what God ultimately intended. In the next life, we will be espoused to Christ, and all of our fellow men and women will be brothers and sisters in christ. One big family, and sex will literally be the last thing on our minds. But while we are here in this world we should not forget that we are blessed to partake, in an ordered way, this beautiful gift of lovemaking, and the sacrament of marriage.

Then finally Jesus lowers the boom on them. He says “That the dead will rise even Moses made known in the passage about the bush, when he called ‘Lord’ the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.” I cannot emphasize strongly enough how this must have ‘gobsmacked’ these sadducees. They were so sure of their reading of the torah, that they had never considered that Moses declaration about “the god of the living” was a direct affirmation of Heaven and the resurrection of the dead at the end of time. Jesus ultimately used the only books they recognized as legitimate, to prove that they were completely wrong about their interpretation of them. Truly magnificent. Jesus truly is the greatest of all teachers and his teaching is truly the divine word of god.

Let us honor Him, and honor our spouses, and honor finally the whole of Gods creation by being the best spouses, parents and friends that we can be every day. And to sit humbly at the feet of the great teacher, Jesus Christ.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord help me today to honor you, by faithfully honoring my wife, and the commitments I have made to my family and my community. Amen.

Luke 19:45-48

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus entered the temple area and proceeded to drive out
those who were selling things, saying to them,
“It is written,
My house shall be a house of prayer,
but you have made it a den of thieves.”
And every day he was teaching in the temple area.
The chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people, meanwhile,
were seeking to put him to death,
but they could find no way to accomplish their purpose
because all the people were hanging on his words.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

It is written, My house shall be a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves.

Oratio (Responding)

There are several things we need to know in order to best understand what is happening in this passage.

Lets start with a brief description of the temple. The temple was a series of walled off areas. The innermost sanctum where the ark resided was separated by a great veil that was a foot thick of heavy canvas, only the high priest on holy days was allowed to go there. The room around that was designated for placing the sacrifices of bread and wine before the lord…, only the Levite priests were allowed to go there. Outside of this room was the inner courtyard, it was divided by the great altar where the blood sacrifices were conducted. Only the Levites were allowed behind the altar, and only the “ritually clean” jews were allowed into this courtyard, to bring their sacrifices to the Levites. Outside of this courtyard, but still inside the walls of the temple, was the outer courtyard. This was where the the jews had setup a marketplace.

So why was Jesus so mad. The outer courtyard was still designed to be a holy place in the temple, this courtyard was intentionally created as a place that gentiles of the whole world could come to worship the one true God. Gentiles were not allowed in the inner parts of the temple, or make sacrafice, but they were still invited to come and worship the one true god in this area. The Jewish leaders hated the gentiles, and they did not want this, so instead they desecrated it, and pushed the gentiles out and away. And they pushed them out in one of the most vile ways, consumerism.

There is also another disgusting thing about this scene. The Jewish temple sacrifice was meant to be a gift from the person, that was given as a true sacrifice, a gift of the firstfruits that came from their own household. But instead jews would just show up at the temple with money (with caesars face on it) and they would exchange that idolatrous money for their “sacrifice” and then they would then present that newly bought sacrifice to the levites. This economy was not what Jesus wanted, the sacrifice was supposed to come from best of your life and work, and that you should have an attachment to it. To just show up and hand one Levite money, and another Levite the sacrifice that was just handed to you, was deplorable, and clearly not what God had intended.

Lastly in this reading the lord references the prophet Jeremiah. In chapter 7 of his prophecy, Jeremiah predicts this scene, and that the temple will be defiled, and uses the language of a den of theives. This reference would not be lost on the Pharisees, and scribes, and is clearly another reason they were looking for a way to capture, and kill Jesus. He had made them all look callow, and low, and used one of the most respected of prophets in their faith to do it. This had to be greatly humiliating for them.

So Jesus drives these evil doers out. And He is still doing that today. Although it is getting harder and harder, but judgement day is coming, pray that you are the one He is defending, and not the one feeling the pain of His whip.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me to not desecrate your house, and your holy eucharist, and give me the courage to call out others who do so.

Luke 19:41-44

Lectio (Reading)

As Jesus drew near Jerusalem,
he saw the city and wept over it, saying,
“If this day you only knew what makes for peace–
but now it is hidden from your eyes.
For the days are coming upon you
when your enemies will raise a palisade against you;
they will encircle you and hem you in on all sides.
They will smash you to the ground and your children within you,
and they will not leave one stone upon another within you
because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

If this day you only knew what makes for peace– but now it is hidden from your eyes. For the days are coming upon you when your enemies will raise a palisade against you; they will encircle you and hem you in on all sides. They will smash you to the ground and your children within you, and they will not leave one stone upon another within you because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.

Oratio (Responding)

A little context is needed to better understand this passage. In the gospel of Luke this passage marks Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem for the last time. He has just completed the triumphal entry on the donkey, where His disciples proclaim “hosanna in the highest.” He is looking over the city of Jerusalem, and He is weeping. He then makes a dyer prophecy. Jesus is foretelling the destruction of the temple, and the utter decimation of all that seek refuge within its walls.

In 70 ad, King Titus of the Romans will lay siege on Jerusalem. The Jews will all flee and take refuge within the walls of the temple. Titus then builds a wall of stone around the temple, and with his army, he will prevent anyone from escaping. After some time, the resources of the temple are depleted, the jews are starving, and many die. Finally Titus has his army siege the temple, massacre the starving Jews, and finally plunder the temple, of all of its gold and treasures.

All of this happens because, they did not recognize Jesus as lord and messiah, and would instead crucify Him. Jesus starts this passage weeping and asks the haunting question “If this day you only knew what makes for peace?” That question should ring the ears of all the hear it. Jesus is saying to His disciples for all generations, if you would only reject the world, the flesh, and the devil, and to seek to align your will with His divine will for your life, then you would find the peace of heaven, the peace that surpasses all understanding, and you could find it here and now, on Earth.

But alas, humans only think of themselves. They hurt and take, and kill for what they want, and do not think of the needs of others. But this is precisely the wrong way, it only leads to war and destruction, and hell on earth. But God has a plan for us, a better way, a way that leads to peace love and happiness for all. That is what we are called to as well. That is what He is weeping about, because we don’t understand. And that is why we must reject the way of the devil and seek the way of Jesus. Amen.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today we need to put myself last, serve others and to seek your will in all things I do.

Luke 19:11-28

Lectio (Reading)

While people were listening to Jesus speak,
he proceeded to tell a parable because he was near Jerusalem
and they thought that the Kingdom of God
would appear there immediately.
So he said,
“A nobleman went off to a distant country
to obtain the kingship for himself and then to return.
He called ten of his servants and gave them ten gold coins
and told them, ‘Engage in trade with these until I return.’
His fellow citizens, however, despised him
and sent a delegation after him to announce,
‘We do not want this man to be our king.’
But when he returned after obtaining the kingship,
he had the servants called, to whom he had given the money,
to learn what they had gained by trading.
The first came forward and said,
‘Sir, your gold coin has earned ten additional ones.’
He replied, ‘Well done, good servant!
You have been faithful in this very small matter;
take charge of ten cities.’
Then the second came and reported,
‘Your gold coin, sir, has earned five more.’
And to this servant too he said,
‘You, take charge of five cities.’
Then the other servant came and said,
‘Sir, here is your gold coin;
I kept it stored away in a handkerchief,
for I was afraid of you, because you are a demanding man;
you take up what you did not lay down
and you harvest what you did not plant.’
He said to him,
‘With your own words I shall condemn you,
you wicked servant.
You knew I was a demanding man,
taking up what I did not lay down
and harvesting what I did not plant;
why did you not put my money in a bank?
Then on my return I would have collected it with interest.’
And to those standing by he said,
‘Take the gold coin from him
and give it to the servant who has ten.’
But they said to him,
‘Sir, he has ten gold coins.’
He replied, ‘I tell you,
to everyone who has, more will be given,
but from the one who has not,
even what he has will be taken away.
Now as for those enemies of mine who did not want me as their king,
bring them here and slay them before me.’”

After he had said this,
he proceeded on his journey up to Jerusalem.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

I tell you, to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.

Oratio (Responding)

This parable is a variation of the parable of the talents, and while different, it does still share some of the same teachings. But this reading focuses more on what we do with those talents given to us, rather than what the talents actually represent. It also includes a bit of a twist…, it has a line about a king who’s servants did not want Him to be king. This is a direct reference to the pharisees and scribes of the time, that did not want a new king, and liked things just as they were. They wanted Jesus to go away, and leave them all alone.

Nonetheless, the king leaves his servants for a while. This is a reference that points to Jesus leaving us in His death, then ascends into heaven to establish his kingdom in Heaven, and finally He then returns at the end times to make an accounting of his servant’s progress.

When the king leaves, he gives them all the task of spreading his kingdom, and gives each of his servants 1 coin. The single coin is a representation of the gifts and talents that they were all given from God when they were born. One servant was prolific with his gifts, another not as much and another not at all. This is clearly a metaphor for how we all use the gifts that God gives us. If we use them to do Gods will, increase His kingdom, and spread the good news, we will be well rewarded in heaven. If we use them partially we will be partially rewarded, and if we hide or squander our talents we will be punished in the next life.

Our abilities in this world are not our own to decide what to do with, they are truly gifts from God. We can not, and should not feel like they are ours to do with as we see fit. We are obliged to share them, so others will benefit from them, and to gain from their use in this world. This is why the prosperous servant says in the parable “that your coin has gained 10 more.” He did not say “my coin.” This is because it is truly Gods gift, and when it is shared fully, it draws more to it and the gift is multiplied. But when the gift is hidden, it is actually an assault on the body of christ, because that gift was meant to be shared, and instead, because of fear or pride, the wicked servant ultimately deprives the rest of us the benefit of his gift. This is why this servant is so serverely punished, not because he was lazy, but because he had actually harmed the community, not sharing the gift he was given.

Let us find our gifts and share them, so that the glory that God had planned for all of us, can be fully realized.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to use the gifts that you have given me to help bring more people to the bosom of the lord, amen.

Luke 19:1-10

Lectio (Reading)

At that time Jesus came to Jericho and intended to pass through the town.
Now a man there named Zacchaeus,
who was a chief tax collector and also a wealthy man,
was seeking to see who Jesus was;
but he could not see him because of the crowd,
for he was short in stature.
So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus,
who was about to pass that way.
When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said,
“Zacchaeus, come down quickly,
for today I must stay at your house.”
And he came down quickly and received him with joy.
When they saw this, they began to grumble, saying,
“He has gone to stay at the house of a sinner.”
But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord,
“Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor,
and if I have extorted anything from anyone
I shall repay it four times over.”
And Jesus said to him,
“Today salvation has come to this house
because this man too is a descendant of Abraham.
For the Son of Man has come to seek
and to save what was lost.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Today salvation has come to this house because this man too is a descendant of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost.

Oratio (Responding)

Zacchaeus was a bad man. Not only was he a tax collector, but he was the chief tax collector. Tax collectors would make their living by charging the subjects more than the tax that was levied by the roman kings. This “extra” charge was their fee for doing the work of collecting taxes. So these jewish tax collectors were really hated. They were not only betraying their own people by taking money from their kinfolk, and out of the temple, but they were making a profit by it as well.

But Zacchaeus was the chief tax collector, and he was hated by even the other tax collectors, because he would extort money from the other tax collectors, making it even more expensive for the jews. But even in this bad man Jesus saw something worth redemption, and called him out. And more amazingly he responded.

When Zacchaeus said that he would give his money away and repay everyone he ever harmed 4 times, what he took from them, he was in fact saying that he would be giving ALL of his money away. But there is an even more important aspect to this number four. Jewish law stated that if by your actions, you harmed another jew, you were only required to repay the other jew 2 times what was lost. But if your actions harmed another jew to such an extent that his livelihood was threatened, then you were required to pay the other back 4 times the value of the loss. In the book of leviticus, the example given, is that you kill another mans ox. In that case you were required to repay 4 times the cost of the lost ox.

So zacchaeus, was not only recognizing that his actions were harmful to the other jews, but even more he is recognizing that his actions threatened the other jews very livelihoods. This is a true conversion of the soul from persecution to repentance, and thus this is why Jesus is so pleased by the response, and thus why Jesus told the whole of the jewish community that this too is a son of abraham. And in that simple statement, Jesus, the great high priest, restores Zacchaeus’ stature among the jewish people, making him a jew again.

So what is the thing that is keeping you separated from your Christian community? Is it money, pride, friends, spouses? What must you do to rejoin your community, and to be fully restored like Zacchaeus? Start working on making that right today.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to put away all things that keep me from you. Give me the courage to live without them.

Luke 18:35-43

Lectio (Reading)

As Jesus approached Jericho
a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging,
and hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what was happening.
They told him,
“Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.”
He shouted, “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!”
The people walking in front rebuked him,
telling him to be silent,
but he kept calling out all the more,
“Son of David, have pity on me!”
Then Jesus stopped and ordered that he be brought to him;
and when he came near, Jesus asked him,
“What do you want me to do for you?”
He replied, “Lord, please let me see.”
Jesus told him, “Have sight; your faith has saved you.”
He immediately received his sight
and followed him, giving glory to God.
When they saw this, all the people gave praise to God.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” He replied, “Lord, please let me see.” Jesus told him, “Have sight; your faith has saved you.”

Oratio (Responding)

This is Luke’s account of the healing of blind Bartemeus. His name is not mentioned in this reading, but it is widely held that this is the same blind man. Mark’s version has much more detail and my reflection on that reading deals directly with Bartemeus, who he is and what he represents. But with today’s version, I would like to focus on Jesus’ question, “What do you want me to do for you?”

When Jesus ask a question in the bible you should consider the question being directed towards you as well. Ask yourself how you might answer Him? Pondering Jesus’ questions can often lead to a deep examination of conscience. Today Jesus is asking you, what do you want Him to do for you? For the blind man this question is laser focused on the fact that he could not see, and that meant that he was excluded from most of jewish society, spiritually orphaned, and was left to beg and scrap for everything in his life. His physical condition was affecting every other aspect of his life, including the spiritual life.

But what would your answer be, if Jesus asked you that question? Do you know what you would say? I think that I would ask for wisdom and understanding. Specifically with regard to having insight into people’s resistence to faith in you God. I have a strong inclination to help others find the peace and hope that I have in the Lord. And I would love to know the right thing to say at the right time to help them on their journey.

Nevertheless, the most important part of this reading is the last part where Jesus says “your faith has saved you.” It is important to take note of the fact that every time Jesus heals the afflictions of the people in the bible, He always addresses their spiritual life first. He forgives, first and then heals, He addresses the persons great faith, and then heals. But He first heals their soul before He heals their body. The body is ephemeral, and easily fixed but the soul, however, is eternal, and must be cared for and nurtured first.

So the message is clear here. Focus on your faith, and your connection with God, and worry less about your body and the aches and pains of life. Offer those things up to the lord and let Him use that sacrifice for the help of those in more need. And when you succeed in doing that, you will find that those physical sufferings are less important, and often go away.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

please lord help me to find this insight, and help me to help others come to faith in you.

Mark 13:24-32

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his disciples:
“In those days after that tribulation
the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light,
and the stars will be falling from the sky,
and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.

“And then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in the clouds’
with great power and glory,
and then he will send out the angels
and gather his elect from the four winds,
from the end of the earth to the end of the sky.

“Learn a lesson from the fig tree.
When its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves,
you know that summer is near.
In the same way, when you see these things happening,
know that he is near, at the gates.
Amen, I say to you,
this generation will not pass away
until all these things have taken place.
Heaven and earth will pass away,
but my words will not pass away.

“But of that day or hour, no one knows,
neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves, you know that summer is near. In the same way, when you see these things happening, know that he is near, at the gates. Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place.

Oratio (Responding)

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, please today help me to read the scriptures in the way that you intended for us to read them. Amen.

Luke 18:1-8

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus told his disciples a parable
about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary.
He said, “There was a judge in a certain town
who neither feared God nor respected any human being.
And a widow in that town used to come to him and say,
‘Render a just decision for me against my adversary.’
For a long time the judge was unwilling, but eventually he thought,
‘While it is true that I neither fear God nor respect any human being,
because this widow keeps bothering me
I shall deliver a just decision for her
lest she finally come and strike me.’”
The Lord said, “Pay attention to what the dishonest judge says.
Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones
who call out to him day and night?
Will he be slow to answer them?
I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily.
But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and night? Will he be slow to answer them? I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?

Oratio (Responding)

What is being said here, it is not immediately obvious. There are 2 rhetorical questions being asked, but only the first of them is answered by the lord. The 2nd question is meant for us to answer.

The first question is: “will He be slow to answer those that are in need,” the answer is no, but that He will answer speedily. God is not a going to spoon feed us everything we ever ask for, that would make Him our nanny, and us nothing more than infants. He does indeed want to give us everything…, but He wants our full participation in the graces that He pours out on the world. Life is a cooperation and a collaboration, between us and the Lord. And if we faithfully participate in that process, He will answer us speedily. It may not be in the way you wanted or even in the way you expected, but He will always grant the most just response to our petitions.

That is the point of the proceeding story, if an evil man will render justice, if you are persistent in your petitions, how much more will the just God hear your petitions, and grant you even more than you can imagine. Augustine once wrote that sometimes the Lord delays in granting our prayers because we are not yet in position to receive those payers, and he wants us to appreciate it more when it is finally granted. I experienced this once when I set out buy my current home. Our family really needed a new place to live, the old house was too far away from town, too small for our family and we needed to move. After looking we immediately found the perfect place, but we had to sell my house before we could buy it, and it took about 3 months for everything to fall into place. We had no assurance that the sellers would wait for us and we could do nothing until my old house was sold, so we prayed that God’s will be done, we prayed the 9 day novena to St. Joseph about 10 times in a row, and we prayed and prayed, and prayed. The prayer was not granted immediately, but it was granted. We are now living in that home, and it is perfect, it truly is the best thing that has happened to our family. I am so grateful, and I thank God everyday for my blessings, and the life that He has given me.

The second question He asks, is for us to answer. “When the Lord returns will He find faith?” As Paul says: “Faith is hope for what is wished for, and evidence of things not seen.” It is the essence of trust, and love and humility. It is the willingness to accept whatever decision that the Lord renders with regard to our petitions. This is the test that we will all face at the end of our lives. Are we willing to accept the justice that God has in mind for our sins. Are we willing to face that truth, are we willing to admit it is perfectly just, are we willing to beg for His forgiveness. If you are not in this state of mind, then you are not expressing the faith that God will be looking for when He returns.

I fear that too many people of this culture, love their sin, and will not be willing to accept the decision that the Lord will render on that fateful day. But until that day comes we are called to love and to teach and share the charity that the Lord has on offer, and repent and to get right with God. Get to confession, go to mass, and stay out of mortal sin. If we do that, then God will see faith when He comes again. I pray that day will be glorious day and not a sorrowful one.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, today help me to remember all of my gifts, and to thank you and praise you for your generosity. I truly am not worthy of all of your love and grace, but I am so grateful. Amen.

Luke 17:26-37

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his disciples:
“As it was in the days of Noah,
so it will be in the days of the Son of Man;
they were eating and drinking,
marrying and giving in marriage up to the day
that Noah entered the ark,
and the flood came and destroyed them all.
Similarly, as it was in the days of Lot:
they were eating, drinking, buying,
selling, planting, building;
on the day when Lot left Sodom,
fire and brimstone rained from the sky to destroy them all.
So it will be on the day the Son of Man is revealed.
On that day, someone who is on the housetop
and whose belongings are in the house
must not go down to get them,
and likewise one in the field
must not return to what was left behind.
Remember the wife of Lot.
Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it,
but whoever loses it will save it.
I tell you, on that night there will be two people in one bed;
one will be taken, the other left.
And there will be two women grinding meal together;
one will be taken, the other left.”
They said to him in reply, “Where, Lord?”
He said to them, “Where the body is,
there also the vultures will gather.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

I tell you, on that night there will be two people in one bed; one will be taken, the other left. And there will be two women grinding meal together; one will be taken, the other left.” They said to him in reply, “Where, Lord?” He said to them, “Where the body is, there also the vultures will gather.

Oratio (Responding)

To best understand the reading for today, It is important to review the order of end-times events. There has been much scholarship on the book of revelation and the apocalyptic passages of the bible. I will be relying here on the church fathers and the great mystics that have shared their divine revelation with us over the years.

The end-times have already begun and have been under way since death of Jesus in 33 AD. The ages of the end-times are measured in what we call epochs (there are 7 of them). The first 4 have already happened, and we are in the 5th right now. This 5th epoch began with Luther’s apostasy in 1517, and has not ended yet.

The 5th epoch is to end with a minor chastisement. Some church fathers believe there will be natural disasters, Russia will invade Europe, there will be great schisms and heresies in the church. It is at this point that the antichrist will reveal himself, and the world will be seduced by his lies and false promises. This will all culminate with 3 days of darkness, and an illumination of conscience where every person in the world will be given a complete understanding of how their sin hurts, and offends God. Some people will not be able to handle this revelation, and will die of fright, and others will be instantly converted back to the lord.

This is when the 6 epoch will begin, it will be an age of peace and restoration. Those that survive the 3 days of darkness, will be renewed in faith, and the people will all return to the church, a holy pope will be elected, and the gospel will be preached throughout the whole world. The antichrist and the evil one will be restrained, and the people of the world will not know temptation or the lies of the devil. This will be a time of incredible peace. It will last for some time and there will be much spiritual prosperity. We don’t know how long this time of peace will be, it could be a thousand years or ten days, we do not know.

But the peace will not last forever, the souls will grow lazy and lax, the evil one will be unleashed again and many will fall away. This is when the 7th epoch will begin. There will be a great apostasy, the false church of the antichrist will be fully established, and the antichrist who was being restrained will finally seize dominion over the whole world. He will kill all the world leaders, and gain total control over the whole world. This will cause the masses to turn back to the church, and thus the antichrist will turn his might against the church and destroy it. Then begins the great tribulation where it will be illegal to be christian. This will then usher in the return of Jesus for the final judgement.

This is where today’s reading gets misinterpreted by protestants as evidence of the “rapture”. Many believe that when the Lord comes He is going to take the good up to Him, and leave the bad behind, but this is because of a misunderstanding of the last 3 chapters of revelation. Many protestants read the chapter order, as chronological order. But all of the church fathers understood that they are not meant to be read in this way.

The real truth about this reading comes from understanding the parable of the wise and foolish virgins. When the bridegroom comes the bridesmaids go out to welcome and escort him into the wedding banquet. This is what is being described by Jesus here. When Jesus comes to give final judgement to the world, He will take up the good and faithful people to Him in the clouds and when they are all up with Him we will escort Him down to the world, all the dead souls for all time will be resurrected and given their bodies back. The souls of the damned will be judged and condemned. And the elect will then begin eternity with Jesus. The world (earth) will be transformed, and there will no longer be pain or suffering, and there will no longer be want or need. We will walk in the new restored garden of eden (here on earth) with Jesus and we will delight in Him and His creation for eternity.

Pretty amazing, huh, it is an incredible plan, and I am so blessed to know that he loves us so much to plan so carefully for our salvation. All you need to do is decide that that is what you want. I suggest you choose correctly. Amen.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to do everything I can to help make your kingdom come in this world now and forever.

Luke 17:20-25

Lectio (Reading)

Asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God would come,
Jesus said in reply,
“The coming of the Kingdom of God cannot be observed,
and no one will announce, ‘Look, here it is,’ or, ‘There it is.’
For behold, the Kingdom of God is among you.”

Then he said to his disciples,
“The days will come when you will long to see
one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it.
There will be those who will say to you,
‘Look, there he is,’ or ‘Look, here he is.’
Do not go off, do not run in pursuit.
For just as lightning flashes
and lights up the sky from one side to the other,
so will the Son of Man be in his day.
But first he must suffer greatly and be rejected by this generation.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

The coming of the Kingdom of God cannot be observed, and no one will announce, ‘Look, here it is,’ or, ‘There it is.’ For behold, the Kingdom of God is among you.

Oratio (Responding)

So what does it mean for Jesus to say that the kingdom is among you? All of time is measured two great ages. Namely the time before Jesus was with us, and that time after. When Jesus was born he ended the previous age, and began the new one. This new age begins the kingdom of heaven and ever since then, it is among us. But just as all things proceed in God’s time, and even though it has been 2000 years since He was crucified, the kingdom is still at hand. And we are living on the cusp of something truly incredible.

But the cusp of what? The end times, the apocalypse? I suggest it will be those things but also, the most glorious and incredible fulfillment of all prophecy, and the fulfillment of all of Jesus’ teachings.

So does that mean that this time will be now (or in the near future)? We don’t know, but some mystics have claimed that, before the end, there will be a time of great peace, and that it will be called the reign of the immaculate heart, or the kingdom of the divine will. They say the world will be transformed, and it will resemble the garden of eden in many ways. And Jesus even confirms this probability in the lords prayer… “thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” When this time comes, the evil one will be restrained, there will be no sin, and we will all delight in the goodness truth and beauty of the lord.

But regardless of what the future holds, I do also believe that this message holds a lesson for us in the here and now as well. I believe that we are called to make the kingdom (as best we can), here and now. That we need to proclaim the gospel to all of the lost sheep, to the lost souls of the world, and to let them know that a time is coming soon where we will have to choose between themselves and the lord, and get their affairs in order before that time comes. I believe that this is our call, and that the time is now.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Help me discern further what it means to prepare for the kingdom of heaven, and to share that knowledge with all of the world around me.

Luke 17:11-19

Lectio (Reading)

As Jesus continued his journey to Jerusalem,
he traveled through Samaria and Galilee.
As he was entering a village, ten lepers met him.
They stood at a distance from him and raised their voice, saying,
“Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!”
And when he saw them, he said,
“Go show yourselves to the priests.”
As they were going they were cleansed.
And one of them, realizing he had been healed,
returned, glorifying God in a loud voice;
and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him.
He was a Samaritan.
Jesus said in reply,
“Ten were cleansed, were they not?
Where are the other nine?
Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?”
Then he said to him, “Stand up and go;
your faith has saved you.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Ten were cleansed, were they not? Where are the other nine? Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?” Then he said to him, “Stand up and go; your faith has saved you.

Oratio (Responding)

Nine of theses ten lepers were jews, the tenth was a samaritan. Samaritans were considered outcasts by the jewish people. They are from the 10 tribes of Israel that fell away from the orthodox practice of the jewish faith. They had commingled with the pagan cultures, and had set up their own laws of worship, and created their own temple. The jews saw these people as despicable. But as lepers, these ten were all outcasts from both of their societies.

The practice of healing in the jewish world, was a two step process, first you must be physically healed, and then second you would show yourself to the high priest for confirmation, and to be spiritually healed. These lepers hearing that Jesus was a great healer, approached him and asked for healing. Jesus (the great high priest) reverses this order of healing that they knew. Recognizing their faith he heals them spiritually, and tells them to go to the high priest to be certified as healed. But, They were not healed of their leperousy yet, an act of faith was still required of them, they must trust that they will be healed and go to the high priest. When they did this, they were healed along the way.

The jews knew, that by the jewish law, that in order to be reintegrated to the jewish community, that they must continue on to the high priest to be certified, and even though they were healed they continued along the way. The samaritan though knew that he would not be accepted in the jewish temple and so turned around, and return to Jesus (the True, and Great High Priest) and thanked Him, and Jesus knowing that this is what He had meant for all of the 10 asks His question. The samaritan did what Jesus ultimately intended them all to do. Did the tenth leper know? Probably not, but because of his faith in Jesus as God, he got a blessing that the other 9 did not.

So I ask you, do you want to just follow the letter of the law, and do just enough to be healed, or do you want to strive for greatness in Gods kingdom? If the latter, you must turn to Jesus in all things, do not allow one gift to go unthanked, do not allow one trial to not be offered up, and do not allow a single day to go by without praising God for His creation and His love. He has so much more planned for you, you simply need to open your heart up to His grace and will.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh. Lord help me today to recognize your hand in all things, and to be grateful for every gift and trial you put in my life. Amen.

Luke 17:7-10

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to the Apostles:
“Who among you would say to your servant
who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field,
‘Come here immediately and take your place at table’?
Would he not rather say to him,
‘Prepare something for me to eat.
Put on your apron and wait on me while I eat and drink.
You may eat and drink when I am finished’?
Is he grateful to that servant because he did what was commanded?
So should it be with you.
When you have done all you have been commanded, say,
‘We are unprofitable servants;
we have done what we were obliged to do.’”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Is he grateful to that servant because he did what was commanded? So should it be with you. When you have done all you have been commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.’

Oratio (Responding)

Is God grateful when we do good and resist evil? When you read this passage it seems the answer is no! Humans were made in God’s image, we were born to do good and be good. We were made to be in communion with God…, to love and be loved. But Gods yoke is easy and His burden light. His rules are not designed to make our lives harder, no, God’s laws are made to make our lives easier, and more filled with joy. Many atheists, and those that reject God say that His laws are like a prison that keeps you from being truly you. But when you fully understand Gods will for your life, you will recognize that it is actually more like a walled garden that protects you from the wolves outside.

When we follow the will of God, our lives are easier, it is like paddling a canoe downstream, we float along with the current of the river, and we only need to use the paddle to keep our boat pointed in the right direction. On the other hand, when we follow our own will, it is like paddling upstream, everything is harder and a struggle. You are battling the current of the river, and you work 4 times as hard to make half the progress. Nevertheless, this analogy does not mean that you will not experience rapids in life and maybe even get tossed out of the boat, but living your life in God’s will always make everything easier.

God wants us to have the easier life, but that means doing His will and serving Him. But doing God’s will is not all drudgery. He delights in our joy. Everything we know, from the stars in the sky, to the food we eat, was made by God for our delight. We should never refrain from sharing our joy with Him, because He is the good father, and He loves us all as His children. Do not ever forget, that He wants the best for you always, and is hoping that you will change your life and choose Him over yourself.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to discern your will, and to find a way to serve you and the souls that you have put into my live amen.

Luke 17:1-6

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his disciples,
“Things that cause sin will inevitably occur,
but woe to the one through whom they occur.
It would be better for him if a millstone were put around his neck
and he be thrown into the sea
than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin.
Be on your guard!
If your brother sins, rebuke him;
and if he repents, forgive him.
And if he wrongs you seven times in one day
and returns to you seven times saying, ‘I am sorry,’
you should forgive him.” And the Apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.”
The Lord replied, “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed,
you would say to this mulberry tree,
‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Things that cause sin will inevitably occur, but woe to the one through whom they occur. It would be better for him if a millstone were put around his neck and he be thrown into the sea than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin.

Oratio (Responding)

A millstone is a big heavy rock that was used to crush an grind wheat into flower. Big ones could be as tall as person, weighing thousands of pounds, but even in its smallest form, they could be as large as coffee table and weigh hundreds of pounds. Either way, once tied to your neck and thrown into the see, there is only one outcome for you, you will be pulled to the bottom of the sea. Sounds like a terrible way to die… But whatever the size of the stone, this is a pretty dire warning.

We all have children in our lives, and we all are called to watch over and protect them. All children are deeply loved by the Lord. If any of us were to do something that caused them to sin, or even taught them to sin, God will not take that lightly. I think the implication here is clear, he is talking about the torment of hell, and a punishment far worse than death. So we need to be very careful of how we lead and teach those under our authority.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, please help me today to be a good role model for my children and a righteous leader for their upbringing. Amen.

Mark 12:38-44

Lectio (Reading)

In the course of his teaching Jesus said to the crowds,
“Beware of the scribes, who like to go around in long robes
and accept greetings in the marketplaces,
seats of honor in synagogues,
and places of honor at banquets.
They devour the houses of widows and, as a pretext
recite lengthy prayers.
They will receive a very severe condemnation.”

He sat down opposite the treasury
and observed how the crowd put money into the treasury.
Many rich people put in large sums.
A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents.
Calling his disciples to himself, he said to them,
“Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more
than all the other contributors to the treasury.
For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth,
but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had,
her whole livelihood.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents. Calling his disciples to himself, he said to them, “Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the other contributors to the treasury. For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had, her whole livelihood.”

Oratio (Responding)

St. Mark would regularly employ a literary style wherein he would tell smaller seemingly unrelated stories as bookends to a greater story. Today’s reading is one of those smaller stories. The greater story is the explanation of the destruction of the temple and the rebuilding of it, which comes in the next chapter 13. The second small story comes at the beginning of Chapter 14, which is the anointing of Jesus by a woman (Mary of Bethany), using a whole jar of nard to anoint Him before His death. Nard was not cheap, it was an extravagant gift, and a great financial sacrifice.

So we begin with a woman woman in today’s reading, that gives two copper coins. She was widowed and very poor. Her gift was to give two copper coins. It is important to understand that these coins were of very little value (les than 1/64 of a daily wage). It might have been barely enough to buy a very small meal, but nothing filling or extravagant. But she gives everything she had (her whole life) anyway, even if it might be her last meal before she died.

So what is the point of these bookends, the first woman gave all that she had, to the old temple, her entire livelihood, as a gift to God and His church on earth. A gift to a temple that is ultimately bankrupt and destined to be destroyed. Nevertheless, it is still, an act of total trust and commitment that the God of the old law would not abandon his promises to the chosen people. After this story in Chapter 13, we hear of the foretold destruction of the old temple and subsequent rebuilding of it in the form of Jesus Christ. And then finally we have the story of the second woman giving her gift (of great sacrifice) to Jesus directly. Her gift was extravagant gift of hope of the resurrection, and the promise of the new temple that would be made in Jesus for the whole world, for all time.

Truly a beautiful message when you think about and ponder it. The gospel writer, adding these stories really points to the faithfulness of God to his promises and His people. So the message for us today is to trust like this widow. I don’t think Jesus is telling us that we all have to give our entire livelihood to the church, but He is saying that we need to care less about the things of this world, and the work that we do, and trust more, that God will provide.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, There is so much in these reading to ponder and consider. Please help me make time today to think about it, and bring it into our hearts, so that it can change us and make us stronger, Amen.

John 2:13-22

Lectio (Reading)

Since the Passover of the Jews was near,
Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
He found in the temple area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves,
as well as the money-changers seated there.
He made a whip out of cords
and drove them all out of the temple area, with the sheep and oxen,
and spilled the coins of the money-changers
and overturned their tables,
and to those who sold doves he said,
“Take these out of here,
and stop making my Father’s house a marketplace.”
His disciples recalled the words of Scripture,
Zeal for your house will consume me.
At this the Jews answered and said to him,
“What sign can you show us for doing this?”
Jesus answered and said to them,
“Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.”
The Jews said,
“This temple has been under construction for forty-six years,
and you will raise it up in three days?”
But he was speaking about the temple of his Body.
Therefore, when he was raised from the dead,
his disciples remembered that he had said this,
and they came to believe the Scripture
and the word Jesus had spoken.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

He made a whip out of cords and drove them all out of the temple area, with the sheep and oxen, and spilled the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables, and to those who sold doves he said, “Take these out of here, and stop making my Father’s house a marketplace.”

Oratio (Responding)

Let’s start with a brief description of the temple. This was Herod the Great’s temple. I had been under construction for decades and was still not finished at this time. This temple was much larger than Solomon’s temple, and as such had a much more elaborate design. Primarily it consisted of a series of concentrically walled off areas. The innermost sanctum was where the ark resided. It was separated by a great veil of heavy canvas that was about 12 inches thick, and only the high priest on high holy days was allowed to go there. The room outside of that was designated for placing the sacrifices of bread and wine before the lord…, only the levite priests were allowed to go there. Outside of this room was the inner courtyard, it was divided by the great altar where the blood sacrifices were conducted. Only the levites were allowed behind the altar, and only the “ritually clean” jewish men were allowed into this inner courtyard in front of the altar, to bring their sacrifices to the Lord. Outside of this courtyard, but still inside the walls of the temple, was the outer courtyard, also known as the Women’s Courtyard. This was where the the jews had setup a marketplace.

So why was Jesus taking this seemingly drastic action. The outer courtyard was still a holy place in the temple, this courtyard and the areas immediately outside of these courtyards were originally intended to be a place where all peoples, women and children, and even gentiles of the whole world could come to worship the one true God. Gentiles were not allowed in the inner parts of the temple, but they were still invited to come and worship the one true God in thes outer areas. However, the jewish leaders did not want the gentiles anywhere near them, they wanted to push themout and away. And so they did in one of the most vile ways you could think of, by desecrating the temple with consumerism.

There is also another disgusting thing about this scene. The temple sacrifice was meant to be a gift from the person whom is making the sacrifice. It was supposed to be given as a true sacrifice from their livlihood. It was to be a gift of blood that came from their own household. But instead jews would just show up at the temple with money (usually with caesars face on it) and they would exchange that idolatrous money for their “sacrifice” and then they would then present that sacrifice to the levites.

This economy was not what the Lord wanted, the sacrifice was supposed to come from best of your life and work, and that you should have had an attachment to it. To just show up, and hand one jew money, and another the sacrifice that you just purchased, was deplorable, and clearly not what God had intended. The buying of animals for sacrifice was actually allowed in Deut: 14:24-26. But by the time of this reading it was seriously being abused. So much so, that it had infact become a “tourist trap,” where some unscrupulous jews were taking advantage of the pilgrims. At the end of the day, these money changers, in an effort to provide an economy of goods for the sacrafice, were actually breaking God’s commandment about stealing. So Jesus, by driving out these evil doers (as God), was actually carrying out a just act of enforcing God’s law!

Next, I want to discuss the whip of cords. Jesus did not bring this weapon with Him, He improvised it on the spot, deliberately created it out of things he could find on site. To me this speaks of a person that is not full of rage, but who instead is witnessing a grave offense to the Lord, and through a stirring of righteous anger decides to take action to put an end to it. Futher, I think it is noteworthy to notice that a whip is a very different kind of weapon than a sword. A sword gives you a distinct advantage in battle. It has a cutting edge, and gives you separation from your opponent in battle, and it provides defense against counter attack. A short whip on the other hand, gives you none of those advantages…, you can’t hide behind it. Using a whip requires close contact, and that makes you vulnerable. It requires courage by the weilder, and the advantage of righteous indignation, over the shame and fear of your opponent.

Lastly, I think that we need to discuss “anger”. Anger is not a sin, as long as it remains righteous and not wrathful. St Thomas Aquinas speaks of all our human passions as having opposites, for example hope and fear, joy and sorrow, but he says that anger has no opposite. Anger is the righteous human response to injustice, whether real or percieved. It is righteous when the anger is in response to the offense of God’s Law or if it is in defense of the persecution of the weak, helpless, and afflicted. It is un-righteous, if it is used for a sinful selfish desire. And it is wrathful, if the response is disproportionally over-aggressive or vengful. I like to think that Jesus’ heart rate probably did not increase one beat throughout this whole episode, because His anger was completely proportionate, and righteous, and like I said he was simply enforcing the law. Jesus was simply responding to the disgrace that had risen up in the temple and was making it right.

And he is still doing that today. Although lately it seems that the evil one is winning, but judgement day is coming. Get yourself right with God, and pray that you will not feel the pain of His whip.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, give me today the wisdom to see the things in my life that cause you pain, and the courage to remove them from my life before you come to do it to/for me. Amen.

Luke 16:1-8

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his disciples, “A rich man had a steward
who was reported to him for squandering his property.
He summoned him and said,
‘What is this I hear about you?
Prepare a full account of your stewardship,
because you can no longer be my steward.’
The steward said to himself, ‘What shall I do,
now that my master is taking the position of steward away from me?
I am not strong enough to dig and I am ashamed to beg.
I know what I shall do so that,
when I am removed from the stewardship,
they may welcome me into their homes.’
He called in his master’s debtors one by one.
To the first he said, ‘How much do you owe my master?’
He replied, ‘One hundred measures of olive oil.’
He said to him, ‘Here is your promissory note.
Sit down and quickly write one for fifty.’
Then to another he said, ‘And you, how much do you owe?’
He replied, ‘One hundred measures of wheat.’
He said to him, ‘Here is your promissory note;
write one for eighty.’
And the master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently.
For the children of this world
are more prudent in dealing with their own generation
than the children of light.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

And the master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently. For the children of this world are more prudent in dealing with their own generation than the children of light.

Oratio (Responding)

The parable of the dishonest steward is one that has always really caused me anxiety, because it is really hard to understand. The response of the master is totally illogical, and in the lines that follow this passage Jesus says “Make friends with dishonest wealth,” which is almost antithetical to all of Jesus’ other teachings. So how do we understand this?

In reading about the passage, I have heard some scholars say that the steward was giving the king’s subjects back his profit off of the debt. That is how stewards made money, by adding a tax onto the top of what the subject already owed the master. Some stewards charged more than others, and some charged some subjects more than others. Maybe in this reading, the steward is just giving that tax back in order to make friends with the king’s subjects so that he will not be cast out of the town when he loses his position of power.

This does logically makes sense, but I have read other eminent scholars say specifically that this is not true, that the master was truly commending him for being prudent through misusing the masters property. Essentially doing a bad thing for good reasons.

But I cant think of a single human master that would be okay with this. But what if that master is God, and the steward is misusing the gifts and graces of God, to do a good thing by helping his subjects and making friends at the same time? Then I guess that it does make sense that God could commend that. Essentially, this steward might be making the first step towards redeeming himself. He is still doing dishonest things, but he is at least doing them for a good reason this time…

But do not be confused…, the Catholic Church clearly teaches that you can never do a bad thing for good reasons. In this parable the steward is being commended for his prudence, and maybe Jesus is saying that while doing a good thing for bad reasons, is not good, it is better than doing a bad thing for bad reasons.

I should like to meet this man if he (and I) ever make it to heaven, and get the full story. Let us all strive, to do good things for good reasons, even if it is really hard, because that is what Jesus is ultimately calling us to do.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to do good for good reasons, to love you and keep you in mind at all times, and in all things. Amen.

Luke 15:1-10

Lectio (Reading)

The tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus,
but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying,
“This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
So Jesus addressed this parable to them.
“What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them
would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert
and go after the lost one until he finds it?
And when he does find it,
he sets it on his shoulders with great joy
and, upon his arrival home,
he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them,
‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’
I tell you, in just the same way
there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents
than over ninety-nine righteous people
who have no need of repentance.

“Or what woman having ten coins and losing one
would not light a lamp and sweep the house,
searching carefully until she finds it?
And when she does find it,
she calls together her friends and neighbors
and says to them,
‘Rejoice with me because I have found the coin that I lost.’
In just the same way, I tell you,
there will be rejoicing among the angels of God
over one sinner who repents.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it?

Oratio (Responding)

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, thank you for being crazy in love with us. I feel unworthy, but I am so grateful. Help me today to stay close to your flock, and to help you track down those that have strayed away, amen.

Luke 14:25-33

Lectio (Reading)

Great crowds were traveling with Jesus,
and he turned and addressed them,
“If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother,
wife and children, brothers and sisters,
and even his own life,
he cannot be my disciple.
Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me
cannot be my disciple.
Which of you wishing to construct a tower
does not first sit down and calculate the cost
to see if there is enough for its completion?
Otherwise, after laying the foundation
and finding himself unable to finish the work
the onlookers should laugh at him and say,
‘This one began to build but did not have the resources to finish.’
Or what king marching into battle would not first sit down
and decide whether with ten thousand troops
he can successfully oppose another king
advancing upon him with twenty thousand troops?
But if not, while he is still far away,
he will send a delegation to ask for peace terms.
In the same way,
everyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions
cannot be my disciple.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple… In the same way, everyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple.”

Oratio (Responding)

Today we are given some more of Jesus’s very Hard sayings. Hating family is really dramatic language! There are about three different ways that I have read to explain or better understand this language.

First is simply that the words don’t translate exactly the same. Just as with the word love, the greeks had multiple words for the word hate. In english we have the one, but in greek they have four. The word used here, in greek, does not mean the seething rage kind of hate, it is closer to “love less”. So in that understanding this statement does seem less objectionable, but it is still not the whole story.

The second explanation is hyperbole. Jewish rabbis of this time, would use extreme examples to make a point, essentially exaggerating for the sake of emphasis. While this does help us to understand the culture and the way in which rabbis would normally talk to each other, It still does not explain the harshness of this teaching…, so we are still not quite there yet.

The last way of understanding this teaching is by putting it in context to the other teachings of Jesus in the bible. Specifically Korban. The wealthy jewish people often practiced this strategy. They did this as a technical loop hole, in order to horde their money, and not have to share it. They would simply say that that their money is dedicated to the temple (korban), and that it could not be spent on helping family or those in need. They did not have to give their money in the temple, only say that they were, and then they could get away with not giving help to the needy. Jesus in clear words condemned this practice, and even said “woe to you” that do this.

Oratio (Responding)

“Listen, Israel: the Lord is our God, the Lord is One. Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom for ever and all time. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might. These words which I command you today shall be on your heart.”

Jesus’ answer, while it is a “simplification” of the law, does not make the law simpler to live out. In fact, He made it much harder for them. The Pharisees had rigorous ritual practices but frequently submitted to low moral standards. They were loving god, only in their minds, using their knowledge of loopholes in the law to get out of taking care of their neighbor.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord help me today to love all of your children more, and with the humilty that you did. Even if they drive me crazy. Amen.

John 6:37-40

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to the crowds:
“Everything that the Father gives me will come to me,
and I will not reject anyone who comes to me,
because I came down from heaven not to do my own will
but the will of the one who sent me.
And this is the will of the one who sent me,
that I should not lose anything of what he gave me,
but that I should raise it on the last day.
For this is the will of my Father,
that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him
may have eternal life,
and I shall raise him on the last day.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him on the last day.

Oratio (Responding)

This is one of Jesus’ most encouraging statements. To see and to believe, and you will have eternal life. Sounds like a good deal. But does this mean that it is a one time transaction? Like I see the sky, recognize it is blue, and I believe it will always be blue? No! But why? Because even satan did that, he saw God in all of His glory, and he still rejected Him.

So what does is mean to see and believe? Seeing God is to recognize His power, to know that He is the creator of the universe, that He created all things, and holds them in existence with His will and His undying love. Believing means that while recognizing who God is, all good, and all loving, that you then make an act of the will to lovingly and trustingly submit every aspect of your life to Him, in devotion, and as a perpetual gift of gratitude, and adoration.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh, lord, help me to see you and believe, and where I fall short help my unbelief, amen.

Matthew 5:1-12a

Lectio (Reading)

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.

Oratio (Responding)

“Blessed are the poor in spirit” – better understood as “poor for the sake of the Spirit.” This is the first step on the journey to God. It is recognizing your sin and deciding to change. Just like the prodigal son that looks into the feeding pots, and was jealous of the pigs. It is allowing the stirring of the holy spirit inside of you to help you recognize that you are a sinner, and that you are incomplete without God in your life. This recognition is the first step, and often times the hardest and most important one, because this is often the moment where the sinner finally turns toward God, and starts their journey back to Him.
“Blessed are those who mourn” – once you know that you are a sinner and need Gods help, the next thing is to understand how far you have fallen from God’s glory and His plan for your life. Sorrow and mourning are the just and righteous response to this introspection and self-realization. But this is not a perpetual time of mourning, because God will comfort you, and lead you to the next step.
“Blessed are the meek” – Meekness is specifically defined as power under control. Aquinas described it as a thoroughbred stallion that allows a man to put a saddle on him and ride. The horse could easily buck the man off, but out of obedience and humility he allows it. Meekness, can be more easily understood as humility. Humility is the realization that you are a fallen sinner, and that you are no better than anyone else. We are all sinners, and we all have fallen short of the glory of God. But humility is mostly the acceptance that you cannot be a beloved son or daughter of God without His help and His loving grace…, like the stallion, humility is allowing yourself to be yoked to Jesus, and in that union be directed by God’s will for your life.
“Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness” – After you humbly accept that you are a sinner and need Gods help, you will begin to yearn for God’s grace to lift you up and justify you. We yearn for this because we realize we do not have it in ourselves to achieve this righteousness on our own, and that we can only receive it from God. – Fasting is also a part of this step, because fasting truly helps orient our body and soul away from this world and direct it towards God, Direct it in a way that is most ready to accept the grace that God wants to pour out on you.
“Blessed are the merciful” – When your heart is yearning toward righteousness, you humbly look out on the world and you see that the world is suffering from the same ailment we all are, and you begin to empathize with other sinners and want to show mercy to them, because you recognize your own sinfulness and emptiness in the way others around us relate to God and each other. If you are honest with yourself you will understand that you are no better than any of them, and thus mercy is the logical response, and that mercy leads to the out-pouring of grace from God through you. That mercy may be just the thing that they need to start the journey for themselves and recognize their sin and separation from God.
“Blessed are the clean of heart” – Clean of heart is a person that is trying to reject temptation, and keep their minds securely on the lord. This drive comes from the interior pain that is caused by the recognition that my sin is what causes my separation from God, and is what is causing my spiritual poverty. That interiour pain, purifies the heart and steels the will from attachments to the world, because your love for God, is greater than any pleasure or promise that the world could offer.
“Blessed are the peacemakers” – Peace is the natural result of a person that is humbly seeking righteousness, rejecting temptation, and offering mercy to all those that you encounter. War is the result of people taking what is not theirs, or protecting what is “yours” from an aggressor. Peace is the detachment from the things of this world, and the lack of response to the agressor. This is the promise of heaven that when we are all brought up to heaven, the citizens of the Kingdom will no longer fight and make war, because the possession of having God in our lives is infinitely more valuable than any thing or temptation that this world can offer. St. Augustine said: “peace is the tranquility that comes from order,” and when you live in God’s divine order, peace is the natural response, that pours out of you into the world.
“Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness” – The people of this world, that are slaves to temptation and attachment to sin, will hate those who live by the virtues of the beatitudes. Your mere existence, serves as a living reminder of how far they have fallen from God. They will accuse you of being self-righteous, they will say that you think you are better than them, and they will hate you because they know in their sub-conscience, that you actually are. Not because you are better, but because you have something they cannot have, because to have it means they will have to give up everything else they hold dear. Since they cannot do that, they hate you and persecute you, because they cannot give up their attachment to this world.
“Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.” – This is the ultimate end of the journey. You cannot be in a state of grace amongst the sinful and fallen and not be persecuted for it. But the difference between you and them is Hope. They have none, and you have perfect hope, in the perfect and loving father. That hope is greater than all the slings and arrows that this world can throw at you. And as St. Teresa of Avila said, “the pains of trials of this world, when compared to the glory of heaven will seem like a night in a bad hotel.” They will hate you for your hope, and persecute you even more, but they cannot take your hope away from you. They might be able to take your physical life, they can never take your eternal soul. That is why the Christeros were able to yell “viva christo rey” at the moment of their execustion, becuase they knew that **_that day_** they would be with God in Heaven, and their faith and fidelity would be greatly rewarded, and that Jesus would greet them at the gates and say, “well done my good and faithful servant, enter into my kingdom”

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to find my place on the steps of this ladder, and help me to make the next step toward you, amen.

Luke 13:31-35

Lectio (Reading)

Some Pharisees came to Jesus and said,
“Go away, leave this area because Herod wants to kill you.”
He replied, “Go and tell that fox,
‘Behold, I cast out demons and I perform healings today and tomorrow,
and on the third day I accomplish my purpose.
Yet I must continue on my way today, tomorrow, and the following day,
for it is impossible that a prophet should die
outside of Jerusalem.’

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you,
how many times I yearned to gather your children together
as a hen gathers her brood under her wings,
but you were unwilling!
Behold, your house will be abandoned.
But I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say,
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how many times I yearned to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were unwilling

Oratio (Responding)

The protestant bible scholar N.T. Wright, once wrote that there is more to this analogy of the mother hen gathering her brood under her wing. On many occasions when a chicken coop caught fire and was burned, there would be times when picking through the smoldering fire, they would find chicks under the burnt body of a mother hen. It was concluded that she covered them with her body and sacrificed her life to save those hatchlings from the fire, incredible!

And now in this reading we have Jesus saying the same thing, that he yearned to gather Jerusalem many times from the storm and onslaught of evil. He sent them prophets, and one warnings after another, but the jews were unwilling to hear them, and they were all ignored. The prophets only honored years after the were killed for their warnings.

I am reminded of a time I told a small child not to touch the glass of my fireplace, because it is hot and they will be burned. Only to find out later that the child went and touched it anyway. They had to find out for themselves, and did not head my warning, until after it was too late. Isn’t this so true for all of us, no mater our age, we hate to be told what to do, and we really hate to be told what we are doing is wrong. Ultimately it comes down to trust. God is perfect and utterly trustworthy, but we seem to not believe this, but he deserves it more than anyone.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, please help my faith, and help me to trust you more, and to heed your warnings. Gather me under your wing, and protect me from harm.

Luke 13:22-30

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus passed through towns and villages,
teaching as he went and making his way to Jerusalem.
Someone asked him,
“Lord, will only a few people be saved?”
He answered them,
“Strive to enter through the narrow gate,
for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter
but will not be strong enough.
After the master of the house has arisen and locked the door,
then will you stand outside knocking and saying,
‘Lord, open the door for us.’
He will say to you in reply,
‘I do not know where you are from.’
And you will say,
‘We ate and drank in your company and you taught in our streets.’
Then he will say to you,
‘I do not know where you are from.
Depart from me, all you evildoers!’
And there will be wailing and grinding of teeth
when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
and all the prophets in the Kingdom of God
and you yourselves cast out.
And people will come from the east and the west
and from the north and the south
and will recline at table in the Kingdom of God.
For behold, some are last who will be first,
and some are first who will be last.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough.

Oratio (Responding)

There are many modern catholic thinkers, from Hans Urs Von Balthesar to Bishop Baron, that believe that hell might be empty, and that all might be saved. They believe that all will be given time at the moment of their death to choose God and that all will make that choice to be with the Lord. But our lady (at Fatima), said that more people go to hell for sins of the flesh than any other sin, and she also said that souls are falling into hell like snowflakes fall onto the ground. Jesus Himself warned us more about hell, than any other subject in His teachings. I think it is clear that Hell is a real place and many souls sadly choose to go there because of their hatred of God, and their love of their sins.

So we must walk the narrow path, and strive to enter the narrow gate. And we must reject the wide easy road that leads to perdition. There is an analogy by St. John Bosco, that describes the road to hell as a path that is wide and angled slightly downhill. As you begin the walk this path at a leisurly pace, it all seems really easy and pleasant. But as you go, the road continues to angle down, ever so slightly, so that you are now walking faster and faster, but it is stilll easy. But the road just keeps continuing to angle downward, until you are almost running, because the incline is forceing it on you. Then eventually the road, gets so steep that you are almost sliding, and then eventually falling. And at the bottom of this road is the pit and the firery furnace, of hell.

Does this mean that you cannot turn and scrape and struggle and crawl your way back to the top, surely you can, but the longer you wander down that ever sloping highway to hell, the harder and harder it will be to turn back. So we must spend everyday discerning what path we are on, and where we are headed. And if you find ourselves on the wide path that leads to perdition, you MUST turn back NOW while you still have a chance. Every moment you put it off, you will be one step closer to that point where you are sliding and falling into the pit of hell, and by then it may be too late.

Dont be that person, change your life now. When the end comes and you stand before the Lord for your final judgement, You do not want to hear Him say “I do not know where you are from. Depart from me, all you evildoers! These are some of the most terrifying words that Jesus ever said in the Bible. Can you imagine hearing Him say that to you? Compare that with “well done, my good and faithful servant, come and enter into my glory”. Which of those do you want to hear God say to you? For me it is obvious.

But what must you do, for God to not recognize you? I suggest that you would have to change yourself into something that is completely different than what he created, so marred and disfigured that He cannot see you anymore. I believe that we are made in the image of God, and when we do his will in this life, we reflect back that image back to Him, and He can recognized that image because He created that image. When we utterly reject Him, and choose evil over good, falsity over truth, and ugliness over the beauty. Then we completely marr and disfigure the image of God inside us, and we essentially make a new image, an ugly image, an image of our own creation and He can not recognize us anymore, all He sees is evil, and God cannot see evil or allow it into his kingdom.

If you choose those bad things over God, He will not force you to choose Him instead, you are always free to reject Him, but He also cannot affirm you in your evil choices. That would be like Him denying His own perfection, and that is not possible. If God were to allow you into His kingdom in a state of unrepentant sin, He would ultimately negate his own nature, because that would be saying sin is okay, and God’s entire existence is completely opposed to sin, in every way.

So if you find yourself stuck in sin, and unrecognizeable, what does it take for Him to recognize you? You must turn to God and despise your sin! You must reject the evil one, go to confession, and beg for god’s mercy. And then you must stay close to the sacraments, and live your life in a state of grace. When you do that, the scales of sin will fall away, and He will recognize you again. But you must despise your sin, anything short of that is just lying to yourself. God sees all you will not be able to fool Him, but He will also sees when you turn to Him, and like the Father in the prodigal son story He will run to you when He sees you coming. So turn to Him now, and be restored to His Kingdom.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, please help me today to live in your image, to despise my sin, and get closer to you in confession. Amen.

Luke 13:18-21

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said, “What is the Kingdom of God like?
To what can I compare it?
It is like a mustard seed that a man took and planted in the garden.
When it was fully grown, it became a large bush
and the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches.”

Again he said, “To what shall I compare the Kingdom of God?
It is like yeast that a woman took
and mixed in with three measures of wheat flour
until the whole batch of dough was leavened.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

What is the Kingdom of God like? To what can I compare it? It is like a mustard seed that a man took and planted in the garden. When it was fully grown, it became a large bush and the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches.

Oratio (Responding)

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to find your mustard tree, and the dwell in its branches, keep me lord from wandering in the wilderness. Amen.

Luke 6:12-16

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus went up to the mountain to pray,
and he spent the night in prayer to God.
When day came, he called his disciples to himself,
and from them he chose Twelve, whom he also named Apostles:
Simon, whom he named Peter, and his brother Andrew,
James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew,
Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus,
Simon who was called a Zealot,
and Judas the son of James,
and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

When day came, he called his disciples to himself, and from them he chose Twelve, whom he also named Apostles:

Oratio (Responding)

Sometimes I wonder why there are readings like this in the lectionary. But they do help us to better understand the structure and authority of the church among the people in it. Everything in Gods kingdom is based on power and authority. We Americans like to think that everyone is equal, and while the Lord does love us all the same, He is also just.

Imagine for a moment, a man that spent his entire life an atheist, hating and reviling the church, but on his death bed converts, and repents, and is forgiven. Our church teaches that he will be in heaven, after he makes reparations for his sins in purgatory. But I don’t think that it would be just to expect him to have the same stature among the saints in heaven, as compared to someone that gave their entire life to the service of God, like one of our great saints or a martyr. Those saints, and disciples that loved God more, understand His will better than those that spent their lives rejecting Him. They are closer to Him both here and in heaven, and it would make sense that the rest of us, that have questions and disputes to settle regarding Gods teachings would look to those that are closer to God for answers.

This is why Jesus gave us a pope, and bishops, and priests. To help us to get closer to him, but to also have people in position to settle arguments as they come up. Authority, ultimately brings unity. When Arias was teaching heresy, the people were being divided. But when the church decided, that Arias was wrong, some stayed with him and were separated from the church, but the great majority returned to communion with the faith. But if there was no authority, then Arias would not have been stopped, and many more would have followed him into schism.

This is what Luther did, and continues to do. Since there is No authority in the protestant world, any time a dispute happens, the two divide, and one of the two disputing parties creates a new church. To the point that there are now 100’s of thousands of unique churches all with their own individual “pseudo” authority, at least until someone disagrees with them.

This is not what Jesus wanted, and it is so important that we help people to come to know and love the genius, and beauty of Jesus’ plan for church unity, through authority. Jesus is God, I don’t know why we human always think we can do things better than He did. But we do

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to be humble and to respect the authority of the church that you setup for us. But please lord, save us from bad prelates.

Mark 10:46-52

Lectio (Reading)

As Jesus was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a sizable crowd,
Bartimaeus, a blind man, the son of Timaeus,
sat by the roadside begging.
On hearing that it was Jesus of Nazareth,
he began to cry out and say,
“Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.”
And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent.
But he kept calling out all the more,
“Son of David, have pity on me.”
Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.”
So they called the blind man, saying to him,
“Take courage; get up, Jesus is calling you.”
He threw aside his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus.
Jesus said to him in reply, “What do you want me to do for you?”
The blind man replied to him, “Master, I want to see.”
Jesus told him, “Go your way; your faith has saved you.”
Immediately he received his sight
and followed him on the way.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Jesus said to him in reply, “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man replied to him, “Master, I want to see.” Jesus told him, ‘Go your way; your faith has saved you.”

Oratio (Responding)

For the last couple chapters of Mark we have been learning about the nature of Jesus’ kingship, Jesus has been working miracles and He is warning His disciples of His coming death and He even revealed his glorified body to the disciples on the mountain. But they do not seem to understand the plain meaning of the things that He was showing and teaching them. To emphasize this point, Mark employs a common practice in greek literature, to bookend a story or teaching with two separate but related stories. That is what is happening here. The section begins in chapter 8 with Jesus healing a blind man, and ends in todays reading with His healing another blind man. In between He is transfigured, feeds 5000 people by multiplication of loaves, and He predicts His death 3 times.

The healing of the blind men, is meant to call out the disciples blindness to the plain meaning of His teachings, and to get them to understand that Jesus is indeed going to die. He uses the examples of the blind men to help them reflect on the fact of what He is telling them. The Jewish people were waiting for 2000 years for the appearance of a messiah that would be a military and political leaders, that would bring justice. Jesus is trying to get them to understand that this is not what is going to happen, at least not right now.

This message is for us as well. He is calling us all out for being blind too, and asking us to pay attention to His teachings. What is it in your life that God is trying to get you to pay attention to, to look at with the eyes of truth? What is it about this world and this life that you are holding onto, and not fully understanding? It is time to reevaluate your thinking, and make sure that you are following God’s will for your life, and not your own. And if you are not, it is time to sit up and listen to what He is trying to tell you, and have the courage to change if necessary.

But despite that more generalized view of these scriptures, there is also a specific message about this blind beggar and how what he did applies to us as well. The name “Bartimaeus” means “son of Timaeus.” Timaeus is a Greek name meaning “honor” or “honorable” thus this mans name litterally mean “son of honor.” Remember now that when Solomon’s kingdom was divided in two by his sons, and 10 of the tribes moved north. Those tribes merged culturally and religiously with the pagan greeks, and the their synchotism created a new people called hellenistic Jews. Hellenistic means “culturally Greek” but they were also jewish by birth. So this man represents the son of a jewish man with a very greek name, but also a son of the honorable jewish people.

This one name contains a lot of meaning, and it is important that we make note of it. Timeaus in his blindness represents the confused nature of these hellenistic Jews that have lost their way, but nevertheless still have retained the thread of knowledge about their messiah and can still recognize Him when he arrives. What happens next between Jesus and Timeaus is a beautiful representation of what happens when we hear the call of Jesus and answer it. The steps that uccured bewteen Jesus and Timeaus went as follows:

Timeaus becomes aware of Jesus and who he really is.
He calls out to Jesus, and Jesus hears him.
Jesus invites Timeaus to come to Him.
At this point he is faced with a decision… possibly the biggest decision of his life… will he either thow off his cloak (his past life) and get up and go to Jesus, or let Him pass by?
He throws off his cloak, and runs to Jesus.
Jesus then asks him what he wants Him to do for him?
Timaeus answers that he wants to see, he wants to know the truth and goodness that Jesus represents, and he wants to live in the grace of the knowlege.
Jesus answers the request, but the answer to that question is dependant on Timeaus’ movement. Will he move towards God, and away from his old sinful life, or will he stay stuck in his old life? His cure depends on that choice.
Timeaus then decideds to follow Jesus, and this movement is rewarded with God’s blessing and grace.

The same is true for us believers. We too (even today) are called by Jesus, and many of us are so deaf and blind that we do not hear the call, or we are so stuck in our sinful nature that we totally ingnore it. But we are all called just the same. Jesus’s is asking us all the same question, what do you want of me? Do you know what you want? We are all being called today to confront that question. What do you want? Are you deaf to who Jesus is, are you blind to His goodness? If Jesus said to you today “Go your way; your faith has saved you.” what would you do, would you go back to your old life, or would you move toward the new life and the Glory fo God that awaits?

The call stands before you today, the choice is yours. Jesus is waiting like the father of the prodigal son. He is standing on his porch looking to the horizon for you. When he sees you he will come running to you and put his cloak around you and ring on your finger, and you will be his bloved son once again. What are you going to do? Are you going to walk towards him, or away in the other direction? God is waiting for you. Run to him, and you will see again. And you might hear those most glorious words, “Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master’s joy.”

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to not be blind or deaf, to see and hear what you have to share with me in my life at this moment.

Luke 12:54-59

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to the crowds,
“When you see a cloud rising in the west
you say immediately that it is going to rain–and so it does;
and when you notice that the wind is blowing from the south
you say that it is going to be hot–and so it is.
You hypocrites!
You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky;
why do you not know how to interpret the present time?

“Why do you not judge for yourselves what is right?
If you are to go with your opponent before a magistrate,
make an effort to settle the matter on the way;
otherwise your opponent will turn you over to the judge,
and the judge hand you over to the constable,
and the constable throw you into prison.
I say to you, you will not be released
until you have paid the last penny.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky; why do you not know how to interpret the present time?

Oratio (Responding)

Jesus told us in another reading “that it was not for us to know the day or the time when the Lord will return,” so why now is He telling us that we need to learn how to interpret the present time? The answer is the same whether we are talking about the seasons of the year, or the end of time. When the trees start to turn color and the nights get colder, if you do not heed that warning, and prepare for winter, you may freeze or starve. But if you are aware of the seasons, you will spend the required time before winter, saving up food to eat, and storing wood for heat.

Just so with the end of time. You must observe the signs of the times, and be prepared for the coming of the Lord. What does that look like? Well the parable of the wise and foolish virgins tells us the answer. You must keep your lamps trimmed, and carry extra oil, so you will be ready when the bridegroom arrives. In your day to day life this means that you must live in a state of grace, and spend your time storing up treasure in heaven. This means staying close to the sacraments, and if you have mortal sin on your heart, you must get to confession, and reconcile yourself with God, so that when the end of time comes and He returns you will be ready to receive Him and will not be cast out of the wedding banquet.

Then we will be like the wise virgins, that were ready to greet the lord, and that will be a glorious day, indeed. So be prepared, and if you are not, start today, right now, for we do not know the day or the time that the master will return, but we know He is coming, so look for the signs of the times that will foretell His arrival.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to prepare, if I need to reconcile with you or another, please give me the courage and strength to do so. Help me to store up treasure in heaven, and to find peace in your glorious embrace. Amen.

Luke 12:49-53

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his disciples:
“I have come to set the earth on fire,
and how I wish it were already blazing!
There is a baptism with which I must be baptized,
and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished!
Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth?
No, I tell you, but rather division.
From now on a household of five will be divided,
three against two and two against three;
a father will be divided against his son
and a son against his father,
a mother against her daughter
and a daughter against her mother,
a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law
and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!

Oratio (Responding)

Why does Jesus say that He is going to bring division, and why does He wish it were already so? Well we have to first explore what God means by fire. But do not be confused, He literally means fire, and literally means that He wishes the world was ablaze. Lets begin with God himself. He is a burning fire of love, the angels closest to Him are called seraphim. This word translates to “the burning ones.” Because they are on fire. But this fire is not the fire that burns away hay and straw like fire does in this world. Gods fire only burns away one thing, sin.

Frank Sheed when talking about eternity, uses a very different explanation than most are used to. He says eternity is not a measurement of time, but instead, a measurement of perfection. Time is a gift from God, that is given to all of us who are not perfect yet, and need to reconcile our sin with God. God is already perfect, He does not need to change, He does not need to improve, He is the quintessence of perfection in every way.

So our lives then, are a series of steps towards perfection, and a purging of sin from our lives. When we die, if we are in a loving relationship with God, we can be assured of purgatory, where the final burning away of the last remnants of our sin will happen. When we are completely free of sin, then (and only then) can we finally enter the presence of God Himself, and bask in the glory of His love and perfection. If we have even the slightest remnant of sin in ourselves, we will not be able to bear the pain of His burning fire of love. This is why there is pain in purgatory, because we are close enough to God to see Him, and desire Him, but also close enough that our sin burns in our hearts.

Finally, this is why those in hell are also in pain, because they are also close enough to God to feel the pain of their sin, but because of their rejection of God, and their attachment to sin, they suffer in their imperfection and sin for eternity.

So when Jesus says that He wishes the world were ablaze, He is longing for that sin to be burned away from us, so that He can be with us all, for eternity, in perfection.

The thing that God wants more than anything, is for each and every one of us to be in a loving relationship with Him, and the only thing that prevents that from happening is sin. So ask yourself what is the thing that is keeping you from getting closer to God, and start today the process of burning that out of your heart.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, today please help me to be a light of goodness and righteousness, and to bring the peace, and truth of your word into the world.

Luke 12:39-48

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Be sure of this:
if the master of the house had known the hour
when the thief was coming,
he would not have let his house be broken into.
You also must be prepared,
for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.”

Then Peter said,
“Lord, is this parable meant for us or for everyone?”
And the Lord replied,
“Who, then, is the faithful and prudent steward
whom the master will put in charge of his servants
to distribute the food allowance at the proper time?
Blessed is that servant whom his master on arrival finds doing so.
Truly, I say to you, he will put him
in charge of all his property.
But if that servant says to himself,
‘My master is delayed in coming,’
and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants,
to eat and drink and get drunk,
then that servant’s master will come
on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour
and will punish the servant severely
and assign him a place with the unfaithful.
That servant who knew his master’s will
but did not make preparations nor act in accord with his will
shall be beaten severely;
and the servant who was ignorant of his master’s will
but acted in a way deserving of a severe beating
shall be beaten only lightly.
Much will be required of the person entrusted with much,
and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.

Oratio (Responding)

This message is similar to the story of the talents, and that the responsible will be required to handle more, and those who are irresponsible, even what they have will be taken away. But there is a difference here. The parable speaks of the “faithful and prudent steward” that was put in charge of the master’s property and for distributing His goods at the proper time.

I have to think that while there is a message for us too, I believe that this is directed mostly to those that have be given authority over others. Specifically the priests, deacons, and bishops of the church. When a man is given responsibility of overseeing a part of God’s church those prellots have incredible power over the faith and worship of those in his care. If the bishop is good, the faithful with be better off than if he wasn’t. But if the bishop is bad, his wickedness will allow the wolves will come and snatch away souls without resistance. Faith is a serious matter, and our bishops are responsible for every soul that is put in their stewardship. So if we have a good prellot in our lives we have to support and encourage them, if we have bad ones we have to hold them to account and demand more from them.

But what is the message for us laypeople. It is the exact same. We all have authority structures in our lives, if we are parents we must take the raising of our children seriously, and with the same care. If we are leaders at work, or in the community we are held to an even higher standard, because you hold other people livelihood in your hands. If anyone follows your example, or looks up to you, you must be responsible with that power, and strive to be better at all times. God is watching, and he does not like his little ones being led astray. So if you dont want to be fitted for a millstone, you best heed this warning.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord help me today to spread your gospel, and to do it in a way that honors you, and brings more souls to faith. Amen.

Luke 12:35-38

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Gird your loins and light your lamps
and be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding,
ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks.
Blessed are those servants
whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival.
Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself,
have them recline at table, and proceed to wait on them.
And should he come in the second or third watch
and find them prepared in this way,
blessed are those servants.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival.

Oratio (Responding)

This gospel today definitely has a message for us all. But, in the next couple verses of this chapter, peter asks if this parable is for everyone, or just us, Jesus responds with a stern warning to Peter and his fellow priests, and bishops. I truly wish that when the liberal “anything-goes” catholic priests read this at mass today that they would hear Jesus speaking directly to them.

The servant in this parable is the priest at mass distributing the eucharist, and watching over their flock. The good servant is the one that obeys the law, is vigilant of the master’s return and takes care of the flock while the master is gone. The wicked servant is the one that uses his position as steward to take advantage of those put in his charge.

We live in a world with both types, and they are unfortunately very empowered by the leadership in the vatican, and the secular world. I also think about Jesus’ warning about the little ones, and leading them into sin. These wicked servants will have to stand before Jesus at their judgement, and they will have to account for their actions. I would not want to be them on that day. I hope that they will read this gospel today, and take heed of Jesus’ warning. While they still have blood pumping in their veins they have time to repent. I pray that they take the opportunity that God is gracing them with today.

We the members of the master’s flock have a part in this reading today too. We have the grace of being given a choice as to which servant we are to follow. Are you going to follow the James Martin’s or the Joe Biden’s of the world, that pick and choose what parts of the church’s teachings that they are going to follow? Or are we going to follow the good steward, the Bishop Strickland’s, or Father Altman’s of the world, that teach the truth and hold us acountable to the master’s high standard.

It is easy to follow the wicked servant, because they let you get away with being wicked, but in truth they are spirtually abusing you. It is much harder to follow the good steward, because it requires discipline, and fasting, and faithfullness, but the promise of heaven awaits. I pray that we all can find the good steward, that will shepherd us straight to heaven, and that the wicked steward will realize the error of his ways, before it is too late.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, please help us to find the true path, and to follow the good steward, and to be ready and vigilant when you return. Amen.

Mark 10:35-45

Lectio (Reading)

James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus and said to him,
“Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.”
He replied, “What do you wish me to do for you?”
They answered him, “Grant that in your glory
we may sit one at your right and the other at your left.”
Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking.
Can you drink the cup that I drink
or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?”
They said to him, “We can.”
Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink, you will drink,
and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized;
but to sit at my right or at my left is not mine to give
but is for those for whom it has been prepared.”
When the ten heard this, they became indignant at James and John.
Jesus summoned them and said to them,
“You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles
lord it over them,
and their great ones make their authority over them felt.
But it shall not be so among you.
Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant;
whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all.
For the Son of Man did not come to be served
but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

OR:

Jesus summoned the twelve and said to them,
“You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles
lord it over them,
and their great ones make their authority over them felt.
But it shall not be so among you.
Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant;
whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all.
For the Son of Man did not come to be served
but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

They answered him, “Grant that in your glory we may sit one at your right and the other at your left.” Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the chalice that I drink or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” They said to him, “We can.”

Oratio (Responding)

Viva Christo Rey!

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh Lord, Today as we ponder this question, let us have the courage to accept the cup that Jesus offers us, and to live out your plan for our lives.

Luke 12:8-12

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his disciples:
“I tell you,
everyone who acknowledges me before others
the Son of Man will acknowledge before the angels of God.
But whoever denies me before others
will be denied before the angels of God.

“Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven,
but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit
will not be forgiven.
When they take you before synagogues and before rulers and authorities,
do not worry about how or what your defense will be
or about what you are to say.
For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that moment what you should say.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

Oratio (Responding)

The catholic church teaches that the only unforgivable sin is to blaspheme against the Holy Spirit, and that is what Jesus is talking about here. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit can be best understood like this… The devils most favorite trick to play on people in grave sin, is to whisper in their ear, and say “you are such a bad person, that your sin is so bad that God will never forgive you, and that you should just give up because it is all hopeless.” The evil one wants you to despair, and to take your own life, rejecting God, because then he can keep you with him in hell forever, and deprive both you and God from an eternity together in heaven. The devils only goal in life is to separate us from God’s love, by tricking us into falling for his lies. Simply understood, the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, is to believe those lies of the devil, to despair in those lies, and think that God’s love and mercy is not big enough to forgive you, and then eventually die in those lies.

But you don’t have to be in grave sin to fall for this same lie. Our modernist christian culture (which is itself, another lie from the devil) will try to teach you that because God is all loving and all forgiving, that there is nothing you could do to make God not forgive you. The nominal christian wants you to believe that His love is unconditional and there is nothing you could do that would change that. This is in-fact a lie hidden inside of truth, and because of that it sounds good to us. But God’s love is indeed conditional, and there is one thing that you can do that God cannot forgive…, and that is to never ask for His forgiveness. This is called the sin of presumption. Assuming that God will forgive you, and to live your life as if His forgiveness is unconditional, and always granted. God is indeed utterly perfect, and His love is indeed infinite. He is indeed all forgiving, and ever merciful. But all of that grace depends on one thing… YOU! You must first turn to Him, you must get on your knees and beg for His forgiveness. You then must gladly accept whatever penance that He puts on your heart, and you must do whatever is required to reconcile your sins. If you do this, and complete this process of forgiveness, that is what accepting the gift of the Holy spirit in your life looks like.

Anything short of that is to reject the Holy Spirit. And if you die in that state of being un-reconciled with God, then that is what it means to blaspheme the Holy Spirit, and you will not make it to heaven! I know that that is bold claim, but I can prove it…, We know that Heaven is the total and complete giving and receiving of love between you and the Father, and all of the other souls with God in Heaven. It is the most intimate relationship that you could ever imagine, higher than the most perfect marriage here on earth, higher than the love of a parent for a child, and higher than any friendship you have ever had. But this type of relationship is only possible through absolute and total reconciliation between you and God, there cannot be anything between you that separates you. Do you think that you can reject god even a little, hold back your love just a little, or simply even just take Him for granted…, while at the same time participate in the complete and total exchange of perfect love with Him? No! You must want it more than anything else, and you must do whatever is required to attain it, anything less than that, would make you unclean. And Jesus told us what happens to those that are unclean… In another gospel verse we hear the story of the wedding feast and the guest that is not wearing a wedding garment (meaning he is unclean), and he is cast out into the darkness, where there is wailing and grinding of teeth. We must not allow ourselves to believe this cultural lie that God’s love is unconditional, because it actually hinges on just one condition, that you must first ask for His forgiveness.

The Holy Spirit is always working in you, and all around you, all the time, trying to get you to make that turn to God, the turn that will in-fact give you the forgiveness that you need, and ultimately get you into heaven, and assure your place in eternity with God. But you must make that turn, you must choose Him over all of the things of this world, and you must put Him first in your life. If you can do this, if you can strive to do good and reject evil, and you can die in loving friendship with God, then you will be able to free yourself of those last attachments to sin (in purgatory), and eventually hear those most wonderful of all words… “well done my good and faithful servant, enter into my glory!”

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to reject this world, and the lies of the devil and to turn toward you in all things. Help me to make right choices, and follow your loving example in all things. Amen.

Luke 10:1-9

Lectio (Reading)

The Lord Jesus appointed seventy-two disciples
whom he sent ahead of him in pairs
to every town and place he intended to visit.
He said to them,
“The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few;
so ask the master of the harvest
to send out laborers for his harvest.
Go on your way;
behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves.
Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals;
and greet no one along the way.
Into whatever house you enter,
first say, ‘Peace to this household.’
If a peaceful person lives there,
your peace will rest on him;
but if not, it will return to you.
Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you,
for the laborer deserves payment.
Do not move about from one house to another.
Whatever town you enter and they welcome you,
eat what is set before you,
cure the sick in it and say to them,
‘The Kingdom of God is at hand for you.'”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest. Go on your way; behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves.

Oratio (Responding)

Some things change in this world, and some things never do. There have always been and will probably always be more wolves in this world than lambs. More people trying to get into the feast, than those who are willing to labor for it. As humans we cant help but notice the differences around us. The fact that some are wealthy and some are rich is just a fact of life. There will always be this desparity among us, and even Jesus acknowledge that fact. But envy, lust, and covetness are truly dangerous temptations and can lead us down the devil’s diabolical steps of destruction:

Once the evil one identify’s the thing that you yearn for, the first thing he does is to tell you that “you deserve it.” When you believe that lie, that you “deserve” something, then you start to feel like you can take it because it was supposed to be yours anyway. When you take it, then you move onto the next step. On the 2nd step he tell you that you are a “victim” and that “you are owed it.” When you believe this lie, you start to feel that the only reason that you dont have it, is because someone is keeping it from you. When fall for this lie, then you will not only take it, but you will be righteously indignant if anyone says anything about it, and then you move onto the last step. The last step comes when the devil tell you that you are “better than them all,” and you start to believe that if it were not for you and your subjecting them to your will that they would be lost to the wolves, and that you are the only thing protecting them from something worse. But in fact, you are now the actual wolf, and they need to be protected from you.

The real trick in life is not letting the desparity get to you. We cannot have envy for those that have more than us, and we cannot have apathy for those that have less, we must find balance and seek to do good with whatever gifts that God has given us. We do this by answering God call, to be meek, never taking, only receiving. Working for what you receive, sharing it with those that have less and being grateful for it. But even more, it requires a soul that is of service, willingly giving from the heart, and asking for nothing in return. Those that give everything for the sake of God’s love will be the most exalted in heaven. Those that have everything and take what is not theirs, will be sent to eternal suffering in hell. So the question is simple do you want to be a lamb or a wolf. If you choose wolf, you might have it good for awhile, but just remember that eternity is a long time. I would rather have nothing in this life and spend eternity exalted in heaven than have everyting in this life and be damned in hell forever. Wouldn’t you?

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to put away any notion I might have of fairness, and what is owed me. But instead help me to understand how I can be of service to others, and labor for the harvest. Amen.

Luke 11:47-54

Lectio (Reading)

The Lord said:
“Woe to you who build the memorials of the prophets
whom your fathers killed.
Consequently, you bear witness and give consent
to the deeds of your ancestors,
for they killed them and you do the building.
Therefore, the wisdom of God said,
‘I will send to them prophets and Apostles;
some of them they will kill and persecute’
in order that this generation might be charged
with the blood of all the prophets
shed since the foundation of the world,
from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah
who died between the altar and the temple building.
Yes, I tell you, this generation will be charged with their blood!
Woe to you, scholars of the law!
You have taken away the key of knowledge.
You yourselves did not enter and you stopped those trying to enter.”
When Jesus left, the scribes and Pharisees
began to act with hostility toward him
and to interrogate him about many things,
for they were plotting to catch him at something he might say.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Woe to you who build the memorials of the prophets whom your fathers killed. Consequently, you bear witness and give consent to the deeds of your ancestors, for they killed them and you do the building.

Oratio (Responding)

This is the continuation of previous gospel. Jesus is indicting the scribes and pharisees. This statement today is really convicting, and speaks to the darker nature of man. Prophets come into this world, and justifiably call out the wickedness of men. Those that hear the warnings ridicule, scorn and even kill these prophets for challenging the power and authority of men, and for having the temerity to speak the obvious. Then after the prophets are dead and the prophecy comes true, we discover that the prophet was right, and that we were wrong. The prophet is then venerated, and his teachings are held in the highest esteem.

Why must man go through this exercise, why cant we see the truth when it is right in front of us. I think it must be pride. We think we know better than them, and that we think that we cant be wrong, thus we lash out in defence of our position. It is probably also fear of loss of the power and stature that we have acquired. Somtimes the prophet is heard…, The Ninivites heard the warnings of Jonah and repented. We should all strive to be like that, to hear that warnings that Jesus and the prophets are telling us today…, And maybe, just maybe, when we see Jesus He will say “blessed are you”, and not “woe to you”.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me to put my pride away and to hear the warnings and messages that you want to send me today. Amen.

Luke 11:42-46

Lectio (Reading)

The Lord said:
“Woe to you Pharisees!
You pay tithes of mint and of rue and of every garden herb,
but you pay no attention to judgment and to love for God.
These you should have done, without overlooking the others.
Woe to you Pharisees!
You love the seat of honor in synagogues
and greetings in marketplaces.
Woe to you!
You are like unseen graves over which people unknowingly walk.”

Then one of the scholars of the law said to him in reply,
“Teacher, by saying this you are insulting us too.”
And he said, “Woe also to you scholars of the law!
You impose on people burdens hard to carry,
but you yourselves do not lift one finger to touch them.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Woe also to you scholars of the law! You impose on people burdens hard to carry, but you yourselves do not lift one finger to touch them.

Oratio (Responding)

As we journey closer and closer to the Lords passion, His encounters with the scribes and pharisees are getting more contentious. In todays passage He is yet again calling them out for being extremely hypocritical. He has given a series of “woes” to these temple leaders, essentially calling them out for saying one thing, but doing another. The Scribes in this particular example are being called out for their hypocrisy over the law. They are so much more concerned with power and stature that they have completely forgotten the purpose of the law. But whats worse is that they use their knowledge of the law to gain power and authority over those that they “serve,” and instead lord it over them.

Lets take for example the 3rd commandment. It says that we must keep holy the lords day. So this means no work, you must spend the day with family, go to church, and use the day for rest and contemplation about God and His will for your life. The scribes for fear of ever transgressing this commandment of God, made law after law, restricting activity on the sabbath, so that there would never be a chance of ever breaking this commandment. But their zealousness, got so out of control that it got to the point that if someone fell down in front of you on the sabbath, that it became a sin to help them get back up.

This is insane and completely misses the point of the commandment. Thus Jesus enlightens them of this fact, that the scribes impose these heavy burdens, and do nothing to help them carry it. The Scribes were more concerned with making sure that the law was followed that they forgot the commandments. Thus the “woe”, Woe means great sorry or distress and this is what awaits those scribes if they do not change their ways. It is the same warning for us, if we do not change our ways and follow the true will and teachings of the lord.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, please help me to put down my pride and to seek you first, in all things. Help me to love you and trust your will for my life, and to be your hands and feet in the world. Amen.

Luke 11:37-41

Lectio (Reading)

After Jesus had spoken,
a Pharisee invited him to dine at his home.
He entered and reclined at table to eat.
The Pharisee was amazed to see
that he did not observe the prescribed washing before the meal.
The Lord said to him, “Oh you Pharisees!
Although you cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish,
inside you are filled with plunder and evil.
You fools!
Did not the maker of the outside also make the inside?
But as to what is within, give alms,
and behold, everything will be clean for you.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Oh you Pharisees! Although you cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish, inside you are filled with plunder and evil. You fools! Did not the maker of the outside also make the inside? But as to what is within, give alms, and behold, everything will be clean for you.

Oratio (Responding)

Messages like this, make it easy to understand why the pharisees, wanted to kill Jesus. He was making enemies with these words. But imagine being a layperson during this time, living under the tyranny of the jewish leaders law. It must have been shocking to see a man go against the entire power structure of their time. But the faithful jew Should also have known the prophecy and recognized Jesus as messiah.

So why did they torture and kill Him instead. For the same reason that Satan fell, Pride! These jewish leaders knew that when the Lord returned, everything in their lives would change. And Jesus said as much in His preaching. He said the first will be last, and the last will be first. These pharisees, knew that to follow Jesus, they would have to give up their power, and prestige, and comfortable lives, and instead, they would have to serve. Sadly, just like Satan, they said that they would not do that, and the inevitable happened, they tried to destroy the one person that stood in the way of their power.

But instead, they actually ended up exalting Him above all men. To me the the jews of this time acted exactly the way that I would expect powerful people to act, what boggles my mind is that there are jews today that still think that Jesus was just a man. But that is a different reflection. But todays message is clear, and speaks directly to us. The outside world does not defile us, we are instead defiled by our own sinful nature, and by the choices that we make, so to repent we must seek first to change ourselves from the inside, and then the outside will follow, but the choice is yours, and yours alone.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me to respond more than I react, help me to reflect before I respond. Amen.

Mark 10:17-30

Lectio (Reading)

As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man ran up,
knelt down before him, and asked him,
“Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Jesus answered him, “Why do you call me good?
No one is good but God alone.
You know the commandments: You shall not kill;
you shall not commit adultery;
you shall not steal;
you shall not bear false witness;
you shall not defraud;
honor your father and your mother.”
He replied and said to him,
“Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth.”
Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him,
“You are lacking in one thing.
Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor
and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.”
At that statement his face fell,
and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.

Jesus looked around and said to his disciples,
“How hard it is for those who have wealth
to enter the kingdom of God!”
The disciples were amazed at his words.
So Jesus again said to them in reply,
“Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!
It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle
than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
They were exceedingly astonished and said among themselves,
“Then who can be saved?”
Jesus looked at them and said,
“For human beings it is impossible, but not for God.
All things are possible for God.”
Peter began to say to him,
“We have given up everything and followed you.”
Jesus said, “Amen, I say to you,
there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters
or mother or father or children or lands
for my sake and for the sake of the gospel
who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age:
houses and brothers and sisters
and mothers and children and lands,
with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come.”

OR:

As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man ran up,
knelt down before him, and asked him,
“Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Jesus answered him, “Why do you call me good?
No one is good but God alone.
You know the commandments: You shall not kill;
you shall not commit adultery;
you shall not steal;
you shall not bear false witness;
you shall not defraud;
honor your father and your mother.”
He replied and said to him,
“Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth.”
Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him,
“You are lacking in one thing.
Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor
and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.”
At that statement his face fell,
and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Oratio (Responding)

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh Lord, Help me today to recognize the things in my life that are a stumbling block for me to achieving eternal life. Give me the courage to let them go and trust in you for all things. Amen.

Luke 11:27-28

Lectio (Reading)

While Jesus was speaking,
a woman from the crowd called out and said to him,
“Blessed is the womb that carried you
and the breasts at which you nursed.”
He replied, “Rather, blessed are those
who hear the word of God and observe it.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Blessed is the womb that carried you and the breasts at which you nursed. He replied, “Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.”

Oratio (Responding)

A lot of people read this passage and think that Jesus is rebuking the woman and insulting his mother. But as with all things that Jesus does and says, He has a much higher goal…, a goal that sets our sights on God in Heaven and not of the things of this world. If we get stuck in the things of this world, we will not see the point of Jesus’ teachings. Jesus taught that we must “hear the word of God and observe it.” That is the real purpose of jesus’ life and what He came here to teach us.

The woman, for her part, is trying to recognize Mary for her role in bringing Jesus to us, and there is nothing wrong with praising Mary. But Jesus is telling her (and us) that there will be time for that after He is gone. But for now we must focus on the teachings that He is giving us, so that we can all find our way to Heaven as well. Jesus though does not want us focusing on the things of this world, and the people of this world, because it is all fallen. Instead, He is redirecting our attention to the goodness of God in heaven.

The world is a gift from God the Father, given in love for our comfort and sustenance, but it will not fulfill all our needs. Our greatest need can only be satisfied by aligning our will with God’s will for our lives. As St. Augustine said: “our hearts are restless Lord, until they rest in Thee.” The people of this world are full of potential, and they are all made beautifully in God’s image, but they will all invariably disappoint, and fall short of the glory of god. Only God in heaven can give us all that we need, and only God is completely trustworthy and will never let us down. So we must raise the bar, and set our sights higher than just this world.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to look to you for all things.

Luke 11:15-26

Lectio (Reading)

When Jesus had driven out a demon, some of the crowd said:
“By the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons,
he drives out demons.”
Others, to test him, asked him for a sign from heaven.
But he knew their thoughts and said to them,
“Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste
and house will fall against house.
And if Satan is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand?
For you say that it is by Beelzebul that I drive out demons.
If I, then, drive out demons by Beelzebul,
by whom do your own people drive them out?
Therefore they will be your judges.
But if it is by the finger of God that I drive out demons,
then the Kingdom of God has come upon you.
When a strong man fully armed guards his palace,
his possessions are safe.
But when one stronger than he attacks and overcomes him,
he takes away the armor on which he relied
and distributes the spoils.
Whoever is not with me is against me,
and whoever does not gather with me scatters.

“When an unclean spirit goes out of someone,
it roams through arid regions searching for rest
but, finding none, it says,
‘I shall return to my home from which I came.’
But upon returning, it finds it swept clean and put in order.
Then it goes and brings back seven other spirits
more wicked than itself who move in and dwell there,
and the last condition of that man is worse than the first.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Therefore they will be your judges. But if it is by the finger of God that I drive out demons, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you.

Oratio (Responding)

This reading can be very difficult to understand. It seems confusing. It starts with the accusation that Jesus drives out the devil by the devil. This is, of course, insane, but it leads Jesus to tell us two stories that help us to understand how the demons view us and the world. The first story is about a strong man that is over powered by a stronger man and all that he has is taken away. The second is the story of the person that has a demon driven out, and puts his life back in order but the demon returns with 7 other demons and is worse off than before.

What these stories tell us, simply, is that if physical strength is all you have then there will always be someone stronger that will come along and take everything you have. This is the way of the world, it is the reason we have war, and it is the reason we have kings and tyrants and it is the reason that some have nothing, while others are surrounded by riches. It is also the reason that many of these strongmen are so ruthless and violent, because they know that there is always someone lurking in the shadows waiting to pounce and take it all from them. The same is true about the second story, if you do only enough to drive the demon away, but do not make the changes your life completely expunge him from your life in every way, then the demons, will return with more backup and make your situation worse than before.

Both of these stories reveal a reality about this world and the way that the evil ones look at it. The evil look at the world as a pie, and if I take a slice that means someone else will have less, and so they take as much as they can so that others will not take from them. This is how they view every aspect of physical human existence. All of the sins that we attribute to the devil, Pride, envy, greed and lust, all flow into this same mentality… “I need to take mine, before someone else takes it away from me.”

But this is not the way God views the world, and it is not how things really are in heaven or on earth. With the good true and beautiful things of this world…, these things they are multiplied when they are shared. Think of love. If I give love to another, we are both filled up with more love. If I speak truth we are both better off for having known it. And if I create something beautiful every one that looks upon is then blessed for having seen it.

The answer in either case is God, fully and completely…, we must do all things with God. He is the ultimate strongman, there is no one that can take anything away from Him, because He is the creator of everything. But the difference between God and all of the strongmen that have come after Him is that God does not want to take anything from us, but instead wants to give us everything He has. We must do the same. If you have strength, offer it up and unite it to God and share your strength with the world. If you want to expel demons from your life, then you must do it with God, united with His power and kingship then the demons will flee from you. Alone we are desperately outnumbered. But with God, we are an overwhelming majority.

But then might ask, how do you unite all things with God? With prayer and thanksgiving, you must give it all to Him. If you have strength and power and riches, you offer it all to him and allow Him to use it for His purposes. If you want to live a life of virtue, and uprightness, you must first offer it up to Him, and listen for His call in your life, and humbly do as you are told. It is hard to give every aspect of your life to God, our culture, our wold, teaches the opposite at every turn. But if you don’t, you will be forever divided one against another for all time, just like the demons. But if you do, then you will be blessed with more love than you can possibly imagine, and you will be able to experience that joy for all eternity. The choice is yours, what will you choose?

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, teach me to live humbly, to practice charity, and to love without expectation of anything in return. And help me to be an unstoppable force for good in this world. Amen.

Luke 11:5-13

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Suppose one of you has a friend
to whom he goes at midnight and says,
‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread,
for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey
and I have nothing to offer him,’
and he says in reply from within,
‘Do not bother me; the door has already been locked
and my children and I are already in bed.
I cannot get up to give you anything.’
I tell you, if he does not get up to give him the loaves
because of their friendship,
he will get up to give him whatever he needs
because of his persistence.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

Oratio (Responding)

God wants to give us everything…, He is the good father, and He loves us all so much, but He also knows that some gifts would actually be a curse, either to myself or to others. Think of the movie Bruce Almighty. In the that movie Bruce is given the power of God, and because he is human, he cant handle all of the prayer requests coming in, so he grants all of the requests at once, everyone gets what they pray for, and it was a calamity for the world. Clearly not all prayers could or should be granted.

But what about the important ones, what about the prayers for healing? This is where the big picture of God comes into play. We cannot understand why God allows innocents to be harmed or the evil to be healed, but I do know that it will all be revealed at the end of time, and I guarantee, that the plan will be greater and more awesome then we could possibly imagine.

But I think that the most important message of this gospel comes at the end. He says “I tell you, if he does not get up to give him the loaves because of their friendship, he will get up to give him whatever he needs because of his persistence.” If you have an important petition, pray for it constantly. Pray without ceasing, and you will see miracles happen. I believe it was Augustine that said that sometimes God does not grant your prayers right away because He needs time to help you prepare your heart and soul to receive it. So humbly pray, God does hear you, and then wait, and trust that He will provide, in His time, and in His way.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to have the grace to trust that you will hear my prayers, and that you will grant my petitions in your way, and in your time, and I know that it will be awesome when you do.

Luke 11:1-4

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished,
one of his disciples said to him,
“Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples.”
He said to them, “When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name,
your Kingdom come.
Give us each day our daily bread
and forgive us our sins
for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us,
and do not subject us to the final test.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name, your Kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread and forgive us our sins for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us, and do not subject us to the final test.

Oratio (Responding)

This reading today gives us Luke’s version of the Lord’s prayer. It is very different than the longer version from Matthew that we might be more familiar with. This version is much shorter, but in at least one way it tends to be more precise. Specifically I am referring to the last line of the prayer. Luke’s version reads “do not subject us to the final test” While in Matthew’s version it reads “and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” The reason that I believe that it is better, is because temptation is the test.

At the end of our lives we are going to be judged by how we dealt with temptation. As a result of the fall, we all have a weakness to sin, called concupisence. This weakness sets up a conflict in each and every one of us between our sinful desire to indulge in the wants and needs that this world offers, against the understanding of what is right and wrong (called conscience), that God puts on our hearts. The “test” is the extent to which we exert our will to choose one over the other.

We all face this test every day…, whether to eat the last slice of pizza, or have one more drink or to indulge in sex in an illicit or disordered way. We all are victims of this temptation, but what matters is how we handle and overcome our temptations. At the end of time we will be asked to account for all our actions. And at the “final test” those actions will be weighed on the scales of God’s justice…, and the righteousness of all of our choices will be measured against the sum total of all of our un-reconciled sins. How much did you fall, how much did you seek reconciliation and forgiveness? God will judge you, when you die, on whether or not the state of your soul at the time of your death was upright and just or if it was sinful and selfish.

That is what Luke means when he writes “and do not subject us to the final test.” None of us could stand that judgement. None of us are worthy of God’s mercy, and none of our lives are perfect and without sin. None of us wants to stand before God and have to justify ourselves and our lives to Him. It is only by His mercy that we are allowed into heaven. If you are blessed to get a plenary indulgence like the apostolic pardon, or you die a martyr, you will be exempt from this final test, and go straight to heaven. But in the end, no matter how you achieve it, it is only by reconciliation and God’s mercy that we can be purified enough to enter heaven without being subjected to the final test.

So that is what we are praying for today in the Lords prayer. That God will guide us to make upright and just choices, to reconcile when we fall, and to hopefully die in loving friendship with Him in this world, so that we can go straight into eternity and be with Him forever in heaven.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

So please lord we pray that you will help us to become the saints that you indended us to be, and that you do not subject us to the final test. Amen.

Mark 10:2-16

Lectio (Reading)

The Pharisees approached Jesus and asked,
“Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?”
They were testing him.
He said to them in reply, “What did Moses command you?”
They replied,
“Moses permitted a husband to write a bill of divorce
and dismiss her.”
But Jesus told them,
“Because of the hardness of your hearts
he wrote you this commandment.
But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female.
For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother
and be joined to his wife,
and the two shall become one flesh.
So they are no longer two but one flesh.
Therefore what God has joined together,
no human being must separate.”
In the house the disciples again questioned Jesus about this.
He said to them,
“Whoever divorces his wife and marries another
commits adultery against her;
and if she divorces her husband and marries another,
she commits adultery.”

And people were bringing children to him that he might touch them,
but the disciples rebuked them.
When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said to them,
“Let the children come to me;
do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to
such as these.
Amen, I say to you,
whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child
will not enter it.”
Then he embraced them and blessed them,
placing his hands on them.

OR:

The Pharisees approached Jesus and asked,
“Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?”
They were testing him.
He said to them in reply, “What did Moses command you?”
They replied,
“Moses permitted a husband to write a bill of divorce
and dismiss her.”
But Jesus told them,
“Because of the hardness of your hearts
he wrote you this commandment.
But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female.
For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother
and be joined to his wife,
and the two shall become one flesh.
So they are no longer two but one flesh.
Therefore what God has joined together,
no human being must separate.”
In the house the disciples again questioned Jesus about this.
He said to them,
“Whoever divorces his wife and marries another
commits adultery against her;
and if she divorces her husband and marries another,
she commits adultery.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Oratio (Responding)

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh Lord, I pray that all of the people of this world will be able to find the joy of a good marriage, and the grace of being bonded to one person in the perfection of trinitarian love. Amen.

Luke 10:17-24

Lectio (Reading)

The seventy-two disciples returned rejoicing and said to Jesus,
“Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name.”
Jesus said, “I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky.
Behold, I have given you the power
‘to tread upon serpents’ and scorpions
and upon the full force of the enemy
and nothing will harm you.
Nevertheless, do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you,
but rejoice because your names are written in heaven.

”At that very moment he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said,
“I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
for although you have hidden these things
from the wise and the learned
you have revealed them to the childlike.
Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.
All things have been handed over to me by my Father.
No one knows who the Son is except the Father,
and who the Father is except the Son
and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.”

Turning to the disciples in private he said,
“Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.
For I say to you,
many prophets and kings desired to see what you see,
but did not see it,
and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike.

Oratio (Responding)

The word “hidden” here is one that I think most people misunderstand. I believe that most people think of this as God actively “preventing” them from seeing things that the little children see easily. But instead, I would argue that this is a reference to the differences of the inner nature of both adults and children. For example, if you set both clay and butter, out in the heat of the sun, one will melt into a pool, and the other will harden like pottery, the sun is not act on each of these things differently, but the inner nature of each caused different results when exposed the warm rays of the sun.

So too are the natures of the wise and learned versus a child. The wise and learned have the difficulty that they know so much, and those things that they know do not give room for anything from the metaphysical realm, much less things things that require faith and trust. Children on the other hand have an easier time taking things on faith, as long as the person who is telling it to them is trustworthy.

So we are called to be childlike in our relationship to the Lord, and trust the good Father completely. This is not to say that you cannot use your mind and logic to find your way to faith through reason, that is how I started my journey to the Lord. But at some point, you must put down all of that logic, and you must just trust in the goodness of God, and with a simple faith believe the things that cannot be understood with logic and reason.

When you do this, the craziest thing happens. When you open your mind to the faith that God is real, and truly loves you, and wants the best for you. It is precisely at that point you will be graced with an understanding that supercedes all logic and reason. And the things that you could not understand with your mind alone will become abundantly clear when considered from the perspective of your heart.

Thomas Aquinas wrote: “In order that the mind of man may assent to the things of faith, a movement of God is necessary… God moves the soul interiorly to believe, by the infusion of grace.” But before that can happen you must be open to the possibility that God exists in the first place, and you must have faith that He can show you things that science can not. Aquinas also wrote: “To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible.” So we are called to be childlike, trust in God completely, accept the grace that God wants to give you, and prepare yourself for the incredible things that God wants to show you.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me to have the humility today to see you as you are, as a good and trustworthy father, and to look at you more with my heart, than my mind.

Luke 10:13-16

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to them,
“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida!
For if the mighty deeds done in your midst
had been done in Tyre and Sidon,
they would long ago have repented,
sitting in sackcloth and ashes.
But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon
at the judgment than for you.
And as for you, Capernaum, ‘Will you be exalted to heaven?
You will go down to the netherworld.’
Whoever listens to you listens to me.
Whoever rejects you rejects me.
And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Whoever listens to you listens to me. Whoever rejects you rejects me. And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.

Oratio (Responding)

Jesus is talking here to the people of the cities that he has visited. He did miracles in all of these cities. Those miracles should be all that is needed to convert people to faith in Christ, but alas Humans are stiff necked. He did many miracles in Chorazin and Bethsaida, and they did not repent, He did far less in Tyre and Sidon, and yet many did. But he did the most in Capernaum and he is lamenting that the incredible blessing that he has poured out on them is not catching more fish.

Capernaum, is where Jesus always retired to. It is the place of Peter’s home, and many of the disciples as well. He has many of his closest followers here, and he is telling them that because he has done so much for them that they have a much higher calling, and that they have to repent themselves, and then be sent out (apostles) to the world to spread his message. If they do not, then they will be in the “woe” category during the final judgement.

This to applies to us as well. To those of us that have faith and understand Jesus’s teachings, much more is required of us as well. Once you know Jesus, you cant just go back to doing things like you used to. You are called to something higher. Truth makes a claim on you, and you must respond, You either agree, and change your life, or you reject it, and dont, but indifference is not possible. So I ask you today, If you truly believe that Jesus Christ is in fact “the way, the truth, and the life”, What is your response? You have to decide one way or the other, no more riding the fence.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh Lord, help me today to fully embrace your message, and your teachings, so that I can go out into all the world and proclaim your truth, Amen.

Luke 10:1-12

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus appointed seventy-two other disciples
whom he sent ahead of him in pairs
to every town and place he intended to visit.
He said to them,
“The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few;
so ask the master of the harvest
to send out laborers for his harvest.
Go on your way;
behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves.
Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals;
and greet no one along the way.
Into whatever house you enter, first say,
‘Peace to this household.’
If a peaceful person lives there,
your peace will rest on him;
but if not, it will return to you.
Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you,
for the laborer deserves his payment.
Do not move about from one house to another.
Whatever town you enter and they welcome you,
eat what is set before you,
cure the sick in it and say to them,
‘The Kingdom of God is at hand for you.’
Whatever town you enter and they do not receive you,
go out into the streets and say,
‘The dust of your town that clings to our feet,
even that we shake off against you.’
Yet know this: the Kingdom of God is at hand.
I tell you,
it will be more tolerable for Sodom on that day
than for that town.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves.

Oratio (Responding)

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord help us today to better love and trust you, while we proclaim your word to all of the people of the world.

Matthew 18:1-5, 10

Lectio (Reading)

“See that you do not despise one of these little ones,
for I say to you that their angels in heaven
always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said, “Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.

Oratio (Responding)

This passage starts with the disciples arguing about who among them is the greatest. They believed that Jesus was going to be the new “earthly” king of jerusalem and the whole world. And with all that that includes, they were wrapped up in their own thoughts and expectations about what the Lord would do when He returned, and the part that they would play in that new kingdom.

The jews believed that when the Lord returned that He would do 4 things. Gather the tribes of Isreal, rebuild the temple, rule as king of the kingdom of David, and bring justice to all of their enemies. The idea of Jesus would die at the hands of those same enemies did not factor into their expectations in any way. They were like kids being asked to take our the trash but pretending not to hear their mother’s request, and go on as if that request did not happen.

In another gospel Jesus asks them what they were discussing along the way. They respond as I think most humans would in this moment, they remained silent. I think that this was because Jesus’ question pulled them out of their moment of worldly concern. If Jesus was the messiah that was going to do all of the things that they expected Him to do, then their arguments would be logical and necessary at that time. But Jesus is not the messiah they expected, and His mission is very different than what they had in mind. He has now told them twice the plain truth about his forthcoming death and ressurection, and they did not hear it. They are instead arguing about their own expectations. With this simple question, Jesus pulls them out of the moment. Jesus Christ “The WORD,” Himself, is trying to tell them that He will suffer and die. But even more importantly He is telling them that they will be called to suffer, sacrifice and die as well, if they really wish to be His disciple.

And to further cement this point He brings a child into their midst and tells them “unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven.” In the jewish world at this time, children were not considered to have any stature or importance at all. It is not like today where children are esteemed so highly. Back then a child was never be heard, and never to be seen. So for Jesus to bring a child into the apostle’s midst, and tell them that they must recieve a child in the same way they recieve Jesus Himself…, is not a small thing. Jesus basically takes the lowest member of their society, bring them into their ranks, and tells His diciples that they will have to consider and serve ones, such as these, in the same way that they would Jesus Himself, King of the universe. This is a total paradigm shift for them and I imagine would have been very difficult for them to fully understand.

How often do we do this? Sitting in church, missing all of the mass because we are concerned with our worldly thoughts. With the dress of the other parishoners, the crying baby, or the one person that is taking communion that you know is a grave sinner. Jesus here, is reminding us all, that to be a disciple of God…, that we too must first consider the needs of all, not just those that we hold in high esteem. Second that we must not dwell on how we can be served, but of how we can be of service to all regardless of their stature in society. And finally, to be childlike, exulting in the goodness truth and beauty all around us, trusting that God has our best interest at heart in all things and is watching over us at all times. This is our call. Jesus is asking you to follow Him in all things, to exult in God’s creation, and to serve your fellow man, in any way we can.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to trust you more, and love you more in all of the things I do. Amen.

Luke 9:51-56

Lectio (Reading)

When the days for Jesus to be taken up were fulfilled,
he resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem,
and he sent messengers ahead of him.
On the way they entered a Samaritan village
to prepare for his reception there,
but they would not welcome him
because the destination of his journey was Jerusalem.
When the disciples James and John saw this they asked,
“Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven
to consume them?”
Jesus turned and rebuked them,
and they journeyed to another village.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

When the days for Jesus to be taken up were fulfilled, he resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem, and he sent messengers ahead of him.

Oratio (Responding)

I used to think of this reading as simply one of the passages that tells us the travels of Jesus throughout His ministry. But I heard a homily once on this scripture, and I found it so interesting that I needed to record it here, and share it with you. I thought for sure my priest would talk about the basic movements of Jesus in His ministry, and how he was now moving into the last phase of his mission. But instead he spoke about what the words “resolutely determined” mean. He said that in Greek these word is more accurately translated as “has his eyes fixed upon.”

So what are Jesus’ eyes “fixed” on? The answer is the pascal mystery…, The passion and suffering of Good Friday, His death on the cross, and His ressurection and ascension into Heaven. Jesus knew that this all would soon begin. So Jesus at this time has come to understand that now is the time for His mission to come to completion. And because of His limitless love of us, and His wish to save us all from our slavery to sin, He has fixed his gaze, and resolutely determined that now was the time to complete that incredible act of sacrifice and selfless love.

What are things that we fix our eyes upon? Large purchases, educational goals, etc. These things all take time and persistence to fulfill, and just so with the pascal mystery. We cannot fathom the perseverance, and resoluteness that it took for God to die for us. Is there anything we do in our lives that is even slightly close to that kind of love? I would argue not, but there should be, and it takes the form of faith. We must always choose God over all things in this life, and we should determine to do it resolutely.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to have the courage to do the things I must even if I don’t think that I can do them. Give me the strength to follow you.

Luke 9:46-50

Lectio (Reading)

An argument arose among the disciples
about which of them was the greatest.
Jesus realized the intention of their hearts and took a child
and placed it by his side and said to them,
“Whoever receives this child in my name receives me,
and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.
For the one who is least among all of you
is the one who is the greatest.”Then John said in reply,
“Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name
and we tried to prevent him
because he does not follow in our company.”
Jesus said to him,
“Do not prevent him, for whoever is not against you is for you.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. For the one who is least among all of you is the one who is the greatest.

Oratio (Responding)

And to further cement this point He brings a child into their midst and tells them “If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.” In the jewish world at this time, children were not considered to have any stature or importance at all. It is not like today where children are esteemed so highly. Back then a child was never be heard, and never to be seen. So for Jesus to bring a child into the apostles midst, and tell them that they must recieve a child in the same way they recieve Jesus Himself…, is not a small thing. Jesus basically takes the lowest member of their society, bring them into their ranks, and tells His diciples that they will have to consider and serve ones, such as these, in the same way that they would Jesus Himself, King of the universe. This is a total paradigm shift for them and I imagine would have been very difficult for them to fully understand.

How often do we do this? Sitting in church, missing all of the mass because we are concerned with our worldly thoughts. With the dress of the other parishoners, the crying baby, or the one person that is taking communion that you know is a grave sinner. Jesus here, is reminding us all, that to be a disciple of God…, that we too must first consider the needs of all, not just those that we hold in high esteem. Second that we must not dwell on how we can be served, but of how we can be of service to all regardless of their stature in society. And finally, to be childlike, exulting in the goodness truth and beauty all around us, trusting that God has our best interest at heart in all things and is watching over us at all times. This is our call. Jesus is asking you to follow Him in all things, to exult in God’s creation, and to serve your fellow man, in any way we can.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to trust in the way that you want me to. Amen.

Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48

Lectio (Reading)

At that time, John said to Jesus,
“Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name,
and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us.”
Jesus replied, “Do not prevent him.
There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name
who can at the same time speak ill of me.
For whoever is not against us is for us.
Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink
because you belong to Christ,
amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward. “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin,
it would be better for him if a great millstone
were put around his neck
and he were thrown into the sea.
If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off.
It is better for you to enter into life maimed
than with two hands to go into Gehenna,
into the unquenchable fire.
And if your foot causes you to sin, cut if off.
It is better for you to enter into life crippled
than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna.
And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out.
Better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye
than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna,
where ‘their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.'”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Jesus replied, “Do not prevent him. There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me. For whoever is not against us is for us.”

Oratio (Responding)

Jesus reminds us: “For whoever is not against us, is for us.” Why is it so hard for us to remember this? There are many good souls in the world that love God and seek to do His will. Whether they are protestant christians, or budhists, or jews, etc., there are many people, that while confused about who God really is are still, nevertheless, loving and worshiping the same God as we are. Pope St. John Paul II made this point in His encyclical “Fides et Ratio” that many (but not all), of the worlds religions are seeking the same god as we are, and this fact makes them our brothers and sisters in Christ. Vatican II taught this same concept in its document “Lumen Gentium,” calling it the “many lights” that lead to the lord.

But this teaching does seem to contradict Jesus’ own teachings when He said: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me.” So how do we reconcile this…? The answer is evangelization. There are many people out there that may have not ever heard the name of Jesus, and there are even many more out there that have heard His name, but do not know who he is. And thus God’s grace is big enough to make room for them in His Kingdom, regardless of whether they have grown up as a christian or not.Our task is to spread the word about Him, teach others who He is, and help them to convert and be His disciple.

But until that happens, we are not to prevent them from doing good deeds in the name of God, but as they do God’s will in this world, we are also required to teach them about who Jesus really is… The point is that if you live a good life, if you seek to do good and resist evil that God will not punish you for never knowing who Jesus is, and worshiping other gods. But the other side of that coin is that once you do know that those other gods are not the real God and you know who Jesus really is, then you will be held accountable for either choosing to accept or reject Him.

St. Paul made a similar point when he was in a greek city…, there he found that they had a shrine setup for the “unknonwn god.” He recognized that they did not have the full picture of god but that they understood that there was more to learn about who God really is. St. Paul used that knowledge to evangelize them about the true nature and name of the one true God in heaven. This is our task too, to find those that are following different paths (other lights), and show them the one true light, Jesus Christ, and guide them to living in a state grace as a christain.

But despite our efforts, some will never come to accept the truth of Jesus Christ, but if they follow those other lights for their entire life, and die in the ignorance of their faith. If they die in friendship and love of God, they can find their way to the throne of Jesus Christ, and He will inform them of their error. If they then accept that Jesus Christ is Lord, and convert their heart, mind and soul to christianity, then they too will ultimately be saved. Jesus said nothing unclean can enter heaven, and so even if you are not a christian in this world, if you want to be with God for eternity, then you must accept Jesus Christ as king and lord of the universe and then you too will be a christian in heaven.

St James in the last sentence of his letter wrote: “My brothers, if anyone among you should stray from the truth and someone bring him back, he should know that whoever brings back a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.” So this is our task, find good people wherever they are and however they believe, and introduce them to Jesus. Do not prevent them from doing good in Jesus’ name, but use their goodness to bring them out of the darkness of their false faith, and show them to true light of Jesus.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh Lord, help me today to bring the light of christ into the heart of someone that does not know you fully in the body, blood, soul, and divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Luke 9:43b-45

Lectio (Reading)

While they were all amazed at his every deed,
Jesus said to his disciples,
“Pay attention to what I am telling you.
The Son of Man is to be handed over to men.”
But they did not understand this saying;
its meaning was hidden from them
so that they should not understand it,
and they were afraid to ask him about this saying.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Pay attention to what I am telling you. The Son of Man is to be handed over to men. But they did not understand this saying; its meaning was hidden from them so that they should not understand it,

Oratio (Responding)

This passage was a repeat of his warning that he will be killed and handed over. In between these warnings, He feeds the 5000. So He tells them that He will be murdered for his teachings, and then shows them a miracle, and then tells them about His death again. It must have been really hard for them to understand that the king of the universe, with unlimited power would allow Himself to be tortured and killed. The apostles must have felt like they were bouncing back and forth between seeing miracles, and then seeing meekness like they have never seen from a King. It is not hard to understand why they were confused, and often disbelieving. He did not act like the king of the universe, the one that will bring justice, and rule all of the world as His kingdom.

Today is no different. We only hear about the miracles…, God is not performing great miracles in the world anymore. We read His word, and follow His teachings, and we too have to contemplate the big questions, like why doesn’t the great and powerful God just fix everything, or why does He not eliminate sin? At the end of the day the answer is faith and trust. That is the key to our journey and the key to our salvation. we must strive for goodness, avoid evil, staying close to the sacraments, and always do everything with charity. The only way to accomplish this is by faith in God, and trust in His plan.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to have trust, increase my faith, and help me to do your will in all things.

Luke 9:18-22

Lectio (Reading)

Once when Jesus was praying in solitude,
and the disciples were with him,
he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?”
They said in reply, “John the Baptist; others, Elijah;
still others, ‘One of the ancient prophets has arisen.’”
Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Peter said in reply, “The Christ of God.”
He rebuked them and directed them not to tell this to anyone. He said, “The Son of Man must suffer greatly
and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,
and be killed and on the third day be raised.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

He asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” They said in reply, “John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, ‘One of the ancient prophets has arisen.’” Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter said in reply, “The Christ of God.”

Oratio (Responding)

This passage starts with Jesus asking “who do the crowds say that I am?” Jesus asks this question becaus many people had confused Jesus with one of the prophets, and He does not want His apostles to make the same mistake. It is important that they recognize Him for who He really is, so that the can properly teach others about Jesus when He is gone.

Next Jesus asks “who do you say that I am,” and Peter answers rightly. He identifies Jesus as the Christ, and everything that goes along with that title. Peter is a human that sees Jesus, another human, for who he really is, God. But He did not come to this knowledge on his own, this is divine understanding that was given to him from the Holy Spirit. But it suffices to make the distinction that Jesus was making in His first question, and solidifies His point for all of His disciples to see.

Jesus then breaks all of their hearts by telling them that He will die and rise again. In the chapters of His teaching ministry, He predicts His passion 3 times, and 3 times they don’t get it. The jews sincerely believed that the messiah would come and do four things: Rebuild the temple, destroy all of Israel’s enemies, and unite all of the tribes of Israel, and Reign as the king of the nation. So the messiah dying without accomplishing those ends is hard for these jewish disciples to comprehend.

But Jesus did do all of those things. Just not in the way that they expected. He rebuilt the temple of His body in three days, after it was destroyed on the cross, and in Heaven he is building his new temple with the souls of the faithful that died in loving friendship with God. He has absolutely untited all of the tribes of israel, that were scattered amongst all of the gentiles in His new church of Christianity, and at the end of time, the uniting will be finally complete in Heaven. On the cross Jesus destroyed the power satan held over the world, and freed us all from his subjection, and at the end of time He will take care of all of those enemies, by sending them to hell. And finally Jesus reigns as king of His church right now and in heaven for all eternity.

The point of this reading is that Jesus is the Christ, the messiah that was prophesied, and not just a prophet. We must understand this, and we must not dismiss Him as just another man. He is God, and He came to save us from our sin. Do you believe that? That is the question for today. We all need to struggle with His question “who to you say that I am?” The answer to that question determines your eternity… Choose well!

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help increase my faith, and trust in you, so that I can love you fully and bask in your glory. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Luke 9:7-9

Lectio (Reading)

Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was happening,
and he was greatly perplexed because some were saying,
“John has been raised from the dead”;
others were saying, “Elijah has appeared”;
still others, “One of the ancient prophets has arisen.”
But Herod said, “John I beheaded.
Who then is this about whom I hear such things?”
And he kept trying to see him.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

John I beheaded. Who then is this about whom I hear such things?” And he kept trying to see him.

Oratio (Responding)

Sometimes I wonder why the magisterium chooses to include readings like this, in the daily missal. It must be for the sake of completeness, including the whole bible in the 3 year cycle of readings. This reading is about Herod trying to figure out who Jesus is. He had recently killed John the baptist, and so he is afraid that John has risen from the dead, and would come looking for justice.

Sinners always worry about things like this. I think this reading might simply be a foreshadowing of what will happen later in the passion of Christ. Herod’s father tried to kill Jesus, when Jesus was just a baby, but failed. This Herod, too, will hold Jesus’ Life in his hands, but because of his fear, and cowardice, he too will fail.

I guess if we are going to take any lesson from this is that we need to live with courage, and strength. Seeking righteousness, doing good and resisting evil. Staying close to the sacraments, and living in a state of grace. If we do this, then death has no power over us, there will be nothing to fear. And so when we are confronted with challenging things, then we can respond with dignity and grace. This should be the goal of all of us.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, give me the grace today to respond to life’s challenges with dignity and grace, so that I can do good and resist evil.

Luke 9:1-6

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus summoned the Twelve and gave them power and authority
over all demons and to cure diseases,
and he sent them to proclaim the Kingdom of God
and to heal the sick.
He said to them, “Take nothing for the journey,
neither walking stick, nor sack, nor food, nor money,
and let no one take a second tunic.
Whatever house you enter, stay there and leave from there.
And as for those who do not welcome you,
when you leave that town,
shake the dust from your feet in testimony against them.”
Then they set out and went from village to village
proclaiming the Good News and curing diseases everywhere.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Take nothing for the journey, neither walking stick, nor sack, nor food, nor money, and let no one take a second tunic. Whatever house you enter, stay there and leave from there. And as for those who do not welcome you, when you leave that town, shake the dust from your feet in testimony against them.

Oratio (Responding)

Take nothing for the journey. That is trust. This is the story of Jesus sending out his disciples two by two to proclaim the gospel. In another gospel it is the 70 that He sends out. But the point is the same, He has begun His public ministry, and He is getting the word out. He is sending them out to every corner of the world to proclaim the truth. This will stir up conversation, and in a couple weeks, He will have thousands coming to listen to the teacher Himself. We will later here of the sermon on the mount, and the feeding of the 4000 and 5000, and those events follow soon after, due to the efforts of these few men.

So what is the message for us. It is the same. If you know God, and have heard His truth, you are compelled to proclaim it to those around you. To spread the word so that all the world can hear that Jesus Christ is the way and the truth and the life. This is how the word was spread at the beginning, and it is how it has been spread ever since. Personal witness from believer to listener is the only and best way to proclaim the gospel. So you too are being called to go out into the whole world, and let all that have ears to hear to That Jesus Christ is lord. Amen

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to proclaim your truth for all the world to hear.

Luke 8:19-21

Lectio (Reading)

The mother of Jesus and his brothers came to him
but were unable to join him because of the crowd.
He was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside
and they wish to see you.”
He said to them in reply, “My mother and my brothers
are those who hear the word of God and act on it.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it.

Oratio (Responding)

Protestants love to use this scripture to make the case that mary had other children and was not the perpetual virgin. This sprouts, unfortunately, from the english translations of the bible, and from our modern misunderstanding of the culture of that time. The Jewish people of that era would call all close kin Brother and sister. Just like today, we also do that with close friends. My evidence of this is that James and Joses, whom are called “brothers” of Jesus in another passage, are also identified elsewhere in the bible as the two sons of Mary and Cleopus. Mary and Cleopus were Jesus’ aunt and uncle, making James and Joses His cousins, but nevertheless, they were called Jesus’ brothers.

We must then, adjust our thinking and reflection on this reading to be in line with those facts. Mary did not have more children, and she was indeed a perpetual virgin. This is extremely important, because we also believe that she was born sinless, and remained so her entire life. We have no direct evidence of this, from the bible, but we have lots of indirect evidence that points to this fact. The reason that we believe this is because, as Aquinas said, “it is fitting.” Jesus could have been born of a prostitute, it would not have made Him any less God. But it is fitting that Jesus be born of the most holy woman that ever lived. And it is fitting that she remain sinless for her whole life. It is also fitting because when she dies and goes to heaven, she will be part of the royal family in heaven, the mother of the new Davidic King, not just a temporary vessel that is to be used for a time, and then discarded. Jesus could have had other brothers, and sisters, it would not have changed Jesus’s mission for one minute, but it is fitting because it allowed Him to pick the disciples that were best suited to His ministry, and it did not force Him to divide His love and attention from the actual brothers and sisters that He had come to serve, also known as humanity.

But the best evidence we have of this fact, is from Jesus’ own mouth on the cross. When He said to John, “behold your mother”, He was putting Mary under John’s protection making her (by spiritual adoption) his Mother too. Mary was a widow, and now childless. In a world that treated childless widows like trash, she would now be at very great risk. If Jesus had had actual biological brothers, this “adoption” of Mary to John, would have been extremely scandalous and incredibly insulting to them, and as such, we can rightly conclude that Jesus would never do such a thing.

So in the end, Jesus knew human nature better than we know it ourselves, He created us, and it is because of that fact that He did things the way He did. His plan is perfect and I am grateful for it.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, today give me the strength to allow your will to be done, and not my will. Amen.

Luke 8:16-18

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to the crowd:
“No one who lights a lamp conceals it with a vessel
or sets it under a bed;
rather, he places it on a lampstand
so that those who enter may see the light.
For there is nothing hidden that will not become visible,
and nothing secret that will not be known and come to light.
Take care, then, how you hear.
To anyone who has, more will be given,
and from the one who has not,
even what he seems to have will be taken away.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

No one who lights a lamp conceals it with a vessel or sets it under a bed; rather, he places it on a lampstand so that those who enter may see the light.

Oratio (Responding)

What does this parable mean? Light by its very nature is meant to be shared. It is useless when concealed. We put our lights in the ceiling of our homes or at the top of lamppoles, so it can be spread as far as possible. The light of Christ is the greatest of all light, and it must be shared with every soul on this planet. Whether they like it or not, whether they know it or not. That is the main point of this parable, but there are other ways to interpret at this analogy as well, and they are all deeply meaningful.

Light has many attributes, and when we explore them further, I think it will bring even more understanding. Light enhances everything touched by it. It gives of itself to make the things around it better, it makes the things that it comes into contact more like that thing. Light makes a thing more clearly visible, and not hidden in darkness, and so light is what helps you to know that thing, as what it truely is. Light also has the ability to purify. Dark and wet places grow bacteria, and disease, but places that are illuminated by direct sunlight are the opposite, they are dry and sterile. With enough time, anything placed in the light will be purified. Finally, Light has a spiritual warfare attributes as well. Consider the image of the cockroaches scurrying away when the lights come on, this is the same with the devil and his demons, they love to live in the darkness and shadows, and they hate light, they hate having their ugliness exposed.

So today Jesus is saying that we have to be like light in the world. We have to enhance the world around us, shining light on it, and making it better. We have to use our nature and our connection with Jesus to purify those that we come into contact with every day. And we have to fight off the evil, conquering our worlds, claiming them for christ, and making them intolerable places for the evil forces of the world to ever return. It may seem like a tall order to fulfill, but with God all things are possible. So go out and be the light of christ to all the world, and proclaim it to all the nations with courage and vigor, and when we do, we will ultimately fulfill Jesus’ words, and the remove the evil from our midst.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, give me the strength and knowledge to share your light with the whole world.

Luke 8:1-3

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus journeyed from one town and village to another,
preaching and proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God.
Accompanying him were the Twelve
and some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities,
Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out,
Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza,
Susanna, and many others
who provided for them out of their resources.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Jesus journeyed from one town and village to another, preaching and proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God.

Oratio (Responding)

Todays gospels is one of those that does not have a teaching or a saying that can be expounded upon. It is a curious passage that only really serves as a transitional passage that points to the direction of Jesus’ Journey and gives us an idea of where He is going next. So instead of analyzing this the movements of Jesus, I wand to focus on what He is referring to when he talks about the “good news of the Kingdom of God”.

Many people rightly understand the kingdom of God to be “heaven”, but instead it is important to remember that heaven is not an etherial place where angels and human souls float around, without bodies. Heaven is going to be a real place with physical substance. You will have a glorified body, and you will be able to touch and feel things and interact with other people just like you do now.

This world is a dress rehearsal for the kingdom of heaven to come. And while the fullness of this kingdom will not be fully understood, until heaven is opened up for us, that does not mean that we cannot experience a sliver of this kingdom now while we are still here in this world. Every Joy, every love, and every beautiful thing that you experience is a sliver of God and His glorious plan for heaven.

So today don’t wait to spread joy, to do good, and bask in the beauty of God’s creation, because God is here in this world, and He wants to give you everything He has. The more you practice now, the more you will be ready for the glory of heaven when it comes.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to confront evil, and reject it, and to instead help spread the good news of your kingdom of heaven. But to do all of this with charity and a spirit of fraternal correction.

Luke 7:36-50

Lectio (Reading)

A certain Pharisee invited Jesus to dine with him,
and he entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table.
Now there was a sinful woman in the city
who learned that he was at table in the house of the Pharisee.
Bringing an alabaster flask of ointment,
she stood behind him at his feet weeping
and began to bathe his feet with her tears.
Then she wiped them with her hair,
kissed them, and anointed them with the ointment.
When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this he said to himself,
“If this man were a prophet,
he would know who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him,
that she is a sinner.”
Jesus said to him in reply,
“Simon, I have something to say to you.”
“Tell me, teacher,” he said.
“Two people were in debt to a certain creditor;
one owed five hundred days’ wages and the other owed fifty.
Since they were unable to repay the debt, he forgave it for both.
Which of them will love him more?”
Simon said in reply,
“The one, I suppose, whose larger debt was forgiven.”
He said to him, “You have judged rightly.”
Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon,
“Do you see this woman?
When I entered your house, you did not give me water for my feet,
but she has bathed them with her tears
and wiped them with her hair.
You did not give me a kiss,
but she has not ceased kissing my feet since the time I entered.
You did not anoint my head with oil,
but she anointed my feet with ointment.
So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven;
hence, she has shown great love.
But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.”
He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
The others at table said to themselves,
“Who is this who even forgives sins?”
But he said to the woman,
“Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Now there was a sinful woman in the city who learned that he was at table in the house of the Pharisee. Bringing an alabaster flask of ointment, she stood behind him at his feet weeping and began to bathe his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them, and anointed them with the ointment.

Oratio (Responding)

Todays gospel speaks of the anointing of Jesus with costly oil. This passage always seemed out of place to me, and unnecessary, but this extravagance, is not out of place when used on Jesus. This account is recorded in other gospels. It is different from Mark’s in that the oil is used to anoint Jesus’ feet instead of His head, and it is different than John’s in that it is a pharisee that protests the act instead of Judas doing so. But despite these difference, this is an extremely important moment, and has deeply profound theological implications.

The woman in this scened is believed by most scholars to be Mary Magdalene, the woman of whom Jesus had cast out many demons. She is also believed to be the woman that was caught in adultery. The ointment (oil) used here was pure nard, which was extremely expensive. It was used, not only for the embalming of the dead, but also had a nuptial context as well. The only other mention of nard in the bible is in the song of songs, as a gift from the bride to her bridegroom. Mary here, is not only anointing Jesus’ feet for his upcoming passion, but she is giving a gift of great value, and meaning, to her bridegroom.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Luke 7:31-35

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to the crowds:
“To what shall I compare the people of this generation?
What are they like?
They are like children who sit in the marketplace and call to one another, ‘We played the flute for you, but you did not dance.
We sang a dirge, but you did not weep.’

For John the Baptist came neither eating food nor drinking wine,
and you said, ‘He is possessed by a demon.’
The Son of Man came eating and drinking and you said,
‘Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard,
a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’
But wisdom is vindicated by all her children.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

The Son of Man came eating and drinking and you said, ‘Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is vindicated by all her children.”

Oratio (Responding)

This is one of those readings that really indights humanity. The jewish people have a long history of rejecting and killing prophets, then later discovering they were right, and holding them in great esteem. Isaiah, is the greatest of all the prophets, but not loved in his own time. He was, in fact so hated, that they sawed him in half upside down from butt to head.

Jews say that we are waiting for the return of elijah, but when John starts crying out in the wilderness, instead of repenting and participating in his baptism of forgiveness, they cut off his head. The Jews said that they were waiting for thousands of years for the messiah to come, and save us, but instead of recognizeing Jesus as Messiah and embracing him, we nailed him to a cross.

We today say that we want the lord to return and bring justice, but I wonder if we would even recognize him if he actually arrived. This is why the anti-christ will be so readily followed and loved when he comes, because he will come preaching the ways of the world, and he will affirm you in your sin, and thus many will fall for his lies, and false hope. But when the lord comes will he find faith? will we even recognize him. I pray for that day, and that I will see the truth

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to get to know you better, to know your voice, to stay in your flock, and to follow you, wherever you might lead me.

Luke 7:11-17

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus journeyed to a city called Nain,
and his disciples and a large crowd accompanied him.
As he drew near to the gate of the city,
a man who had died was being carried out,
the only son of his mother, and she was a widow.
A large crowd from the city was with her.
When the Lord saw her,
he was moved with pity for her and said to her,
“Do not weep.”
He stepped forward and touched the coffin;
at this the bearers halted,
and he said, “Young man, I tell you, arise!”
The dead man sat up and began to speak,
and Jesus gave him to his mother.
Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, exclaiming,
“A great prophet has arisen in our midst,”
and “God has visited his people.”
This report about him spread through the whole of Judea
and in all the surrounding region.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

When the Lord saw her, he was moved with pity for her and said to her, “Do not weep.”

Oratio (Responding)

Today’s gospel is another example of Jesus showing His power over death. It is a reading that does not get proclaimed very often, I think only during the daily mass in the Fall. What I find unique and interesting about this reading is that no one asked Jesus to do it. In all of the other Healings that He performed, He was asked to do it. And it was the faith of the one requesting the healing that moved Jesus to act, and the reason that they were helped.

In this case no one asked Him, but He acted in mercy and pity for this woman because she was in despair. The reading tells us that she was already a widow Before her son died, and with no other sons, she would literally have no one to watchover her, and provide for her. She would soon be homeless, and penniless, and utterly alone. Jesus was compassionate to her because of her needs and her state in life, not her faith, or any other reason.

Normally healing from God requires a move toward Him, with an act of faith. And Jesus responds to that act with grace. This is the only situation that I can think of where He acts without such an exchange happening first. I think that this moment beautifully shows the true heart of God. That He truly loves us, and that He wants us to be happy in our lives. But imagine how much more will He give us if we simply ask from a place of faith. Let us humbly reflect on our faults, and to ask for God’s intercession today, and seek the healing that Jesus wants to give us.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, thank you for loving us so, and for willing the good for us. Please lord help me today to become worthy of your healing touch, amen.

Luke 7:1-10

Lectio (Reading)

When Jesus had finished all his words to the people,
he entered Capernaum.
A centurion there had a slave who was ill and about to die,
and he was valuable to him.
When he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to him,
asking him to come and save the life of his slave.
They approached Jesus and strongly urged him to come, saying,
“He deserves to have you do this for him,
for he loves our nation and he built the synagogue for us.”
And Jesus went with them,
but when he was only a short distance from the house,
the centurion sent friends to tell him,
“Lord, do not trouble yourself,
for I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof.
Therefore, I did not consider myself worthy to come to you;
but say the word and let my servant be healed.
For I too am a person subject to authority,
with soldiers subject to me.
And I say to one, Go, and he goes;
and to another, Come here, and he comes;
and to my slave, Do this, and he does it.”
When Jesus heard this he was amazed at him
and, turning, said to the crowd following him,
“I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.”
When the messengers returned to the house,
they found the slave in good health.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof. Therefore, I did not consider myself worthy to come to you; but say the word and let my servant be healed.

Oratio (Responding)

It says that Jesus was amazed at this statement. Why? The centurion feeling unworthy to have the Son of God in his home is easy to understand, but that is not what amazed Jesus. It was that he persisted despite his unworthiness to have Jesus heal his servant from afar. This centurion is a leader of a 100 men, and understood the structures of authority better than most. He also understood that the kingdom of heaven is organized under the same principle, and so he knew that Jesus could help his servant from afar.

So he humbly asked Jesus to heal his servant from where He was because he did not want Jesus to spend any more energy on him than the bare minimum to heal his servant. This takes great faith, and it was this faith that Jesus was amazed at. Do you believe that Jesus can heal you, and/or your family? If not why not. I invite you to discover that with faith anything is possible. God can do anything, if you simply ask for His intercession. He may not do it in the way you want or expect, but His faithful to the sheep of His flock.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, increase my faith, help me to love you and trust you in the way the centurion did. Amen.

Mark 8:27-35

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus and his disciples set out
for the villages of Caesarea Philippi.
Along the way he asked his disciples,
“Who do people say that I am?”
They said in reply,
“John the Baptist, others Elijah,
still others one of the prophets.”
And he asked them,
“But who do you say that I am?”
Peter said to him in reply,
“You are the Christ.”
Then he warned them not to tell anyone about him. He began to teach them
that the Son of Man must suffer greatly
and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,
and be killed, and rise after three days.
He spoke this openly.
Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
At this he turned around and, looking at his disciples,
rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan.
You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.”

He summoned the crowd with his disciples and said to them,
“Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself,
take up his cross, and follow me.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for my sake
and that of the gospel will save it.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Oratio (Responding)

Jesus then breaks all of their hearts by telling them that He will die and rise again. In the coming chapters, He predicts His passion 3 times, and 3 times they don’t get it. The jews sincerely believed that the messiah would come and do four things: Rebuild the temple, destroy all of Israel’s enemies, and unite all of the tribes of Israel, and Reign as the king of the nation. So the messiah dying without accomplishing those ends is hard for these jewish disciples to comprehend.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me to heed your words, and to trust and follow you, instead of doing what I want, or what I think is best. Amen.

John 3:13-17

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to Nicodemus:
“No one has gone up to heaven
except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man.
And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert,
so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Jesus said to Nicodemus: “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”

Oratio (Responding)

This reading contains one of the most famous gospel passages in the world, John 3:16, but we will talk about that passage another day. Today I want to focus on the two lines before that. I think that these lines contain an equally amazing message, that often gets lost in the discussion of verse 16. This whole chapter consists of Jesus talking to Nicodemus and explaining to him what it means for the Father to give His only Son. In summary, He explains that by our being born again of the Holy Spirit (aka., baptism), and through the loving sacrafice of the Son on the cross, that He would redeem the whole world, and save us from our sin. But what does that mean?

To better understand we need to reflect back on the passage in Exodus reference here. The passage is of the seraph serpants. The incident of the serpents was proceeded by a series of ungrateful grumblings, by the jews in the desert? They complained about the food, They complained about the water. They complained about the living conditions in the desert. They had already forgotten that they were slaves under pharaoh, and they yearned to back to that time of slavery, because they thought it was better than the freedom that the Lord was providing.

God knew that, while it only took one day to get the jews out of egypt, it would take 40 years to get egypt out of the jews. But nevertheless, He heard this terrible ingratitude and all of their selfish grumbings, stopped protecting them, and allowed them to be punished for their sins by the attack of the seraph serpents. Poisonous snakes spread throughout the camp and bit as many of the jews as they could find. Many died, and others were very badly injured by this. But through Moses’ love for his people and through his powerfull intercession, he asked God for an end to this suffering. And God provided them a way to be healed.

Moses made a bronze serpent, and when the jews looked upon the staff with the broze serpent, they were healed. I dont think I can emphasize enough how important this is. John Bergsma writes “Isreal was in a state of death by snakes, and only by the mercy and love of God were the Jews restored to life and communion with Him.” But they were restored only by looking at the source of their pain and suffering, confronting the consequences of their sin, so that they could realize that they were the cause of their own suffering, and thus be reconciled with God and return to his loving protection. The Jews had turned away from God, and yearned for the things of this world, even slavery, over a loving personal relationship with the good shepherd. They had put themselves into such a state of sin that they were totally lost to the consequenses of it, and it was only the Lord Himself and His mercy and love that could saved them.

This is a prefect prefiguration of what God would do on the Cross for all of mankind. When today we look on the cross, and Christ crucified, with faith we too can be healed and saved. As John Bergsma continues…, “Just as Israel was restored to life by gazing on the serpent lifted up, we too may be restored to eternal life by gazing on Christ.” The cross represents the sum of all of our sin, past present and future. The suffering and torture that the cross represents is the culmination of all of our sin poured out onto one man, Jesus Christ. Because it is only Jesus the divine son of God that was strong enough to endure it. Or as Fulton Sheen said “God paid a dept that He did not owe, because we owed a dept that we could not pay!” But it is His willingness to suffer that torture on our behalf that becomes the source of salvation and freedom from sin.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh, god, source of all goodness truth and beauty. Take what little I have to offer you today, multiply it and glorify it into something wonderful. Amen.

Luke 6:39-42

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus told his disciples a parable:
“Can a blind person guide a blind person?
Will not both fall into a pit?
No disciple is superior to the teacher;
but when fully trained,
every disciple will be like his teacher.
Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye,
but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own?
How can you say to your brother,
‘Brother, let me remove that splinter in your eye,’
when you do not even notice the wooden beam in your own eye?
You hypocrite! Remove the wooden beam from your eye first;
then you will see clearly
to remove the splinter in your brother’s eye.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own?

Oratio (Responding)

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Luke 6:20-26

Lectio (Reading)

Raising his eyes toward his disciples Jesus said:

“Blessed are you who are poor,
for the Kingdom of God is yours.
Blessed are you who are now hungry,
for you will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who are now weeping,
for you will laugh.
Blessed are you when people hate you,
and when they exclude and insult you,
and denounce your name as evil
on account of the Son of Man.

Rejoice and leap for joy on that day!
Behold, your reward will be great in heaven.
For their ancestors treated the prophets
in the same way.

But woe to you who are rich,
for you have received your consolation.
But woe to you who are filled now,
for you will be hungry.
Woe to you who laugh now,
for you will grieve and weep.
Woe to you when all speak well of you,
for their ancestors treated the false
prophets in this way.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Blessed are you who are poor, for the Kingdom of God is yours.

Oratio (Responding)

“…those who experience poverty, hunger, sorrow, and persecution in this life for the sake of “the Son of Man…” should rejoice greatly because these afflictions are signs that they are headed in the right direction and will receive their just reward ‘n heaven.’”

…those who live lives of wealth, indulgence, and popularity ought to be very concerned about their eternal salvation because these signs of external happiness often accompanied the false prophets…”

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to be kind and giving, and loving, in the degree and to the extent that you want from me. Help me to be your hands and feet in this world today.

Luke 6:12-19

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus departed to the mountain to pray,
and he spent the night in prayer to God.
When day came, he called his disciples to himself,
and from them he chose Twelve, whom he also named Apostles:
Simon, whom he named Peter, and his brother Andrew,
James, John, Philip, Bartholomew,
Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus,
Simon who was called a Zealot,
and Judas the son of James,
and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor. And he came down with them and stood on a stretch of level ground.
A great crowd of his disciples and a large number of the people
from all Judea and Jerusalem
and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon
came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases;
and even those who were tormented by unclean spirits were cured.
Everyone in the crowd sought to touch him
because power came forth from him and healed them all.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

When day came, he called his disciples to himself, and from them he chose Twelve, whom he also named Apostles:

Oratio (Responding)

Todays reading covers the naming of the apostles. Disciples and apostles, what is the difference? In a nutshell all followers of Jesus are disciples, but only a few are apostles. Apostles are the leaders of all of the disciples.

All things in the kingdom of heaven have some authority, although in varying degrees. Authority brings stability to communities of people. If there are disputes among people, there must be a final authority that can fairly decide between parties. Without this, then violence and division are the only possible results. In his wisdom, Jesus understood this. Some would be given authority over things, and some would be given authority over other people. But the structure of authority is as important here on earth as it is in heaven.

Two other things are really important about this reading, first that leaders were appointed from among the faithful (as discussed above), but also that they were appointed by the spiritual leader of the church, in this case Jesus. These apostles were in essence the first bishops of our church. There were 12 because of the 12 tribes of Isreal. The word apostle means “sent”, and they were sent in order to bring the good news to all corners of the world. Gods church is being built, and the new structure of leadership is being appointed.

But who is pope? Jesus is the new king (of the line of david), and before He died He chose His successor from among his apostles, and named Peter His new pope. But He also made them understand that after He is gone the apostles would have to choose a new pope from among themselves. Regardless, the point is that our church needs leadership, and there must be one ultimate leader chosen from among them…, and those leaders must be strong and faithful so that they can lead the church with dignity and justice.

When the leaders are strong and faithful the church will be the same, when the church is weak and unfaithful, the church will be the same. I fear that we are currently suffering under the later situation today. So more than ever we need to pray for our popes, bishops, priests, and deacons, and pray that they follow the holy spirit and do His will. Pray for the conversion of the weak prellots in our church from the pope, all the way down to your parish priest. Pray that they will turn from the wide path to perdition, and return to the narrow one that leads to the lord. The faith of many, depends on this conversion…

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, please help me to help the priests in my community, help me to help build them up and strengthen them in their vocation. Amen.

Luke 6:6-11

Lectio (Reading)

On a certain sabbath Jesus went into the synagogue and taught,
and there was a man there whose right hand was withered.
The scribes and the Pharisees watched him closely
to see if he would cure on the sabbath
so that they might discover a reason to accuse him.
But he realized their intentions
and said to the man with the withered hand,
“Come up and stand before us.”
And he rose and stood there.
Then Jesus said to them,
“I ask you, is it lawful to do good on the sabbath
rather than to do evil,
to save life rather than to destroy it?”
Looking around at them all, he then said to him,
“Stretch out your hand.”
He did so and his hand was restored.
But they became enraged
and discussed together what they might do to Jesus.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

I ask you, is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?

Oratio (Responding)

Also interesting here is the meaning of the withered hand. In psalm 137, it says “if I ever forget Jerusalem let my right hand wither.” After Solomon’s death in the divided kingdom, his son Jeroboam fell victim to the temptation of the devil and allowed pagan worship in the northern tribes of Isreal. He sets up two golden calves in bethel and dan and told the people to worship them as the God that saved them from egypt. This idolotry cannot stand, and so the true Lord sent an anonymous man (probably a type of Jesus) to prophesy. This man cries out, and says that the idol will be destroyed, and the son of man will come to restore the Kingdom of Isreal. Jeroboam points at the man and says seize that man, and his hand immediately stiffened, and withers, and he cannot withdraw it (recalling the psalm).

The act of healing that Jesus performs here is not only representative of all of the things mentioned above but it is also a great sign of the fullfillment of prophecy of the anonymous man to Jereboam. Jesus, by restoring the hand of this anonymous jew in capernaum, is telling us that He is essentially healing the wound of Jeroboam, and restoring the 12 tribes to Himself.

The story of Jesus, IS the story of Isreal reaching its ultimate fulfillment. This analogy was also not lost on the jews, and the claim that Jesus is making here is of divinity. The Pharisees cant take it anymore and have to figure out how they are going to deal with this man, and further indict themselves, because they hold counsel (doing work) on the sabbath in order to decide how they are going to destroy Him.

How often does this happen in our lives. How often are we blinded by our ambition and singular focus. Jesus in this gospel, is pointing out the danger of that reality, and calling us to humility. What will your response be? I hope it is conversion, and change of heart.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me to day to reveal my pride, and expose my blindness. I want to be your disciple, and I want to be in eternity with you. Help me to see what is keeping me from this this end, and give me the courage and humility to seek the change that is required of me to get there. Amen.

Luke 6:1-5

Lectio (Reading)

While Jesus was going through a field of grain on a sabbath,
his disciples were picking the heads of grain,
rubbing them in their hands, and eating them.
Some Pharisees said,
“Why are you doing what is unlawful on the sabbath?”
Jesus said to them in reply,
“Have you not read what David did
when he and those who were with him were hungry?
How he went into the house of God, took the bread of offering,
which only the priests could lawfully eat,
ate of it, and shared it with his companions?”
Then he said to them, “The Son of Man is lord of the sabbath.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Have you not read what David did when he and those who were with him were hungry? How he went into the house of God, took the bread of offering, which only the priests could lawfully eat, ate of it, and shared it with his companions?

Oratio (Responding)

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh, lord help me today to observe my hypocrisy and to seek out justice and righteousness in all things that I do in this world. Amen.

Luke 5:33-39

Lectio (Reading)

The scribes and Pharisees said to Jesus,
“The disciples of John the Baptist fast often and offer prayers,
and the disciples of the Pharisees do the same;
but yours eat and drink.”
Jesus answered them, “Can you make the wedding guests fast
while the bridegroom is with them?
But the days will come, and when the bridegroom is taken away from them,
then they will fast in those days.”
And he also told them a parable.
“No one tears a piece from a new cloak to patch an old one.
Otherwise, he will tear the new
and the piece from it will not match the old cloak.
Likewise, no one pours new wine into old wineskins.
Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins,
and it will be spilled, and the skins will be ruined.
Rather, new wine must be poured into fresh wineskins.
And no one who has been drinking old wine desires new,
for he says, ‘The old is good.’”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Likewise, no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins, and it will be spilled, and the skins will be ruined. Rather, new wine must be poured into fresh wineskins. And no one who has been drinking old wine desires new, for he says, ‘The old is good.'”

Oratio (Responding)

This is one of those readings that is very weird indeed. Sometimes we might say to ourselves “Jesus, why cant you speak clearly?” Parables are designed to tell stories in a way that the people can understand them. This parable is no different, and while it seems cryptic to us, it would have made perfect sense to the jews of that time. So what is the point of this reading and how can we understand it today? It is about the law and God’s covenant.

St. Cyril of Alexandria described it this way. “Those who live according to the law cannot receive the institutions of Christ.” What this means is that the pharasees are the old wineskins, and the law of moses is the old wine. The disciples of Jesus are the new wineskins and the “way” (or law) of Jesus is the new wine. Those under the old law say it is good, and they reject new law of Jesus. Further if you try to put the new law of Jesus, into the “skins” those pharasees, it will probably break them.

So this means that before you can accept the new law from Jesus, our “skins” must be transformed by the holy spirit, and made new. This is what we call baptism. Baptism is an act that not only makes your old skins new, but it prepares them to be able to receive the gifts and graces of the holy spirit. Baptism is the equivalent of a line in the sand, you are saying that before this point you were different, but now you are going to be transfored into something completely new. You are basically saying that you now want the gifts and graces of the Lord to flow into you, and ultimately be transformed by them.

For those of you that were baptised as young children, you will at some point in your life, have to make this same decision for yourself. That might be at confirmation or a re-version at some point later in your life, But we all have to confront this decision, and open ourselves up the the transformation that Jesus wants to work in our lives. Have you made that decision? Have you prepared your soul for the indwelling of Jesus, if not, why not? Make today that day and prepare for your soul to be completely changed.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord today transform me with your spirit in to something new and help me to make a place in my heart worthy of your indwelling. Amen.

Luke 4:38-44

Lectio (Reading)

After Jesus left the synagogue, he entered the house of Simon.
Simon’s mother-in-law was afflicted with a severe fever,
and they interceded with him about her.
He stood over her, rebuked the fever, and it left her.
She got up immediately and waited on them.

At sunset, all who had people sick with various diseases
brought them to him.
He laid his hands on each of them and cured them.
And demons also came out from many, shouting, “You are the Son of God.”
But he rebuked them and did not allow them to speak
because they knew that he was the Christ.

At daybreak, Jesus left and went to a deserted place.
The crowds went looking for him, and when they came to him,
they tried to prevent him from leaving them.
But he said to them, “To the other towns also
I must proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God,
because for this purpose I have been sent.”
And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Simon’s mother-in-law was afflicted with a severe fever, and they interceded with him about her. He stood over her, rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up immediately and waited on them.

Oratio (Responding)

A lot of feminists love to use this reading to impugn Jesus, as a mysoginist, or at the very least, the society, that “tells women that they have to serve.” I want to suggest an alternative explanation.

Simon’s mother-in-law was very ill. Most of us can relate to a time when we have been very sick with a high fever, and we can all confirm that it is a miserable thing to experience. I believe that when Jesus rebuked the fever, it was likely immediately gone. Can you imagine being completely, instantaneously, relieved of a fever and sickness like that? Immediately going from illness to being well in a matter of seconds, in fact, I bet she had never felt better in her life.

So my theory is this, that Peter’s mother-in-law, feeling amazing, wanted to do something in return for this man (Jesus) that just did a miracle in her life. She was a mother and a wife, and the one thing she knew how to do was to take care of her family and thus welcoming Jesus into her family, she did the small thing she could, and took care of Jesus, and the other members of her family. I do not see this as anything here, other than a beautiful response of love to an amazing gift from God. And it really should not be contorted into anything other than that.

So I ask you, what gifts has god given you in your life? Have you recognized them for the miracles that they really are? If not, why not? God is constantly working in our lives daily, and He is constantly healing all kinds of maladies. Even a small cut that heals, all on its own, is a miraculous gift from God. Do we even recognize that, or do we all take it for granted? Today look for the “little” miracles that happen all the time, and use them as an opportunity to move closer to God, and to invite God into your family as well.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to rcognize you, and the crucial part you play in our daily lives. And when I see your guiding hand, help me to respond to it with love and appreciation. Amen.

Luke 4:31-37

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus went down to Capernaum, a town of Galilee.
He taught them on the sabbath,
and they were astonished at his teaching
because he spoke with authority.
In the synagogue there was a man with the spirit of an unclean demon,
and he cried out in a loud voice,
“What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth?
Have you come to destroy us?
I know who you are–the Holy One of God!”
Jesus rebuked him and said, “Be quiet! Come out of him!”
Then the demon threw the man down in front of them
and came out of him without doing him any harm.
They were all amazed and said to one another,
“What is there about his word?
For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits,
and they come out.”
And news of him spread everywhere in the surrounding region.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are‚the Holy One of God!” Jesus rebuked him and said, “Be quiet! Come out of him!”

Oratio (Responding)

While watching a series videos on the Gospel of Mark I learned something about these encounters between Jesus and deamons that I never knew before. Almost every single encounter must be read from the perspective of the deamons being defiant and disrespectful. There is indeed a thread of fear and dread in these deamons, but they are mostly just full of hate and anger. The demons in today’s reading are trying, in futile defiance, to take authority over Jesus. It is impossible of course, but because of their hatred of Him, they are trying anyway.

In the kingdom of God, power and authority are clearly defined, and all know their role, even all of the demons. It is only in this human world that these things get confused and muddled. Power is the technical ability to do something, and authority is the right to do it. With Jesus His power and authority are total and complete. The deamons know this, but because they are defiant, they try to take authoriy that not rightfully theirs. Fr. Chad Ripperger says that “Angels go where they are requested, and deamons go where they are not resisted.” These demons are simply trying to see what they can get away with.

So how did they try to take authority over Jesus? They named Him! In God’s kingdom if you tell someone your name you are inviting them into your life, and thus you are giving them some small shred of influence in your life. But if instead, you are the one to give someone their name (like a parent does to their children), then you have, by right, authority over them. Jesus knows this, He is not their friend, and they have no authority over him, He is in fact the one that made every one of them and named them all upon their creation. And so, when they try to assert authority over Him, He simply rebukes them and commands them to be silent.

This is the only way to deal with evil. You must simply say “no, you have not authority over me.” You must challenge all of the lies that are said about you, and to you, and you must not back down in the face of their onslaught. The devil is ultimately a coward, who sits on a throne of lies, and when you push back in the name of Jesus, he will always back down. Because at the end of the day he cannot stand against the power and authority of almighty God. Never forget this fact, and when the time comes that you must face down evil…, know that if you rest in the truth and goodness of the Lord, the devil cannot stand against you.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, today give me the strength to fight for you, and to enter into the breach against the enemy. Never leave my side. Amen.

Luke 4:16-30

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had grown up,
and went according to his custom
into the synagogue on the sabbath day.
He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah.
He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring glad tidings to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.
Rolling up the scroll,
he handed it back to the attendant and sat down,
and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him.
He said to them,
“Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.”
And all spoke highly of him
and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth.
They also asked, “Is this not the son of Joseph?”
He said to them, “Surely you will quote me this proverb,
‘Physician, cure yourself,’ and say, ‘Do here in your native place
the things that we heard were done in Capernaum.’”
And he said,
“Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place.
Indeed, I tell you,
there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah
when the sky was closed for three and a half years
and a severe famine spread over the entire land.
It was to none of these that Elijah was sent,
but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon.
Again, there were many lepers in Israel
during the time of Elisha the prophet;
yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.”
When the people in the synagogue heard this,
they were all filled with fury.
They rose up, drove him out of the town,
and led him to the brow of the hill
on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong.
But he passed through the midst of them and went away.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Oratio (Responding)

This passage begins with Jesus reading the scroll of Isaiah, and then saying that “these words are fulfilled in your hearing.” I cannot stress enough how startling and shocking this statement would be for these jews to hear. Jesus is saying plainly that He is the Messiah that was fortold in Isaiah and many of the other Old Testament prophets. These people listenting to Him where His extended family and friends that He grew up with. And instead of being grateful that is was they that Jesus choose to reveal this incredible revelation to, they instead ask for another sign… They want Jesus to do for them what He is said to have done for the afflicted in Caphernum. They want a spectacle to prove what they find it impossible to believe. It is almost like they want Him to perform like a circus clown.

That is when He makes the statement about the prophet in his home town, and He quotes scripture, telling the story of the widow of zeraphath, and Naaman the Leper. Recalling these stories, the widow was the one that Elijah asks give him a jug of water and a small cake. The woman replies that she only has enough flour to make one small cake for her and her son to eat, and after that they will certainly die. Elijah tells her that if she does this thing for him that God will make it so that her water will never run dry, and her flour jug will never go empty. The Widow trusts Elijah, and immediately does as he suggested…, and as a result her faith is highly rewarded.

In the story of Naaman, he was a great military leader of Syria and a very wealthy man. Naaman had leprosy, and non of the healers of syria could help him. A jewish handmaiden of Naaman’s wife tells him that he should go to the great prohet Elisha in Israel and ask him for healing. Naaman, out of options, goes to Elisha. When he arrives at Elisha’s tent, Elisha does not even go out to see him, but sends a servant to tell Naaman to wash 7 times in the Jordan river. Naaman is indignant, because he not only was He not given the dignity of a formal greating but he is told to wash in the dirty muddy Jordan river. Naaman begins to leave until the maidservant convinces him to do as he was instructed. Naaman trusts and immediately does what was proscribed and his leperosy is washed away, and he is made clean.

Jesus tells these stories in the synagog, because He wants to remind the pharisees and all of His kin that were listening, that it was was people just like them that rejected and ultimately killed all of the prophets that were sent before Him. Prophets that brought the message of the Lord God to His people to change their ways and return to the covenants of their forefathers. Every prophet that has ever been sent to the jews was not accepted until years later, and only after they had first been brutally martyred. It was only the Gentiles in scripture that ever accepted one of God’s prophets immediately, like the widow and Naaman the Syrian

Further, Jesus chooses these two stories because they include both Elijah, and his disciple Elisha. Both of these prophets were considered among the greatest of all of the prophets. But they were also prophets that had the rare task of bringing the good news of the Lord, to both the Jews and the gentiles. Jesus here, is actually making several points all at the same time…, He is first telling His audience that He is a prophet; Second that he is GREATER than Elijah (another stunning and shocking statement); Third, that He too was sent to preach to both the jews and the gentiles; And finally He is reminding them, that it was men like them, that killed all of the prophets that came before Him.

The pharisees are now utterly humiliated, and furious at the accusation. They are beside themselves because Jesus has not only claimed to be the messiah, but has accused them of being just like their forefathers, who murdered all of the great prophets. And they respond as if they were reading from a script, the Pharisees rise up, drive Him to the brow of a cliff and try to kill Him. But Jesus denies them their moment because He is not ready for His passion yet, and passes from their midst. I like to imagine this moment as a moment where all of the pharisees and His kin are arguing about whether they should do this or not, and Jesus just walks away while they are arguing. Amusing, but we can all imagine it.

The reality is that people do not change. Power and wealth corrupt, and cause people to not see the truth that is standing right before them. Whether it was the centuries of martyrs that proceeded Jesus, or Jesus in this very moment. The people in power have much to lose if Jesus is who He says He is. And instead of seeing the truth they do something horrible, and unforgiveable, because the loss of their worldly power and wealth is more than they can bear. Mark Twain once said that “History does not repeat itself, but it does rhyme.” I think that Jesus is making a similar point here, although not as funny.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Mark 7:1-8, 14-15,21-23

Lectio (Reading)

When the Pharisees with some scribes who had come from Jerusalem
gathered around Jesus,
they observed that some of his disciples ate their meals
with unclean, that is, unwashed, hands.
—For the Pharisees and, in fact, all Jews,
do not eat without carefully washing their hands,
keeping the tradition of the elders.
And on coming from the marketplace
they do not eat without purifying themselves.
And there are many other things that they have traditionally observed,
the purification of cups and jugs and kettles and beds. —
So the Pharisees and scribes questioned him,
“Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders
but instead eat a meal with unclean hands?”
He responded,
“Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written:
This people honors me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me;
in vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines human precepts.
You disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition.”He summoned the crowd again and said to them,
“Hear me, all of you, and understand.
Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person;
but the things that come out from within are what defile. “From within people, from their hearts,
come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder,
adultery, greed, malice, deceit,
licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly.
All these evils come from within and they defile.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Oratio (Responding)

The pharisees here are calling out the disciples for not following the tradition of cleaning before eating. But Jesus knew well God’s law, and that this particular rule was a creation of man and not of God. The laws of cleanliness in the book of Leviticus were given to the jews by God to help them to avoid disease and contagion. But they were never meant to subjugate and enslave His people by the law. So how did we get to the point where these church leaders were more concerned with their own laws over God’s?

It started with a sincere desire to not ever transgress God’s Law. The church leaders created rules that would prevent themselves and by proxy, everyone else, from ever getting close to breaking the law…, essentially building fences around the law. But then they became overly legalistic about their own rules, and ended up building even more fences around their fences. For example: In God’s law, if a jew had come into contact with a dead body or blood, or other things that are full of disease, then you were unclean and cannot eat or be around other people until you are clean of potential disease. But in order to protect against offending God in any way, the pharisees extented this “uncleanliness” moniker to every aspect of jewish life…, be it temple access, or participation in daily communal life, or even entering your own home.

The pharisees and scribes were the keepers of the law, and the job that they gave themsleves was to keep track of all the laws and “help” the Jews navigate the legal structure of the vast morass of laws that they themselves had created. But these rules got so numerous that they became burdensome, and the obsession with following their own “man-made” law became more important to them that it ultimately distorted the actual reason for why the law was given in the first place.

And so Jesus is calling them out for not actually doing their jobs…, for not actually teaching the law to the people, and the reason for it, but instead using their knowledge of all of the laws to aggrandize themselves with status, power and wealth. In todays reading we find that Jesus (the actual law incarnate) has taught His disciples the true meaning of the law, and as such these men understood what it is that God truly wants from us and they were following those laws, and not the rules of the rules of the fallen and corrupt men. If that too is your goal in life, then all of the other things will logically follow. St. Augustine once said “Love God and do as you will” and I think that is also what Jesus is saying here as well.

Lastly, Jesus ends this passage by saying:

“Hear me, all of you, and understand. Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person; but the things that come out from within are what defile.”

As we discussed above, The jewish leaders had a crazy amount of laws regarding cleanliness, and all of them were related to defilement of the body. Specifically by coming into contact with things from the outside of the body. If you came in contact with things carrying disease, you suddenly became unclean. This type of uncleanliness had nothing to do with the state of your soul. Jesus is trying to help theses pharisees and scribes to understand that this was not what God intended with His law. What Jesus wants us to understand, is that to be truly unclean (in your relationship with God) that your defilement is on the inside. If you think disgusting things, if you pursue evil ends, if you say terrible things, then that is what makes you truly unclean, despite how many times a day you wash your hands.

It is still the same today, the illnesses of 2000 years ago have been all but irradicated by modern medicine, and basic sanitation, but the people of today are no less sick they we were 2000 years ago, and I would argue maybe even worse. The answer then is the same as today, we must go to God, confess our sins, and ask for forgiveness. In God’s incredible mercy and forgiveness, we are then made clean. Then and only then, can we partake of the eucharist, and its life-giving sustenance and become one with Him, mind, body and spirit. God wants to heal your heart and then your body comes next. Go to Him and find His healing love.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Help me lord to love you first and foremost, and to make that the driving principal of my life. Amen.

Matthew 25:14-30

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus told his disciples this parable:
“A man going on a journey
called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them.
To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one–
to each according to his ability.
Then he went away.
Immediately the one who received five talents went and traded with them,
and made another five.
Likewise, the one who received two made another two.
But the man who received one went off and dug a hole in the ground
and buried his master’s money.
After a long time
the master of those servants came back and settled accounts with them.
The one who had received five talents
came forward bringing the additional five.
He said, ‘Master, you gave me five talents.
See, I have made five more.’
His master said to him, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant.
Since you were faithful in small matters,
I will give you great responsibilities.
Come, share your master’s joy.’
Then the one who had received two talents also came forward and said,
‘Master, you gave me two talents.
See, I have made two more.’
His master said to him, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant.
Since you were faithful in small matters,
I will give you great responsibilities.
Come, share your master’s joy.’
Then the one who had received the one talent came forward and said,
‘Master, I knew you were a demanding person,
harvesting where you did not plant
and gathering where you did not scatter;
so out of fear I went off and buried your talent in the ground.
Here it is back.’
His master said to him in reply, ‘You wicked, lazy servant!
So you knew that I harvest where I did not plant
and gather where I did not scatter?
Should you not then have put my money in the bank
so that I could have got it back with interest on my return?
Now then! Take the talent from him and give it to the one with ten.
For to everyone who has,
more will be given and he will grow rich;
but from the one who has not,
even what he has will be taken away.
And throw this useless servant into the darkness outside,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.'”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

For to everyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.

Oratio (Responding)

This gospel is called the parable of the talents. For the longest time, this parable caused me great consternation, because it just seemed so unfair. The first two received, vastly different sums of money but received the same reward. But even more, the third received a sum of far less, and then upon returning it, he is punished with the most severe of punishments. It all seems so arbitrary and capricious, and so far from the peaceful and loving teachings of Jesus.

But recently, I read a commentary on this passage by Cornelius of Lepide, which I think helps reveal the truth of this parable. He proposes that the parable is generally about the responsibilities of evangelization, but specifically about the authority of the bishops, and their responsibilities to their parishioners. Each of the talents represented a different responsibility of evangelization.

The 5 talents represent the service and catechesis of the faithful followers of God. These are the people that already believe in God, they are already christian, they need access to mass and the sacraments, and they need to be catechized in order to build up their faith and help create good fruit. You could say that this is the everyday work of our parish priest, and those that work in catechesis of the faithful flock of Christ.

The 2 talents represent the evangelization and the conversion of those outside of the church, into the faith. These are the people that the church needs to reach out to and bring over to the faith. Those that either do not know God, or have fallen away. This is the work of many of our great apologists, and theologians, that have ministries helping those with questions, and doubts about God…, helping them to know and better understand the truth about God, and His divine plan for our lives.

Finally, The one talent represents the “deposit of the Faith”. The “deposit” is what we call the public revelation of Jesus to the apostles, the Word of God that is recorded in the 4 gospels, and in the letters of St. Paul. The gospels include the beautiful teachings of Jesus, and His loving message of mercy and forgiveness. But it also contains the hard sayings of Jesus, and the numerous warnings about what happens if you die outside of the loving friendship of God. In many ways this one talent is more important, and more valuable than anything in the world. Because it reveals the story of salvation, His infinite love for us, and the sacrifice that God made for His people. As Fulton Sheen once said. “He paid a price that He did not owe because we owed a debt that we could not pay” The work of this talent, is to share the deposit of faith with all people, the beautiful promises, and the dire warnings. This is a high call, and I think in some ways, we are all asked to carry this weight. So when put in this context, I think that the masters response at the end of this parable is justified, and not capricious.

I think it is also important to note here that all of these talents were assigned to these servants “according to their ability.” God does not assign talents equally. If He did, then professional sports would be boring, and we would all be able to play Mozart on the piano. But God instead assigns talents according to His will, and His divine plan. The talents you were given, were given to you because God has decided that you are the one to make the most of them, and your favor with the Lord, is directly related to how, and to what extent you have used these talents to expand and build up His kingdom.

Our church father, Cornelius here, is ultimately concluding that bishops (along with all of us lay people) need to invest in all three. We need to build up the faithful, convert the pagans, and also study and teach the word. Not just focus on the warm and fuzy, and exciting endeavors of the church. If Cornelius is right then this is a clear message for our time, because this is exactly what is happening, in the college of bishops, the Vatican, and the “christian” world today. Most have focused all of their attention on outreach to the pagans, and ecumenism with the protestant christians, but have ultimately forgotten the deposit of faith, and in some of our more liberal christian circles, have even tried to bury it, and hide it away from the world. I wonder if all the unfaithful shepherds of the world know this about this reading, that Jesus is speaking directly to them. I further wonder…, that if they did know, would they even recognize themselves in it. Probably not, because they would have stop and reflect, and actually see themselves as the 3rd servant, who is called wicked and thrown out into the darkness. Most of our bishops today see themselves as the first or second servant who is serving the faithful, and converting the pagans. But the call here is for us all to serve in each of the three roles, not just one or two. We too must also build up the faithful, and convert the pagan, and we must never forget the word of god. And faithfully study and proclaim it. Or you too maybe thrown out into the darkness.

Now finally, lets talk about the financial calculus of God. Those who have been given much will be asked much of, and will receive more as the Lord needs from them, and those who have nothing, even more will be taken away. In order to understand this you must think of the before and after as related to the end of this world and the entry to the eternal world. In this world for those who have been given much grace in this world, much will be expected of them, and if they do this, then their reward will be great in heaven. For those that ignore or reject the grace of god in this world, that rejection will cost them even more in this world, and they will be sent to eternal punishment.

So this reading today provides us a great warning, and also a great promise. Will you heed the warning, and find comfort in the promise, or will you ignore the warning, and reject the promise. It is your choice, but your eternity depends on the answer.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to take the gifts that you have given me and multiply them in this world. Do not allow me to bury them away for fear of your judgement. I love you lord, and I want to please you, show me today, the best way to do that. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Matthew 25:1-13

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus told his disciples this parable:
“The Kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins
who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
Five of them were foolish and five were wise.
The foolish ones, when taking their lamps,
brought no oil with them,
but the wise brought flasks of oil with their lamps.
Since the bridegroom was long delayed,
they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
At midnight, there was a cry,
‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’
Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps.
The foolish ones said to the wise,
‘Give us some of your oil,
for our lamps are going out.’
But the wise ones replied,
‘No, for there may not be enough for us and you.
Go instead to the merchants and buy some for yourselves.’
While they went off to buy it,
the bridegroom came
and those who were ready went into the wedding feast with him.
Then the door was locked.
Afterwards the other virgins came and said,
‘Lord, Lord, open the door for us!’
But he said in reply,
‘Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.’
Therefore, stay awake,
for you know neither the day nor the hour.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

Oratio (Responding)

This is the parable of the wise and foolish virgins. This parable is confusing for modern ears, because we don’t know the jewish customs of the time. But for the early jews, it was customary for the bridesmaids to go out and meet the bridegroom on his arrival, and then escort him into the wedding feast. Some scholars claim that these bridesmaids also represent all of the christians of this world as His Bride. We are told many times that Jesus is the bridegroom, and his church is the bride, and thus, we all are wedded to Him through our baptism.

Nevertheless, this custom clearly did not usually happen at night and that is where the analogy diverges, and instead points to the end times, and the vigilance we all need in preparing for the end. In John’s Revelation, he speaks of the end times being just like this. When Jesus arrives, He will appear in the heavens, and all the good people will be taken up to Him, and then when all of His people (His bridesmaids) are with Him, they will escort Him into the world, and the final judgment of the wicked will begin.

This is where the theory of the rapture gets it all wrong, we will not be taken up to heaven, and the wicked left behind. Instead, the church fathers have always taught that this world, at the end of time will be transformed into the new kingdom of heaven. The evil will be thrown into the firey furnace, and the world we now call earth will be become the new garden of eden. And we will live for all eternity side by side with the Lord.

So getting back to the virgins and what it means to be ready… Keeping in mind the other readings where Jesus exhorts us to be ready, I suggest that vigilance, requires a daily preparation for the end times. You cannot wait around sinning, and then at the last moment make yourself ready. That is the opposite of what God wants for us. Instead, we are to be always ready, vigilant, and prepared for the coming of the end times. So as not to be caught unready.

In scripture, virgins have always represented those who are virtuous and laudable. So it is important to note here, that Jesus is not saying that these unwise virgins are wicked and evil… just that they are not ready. Thus the unwise, do not represent those that reject god, but rather those that do not persevere to the end. The lamps the virgins carry, represent their good works done in this world, and are a direct analogy to the psalms, that says: “let your light shine for all to see.” They all have lamps, but the unwise allow the light to burn out, which is a direct reference to their lack of perseverance. The wise have extra oil which means that they were prepared for the long haul, and not easily distracted from their ultimate goal. Some church fathers claim that the extra oil represents the presence of the Holy Spirit in their life, the degree to which they have faith, hope, and charity in their hearts. The wise virgins represent the “always faithful” way of the life. The foolish virgins represent the “I’ll get right with God at the end…” way of life. This is why the wise virgins cannot share what they have with the foolish ones, because it is the way they live their life, cultivating it every day, and every hour, it is not a thing that they can give away.

Venerable Fulton Sheen once said:

“there are two philosophies of life: the wise one says, First the fast and then the feast; the foolish one says, First the feast and then the fast. The wise one says, First the work and then the play; the foolish one says, First the play and then the work. The wise one says, First the suffering and then the joy; the foolish one says, First the joy and then the suffering.”

So too, we must choose the wise way, to fast, work, and sacrifice, so that we too can be ready when the Lord arrives, and then happily enter into the wedding feast. Amen

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to prepare for your coming, to be vigilant of your arrival, and that I will be ready when you call me home to your glory.

Mark 6:17-29

Lectio (Reading)

Herod was the one who had John the Baptist arrested and bound in prison
on account of Herodias,
the wife of his brother Philip, whom he had married.
John had said to Herod,
“It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”
Herodias harbored a grudge against him
and wanted to kill him but was unable to do so.
Herod feared John, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man,
and kept him in custody.
When he heard him speak he was very much perplexed,
yet he liked to listen to him.
She had an opportunity one day when Herod, on his birthday,
gave a banquet for his courtiers,
his military officers, and the leading men of Galilee.
Herodias’ own daughter came in
and performed a dance that delighted Herod and his guests.
The king said to the girl,
“Ask of me whatever you wish and I will grant it to you.”
He even swore many things to her,
“I will grant you whatever you ask of me,
even to half of my kingdom.”
She went out and said to her mother,
“What shall I ask for?”
She replied, “The head of John the Baptist.”
The girl hurried back to the king’s presence and made her request,
“I want you to give me at once
on a platter the head of John the Baptist.”
The king was deeply distressed,
but because of his oaths and the guests
he did not wish to break his word to her.
So he promptly dispatched an executioner with orders
to bring back his head.
He went off and beheaded him in the prison.
He brought in the head on a platter and gave it to the girl.
The girl in turn gave it to her mother.
When his disciples heard about it,
they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Herod feared John, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man, and kept him in custody.

Oratio (Responding)

Herod being king thought he could do anything he wanted and as such he took his brothers wife for his own. John told him this was unlawful, and would not sanction the marriage. John upset all involved especially herodias, herod’s brothers’ wife. John was placed in prison for his outspoken opposition to what herod was doing and the embarassment it was causing him. But herod would not execute John because he knew that there was something special about John. Something that he feared transgressing against. And it was because of this fear that he kept John in prison instead of killing him for his disrespect.

It seems insane, that you would kill a man for the sake of “saving face.” But in truth this is done millions of times a day on social networks, people slander and libel each other constantly, and say all kinds of horrible things to each other. Remember that the torah says that to kill a mans “name” is no different than killing his body. If you add in all of the aborted babies, and elderly people that were killed for the sake of convenience, it is not so hard to see the connection to what Herod did.

This is the reality that we all must be on guard against, and we must all check our desires, before they get out of control, and this is a very good warning for us all to carefully heed. We should never allow the earthly things of this world and the trappings of power, to subvert our knowledge of what is right and wrong, and we should never boast of anything other than the Lord. If we follow these warnings, then we can be more assured of living in Gods grace, and we can hope in His mercy and forgiveness forever.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, today, help me to check my pride, and to seek humility in all things.

Matthew 23:27-32

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said,
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.
You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside,
but inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of filth.
Even so, on the outside you appear righteous,
but inside you are filled with hypocrisy and evildoing.

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.
You build the tombs of the prophets
and adorn the memorials of the righteous,
and you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors,
we would not have joined them in shedding the prophets’ blood.’
Thus you bear witness against yourselves
that you are the children of those who murdered the prophets;
now fill up what your ancestors measured out!”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of filth.

Oratio (Responding)

These are what we call fighting words. Jesus is making enemies in this chapter. This whole chapter 23, consists of 8 statements of woe to the scribes and pharisees. He calls them blind guides and vipers. This chapter is one of the most insulting statements that jesus ever makes toward the pharisees. Messages like this, make it easy to see to understand why the pharisees, wanted to kill Jesus, and He even prophesied that result at the end of this reading when He says “now fill up what your ancestors measured out!”

But imagine being a layperson during this time, living under the tyranny of the law of the Pharisees. It must have been shocking (and maybe even refreshing) to see a man go against the entire power structure of their time. But the faithful jew (and Pharisee) would also have known the prophecy and (should have) recognized Jesus as messiah.

So why did the Pharisees torture and kill him instead. For the same reason that Satan fell, Pride! These jewish leaders knew that when the Lord returned, everything would change. Jesus said as much in his preaching. He said the first will be last, and the last will be first. The pharisees were usurpers, they were not of the line of Levi, and they had no right to oversee the temple, they were put in power by the romans, and the corrupt Herod, and their hold on power was tenuous at best. They did not want the status quo to change in any way.

Further, these pharisees, knew that to follow Jesus, they would have to give up their power, and prestige, and comfortable lives, and instead, they would have to serve… and just like satan, they said that they would not do that, and so the inevitable happened, they tried to destroy the one person that stood in their way. But in fact they ended up exalting him above all men.

To me the the jews of this time acted exactly the way that I would expect powerful people to act, what boggles my mind is that there are jews today that still think that Jesus was just a man. But that is a different reflection. But todays message is simple, and speaks directly to us. The outside world does not defile us, we are instead defiled by our sinful nature, what is inside us, and by the choices that we make. So we must repent our sins, and then seek first to change ourselves from the inside out.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, please give me the wisdom and understanding that i need to identify what inside me is defiled, and keeping me from you, and help me to change and cleanse that sin from my life. Amen.

Matthew 23:23-26

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said:
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.
You pay tithes of mint and dill and cummin,
and have neglected the weightier things of the law:
judgment and mercy and fidelity.
But these you should have done, without neglecting the others.
Blind guides, who strain out the gnat and swallow the camel!“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.
You cleanse the outside of cup and dish,
but inside they are full of plunder and self-indulgence.
Blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup,
so that the outside also may be clean.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You cleanse the outside of cup and dish, but inside they are full of plunder and self-indulgence.

Oratio (Responding)

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, please give me the wisdom and understanding that i need to identify what inside me is defiled, and keeping me from you, and help me to change and cleanse that sin from my life. Amen.

Matthew 23:13-22

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples:
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.
You lock the Kingdom of heaven before men.
You do not enter yourselves,
nor do you allow entrance to those trying to enter.

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.
You traverse sea and land to make one convert,
and when that happens you make him a child of Gehenna
twice as much as yourselves.

“Woe to you, blind guides, who say,
‘If one swears by the temple, it means nothing,
but if one swears by the gold of the temple, one is obligated.’
Blind fools, which is greater, the gold,
or the temple that made the gold sacred?
And you say, ‘If one swears by the altar, it means nothing,
but if one swears by the gift on the altar, one is obligated.’
You blind ones, which is greater, the gift,
or the altar that makes the gift sacred?
One who swears by the altar swears by it and all that is upon it;
one who swears by the temple swears by it
and by him who dwells in it;
one who swears by heaven swears by the throne of God
and by him who is seated on it.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You lock the Kingdom of heaven before men. You do not enter yourselves, nor do you allow entrance to those trying to enter.

Oratio (Responding)

With regard to God’s Law the Jewish leaders probably started with good intentions, and probably sincerely wanted to prevent themselves and others from transgressing the Law. But by the time of Jesus, their system of rules had grown to be so large and burdensome, that it became very difficult to nagivigate. This difficulty lead to the pharisees and scribes to exploit their knowledge of the law, and all of its loopholes, to make life easier for themselves, and difficult for other. This knowledge then lead to corruption, and that corruption lead to this confrontation between Jesus and these “blind guides.”

The law that was given to moses, in the ten commandments, was fairly simple and clear. But God chose in His wisdom to explain their full meaning further, this full explanation of the law is what was later recorded in the 613 laws of the torah. After that, for centuries, prophets and sages pontificated, debated, and ultimately expanded upon the law, and those teachings were ultimately recorded in the talmud. This expanding of the law by many people over the centuries between Moses and Jesus is what the Lord Jesus is what He is chastising them for.

To better understand what had happened, lets consider an example: The lord made rules like “make the lords day holy.” This is a simple law, that is easy to understand. He wants us to understand that we should not work on the sabbath, and we should instead rest and spend time with the Lord. This is pretty clear and straightforward, but the jews rhuminated on this law, and asked themselves what it means to rest, and what it means to work, and consequently created hundreds of laws to prevent anyone from ever getting close to even slightly infringing on God’s Law. And as a result the laws got so intricate and so burdemsome that if a person fell down in front of you, the jews considered it a sin to help them up.

This is clearly not what God intended by His law. And so when Jesus says that they have locked the kingdom of heaven before men, He is saying that your system of laws has made it impossible for my people to not sin, and thus impossible to make it into heaven. One of the many reasons that Jesus came into this world, was to loosen these burdens that the jewish leaders had placed upon His people. And this is why He uses the word “woe,” because the jewish leaders have much to account for.

Today we must continue to discern the path that God has made for us, and we must try to understand what plan God has for our lives. The answer is written on your heart, and we should strive to do the thing that God wants for us, and pay less attention to the rules that the world is trying to make us follow. Because, at the end, you will stand before your judgement alone, and those leaders that tried to lead you astray will not be there to point the finger at. We must all account for our own lives, before God, and the choices we make in our own lives, so choose wisely.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, give me the grace today to discern your will for my life and to walk the path that you have set for me. Help me lord to be the man that you are calling me to be, and to have the courage to be that man, despite the world.

John 1:45-51

Lectio (Reading)

Philip found Nathanael and told him,
“We have found the one about whom Moses wrote in the law,
and also the prophets, Jesus son of Joseph, from Nazareth.”
But Nathanael said to him,
“Can anything good come from Nazareth?”
Philip said to him, “Come and see.”
Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him,
“Here is a true child of Israel.
There is no duplicity in him.”
Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?”
Jesus answered and said to him,
“Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.”
Nathanael answered him,
“Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.”
Jesus answered and said to him,
“Do you believe
because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree?
You will see greater things than this.”
And he said to him, “Amen, amen, I say to you,
you will see heaven opened and the angels of God
ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

You will see greater things than this. Amen, amen, I say to you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.

Oratio (Responding)

This is the same statement that Jesus said to the pharisees at His trial. It was the final thing that sealed his fate, and convinced the pharisees that He must be executed as a blasphemer. This is because this statement “ascending and descending on the Son of Man” comes directly from the Prophet Daniel where he prophecied the coming of the Lord. For ancient jews, when Jesus made this statement, it is exactly the same as saying “I am God”.

In today’s gospel Nathaniel asks how do you know me? Jesus answers He saw Nathaniel under a fig tree. This is curious because of the fig tree is the forbidden fruit in the garden of eden, and is the reason for the fall, later in John the fig tree withers because Jesus replaces the tree of the fall with the tree of salvation (the Cross). There could be a reference here to Nathan being called out of original sin to be a true disciple of christ, but it seems that this is actually just a way of pinpointing a time and place that Jesus could not have known unless he was really the Lord. So we have an apostle being called to discipleship, and he is hesitant, and it is at that moment that christ speaks most clearly to him, to clear away all doubt.

We aren’t told the real reason that this is important to Nathaniel, but Nathaniel immediately recognized the reference and declares Jesus’ divinity. So Jesus then asks do you say this because of what I said? Essentially, asking do you believe because I knew something that I should not have known? We assume Nathaniel nodded in agreement, but Jesus then goes on with a correction by saying you should believe because “I am god.”

It is important to remember at that time that there were many charlatans and “magicians” that would go around doing amazing things, and many before Jesus that claimed to be the messiah, but they were all fakes. Jesus is very clearly stating here that does not want disciples to think that He nothing more than just a good magician or a prophet, He wants disciples to see Him and know Him as God.

This is our call as well. If we knew who God really was, and if we truly understood the miracle of God in the eucharist, we would not be able to enter the church on our feet. If we really knew what was happening at mass, we would be prostrate on the floor begging for His mercy. But we don’t get this, and that is why I believe there is so much abuse of the eucharist in our modern church.

If we die in the right relationship with God, and end up going to purgatory, I think that the point of purgatory, amongst other things, will be about rightly orienting our disposition towards God. But here is the most amazing thing about God. Is He does not want to be a superior to us, lording His power over us, He wants to be in relationship with us. And He is slow to anger, and full of mercy. All you have to do is turn to Him, ask forgiveness, and then open yourself up to His grace, and your life will be forever changed… I think that is a pretty good deal, don’t you?

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to hear your call, and see your revelation in my life. Help me to follow you and reject the evil one. Amen.

Matthew 22:34-40

Lectio (Reading)

When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees,
they gathered together, and one of them,
a scholar of the law, tested him by asking,
“Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?”
He said to him,
“You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart,
with all your soul, and with all your mind.
This is the greatest and the first commandment.
The second is like it:
You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.

Oratio (Responding)

“Listen, Israel: the Lord is our God, the Lord is One. Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom for ever and all time. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might. These words which I command you today shall be on your heart.”

Jesus’ answer, while it is a “simplification” of the law, does not make the law simpler to live out. In fact, He made it much harder for them. The Pharisees had rigorous ritual practices but frequently submitted to low moral standards. They were loving god, only in their minds, using their knowledge of loopholes in the law to get out of taking care of their neighbor.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord help me today to love all of your children more, and with the humilty that you do. Even if they drive me crazy. Amen.

Matthew 22:1-14

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus again in reply spoke to the chief priests and the elders of the people in parables
saying, “The Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king
who gave a wedding feast for his son.
He dispatched his servants to summon the invited guests to the feast,
but they refused to come.
A second time he sent other servants, saying,
‘Tell those invited: “Behold, I have prepared my banquet,
my calves and fattened cattle are killed,
and everything is ready; come to the feast.”‘
Some ignored the invitation and went away,
one to his farm, another to his business.
The rest laid hold of his servants,
mistreated them, and killed them.
The king was enraged and sent his troops,
destroyed those murderers, and burned their city.
Then the king said to his servants, ‘The feast is ready,
but those who were invited were not worthy to come.
Go out, therefore, into the main roads
and invite to the feast whomever you find.’
The servants went out into the streets
and gathered all they found, bad and good alike,
and the hall was filled with guests.
But when the king came in to meet the guests
he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment.
He said to him, ‘My friend, how is it
that you came in here without a wedding garment?’
But he was reduced to silence.
Then the king said to his attendants, ‘Bind his hands and feet,
and cast him into the darkness outside,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’
Many are invited, but few are chosen.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son.

Oratio (Responding)

This parable is definitely weird, but it does give us insight into the mind of God. It is written intentionally unusual and outlandish, so as to bring attention to the different way that God looks at the world, and at justice. First lets describe the characters. The king is God, The son is Jesus (son of david). The wedding feast is that of Jesus to His bride the church. The invited guests are the leaders of jerusalem, who should have recognized Jesus as son of God. And the guest with no wedding garment is what happens when we love our sin more than God.

God starts His wedding feast inviting the people of His first covenant, the jewish people of the old testament. Remembering last weeks gospel, we know the reason why. The Jewish leaders had created for themselves a new religion, and they had created a new temple in their own image. They had completely forgotten about God, fallen in love with their own power, and the trappings that come with that, kind of power. But because God never forgets His covenants, He starts with His chosen people, hoping that they would recognize the king and his son.

When the Jewish leaders dont respond, and even reject Him. He tells his servants to “Go out, therefore, into the main roads and invite to the feast whomever you find.” This is clearly a reference to the spreading of the gospel, and the evangelization of the gentiles. God intends through His wedding feast to join all of the people of this world, jew and gentile alike. He desires for all to know the gospel, and be in communion with the Lord. The church of the kingdom of heaven, will contain all the people of this world, not just the chosen people.

Lastly we come to the wedding garment. The wedding garment was typically an all white robe. This robe is a reference to salvation at the end of time, but more specifically baptism in this world. When you are baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, you are forgiven of all your past sin, and made clean in the sight of God. And as Paul says, “nothing unclean can enter heaven.” There is only one way that we can enter into the wedding feast, and be in the presence of the king, and that is to be made clean, and that only happens through the gift and sacrament of baptism. We can tarnish that gift, through mortal sin, and may need to be made clean again, and that is where confession, and finally purgatory come in. But no matter what, You cannot be in the presence of God the king, if you are unclean.

This man, in the parable, has rejected the gift of baptism, has not donned the garment of salvation, and thus cannot be at the feast. You cannot cling to your sin, and selfishness, while at the same time be in the presence of God. God is a consuming fire, but this fire does not burn away flesh and bone, but only sin. If you are clean of sin, then to be in God’s presence, is like a warm loving glow, but if you have any connection to sin in your heart, the fire of God’s love will burn your sin, like you are in a fiery furnace. Thus to reject Gods love is to be cast out, and into the darkness where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.

This is truly a convicting parable, because it clearly tells us what is needed to be in communion with God, and to be will with Him forever in heaven. We should heed the advice that Jesus is giving us here, our future eternity depends on it. Amen.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to reject sin, and to put on the wedding garment of salvation, so that I can be with you in heaven for all eternity. Amen.

Matthew 20:1-16

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus told his disciples this parable:
“The Kingdom of heaven is like a landowner
who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard.
After agreeing with them for the usual daily wage,
he sent them into his vineyard.
Going out about nine o’clock,
he saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
and he said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard,
and I will give you what is just.’
So they went off.
And he went out again around noon,
and around three o’clock, and did likewise.
Going out about five o’clock,
he found others standing around, and said to them,
‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’
They answered, ‘Because no one has hired us.’
He said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard.’
When it was evening the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman,
‘Summon the laborers and give them their pay,
beginning with the last and ending with the first.’
When those who had started about five o’clock came,
each received the usual daily wage.
So when the first came, they thought that they would receive more,
but each of them also got the usual wage.
And on receiving it they grumbled against the landowner, saying,
‘These last ones worked only one hour,
and you have made them equal to us,
who bore the day’s burden and the heat.’
He said to one of them in reply,
‘My friend, I am not cheating you.
Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage?
Take what is yours and go.
What if I wish to give this last one the same as you?
Or am I not free to do as I wish with my own money?
Are you envious because I am generous?’
Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

My friend, I am not cheating you. Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what is yours and go. What if I wish to give this last one the same as you? Or am I not free to do as I wish with my own money? Are you envious because I am generous?’

Oratio (Responding)

This reading always used to irritate me, because it sounds so much like communism. But in truth it is nothing of the sort. There are a couple ways to analyze this reading. On one level this is actually the quintessence of captitalism. Proof for that is beacuse he says “am I not free to do as I wish with my own money?” No one is being forced here, the workers agreed ahead of time for the daily wage (one denarius), and worked freely. The landowner, is giving according to his own will and thus cannot be faulted for being generous. I do, however, think that it is really unwisw for the owner of the vineyard to do this, because tomorrow he will not be able to find a single worker in the area that is going to be willing to work for the whole day. They are all going to show up and 5 and want to work for only an hour. So it is not a wise business practice, but God is not in the business of making money, but of saving souls.

So, that bring us to the other way of looking at this reading. It is about our eternities in heaven or hell. There are many church fathers that have said that the vineyard in this analogy is the new Israel, the coming kingdom of heaven. And many of these church fathers have said that the “daily wage” in Gods kingdom is simply the reward of being in the Father’s vineyard. So from the point of view of God, it makes perfect sense that He wants to gather as many souls into His vineyard with Him as he can. He cares not about our view of justice…, or how or when those souls get there, only that they actually get there. Gods ways are not our ways, and God’s justice, is not our justice.

So who do the various workers represent? The first wave of workers are those that have always been with the Lord, like the prodigal son’s older brother. These are the Jews of the old covenant, and the faithful that have always believed, and always worked in the Fathers vineyard. They are envious, not because they want something more, for there is nothing more that they can receive that is greater than being in the Lords vineyard, instead they want those less faithful that arrived late to have something less. That is, sadly, the definition of envy. Instead of being joyous that more souls are in the vineyard, they are envious because they did not earn it they way they did. And thus this is the only distinction that will be seen in heaven and hell. The ranks of all souls that die, will only be measured by one thing, how much they love God, and how much they allow God to love them. Your suffering in hell, or your separation from God in heaven will be 100% your choice. Based on your degree of rejection or acceptance of God into your life.

This is God’s economics. It does not make sense to our human, earthly, minds. Some people work their whole lives, striving to stay close to the chruch and the sacraments, and other people live their whole lives in a state of debauchery and on their death bed they convert, and get confession. But both of these types of people get the same reward. How is that fair? well I argue that fairness has nothing to do with it… It is about eternity. Our 70-80 years on this planet are nothing compared to eternity in either heaven or hell. Every single human being that has ever been born is a beloved son or daughter of God, and God wants each and every one of them in heaven with Him for all eternity. So if they show up to work one hour before the end, then they are as welcome as anyone.

All of the lost souls of this world are like the prodigal son, out wandering in the wilderness, and the father is looking to the horizon for their return. If they do come back, he does no care if they are early or late, only that they have returned. And yes that means that the Father in heaven is looking to the horizon for your return too. will you run to Him? Your eternity depends on it.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord help me to day to put you first above all things, and to choose you over the things of this world, and finally help me to become worthy of your love and devotion, so that i can be with you in heaven forever.

Matthew 19:23-30

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Amen, I say to you, it will be hard for one who is rich
to enter the Kingdom of heaven.
Again I say to you,
it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle
than for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God.”
When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and said,
“Who then can be saved?”
Jesus looked at them and said,

“For men this is impossible,
but for God all things are possible.”
Then Peter said to him in reply,
“We have given up everything and followed you.
What will there be for us?”
Jesus said to them, “Amen, I say to you
that you who have followed me, in the new age,
when the Son of Man is seated on his throne of glory,
will yourselves sit on twelve thrones,
judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters
or father or mother or children or lands
for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times more,
and will inherit eternal life.
But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Amen, I say to you, it will be hard for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of heaven. Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God.

Oratio (Responding)

There are many theories about this reading. I have heard it said that the “eye” was a small door to the temple, and the rich man would have to unload all of his belongings in order to get himself and his camel through the opening. But Jimmy Akin of Catholic Answers has sufficiently dismatled this argument on his website, showing that this door did not actually exist, and that it was only story that made sense, and took on a life of its own. I have heard others say that the “camel” is a kind of thick cable or rope used on ships that is far too large to pass through the very small eye of the needle. But this is a presumption based on different translations and posible idoms at the time, so we cant be sure that this is the meaning either.

There are other theories as well that are even more elaborate, but I think that they distract from the actual point. The real point of this analogy is that it will be hard for all people to enter into heaven, not just rich people. I have heard theologians say that death is the ultimate stripping away of everthing in your life. You can lose your personal dignity, because of helplessness. You can lose control over your physical body if you are sick or elderly. If you are accustomed to power in your life, you will lose it, and if you are accustomed to wealth, you will not be able to take it with you. Nobody takes any of the “things” that we have accumulated in this life, into the next. You literrally will enter the next life as naked and helpless as you were when you were born.

And that, I think, is the point of this reading. The more you have in this world, control, power, possessions, the harder it will be for you to have those things stripped away from you in the next. This reading is about attachment to things, but mostly about attachment to sin. We all must come to accept and understand, that we will have to give up everything before we can enter into heaven. As such, Jesus is warning us, and urging us to start now. He wants us to get into a habit of giving and sacraficing now, so that when our time comes we will be ready and well practiced for what will come next.

I dont think that we are being called to be like St. Francis and give everything away in this world, but I do think that there is an important message here about not allowing yourself to be so connected to those things, that the idea of losing them is impossible to imagine. If you lost your job, got into a car wreak, and your house burned down, ALL on the same day, What would you do next? that is what Jesus wants you to consider right now. At the end of the day those are all just things, and are nothing compared to what god has planned for those that love him.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord help me to be able to look at the world in the way it is, temporary, and ephemeral, and to instead focus on you and eternity with you in heaven. Amen.

Matthew 19:16-22

Lectio (Reading)

A young man approached Jesus and said,
“Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?”
He answered him, “Why do you ask me about the good?
There is only One who is good.
If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.”
He asked him, “Which ones?”
And Jesus replied, “You shall not kill;
you shall not commit adultery;
you shall not steal;
you shall not bear false witness;
honor your father and your mother;
and you shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
The young man said to him,
“All of these I have observed. What do I still lack?”
Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go,
sell what you have and give to the poor,
and you will have treasure in heaven.
Then come, follow me.”
When the young man heard this statement, he went away sad,
for he had many possessions.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.

Oratio (Responding)

This reading cuts to the heart of the matter, if anything in this world is more important to you than the teachings of Jesus, you must cast off those things, and follow Him. For the rich young man, his heart was open, he was planted in rich soil, but the thorns of wealth and privledge were choking off his faith, preventing him from acheiving completely what God has willed for his life.

This too, is true for all of us as well. It is not necessarily always wealth, but that can be a big one, but poor people can also have their faith choked by the thorns of pride, envy, etc. The point of this passage is that we all need to consider for ourselves what jesus would say to you if you asked Him the same question. What is it that Jesus would ask you to give up, to follow him.

Life is full of things that can lead you away from Him, and choke out your faith. We all have these things in our lives, what is yours? Today is your chance to ponder this question, and decide if it is more important to you than god. The irony of what jesus said to this rich young man, was that if this young man had done what Jesus suggested, he would have stored up much more treasure in heaven, treasure that would be with him forever.

The treasures of this world, stay here, after you die, it is only by doing good, speaking truth, and pursuing the beautiful that you attain treasure in heaven, and that treasure will be waiting for you for all eternity. If this young man had really loved possesions, then Jesus is actually giving him the recipe to be richer in heaven than he could ever imagine he could be here on earth. What is standing in the way of you achieving the wealth in heaven that God wants for you?

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to seek you over the things of this world. Help me to identify what it is in this world that I am holding onto that keeps me from true dicipleship and give me the courage to do what I need to follow your path over the path I choose for myself.

John 6:51-58

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to the crowds:
“I am the living bread that came down from heaven;
whoever eats this bread will live forever;
and the bread that I will give
is my flesh for the life of the world.” The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying,
“How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”
Jesus said to them,
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood,
you do not have life within you.
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood
has eternal life,
and I will raise him on the last day.
For my flesh is true food,
and my blood is true drink.
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood
remains in me and I in him.
Just as the living Father sent me
and I have life because of the Father,
so also the one who feeds on me
will have life because of me.
This is the bread that came down from heaven.
Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died,
whoever eats this bread will live forever.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

For my Flesh is true food, and my Blood is true drink. Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood remains in me and I in him.

Oratio (Responding)

This is a hard saying, probably one of the hardest in the bible. In the very next passages following today’s reading, Jesus loses most of his followers as a result of this saying. But it was not a slip of the toungue, His message was reapeated 3 times, and He never equivocates, he only gets more serious and strident in His vocabulary. The message of the “bread of life discourses” in John 6 can be summarized as three main points:

Your fathers ate manna in the desert and were filled for a day, The Lord will give you food that will last forever.
Jesus IS the food that came down from heaven, he who believes this will not hunger and will not thirst.
You must eat His body and drink His blood if you want eternal life.

At the beginning of the bread of life discourses, Jesus makes these three points. The Jews murmur, saying how can this be, he is just the son of Mary and Joseph, the carptenter. Then Jesus makes the same 3 points again. The Jews then are upset, and say “how can this be, he is just a man.” Jesus makes the same 3 points a 3rd time. The Jews, now indignant leave, and He lets them go, He never backs down. He did not say “hey! you misunderstood me, that was just a metaphor, come back…” Instead, He said that this is a true saying and you must believe it.

The seriousness is made even more stark if we dive into the meaning of the greek words used here. In greek there are two words that can be used for “body.” The word “soma” litterally means “body”, but it can mean any body from a human body to an animal body, or a church or a political body. The other word for “body” is “sarx”, which litterally means “mortal flesh”. The word used in this passage it is “sarx.” Jesus very clearly wants us to know that this is not a metaphor or a symbol, He is clearly stating that if you want eternal life you must eat His mortal flesh, and drink His mortal blood.

But as the Ignatious study bible points out the mortal flesh that He gives is not like our human flesh, but far greater and higher than we could ever imagine:

“Jesus gives us, not his mortal flesh as it was during his earthly ministry, but his glorified humanity as it was after rising from the dead. This is why he calls himself the ‘living bread’” and continuting on… “Drinking the blood of animals is forbidden under the Old Covenant. To do so is to consume ‘life’ that is merely natural and of a lower order than human life. Jesus’ injunction does not fall under these prohibitions. The ‘life’ he imparts is not natural but supernatural; it does not pull us down to the level of animals; it elevates us to become sharers in his divine nature”

Our protestant brothers and sisters completely ignore this chapter of John. They say they are bible alone, but when it comes to this teaching of Jesus, they either completely skip this chapter, or claim that it is just a metaphor. But Jesus wants us to think about this and struggle with it, becuase it is the source and summit of our faith. Proof for this assertion, is found in the greek word that was used here for “eat” which is this instance is “trōgōn.” This word litterally means to gnaw, munch, crunch, on His mortal flesh, like a lion chewing on the carcas of a gazelle, out on the african savana.

This is not prim and proper ”tea with the queen.” This is hard, difficult chewing, a struggle… God does not want zombies following him, he wants disciples that love Him and believe in Him, and would walk through fire for Him. This kind of faith does not come from metaphor, it comes from deep profound introspection, struggling with ideas, and ultimately conquering of your doubt and fear with the Truth. When we succeed at this task we gain eternity.

Eternity is a highly misunderstood concept among humans. Frank Sheed described eternity as not a measurement of time, but of perfection. Have you ever wondered how God is outside of time, it is because He is in eternity, He is perfect, He has nothing that He needs to change or improve, He is perfection itself, time is not something He needs. Time is a gift from Him, to help us learn to abandone our sinful nature and to strive for the perfection of what God has willed for our lives all along.

Interesting fact here, that when Jesus says “live forever” here he is using a hebrew expression that is only used twice in the whole bible, Here in John and once in the Greek version of Genesis. The comparison thus implied here (again from the Ignatious Study Bible) is between “the ‘Tree of Life’, which bore the fruit of immortality, and the ‘Bread of Life’, which tradition calls the medicine of immortality” — If you missed the significance, let me explain. Adam and eve abandoned the “tree of life” in the garden and chose their own sin over God. God then sends Jesus to reconcile that sin, and bring us back into the garden. He does this by His sacrifice on the cross, in the mystical gift of His life for us, Jesus becomes the new tree of life, and He offers us the “bread of life” in his body, the eucharist.

If we partake in this bread, and gnaw on it, and stuggle with it, then we can gain eternal life as well, and enter into the garden with God. We do that by living in the eternal now. Not dwelling on the past and the mistakes that we had made, and cannot change. Not obsessing on the future for which we have no control, but living in the moment, choosing to do good, and resisting evil, making the most of this moment, learning from our mistakes, and resolving to do better. That is how we “gnaw” on His “mortal flesh”, and that is how we achieve our own personal perfection. If we do this long enough and hard enough, then we will hopefully find that we have acheived something greater than we ever thought possible… to enter into eternity with God Himself. What could better than that?

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, I belive, help my unbelief. Help me to overcome that things I dont understand, with trust and love and faith. Amen.

Matthew 19:13-15

Lectio (Reading)

Children were brought to Jesus
that he might lay his hands on them and pray.
The disciples rebuked them, but Jesus said,
“Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them;
for the Kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
After he placed his hands on them, he went away.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the Kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.

Oratio (Responding)

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh, lord, give me the grace to love you like a child, to trust in our goodness, and to innocently revel, in the gifts and wonder you have bestowed on us and this world. We do not deserve you, but we are so very, very grateful for you.

Matthew 19:3-12

Lectio (Reading)

Some Pharisees approached Jesus, and tested him, saying,
“Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause whatever?”
He said in reply, “Have you not read that from the beginning
the Creator made them male and female and said,
For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother
and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh?
So they are no longer two, but one flesh.
Therefore, what God has joined together, man must not separate.”
They said to him, “Then why did Moses command
that the man give the woman a bill of divorce and dismiss her?”
He said to them, “Because of the hardness of your hearts
Moses allowed you to divorce your wives,
but from the beginning it was not so.
I say to you, whoever divorces his wife
(unless the marriage is unlawful)
and marries another commits adultery.”
His disciples said to him,
“If that is the case of a man with his wife,
it is better not to marry.”
He answered, “Not all can accept this word,
but only those to whom that is granted.
Some are incapable of marriage because they were born so;
some, because they were made so by others;
some, because they have renounced marriage
for the sake of the Kingdom of heaven.
Whoever can accept this ought to accept it.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, man must not separate.

Oratio (Responding)

I dont think that even 10% of catholics getting married understand what Jesus is saying here. I did not the first time I was married. That is probably the only reason why my annulment was granted. When you agree to have a sacramental catholic marriage, you are agreeing to something that is profoundly more than living together, and sharing household expenses. When the priest says that “I now pronounce you husband and wife” he is actually saying, behold a new creation under God.

This is because the sacrament of marriage is unique amongst all of the other sacraments, because it is the only one where the priest does not have a role, he is only a witness. In a true sacramental marriage, the husband bestows the sacrament on his bride, and the bride bestows the sacrament on her husband. They are both saying in essence that I give myself completely to you, and you give yourself completely to me. that makes this union something new, something unique in the world. And this new thing is knitted together by God, and man MUST not separate it.

A marriage is not a contract, it is a covenant, just like God made with man many times, and covenants are not to be broken. A covenant is an eternal pledge to God, and to each other. That is not something that can be easily thrown away. Our culture tells us that we must put oursleves first, and our happiness above all others, God teaches us just the opposite, and that is why it is so important that marriage is for life, because it reminds us of this fact, and what God expects of us.

We must never forget why we married our spouse, there was a time when the only thing we wanted in the world was that person, and we never wanted to be apart from them. We need to strive to regain that lost passion. And we start by putting the Lord first, and then the love of our neighbor will come next. Let us not forget these things, and lets live our real true sacramental marriages in our homes, communities, and the world.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh, lord, help me today to rekindle the love that I have for my wife, help me to love her by loving you first. Help me to live the sacrament of marriage, in the way that you had planned out for our lives. Amen.

Matthew 18:15-20

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his disciples:
“If your brother sins against you,
go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.
If he listens to you, you have won over your brother.
If he does not listen,
take one or two others along with you,
so that every fact may be established
on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
If he refuses to listen to them, tell the Church.
If he refuses to listen even to the Church,
then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector.
Amen, I say to you,
whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven,
and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Again, amen, I say to you, if two of you agree on earth
about anything for which they are to pray,
it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father.
For where two or three are gathered together in my name,
there am I in the midst of them.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won over your brother. If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, so that ‘every fact may be established on the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church. If he refuses to listen even to the church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector.

Oratio (Responding)

This is a complicated passage, and like most things Jesus says, there are multiple meanings to the reading, that are applicable to multiple audiences. And they apply temporaly at both the people present in the immediate moment, and for everyone else, at all times in the future.

First I want to speak to his immediate audience. The passage starts with “Jesus said to his disciples.” This was the 12 apostles. These men are the ones that are to become the bishops and popes of our church, in the previous chapter we hear of Jesus naming Peter as His pope, in this passage He is naming His 12 as His bishops. The leaders of His new church. He gives them the same authority to bind and loose that He gave Peter, and he tells them that when they join together (as a group), and make decisions regarding the church (aka faith and morals), then those decisions will not only be backed up by the authority of heaven, but that they will also be made real in this word.

This is an incredible promise, and if I was a bishop I would consider this gift to be the most consequential thing that I would have to do in my life. Alas, sadly, many bishops are completely unaware of this responsibility and often propose things that are completely antithetical to the faith. But they have to stand before jesus and account for their actions just like any of us, so they need our prayers as much as any of us do.

But getting back to the first part of this passage, the steps for dealing with grievance. The steps are listed in this way to show us the process for handling these moments. Jesus has established his authority structure with the pope and bishops, now He is establishing the principle of subsidiarity. This is one of the most important teachings of Jesus and by His church. It goes like this. The lowest level of authority has primary jurisdiction. For example the parents of a child have the right and authority to raise their children as they see fit, it is not the right of the pope to tell a young family how to raise their children. The pope’s responsibility is to decide grievances that fail to be resolved at every lower level of subsidiarity.

This is believed and held by most people to be true, among all levels of society and government. The freedom and happiness of a community, can often be measured by how much it respects this principle. But obviously there will be times when conflict arrises, and we need a system for handling those conflicts and where to go for reconciliation. All of the steps laid out here, come from old testament scripture. The 1st step starts with re-connection between the aggrieved parties, with the primary intent of reconciliation, not condemnation. The 2nd step requires two others to hear and assess the problem, hopefully these people would be friends of both parties and knowledgable of the grievance. The 3rd step is a rebuke from the church, a public assessment of the grievance by the church authorities, and a public condemnation of the sin. And finally, the 4th step is a withdrawal of recognition of membership in the church, this is also known as excommunication.

These steps are delineated not only for the parties at grievance, but also for the authorities in the church to know what they are to do and also to know what their responsibilities are when the grievances come up. We are not to go outside of the proper line of authority, and expect to be justified or reconciled if we take our grievance directly to the pope. That is not how reconciliation works. When there is a grievance between two people, most of the time the person you are angry with either does not know, or does not care. In either case the best advice is to address the grievance, directly. If they dont care then you know that you have done your all you can, and you can then move on knowing that the issue is with that person and not your responsibility to fix anymore. If they dont know, they might be embarassed that this grievance was ever between you. Reconcilliation might happen right away and you have then regained your friend. But the process of reconciliation requires saying something.

Finally and I think most importantly, there is one last part of this reading that I think we all must understand. When Jesus says that if your brother refuses to listen then treat him like a gentile or a tax collector. This does not mean you expel them from your life. The gentiles and tax collectors were indeed, considered the lowest of kind of person among the jews. Reviled by all members of the jewish community. But Jesus was not saying that we should treat these people like trash. No, I believe that Jesus wants us to treat them like He treated them. He walked with them, talked with them, ate with them, and He helped them to see the error of their ways.

Jesus never gives up on anyone. He is the good sheppard and He is always calling His sheep back into His flock. And as was see in this passage, we must do the same, we are called to that same high standard. So if you have a grievance, start the process of healing right now. Don’t wait another day.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me to reconcile with you, and any other people in this world with whom I have a grievance.

Matthew 18:1-5, 10, 12-14

Lectio (Reading)

The disciples approached Jesus and said,
“Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?”
He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said,
“Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children,
you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven.
Whoever becomes humble like this child
is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.
And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me. “See that you do not despise one of these little ones,
for I say to you that their angels in heaven
always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.
What is your opinion?
If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray,
will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hills
and go in search of the stray?
And if he finds it, amen, I say to you, he rejoices more over it
than over the ninety-nine that did not stray.
In just the same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Father
that one of these little ones be lost.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Oratio (Responding)

Second, “hating this life,” the hate here is “Miseo” in greek. This is more closely translated as ‘to despise in a comparative sense,’ or more simply to “love less” than something else. So to hate your life in this way is referring to people that are willing to sacrifice everything they have in this life for the love of God, or for others. If you cannot hate your life in that way, then that life becomes an obstacle that gets in the way of any true relationship with the Lord.

Do you have obstacles in your live that prevent you from true relationship with the Lord? If so, then I suggest that you rearrange your priorities. You don’t have to be like St. Francis and give away everything you have in this world, but you must re-prioritize those things that get in the way of what truly matter, make them less important to you than your relationtionship with God.

If Jesus crossed your path today and said “follow me”, would you be able to follow Him, or is there is something in your life that would prevent you from saying yes, something that you cant walk away from? If so, then that thing might be an obstacle to your salvation, and you must come to terms with that, and put it in its proper place.

This is really hard, but their is great wisdom in this teaching. The good things of this world can easily become overly important to us, they can even become like little idols that we worship. And if we worship idols we are not worshipping God. So take this to prayer, ponder it, and find out what little idols you have in your life, and then work to eliminate them. You salvation depends on it.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to find those things that are in the way of my being in true relationship with you, and give me the courage to put those things in their proper place, let me place you first, and everything else second.

Matthew 15:21-28

Lectio (Reading)

At that time Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon.
And behold, a Canaanite woman of that district came and called out,
“Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David!
My daughter is tormented by a demon.”
But he did not say a word in answer to her.
His disciples came and asked him,
“Send her away, for she keeps calling out after us.”
He said in reply,
“I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
But the woman came and did him homage, saying, “Lord, help me.”
He said in reply,
“It is not right to take the food of the children
and throw it to the dogs.”
She said, “Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps
that fall from the table of their masters.”
Then Jesus said to her in reply,
“O woman, great is your faith!
Let it be done for you as you wish.”
And her daughter was healed from that hour.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.

Oratio (Responding)

Persistence is definitely part of the equation, but there is definitely something more happening here. First Jesus is in the middle of His ministry (aka “feeding”) of the Jewish people. Quite literally, this is the time that He had set aside to show the jews that He is the messiah and Lord. The time for the gentiles would come after His death and resurrection. Second, He is testing her faith, and showing His disciples their future mission to the gentiles at the same time. In testing her, Jesus was making sure that she knew who He was, while at the same time, testing that that her faith in Him was sincere. But He was also showing His disciples that there is great faith among these Gentiles, and that His chosen appostles would be called later to preach to these gentiles, and lead them to the lord.

In summary I would like to quote Peter Kreeft, as he perfectly summarizes this entire reading:

“Jesus thus, at one stroke, gave everyone involved what they most needed: The woman needed His miracle to satisfy her love for her daughter, and she also needed her faith to be tested and strengthened. Her daughter needed the exorcism. The demon needed to go home to hell where he belonged. The disciples needed a lesson in broadness and humility versus narrowness and pride. And the world needed to see Jesus’ love and wisdom and power, the three attributes of God that most clearly manifest his divinity.”

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord please help us today to find the humility and faith needed to follow you, and to overcome the testing that you have placed in our lives, and the patience needed to recieve your grace in your time and according to your will.

Mark 9:2-10

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus took Peter, James, and his brother John,
and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves.
And he was transfigured before them,
and his clothes became dazzling white,
such as no fuller on earth could bleach them.
Then Elijah appeared to them along with Moses,
and they were conversing with Jesus.
Then Peter said to Jesus in reply,
“Rabbi, it is good that we are here!
Let us make three tents:
one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
He hardly knew what to say, they were so terrified.
Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them;
from the cloud came a voice,
“This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.”
Suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone
but Jesus alone with them.

As they were coming down from the mountain,
he charged them not to relate what they had seen to anyone,
except when the Son of Man had risen from the dead.
So they kept the matter to themselves,
questioning what rising from the dead meant.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no fuller on earth could bleach them.

Oratio (Responding)

But there is another aspect of this reading that I find extremely heartening. We, as christians, are also promised a new ressurected body at the end of time at the final judgement. We are not exactly sure what happens to the soul before the final judgement, But when we die, and go up to heaven, we probably live like the angels, disembodied spirits, waiting for the end of time and final judgement. But When Jesus returns to earth, revelation tells us that all of the dead will rise, and be given new bodies, and stand before the lord for Judgement. The good and the evil will be separated, and the wicked will be sent to hell body and soul to suffer for all eternity, but the good will have their bodies glorified, and will join God in the restored world, and will live with Him forever in his Kingdom of Heaven.

But the most exciting thing about glorified bodies, is that we will get to walk with Jesus in the garden of heaven! To have a real person to person relationship with him, and to physically know him like I do any of my family or friends. This possibility fills me with so much hope and joy that I cant contain it. So many questions to ask, so many things to say thank you for, so much love to share.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, please help me today to make one change that brings me closer to you, and to that incredible plan you have for our lives. Amen.

John 6:24-35

Lectio (Reading)

When the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there,
they themselves got into boats
and came to Capernaum looking for Jesus.
And when they found him across the sea they said to him,
“Rabbi, when did you get here?”
Jesus answered them and said,
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
you are looking for me not because you saw signs
but because you ate the loaves and were filled.
Do not work for food that perishes
but for the food that endures for eternal life,
which the Son of Man will give you.
For on him the Father, God, has set his seal.”
So they said to him,
“What can we do to accomplish the works of God?”
Jesus answered and said to them,
“This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent.”
So they said to him,
“What sign can you do, that we may see and believe in you?
What can you do?
Our ancestors ate manna in the desert, as it is written:
He gave them bread from heaven to eat.”
So Jesus said to them,
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
it was not Moses who gave the bread from heaven;
my Father gives you the true bread from heaven.
For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven
and gives life to the world.” So they said to him,
“Sir, give us this bread always.”
Jesus said to them,
“I am the bread of life;
whoever comes to me will never hunger,
and whoever believes in me will never thirst.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

So they said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.” Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.”

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Please lord today, help me to understand your wishes for me, and for the love you hope to pour out on me. and give me the wisdom to put away all other things and sit quietly at your feet listening. Amen.

Matthew 9:1-8

Lectio (Reading)

After entering a boat, Jesus made the crossing, and came into his own town.
And there people brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher.
When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic,
“Courage, child, your sins are forgiven.”
At that, some of the scribes said to themselves,
“This man is blaspheming.”
Jesus knew what they were thinking, and said,
“Why do you harbor evil thoughts?
Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’
or to say, ‘Rise and walk’?
But that you may know that the Son of Man
has authority on earth to forgive sins”–
he then said to the paralytic,
“Rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home.”
He rose and went home.
When the crowds saw this they were struck with awe
and glorified God who had given such authority to men.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Courage, child, your sins are forgiven.”

Oratio (Responding)

I think that it is important to note here in this reading, that Jesus forgives sin before he heals. It is always this way. Throughout the gospels, Jesus always addresses the heart and soul of the afflicted, before he does anything to their bodies. He does this for a couple reasons. In Jesus’ time people believed that illness and deformity were actual punishments from God. Either because of a sin that they committed, or in some cases because of the sins of their fathers. So sick people went around thinking that they were the greatest of sinners (even if they were totally innocent). So the first reason Jesus did this was because of His wish to minister to their spiritual needs first, and to tell the crowds that this person is no longer guilty of the sin that they all believed he had done.

The second reason is that we humans are a mind-body composite. We are not minds without bodies, like the angels, and we are not bodies without a mind like the animals. We are uniquely made by god to have both a mind and a body, and you cannot heal one without healing the other. To do so would be incomplete, and would leave the person in a position that is no better than before. But it is also because our body’s are temporary and our souls are eternal. Our bodies can get sick and be healed while we are in this world, and god promises that they will be fully restored at the end of time, but our souls are eternal, and will be forever, whether we choose God or not. But if you want to find that eternal peace and live forever in heaven with God, we must have our souls healed first, because nothing unclean can enter heaven. This is why Jesus ministers to the soul first, then and only then, when the mind is free of slavery to sin, does He heal the body. And I say thank god for that. His mercy and wisdom are beyond all understanding.

But thers is one more thing of note in this gospel. the paralytic is healed because of the faith of his friends that brought him there on the stretcher. Obviously God can see souls and knows the perfect truth, but I think that there is another important message here as well, and that is that our prayers for those we love are efficatous, God listens to them and is moved to action because of them. So never stop praying for those in your life, and even those that you dont know…, because God is listening.

But at the end of the day, it is all about healing. We are a deeply sick people. Whether it is Lust, or Pride or Greed, we sin constantly, and whether we know it or not, we need to be healed. Body, yes, but mostly our souls. We need to be saved from our sins, and freed of the slavery and the bondage that our sins cause us. Jesus Christ is the answer. He can save us and free us, and heal us, if we would only turn to Him. Whether it is yourself, or your family, turn to Jesus and ask Him for His healing touch. He is waiting for you to ask.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Please lord help me today to find the healing and eternal peace that you want for us always.

John 20:24-29

Lectio (Reading)

Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve,
was not with them when Jesus came.
So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.”
But Thomas said to them,
“Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands
and put my finger into the nailmarks
and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”
Now a week later his disciples were again inside
and Thomas was with them.
Jesus came, although the doors were locked,
and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.”
Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands,
and bring your hand and put it into my side,
and do not be unbelieving, but believe.”
Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me?
Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”

Oratio (Responding)

There is no other line by any person in the bible that better expresses pure faith than this simple statement “my Lord and my God”. I try to remember to say this quietly to myself at mass when the priest holds up the eucharist during the epiclesis of the eucharistic prayer. There is even a partial indulgence that is granted for anyone that does so. But it is more than just collecting indulgences, it is an overall disposition of the soul towards God, a disposition that places Him above all other things.

This is what Jesus means when He says “Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.” We whom are alive thousands of years after Christs death, do not have the luxury of Thomas, to see and then believe… And as a result, Jesus has given us a special blessing all of these years later. We who dont see are blessed with belief (from the holy spirit). If we can just dispose our lives to Him in everything, we will be blessed because our belief is based on faith and not on physical knowing.

We today embrace this lack of physical knowledge, because it makes your love greater in God’s eyes. And we thank Thomas for his doubt because his doubt has blessed all generations after him with the gift of Faith from the Holy Spirit. And Jesus’ blessing tells us that we can know Him all of these years later, despite all of the detractors that tell us that He is not real.

But the truth is that Jesus is as alive in our world today as He was 2000 years ago. He is is present in our churches, in the holy eucharist… Body blood soul and divinity. We can touch Him just like Thomas, and we can even be one with him, for a time, in Holy communion. It is a miracle, and it is a gift that is wrapped in a mystery but it is the “source and summit” of our faith. It is a free gift that asks only one thing in exchange, our belief, and our faith.

So next time you are in the pressence of the lord, at mass or in communion, express your faith in the way that Thomas showed us. Say “my Lord and my God” and ask Him to help you to believe more fully. But be ready to recieve, because God has so much that He wants to give you.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to believe without seeing. amen.

Matthew 8:1-4

Lectio (Reading)

When Jesus came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him.
And then a leper approached, did him homage, and said,
“Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.”
He stretched out his hand, touched him, and said,
“I will do it. Be made clean.”
His leprosy was cleansed immediately.
Then Jesus said to him, “See that you tell no one,
but go show yourself to the priest,
and offer the gift that Moses prescribed;
that will be proof for them.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

And then a leper approached, did him homage, and said, “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.” He stretched out his hand, touched him, and said,‚”I will do it. Be made clean.”

Oratio (Responding)

This line “if you wish, you can make me clean” is how I begin my nightly examine everyday. This is one of those statements of pure faith (like: “my Lord and my God”), that express the deepest yearnings of our hearts. We need to learn how to incorporate these expressions into our daily lives, because they speak to something that is very important in our lives, and that is to talk to God from our hearts.

The stain of sin is something that we alone as humans bring upon ourselves, and it is a stain that we cannot remove on our own. Only God has the power to remove this stain from our souls. And so we are then left with this humble petition for God to save us, and to clean us. He is not going to force himself on us, He will only cleanse us if we cooperate with Him, but He is more than willing to do it if we simply ask. So like the leper in this story, we must be humble in our petitions, but we must be bold in our asking. Do not be afraid, God is happy to help us, just simply ask.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help us today to humbly ask for your forgiveness, and allow you to clean us from the stain of sin, amen.

Matthew 7:6, 12-14

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Do not give what is holy to dogs, or throw your pearls before swine,
lest they trample them underfoot, and turn and tear you to pieces.“Do to others whatever you would have them do to you.
This is the Law and the Prophets.“Enter through the narrow gate;
for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction,
and those who enter through it are many.
How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life.
And those who find it are few.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many. How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life. And those who find it are few.

Oratio (Responding)

This is clear proof from the mouth of Jesus Himself that not all souls go to heaven. Eternal security is a nice thought, but it is ultimately, a lie from the devil, and it doesn’t even pass the simplest of logic tests. Saying that a person who lives their entire life in direct contradiction to Gods law, is going to heaven, simply because at one time in their life, they said the Jesus prayer, is a ridiculous and dangerous presumption.

God does indeed want all of us with Him in heaven, but He will not force our wills to do so. God, in His full glory in heaven, is a burning fire of love, but this fire does not burn flesh and bone, it burns away sin. You cannot be in the presence of God, if you have any attachment to sin in your heart. It would be far, far too painful! So we must put away sin from our lives so that when we go to heaven we can be with Him completely and without pain.

Any amount of attachment to sin would drive us away from Him because we would not be able to handle the pain of the burning. In fact I think that this is what hell is, a place where people cling to their sin, even after they die, and suffer and burn for it. So we must live our lives in accord with His law, and we must always strive to walk through that narrow gate so that when we stand face to face before Him, we will not feel the pain of burning sin, but instead the warmth of the fire of His overwhelming love. That is what I want more than anything in my life, and I wish it for you as well. Amen.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Please lord help me today to cast away sin from my life, and to turn to you with love you with fullness and joy.

Mark 3:20-35

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus came home with his disciples.
Again the crowd gathered,
making it impossible for them even to eat.
When his relatives heard of this they set out to seize him,
for they said, “He is out of his mind.”
The scribes who had come from Jerusalem said,
“He is possessed by Beelzebul,”
and “By the prince of demons he drives out demons.” Summoning them, he began to speak to them in parables,
“How can Satan drive out Satan?
If a kingdom is divided against itself,
that kingdom cannot stand.
And if a house is divided against itself,
that house will not be able to stand.
And if Satan has risen up against himself
and is divided, he cannot stand;
that is the end of him.
But no one can enter a strong man’s house to plunder his property
unless he first ties up the strong man.
Then he can plunder the house.
Amen, I say to you,
all sins and all blasphemies that people utter will be
forgiven them.
But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit
will never have forgiveness,
but is guilty of an everlasting sin.”
For they had said, “He has an unclean spirit.”

His mother and his brothers arrived.
Standing outside they sent word to him and called him.
A crowd seated around him told him,
“Your mother and your brothers and your sisters
are outside asking for you.”
But he said to them in reply,
“Who are my mother and my brothers?”
And looking around at those seated in the circle he said,
“Here are my mother and my brothers.
For whoever does the will of God
is my brother and sister and mother.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Amen, I say to you, all sins and all blasphemies that people utter will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an everlasting sin.”

Oratio (Responding)

The catholic church teaches that the only unforgivable sin is to blaspheme against the Holy Spirit, and that is what Jesus is talking about in this passage. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit can be understood like this… The devils most favorite trick to play on people in grave sin, is to whisper in their ear, and say “you are such a bad person, that your sin is so bad that God will never forgive you, and that you should just give up because it is all hopeless.” The evil one wants you to despair, and to take your life rejecting God because then he can keep you with him in hell, and away from eternity with God. The devils only goal in life is to deprive God of souls, by tricking them into falling for his lies. Simply understood, the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, is to believe those lies of the devil, to despair, and think that God’s love and mercy is not big enough to forgive you.

But you don’t have to be in grave sin to fall for this same lie. Here is another example. Our modern culture (which is itself, another whisper from the devil) will try to teach you that because God is all loving and all forgiving, that there is nothing you could do to make God not forgive you. This culture wants you to believe that His love is unconditional and there is nothing you could do that would change that. This is in-fact a lie hidden inside of truth, and sounds good. But God’s love is indeed conditional, and there is one thing that you can do that God cannot forgive…, and that is to never ask for His forgiveness. This is called the sin of presumption. Assuming that God will forgive you, and to live your life as if it is always granted. God is utterly perfect, and His love is infinite. He is all forgiving, and ever merciful. But all of that grace depends on one thing… YOU! You must first turn to him, you must get on your knees and beg for forgiveness. You must gladly accept whatever penance that He puts on your heart, and you must do whatever is required to reconcile your sin. If you do this, and complete this process of forgiveness, that is what it means to accept the gift of the Holy spirit in your life.

Anything short of that is to reject the Holy Spirit in your life. And if you die in that state of being un-reconciled with God, then that is what it means to blaspheme the Holy Spirit, and you will not make it to heaven! And I can prove it…, Heaven is the total and complete giving and receiving of love between you and the Father, and all of the other people in Heaven. It is the most intimate relationship that you can imagine, higher than the most perfect marriage here on earth, higher than the love of a parent for a child, and higher than any friendship you have ever had. This is only possible through absolute and total reconciliation between you and God, there cannot be anything between you that separates you. Do you think that you can reject god even a little, or simply just take Him for granted while at the same time participate in the complete and total exchange of perfect love with Him? No! You must want it, and you must do what is required to attain it, anything less would make you unclean. And Jesus told us what happens to those that are unclean. In another gospel verse we hear the story of the wedding feast and the guest that is not wearing a wedding garment…meaning he is unclean, and he is cast out into the darkness, where their is wailing and grinding of teeth. We must not allow ourselves to believe this cultural lie that gods love is unconditional, it hinges on the one condition that you ask for his forgiveness.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to reject this world, and the lies of the devil and to turn toward you in all things. Help me to make right choices, and follow your loving example in all things. Amen.

John 19:31-37

Lectio (Reading)

Since it was preparation day,
in order that the bodies might not remain on the cross on the sabbath,
for the sabbath day of that week was a solemn one,
the Jews asked Pilate that their legs be broken
and they be taken down.
So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first
and then of the other one who was crucified with Jesus.
But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead,
they did not break his legs,
but one soldier thrust his lance into his side,
and immediately blood and water flowed out.
An eyewitness has testified, and his testimony is true;
he knows that he is speaking the truth,
so that you also may come to believe.
For this happened so that the Scripture passage might be fulfilled:
Not a bone of it will be broken.
And again another passage says:
They will look upon him whom they have pierced.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs, but one soldier thrust his lance into his side, and immediately blood and water flowed out.

Oratio (Responding)

Today we celebrate the sacred heart of Jesus, and we remember the moment at His death when His heart was pierced to save us, but not only that, this moment fulfilled millennia of prophecy and sacred scripture. Let me explain.

In today’s reading, where the roman soldier thrusts a lance into the side of Jesus in to confirm that He was dead, pierces Him and blood and water flowed out. Blood because the lance pierced His heart, and water because His Lungs (full of water from edema) were pierced as well. The water is a metaphor pointing to the waters of baptism, and the blood is a reference to the blood of Christ in the holy eucharist. In His sacrifice on the cross He gave us all of the means of salvation. Forgiveness of original sin by baptism. Justification of our relationship with God, by His death on the cross, and finally our ongoing sanctification via the gifts of reconciliation and the eucharist.

The water and blood flowing from Jesus is in itself a reference to the great temple in Jerusalem, at time of passover. In Jesus’ time, passover was an incredible spectacle. It was estimated that a million jewish pilgrims would descend on the city to celebrate passover. This meant that approximately 200,000 lambs would be slaughtered, and it would take days to complete all of the sacrifices. The temple priests would have to create assembly lines to take the blood of the sacrificed lambs, and pour that blood on the altar in the temple. The blood would flow down drains below the alter, collect in pools and would ultimately overflow and mix with the water of the brook of Kidron that flowed under the temple, and the combined blood and water would flow out of the side of temple through a small portico. It would be a small waterfall of water and blood pouring out of the temple. The scale of the passover was a spectacle to behold.

These images (above) are all ultimately a reference to Ezekiel 47. Ezekiel, in his prophecies saw the great temple in heaven, and what he saw was the “river of life” that flows throughout the entire kingdom of heaven from a single source, God the Father at the center of the temple. All life, all goodness, all love, and all mercy come from that single source, God. Jesus is the new temple in heaven from which the river of life flows. Jesus is the body that connects us here on earth with the enteral source of life in Heaven, through the eucharist.

And it all is because of the precious blood and water that flow from His sacred heart. This gift of our lives, the sacrifice of His death on the cross, and the promise of Gods mercy are completely unwarranted. We did not do anything to deserve them, and God does not owe us anything. It is a pure gift, a gift from one that loves us more than the sum total of our sin, and even despite them. He reaches out to us, to save us from the slavery to sin, and meets us where we are, even if we are not looking for Him. So today lets remember to adore His sacred heart, and be grateful for the incredible gift of his divine love and mercy.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh Lord, Help me today to remember your great love, and mercy, and to work to return that love to you, through adoration of your sacred heard, and love of my fellow man, whom all are your beloved children.

Mark 12:18-27

Lectio (Reading)

Some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection,
came to Jesus and put this question to him, saying,
“Teacher, Moses wrote for us,
If someone’s brother dies, leaving a wife but no child,
his brother must take the wife
and raise up descendants for his brother.
Now there were seven brothers.
The first married a woman and died, leaving no descendants.
So the second brother married her and died, leaving no descendants,
and the third likewise.
And the seven left no descendants.
Last of all the woman also died.
At the resurrection when they arise whose wife will she be?
For all seven had been married to her.”
Jesus said to them, “Are you not misled
because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God?
When they rise from the dead,
they neither marry nor are given in marriage,
but they are like the angels in heaven.
As for the dead being raised,
have you not read in the Book of Moses,
in the passage about the bush, how God told him,
I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac,
and the God of Jacob?
He is not God of the dead but of the living.
You are greatly misled.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

The children of this age marry and remarry; but those who are deemed worthy to attain to the coming age and to the resurrection of the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage.

Oratio (Responding)

I love this passage. Here we have the Saduccees trying to capture Jesus in a false teaching. The Saduccees were different from the pharisees, in that they only believed that the torah (first five books of the bible), were the divine word of god, and that all other books should not be considered canonical. To that end, they believed that the torah did not discuss life after death, at all. And as such they did not believe that eternal life was possible.

Jesus, spoke often about the kingdom of heaven, and taught about the resurrection just as often. As such, the Sadducee’s believe that they could trap Jesus in this question about the woman with 7 husbands. The technique they used here is called “reductio ad absurdum,” In philosophy, reductio ad absurdum (Latin for “reduction to absurdity”) is a logical fallacy that attempts to establish a claim by showing that the opposite scenario would lead to an absurd contradiction. Basically, the Sadducees have no way to prove their theory (that there is no afterlife), by positive evidence. So they must come up with this utterly ridiculous example to prove their theory. They ultimately assert that god would not ever allow this most absurd set of circumstances to happen, and so we thus conclude that Heaven is not possible. This is why it is a logical fallacy, because it requires the proof of a negative. It sounds good in debate, but it will never hold up against scrutiny from a trained logician. That is where we are in this passage today, the sadducees find themselves tangling with the most cunning debater of all time.

The Sadducees, in this crazy example of the 7 times widow are attempting to catch Jesus in a trap. The sadducees believed that if Jesus says yes (that the woman will only be one mans wife), then that will be an obvious insult to the 6 other men. This would ultimately have rendered those other marriages meaningless, and would have diminished Jesus’ credibility among His disciples. On the other hand, if Jesus were to say no (that she would be all their wives), then He would be making a mockery of the law of Moses and the clear teaching of the sacrament of Marriage. So it appears there is no good answer to this question. But once again Jesus answers perfectly, not only making a point that they never anticipated, by using their own faulty reading of the torah against them.

Jesus starts by clarifying that marriage is only a institution between man and woman in this world, and does not exist in Heaven. Marriage is a sacrament that is meant for the procreation and for the raising of children in the faith. It is a way of baptizing sex and putting it into the context of what God ultimately intended. In the next life, we will be espoused to christ, and all of our fellow men and women will be brothers and sisters in christ. One big family, and sex will literally be the last thing on our minds. But while we are here in this world we should not forget that we are blessed to partake, in an ordered way, this beautiful gift of lovemaking, and the sacrament of marriage.

Then finally Jesus lowers the boom on them. He says “As for the dead being raised, have you not read in the Book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God told him, I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? He is not God of the dead but of the living. You are greatly misled.” I cannot emphasize strongly enough how this must have ‘gobsmacked’ these sadducees. They were so sure of their reading of the torah, that they had never considered that Moses declaration about “the god of the living” was a direct affirmation of Heaven and the resurrection of the dead at the end of time. Jesus used the only books they recognized as legitimate, to prove that they were completely wrong about their interpretation of them. Truly magnificent. Jesus truly is the greatest of all teachers and his teaching is truly the divine word of God.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord help me today to honor you, by faithfully honoring my wife, and the commitments I have made to my family and my community. Amen.

Mark 12:13-17

Lectio (Reading)

Some Pharisees and Herodians were sent
to Jesus to ensnare him in his speech.
They came and said to him,
“Teacher, we know that you are a truthful man
and that you are not concerned with anyone’s opinion.
You do not regard a person’s status
but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.
Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?
Should we pay or should we not pay?”
Knowing their hypocrisy he said to them,
“Why are you testing me?
Bring me a denarius to look at.”
They brought one to him and he said to them,
“Whose image and inscription is this?”
They replied to him, “Caesar’s.”
So Jesus said to them,
“Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar
and to God what belongs to God.”
They were utterly amazed at him.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.

Oratio (Responding)

This is another test, and trap by the pharisees, but this time they bring with them the Herodians. These two groups hated each other, but they were united in their distain for Jesus, who threatened all of their power. These unlikely allies are trying to trap Jesus, and either destroy is popularity or get Him killed by the romans.

They do this by asking a simple question: “Is it lawful to pay the taxes to Ceasar?” This was a hot-button issue among the Jews (both faithful and not). The taxes were going directly to ceasar, directly taking the wealth and posterity out of the Jewish families & the temple, but the more important and divisive issue is that payment of the tax meant that you acknowledge the ceasar as king by doing so. And calling ceasar king, meant that you were placing a man at a higher level than god.

So if Jesus were to say yes, that they should pay the temple tax, this would have enraged the pharisees. The ceasars believed themselves to be divine sons of god, not just men. A yes from Jesus would have had the effect of saying that Jesus believes that Caesar is king, and that His disciples should pay tribute to this earthly ruler. This would have had a huge effect on his followers, and challenge his own divinity. He would likely have lost most of his followers at this answer.

On the other hand Saying that the tax should not be paid would have the effect of saying that Ceasar is not king, and not the son of god. This would have enraged the Herodians, and would likely have resulted in starting an uprising among jewish faithful, and His followers. There had already been multiple revolts against the Roman occupation, in the last few decades and the Romans always put them down swiftly and savagely. The romans had grown very weary of these revolts, and everyone knew that if there was another, that the romans would probably be even more severe then before.

So what does Jesus do? They have put Him in a good pickle, and it seems like there is nothing He can say that will not cause Him a lot of trouble. Well in His usual way He deals with the question by first directly answering the question in an unexpected way, and then second by shining light on the hypocrisy of His accusers.

He asks his accusers for a denarius. This was the coin that was used for paying the temple tax. But it was also the coin by which most commerce was done in Jerusalem, and in the temple…, ie. purchasing animals for sacrifice, and for making donations to the temple taxes. The denarius was a peice of gold or silver, that had the image of Caesar stamped on the top of it. Now keeping in mind that the Caesars thought of themselves as sons of god, these coins were in fact idols of a false god. The temple rule stated that you cannot bring an idol of any other false god with you into the temple. But many of these pharisees had these coins on them, in direct contradiction to temple law. In this simple question and action He turns the tables on them, making the pharisees the offenders of the law, and total hypocrites.

But the greatest rebuke to these pharisees, comes in His final answer. When Jesus says “Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.” By holding the coin and making this statement, He is saying, in the first case, that if something has your image on it, it belongs to you, and it should be returned to you. But in the second case, He is making a reference to the image of god that is imprinted on the soul of every human being, including Ceasar. And thus, since every soul has Gods image on it, that every person of this world should be given back to God. So give ceasar back his coin, You don’t need it! And instead bring only to the temple what belongs to god, yourself.

This must have deeply angered the pharisees, because they were made to look like fools among their followers. And the Herodians were obviously frustrated because no discernible attack was made on Caesar. I bet Jesus attracted many new disciples that day, while the pharisees, walked away wondering how they are going to get rid of this guy. It is no wonder why they wanted to kill Him, and eventually did.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to spread your word, to render what is due to you, and to ignore and discard everything else. Amen.

Mark 12:1-12

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus began to speak to the chief priests, the scribes,
and the elders in parables.
“A man planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it,
dug a wine press, and built a tower.
Then he leased it to tenant farmers and left on a journey.
At the proper time he sent a servant to the tenants
to obtain from them some of the produce of the vineyard.
But they seized him, beat him,
and sent him away empty-handed.
Again he sent them another servant.
And that one they beat over the head and treated shamefully.
He sent yet another whom they killed.
So, too, many others; some they beat, others they killed.
He had one other to send, a beloved son.
He sent him to them last of all, thinking, ‘They will respect my son.’
But those tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir.
Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’
So they seized him and killed him,
and threw him out of the vineyard.
What then will the owner of the vineyard do?
He will come, put the tenants to death,
and give the vineyard to others.
Have you not read this Scripture passage: The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
by the Lord has this been done,
and it is wonderful in our eyes?”

They were seeking to arrest him, but they feared the crowd,
for they realized that he had addressed the parable to them.
So they left him and went away.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

A man planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a wine press, and built a tower. Then he leased it to tenant farmers and left on a journey.

Oratio (Responding)

But instead of revelling in God’s goodness, we humans revolt, and try to take from God the only thing that He can not give us, His omnipotent power. So He sent us prophets, telling us to be watchful of signs of the coming age. But instead of listening, to them we killed them. Then the Lord sent us even more prophets, and we killed them too. Then the Lord sent us His Son and we would also kill Him. Finally God will come at the end of time and bring judgment for all of the wicked servants.

It is important to note here that the leaders of the jewish people were not rightfully allowed the have those positions that they controlled. The pharisees were not levites, and had no right to be priests of the temple, yet they and the scribes had been given complete power over the temple, by King Herod, because he could control them. The Herod’s too had no right to the throne, they were not even jewish, and they too were given their power by the Romans, because the Romans could control them. All of these jewish leaders were usurpers.

Finally we come to the new temple. Herod the great started it, and the Herod of this reading (his son) was still finishing it at the time of this reading. But what most people don’t know, is that after the first temple was destroyed and the jewish people were scattered among the world. The temple was meant to lay in ruins until the new davidic king (Jesus) would come and rebuild it. Only a true son of david had the right to undertake such a great endeavor, not the usurper Herod. So until the new king of david was crowned, there was not supposed to be a new temple built. And so when Jesus says “the stone that the builers rejected…” He is making references to these wicked tennants who killed the son, and tried to steal His kingdom…, built their own temple and were essentially worshiping themselves as Gods. That is why they will be severely punished with the destruction of their temple in 70 AD.

And in Jesus’ death on the cross, He opened the gates of heaven, and has become the cornerstone on which the new temple of the kingdom God will be built in heaven. And every baptised soul that converts their heart to Jesus will become bricks of that same great temple. So, I ask you today… What are you doing in Gods vineyard? Are you making good fruit, or are you trying to steal Gods power and steal the good gifts that He has already freely given you. This is a very convicting thing to contemplate, and it should not be taken lightly. Ponder this today, and if you are not a good tenant, then get to confession, and get right with God, your eternity depends on it.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, enlighten my conscience, and help me to discern who I really am in this parable, and to make the needed changes to get right with you and to be a good and holy tenant, amen.

Mark 14:12-16, 22-26

Lectio (Reading)

On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread,
when they sacrificed the Passover lamb,
Jesus’ disciples said to him,
“Where do you want us to go
and prepare for you to eat the Passover?”
He sent two of his disciples and said to them,
“Go into the city and a man will meet you,
carrying a jar of water.
Follow him.
Wherever he enters, say to the master of the house,
‘The Teacher says, “Where is my guest room
where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?”‘
Then he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready.
Make the preparations for us there.”
The disciples then went off, entered the city,
and found it just as he had told them;
and they prepared the Passover.

While they were eating,
he took bread, said the blessing,
broke it, gave it to them, and said,
“Take it; this is my body.”
Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them,
and they all drank from it.
He said to them,
“This is my blood of the covenant,
which will be shed for many.
Amen, I say to you,
I shall not drink again the fruit of the vine
until the day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”
Then, after singing a hymn,
they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Oratio (Responding)

Today’s reading recounts for us the institution of the holy eucharist. The eucharist is truly the body, blood, soul and divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ. How do we know…? Because Jesus said so. He is God and he cannot lie. The word of the Lord is not only descriptive, but it is creative. When god says something, it is so. Not only is true…, but it becomes so. But beyond that incredible miracle, there is something else happening here that is utterly astounding…, a sacrificial offering of God Himself, to us.

The sacrifice in question goes back to the Old Testament, and the covenants that God made with man. A covenant is not a contract, it is a complete and total exchange of persons…, “I am yours and you are mine.” In the chapter 7 of the book of Leviticus the Lord defines what a covenant is. First, It requires a blood sacrifice, shared blood is a metaphor for family, and the bonding of peoples by something greater than their own inclinations, bonding them by shared blood. But even more the blood represents a pledge that I will die before I ever break this covenant. Second is a an oath, or an exchange of persons, a complete and total gift of themselves and a promise to always be faithful. And finally a shared meal, the blood sacrifice is consumed, to signify that the new union is complete. And this union is not just two persons that simply share an affinity with each other, it is a new creation, two bodies fused together in an inseparable bond.

We see this laid out in today’s first reading, Exodus 24:3-8. This is the Mosaic covenant that God makes with the jews in the desert after he brought them out of Egypt. We see all three elements of the covenant here, the sacrifice of the young bulls, and the spreading of the blood first on the altar (representing God), and then on the people. Second Moses reads Gods law and the people make an oath to follow it, and then they share the sacrificial meal, They burn part of the offering on the altar for God, and they eat the rest of it. From that moment the jewish people are completely and totally united to God in an inseparable bond.

But we know that there are 6 covenants in the old testament, why is not one good enough. Well the answer is simply sin. We humans break the covenants, over & over, and so it must be reestablished. God is always faithful, He never breaks His covenants, we are the ones that fall short. But it is more than just that. Leviticus 17 also tells us what it means to break a covenant. Breaking a covenant is not the same as breaking a contract, and walking away from your agreement. It is the tearing apart of that new creation. Taking something that was bonded and fused together in an inseparable way, and tearing it apart. It is literally a bloody destruction, and so the only way to repair this destruction is with a new covenant. Which means a new blood sacrifice, a new oath, and a new shared meal. And because we people constantly sin, we constantly break our covenantal promises, and we have to reestablish that bond with Him.

Each of the 6 covenants of the old testament were a progression of God’s will for us in this world. Moving us along the path of salvation to the point where we could understand is ultimate will for our lives, to be in perfect covenantal relationship with Him for all eternity. And that is the point of today’s Gospel. Jesus, in instituting the Holy Eucharist is creating His 7th and final covenant with us. All of the elements of the old testament covenant are there, We have the blood sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, we have the promise from the God in John 6 that if you eat my body and drink my blood that you will have eternal life, and we have the shared meal, but in this case the shared meal is the body of God Himself. When we attend mass, and participate in the holy eucharist, we are reestablishing this covenant with God. By drinking the blood of the sacrifice, we are sharing in the one blood of God, and we are bonded to Him as family. When we eat the body, we are sealing the covenant in the shared meal, but this shared meal, this sacrifice, is God Himself. WOW!

Let’s be honest…! We all fall short of our covenantal promises to God, we are constantly breaking our promises and tearing apart that bond that God wants to have with us. And God knows that too, That is why he progressed us from having a one time covenant that we could never keep, to offering himself as the the sacrifice, and offering Himself as the meal, and offering it to us every day at mass, so that we could reestablish that covenant every time we sin. God in His infinite wisdom shows us that He knows us better that we know ourselves, and knows what we need, even when we don’t. We only need to submit to His wisdom, and take Him up on His offer.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to keep my covenantal promises. Help me to reject sin, and choose you in all things. Help me to be the version of myself that you will for me to be. Amen

Mark 11:27-33

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus and his disciples returned once more to Jerusalem.
As he was walking in the temple area,
the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders
approached him and said to him,
“By what authority are you doing these things?
Or who gave you this authority to do them?”
Jesus said to them, “I shall ask you one question.
Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things.
Was John’s baptism of heavenly or of human origin? Answer me.”
They discussed this among themselves and said,
“If we say, ‘Of heavenly origin,’ he will say,
‘Then why did you not believe him?’
But shall we say, ‘Of human origin’?”–
they feared the crowd,
for they all thought John really was a prophet.
So they said to Jesus in reply, “We do not know.”
Then Jesus said to them,
“Neither shall I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

I shall ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. Was John’s baptism of heavenly or of human origin?

Oratio (Responding)

So Jesus is basically asking them…, if you will not believe John, a highly revered and accepted prophet of God, why would you accept that Jesus is the son of god. So why would He waste His time trying to convince them. This is a truly valid question, that needs to be considered by the pharisees, and also ourselves today. Faith requires assent, and if you cannot believe the earthly miracles and human prophets, why would you believe that Jesus is the divine Lord? This is a question that needs to be mulled over, and prayed with, in each and every one of our hearts.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me to see the truth of your teachings, and the validity of your divinity. Amen.

Mark 10:32-45

Lectio (Reading)

The disciples were on the way, going up to Jerusalem,
and Jesus went ahead of them.
They were amazed, and those who followed were afraid.
Taking the Twelve aside again, he began to tell them
what was going to happen to him.
“Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man
will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes,
and they will condemn him to death
and hand him over to the Gentiles who will mock him,
spit upon him, scourge him, and put him to death,
but after three days he will rise.”Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee,
came to Jesus and said to him,
“Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.”
He replied, “What do you wish me to do for you?”
They answered him,
“Grant that in your glory
we may sit one at your right and the other at your left.”
Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking.
Can you drink the chalice that I drink
or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?”
They said to him, “We can.”
Jesus said to them, “The chalice that I drink, you will drink,
and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized;
but to sit at my right or at my left is not mine to give
but is for those for whom it has been prepared.”
When the ten heard this, they became indignant at James and John.
Jesus summoned them and said to them,
“You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles
lord it over them,
and their great ones make their authority over them felt.
But it shall not be so among you.
Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant;
whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all.
For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve
and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Oratio (Responding)

Viva Christo Rey!

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh Lord, Today as we ponder this question, let us have the courage to accept the cup that Jesus offers us, and to live out your plan for our lives.

Matthew 28:16-20

Lectio (Reading)

The eleven disciples went to Galilee,
to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them.
When they all saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted.
Then Jesus approached and said to them,
“All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,
teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.
And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.

Oratio (Responding)

This reading is the ultimate conclusion of understanding who Jesus is, and truly believing that He is God. Jesus christ is the only person in the History of the world that not only claimed to be God, be proved it. He was born miraculously, He lived a life of perfect humility and obediences to the Father. He performed miracles and healed multitudes, He taught the word of God, and on many occasions told His audience that He was the prophesied Messiah and Son of God in Heaven. The one that has been foretold in all of the scriptures. And besides all that, He is the only person in the history of the world that proved His divinity by raising Himself from the dead after he was murdered by His detractors.

So what is God telling His apostles, and by proxy telling all of us as well in this reading? This message is called the great commission, and is one of the most important things He ever taught us to do. It is the logical conclusion of believing that Jesus is Lord, and the natural result of that faith. If you believe this, and you accept it as true, this knowledge changes you. It is like having a secret to happiness and peace that will make your life so much better, a secret that becomes a mission, which compels you to share it with those you love, and if you can the whole world. Well, this secret, this mission, is that the early christians called “the way.” Jesus Christ is the way and the truth and the life, and no one comes to the Father but through Him.

This secret, if you believe it, and live it, it will bring you true peace, and bring you to eternal happiness with God in heaven. If you know this secret, if you believe it to be true, then I simply ask, why aren’t you sharing it with the world? Do you not truly believe it? do you not think that it is not worth sharing? Do you not think that others will be interested to know more? This is the point of todays reading and the “great commission”…, it does not matter what you think, it does not matter if you feel comfortable talking to others about it, Jesus is commanding you (as His disciple) to go out into the whole world and share His word. This is your duty as His disciple, and the natural result of true faith.

The book of revelation states that Jesus will not return until five signs have come to pass, and one of those is that the whole world will have the gospel preached to them. You might think that that has already happened. That between the internet and all of the missionary work that has already been done, you may think this task is complete. But the Lord has not returned yet, so that means we still have work to do. Jesus died with perfect faith and compels us to strive for the same. We are to be lions of faith and roar the good news to the world. So let’s start today.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to proclaim your word, to spread it to the extent that it is possible to do so. amen.

John 15:26-27; 16:12-15

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his disciples:
“When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father,
the Spirit of truth that proceeds from the Father,
he will testify to me.
And you also testify,
because you have been with me from the beginning.

“I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now.
But when he comes, the Spirit of truth,
he will guide you to all truth.
He will not speak on his own,
but he will speak what he hears,
and will declare to you the things that are coming.
He will glorify me,
because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.
Everything that the Father has is mine;
for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine
and declare it to you.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Oratio (Responding)

This exchange, and relationship, is how St. Augustine explained the trinity. The trinity is one of the hardest mysteries of God to understand, and in truth we will never fully comprehend it completely, but that does not mean that we cannot understand anything about it. St. Augustine said that in order to understand the trinity we must start with the mind. God in heaven is a mind and will. He has a perfect mind and a divine will. Thomas Aquinas described this mind and will as not just a being, but being itself. God is, in his most fundamental form, existence, and all things in the universe are held together in existence through His divine will and His perfect mind. This mind and will are what we humans have in common with God, and they are what it means to be made in His image. That we possess a will and a mind of our own but they exist only insofar at they are part of His divine mind and will.

But getting back to Augustine. The mind of God is the source of everything in the universe, it is perfect in every way, and everything that is good, true, or beautiful that we find in the world is poured out from that one source, God Himself. When God thought of Himself considered His being, using His perfect self knowledge of Himself, He recognized the ultimate goodness of Himself, the perfect truth of Himself, and the beauty of Himself and He instantly fell in love. We are talking here about perfect self love, which is actually the beginning of all love. This is NOT narcissistic, or self-aggrandizing, We are talking about God acknowledging the good that is inside of His own mind and loving the goodness of it. This external projection of Himself is the second person of the trinity, Jesus, The word incarnate. Jesus is not any less than the Father, He is not created from the Father, He is the perfect, and total reflection of the father in every way. Jesus then, as a separate person, one in being with the father looked back at the Father and recognized the same perfect goodness, and poured out His love back on the Father. That love share between them is the Holy Spirit, the Third person of the Trinity.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, Help me hear the call of your holy spirit, and help me to bring it fully into my life.

Mark 16:15-20

Lectio (Reading)

Then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them,
was taken up into heaven
and took his seat at the right hand of God.
But they went forth and preached everywhere,
while the Lord worked with them
and confirmed the word through accompanying signs.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Oratio (Responding)

This is the story of the great commission, the last instruction that Jesus Gave us before He ascended into heaven. So what is God telling His apostles, and by proxy all us today as well? The great commission is one of the most important things He ever told us to do. If you had a secret to happiness, and peace, and it made your life so much better, you would want to share it with those you love, and if you could the whole world. Well, Jesus Christ is the way and the truth and the life, and no one comes to the Father but through Him.

The secret to happiness IS the “way”. If you believe it, and live it, it will bring you true peace, and eternal happiness. I ask, why arent you sharing it with the world. Do you not believe it? do you not think that it is not worth sharing? Do you not think that others will not be interested to know more? This is the point of todays reading and the “great commission”…, it does not matter what you think, Jesus is commanding you to go out and share it with the world, and do the things that He said we will all do in His name. It is your duty as His disciple.

And in fact, all of the things that Mark mentions we will do, not only happened in the early church, but they are all still happening today. Mark said we will perform Exorcisms, and infact this is happening more than at anytime in history. Most diocese employ at least 2 or 3 full time exorcists, because the demand is so high. Mark said we will speak new languages, and infact the gospel has been translated into every known language, and missionaries have preached that word to the whole world. Mark said that we will pick up serpents without fear . While this may not be litterally happening in churches all over the world, it is a direct reference to to the church’s authority over evil in this world, and the primary reason why the catholic church is hated more than any other world religion, and under constant attack. Mark says we will drink deadly things and not be harmed. Again this is metaphor, that is referring to the church’s ability to withstand false teaching. And in fact, the church stands 2000+ years later, teaching and proclaiming the same doctrine that Jesus gave us in His ministry. Yet another reason the world hates us so much. Finally Mark says we will heal the sick. This is the most obvious of all of these proclamations, The prevalence of catholic hospitals, catholic social services, catholic orphanages, and catholic street ministries, all over the world attest to this fact.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to proclaim your word, to spread it to the extent that it is possible to do so. amen.

John 16:23b-28

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.
Until now you have not asked anything in my name;
ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.

“I have told you this in figures of speech.
The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures
but I will tell you clearly about the Father.
On that day you will ask in my name,
and I do not tell you that I will ask the Father for you.
For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me
and have come to believe that I came from God.
I came from the Father and have come into the world.
Now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have come to believe that I came from God.

Oratio (Responding)

Why is it so hard for us to accept that the most powerful being in the universe, the creator of all things, could love me. What have I done to deserve that? In truth nothing, but He still does. And what do we give Him in return? very little, and often we throw His gifts back in His face, and reject Him for giving us them in the first place! In truth, we could never pay back the dept we owe to the Lord. But that is not God’s intention. He does not want us to pay Him back, He wants us to pay it forward, to give to others from the wealth of our own lives. Because at the end of the day it all comes from Him anyway.

God wants us to treat our children, our friends, all of those in our lives that have less than us with the same selfless generosity that He shows us. Obtaining repayment from the person that owes you a dept, is not important to God. He tells the same story over and over… Whether it is the Prodigal Son, or the story of the servant who owed a large debt, or the story of the talents, or the story of the landowner, or the story of the jubilee. It goes on and on…, we are not called to seek repayment, but to give without expectation of anything in return. But this is clearly NOT the way of the world.

There is one exception to this law, and that is sin! Sin creates a debt that requires reparation. Sin is like theft, essentially the same as forcing another to at gun point to give you something. But the victim, in this scenario though, is not another person, it is God Himself. God only wills good for our lives, and everything good, true, or beautiful is a free gift from Him, and a blessing bestowed on our lives. But God’s will for us is to use those things, within limits, in moderation, and in a way that is rightly ordered for our flourishing. These restrictions are put in place not to keep these good things from us, but to use them only for our own good. Eating is a good, that enjoyable, and promotes our human flourishing, Overeating is a Sin, and causes us pain and suffering. When we sin, we choose our own will over His will for us. This choice is the same as taking those good things, and rejecting the giver of them.

We all constantly sin against the Lord, and we should have no expectation of His forgiveness, and yet He offers it without question. But there is one condition…, you cannot recieve this forgiveness from God without first having contrition and making reparation. Fulton Sheen said it best. “Sin like hammering a nail into a piece of wood, forgiveness is pulling the nail out, and reparation is like repairing the hole.” That is why when we die, we will not be asked by God to give an accounting of all of the gifts that we recieved from Him, but we will be forced to make reparation for all of the harm that our sins have caused to Him and all of His children.

But here is the amazing thing, if we die in loving freindship with God, He in His infinite love and unfathomable mercy, give us purgatory. A place to get right with Him, and reconcile our sins. And even if purgatory is long and painful, God’s mercy proscribes that if we are repentant, and we ask for forgiveness, He will show us the way to His kingdom, and we will all be better off for it. Because when we all make this journey of complete reparation for our sins. Then at the end, we will be in heaven, and we will all be paid up! And then, we can all love and support each other with true and full love. Hard to imagine, but that is what heaven will be like, total happiness, and perfect love! Amazing!

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, I Ask for the guidance on how to forgive, and how to repay the debt of my sin, so that I can be clean in your eyes, and be with you forever in heaven.

John 12:44-50

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus cried out and said,
“Whoever believes in me believes not only in me
but also in the one who sent me,
and whoever sees me sees the one who sent me.
I came into the world as light,
so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness.
And if anyone hears my words and does not observe them,
I do not condemn him,
for I did not come to condemn the world but to save the world.
Whoever rejects me and does not accept my words
has something to judge him: the word that I spoke,
it will condemn him on the last day,
because I did not speak on my own,
but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and speak.
And I know that his commandment is eternal life.
So what I say, I say as the Father told me.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

And if anyone hears my words and does not observe them, I do not condemn him, for I did not come to condemn the world but to save the world. Whoever rejects me and does not accept my words has something to judge him: the word that I spoke, it will condemn him on the last day,

Oratio (Responding)

This is an amazing line. It is not saying you can do whatever you want, but instead, is saying that if you hear His word, and recognize it, and you know it is right in your heart, and you follow Him, then you are in communion with Him. If you then reject that communion, then that rejection will be judged. It comes down to this… If you commit a grave sin, you know it is wrong, you are free to do it, and you do it anyway. That is a what we call a mortal sin. And that free choice sets you apart from the lord.

So how do you reject gods word? You have to truly reject the whole of human nature and the image of God that is written on your heart, and choose something utterly different, choose sin. Specifically, you have to remorselessly reject all of the Lord’s offers for your salvation. This sounds difficult to do, but it is not as hard as you might think. We do it all the time, countless little sins committed every day eventually put you further and further away from God until you are so far away that you don’t even recognize that you are now committing deadly sins, that put your immortal soul in peril.

All sin is hated by God, but some sin cries out to God for justice. These sins are so grave that you are so far from god, that the promise of the eucharist and the sacrifice of the holy mass cannot forgive you. The forgiveness in the eucharist is only offered for those that are truly in communion with God and His church. If you do something so grave, that you are no longer in loving friendship with Him, and completely outside of His church, then the only way back into communion is to reconcile, and restore that relationship through the sacrament of confession.

These “mortal sins” are the sins that God is referring to in today’s reading that “reject Him”, and must be judged. As St. Paul says “nothing unclean can enter heaven.” Which means that those that reject Him through their connection to their mortal sin, are thus unclean. This short statement reveals a simple truth. If you reject God, His Law, and His very nature written on your soul, then you cannot, simultaneously, wish to be with Him forever in heaven. You cannot both hate Him and love Him at the same time. So you must reconcile that, reject your attachment to sin, and turn only to Him, and love Him, and in so doing you will find yourself come out of the darkness, and into the light of Jesus. And in that light, you will then see the glory of God, and enjoy an eternity of Joy and happiness with Him in Heaven.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh, lord please help me today, not fall into this horrible separation from you, and instead be in loving communion with you forever.

John 10:11-18

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said:
“I am the good shepherd.
A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
A hired man, who is not a shepherd
and whose sheep are not his own,
sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away,
and the wolf catches and scatters them.
This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep.
I am the good shepherd,
and I know mine and mine know me,
just as the Father knows me and I know the Father;
and I will lay down my life for the sheep.
I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold.
These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice,
and there will be one flock, one shepherd.
This is why the Father loves me,
because I lay down my life in order to take it up again.
No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own.
I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again.
This command I have received from my Father.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd.

Oratio (Responding)

This message is another of Jesus’ many warnings about how He would be tortured and killed at the hands of the jewish and roman leaders. and once again the disciples do not get it.

So, what does it mean for Jesus to lay down his life for us? Let’s start by discussing what a good shepherd was and what he would do. When a shepherd would bring his flock in at night he would bring them into a pen. The pen would have high fences around all sides, and the opening would have no gate. The good shepherd would lay his body down across the opening of the pen and sleep there in that place, like that. He did this to preventing the sheep from getting out because they could not jump over him, and it would put him in between any predator that would try to enter the pen and get the sheep. So laying his life down for his sheep literally meant putting himself in between safety and the dangers and predators of this world.

His dying on the cross is enigmatic, but it is the exact same thing. The comparison may not be immediately obvious, but many, because of their lack of faith miss the symbolism and meaning. But I think Fulton Sheen summarized it best when he said… “Jesus loved us so much, that He paid a debt that He did not owe because we owed a debt that we could not pay!”

Our lives are a total gift from God, and we owe Him thanks and worship for this gift. But instead we sin, and reject him, and we have so damaged that relationship with Him that we are now separated from Him. We cannot get back into communion with Him without reconciling our sin. But not just our sin, but also all of the sin committed by the unrepentant dead, and all of the lost souls that have ever lived. How can we reconcile a debt so large? We cant, only a supernatural being could do penance great enough for that sin, and so He did. God sent His own son to suffer and die, and show us the way to restore our relationship with Him; He took onto Himself the sins of the whole world; and He paid the ultimate price for them. He sacrificed everything in order to give us a chance to have everything He ever wanted for us.

This brings us to another attribute of the good shepherd. He leads us and we follow Him. Most shepherds of the world walk behind their flock, and harry them from behind if they stray away. They yell at them and force them to back into the flock. Many shepherds also used sheep dogs to run back and forth to keep the sheep together and not stray away because of fear of the dog. But the good shepherd leads his flock from the front. He leads and the sheep follow, because they know him and trust him as the good shepherd. They love him and he loves them and that bond keeps their flock together, and safe.

This analogy is also perfectly aligned with Jesus and how He leads us. God, the all powerful creator of the universe, loves YOU so much that he would die for you. If you are in His flock and follow Him he will love you, guide you to good pasture, and lay down his life to protect you. That is totally humbling, and astounding! You mean that much to Him, that he wants to be your good shepherd. Imagine that, it is incredible. Finally consider the beautiful message herein about the kingdom of heaven. If we love god, and reconcile our sin with Him, we will be invited into the good sheppards flock, and you will know Jesus’ voice, and follow him, and when the end of time comes we will all be in one flock, and he will watch over us all. What a beautiful thing to look forward to.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to hear your voice, reconcile my sin with you, and eventually to rest securely and safely in your flock in heaven.

John 6:16-21

Lectio (Reading)

When it was evening, the disciples of Jesus went down to the sea,
embarked in a boat, and went across the sea to Capernaum.
It had already grown dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them.
The sea was stirred up because a strong wind was blowing.
When they had rowed about three or four miles,
they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat,
and they began to be afraid.
But he said to them, “It is I. Do not be afraid.”
They wanted to take him into the boat,
but the boat immediately arrived at the shore
to which they were heading.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they began to be afraid. But he said to them, “It is I. Do not be afraid.”

Oratio (Responding)

The storm is raging, the boat is being tossed, but these men were fishermen, and they were comfortable in a storm. The reading said that they only began to be afraid, when they saw Jesus walking on the water, and that is indeed a pretty disturbing thing to see, and it is at that moment that Jesus recognizes their fear and says “do not be afraid.” And indeed, from Jesus’ perspective, the almighty and all-powerful god, there is nothing to be afraid of.

So why are they afraid? And where does that fear come from? The disciples know Jesus as a person and a friend, and should not be afraid of Him, because they know Him. Further, they know that He is the messiah, and the son of the living god, and have seen Him do many miracles. They should not be afraid, because walking on water is a small feat for the Lord of the universe. So where does this fear come from…? It is doubt that Jesus is who they think He is, and lack of faith that with God all things are possible. Jesus is telling them here, that if they trusted Him completely, and His Father in the same way, that they would know that He would never let them be harmed.

Jesus is always telling us to not be afraid. He says it 366 times in the bible (that is once for every day of the year, plus leap year). He says this more than anything else in the bible. He made us, he knows our nature, he knows that we cannot help but be afraid, almost always. He also knows that we cannot just turn it off like a light switch. But He is asking us to try. And trying requires trust in Him, in all things, despite our difficulty’s.

At the end of everything, if you trust completely in God, faithfully believe that He will love, protect, and save you…, what is the worst thing that can happen? It is not death. The promise of a good and holy death is eternity with God. That is not something to fear, but to look forward to. No the real fear is to die separated from God, to die not in friendship with Him. The promise of that kind of death is an eternity of pain, suffering, and torment. So we really only have one choice, and that is to ACTUALLY not be afraid, to trust in God completely, and to love Him with all our heart, and know that He will protect us in this life and the next. So be a saint, what else is there.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh Lord give me today the courage and wisdom to not be so afraid, to embrace this wonderful life you have given me, and to relish and enjoy the gifts or your grace.

Mark 16:1-7

Lectio (Reading)

When the sabbath was over,
Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of James, and Salome
bought spices so that they might go and anoint him.
Very early when the sun had risen,
on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb.
They were saying to one another,
“Who will roll back the stone for us
from the entrance to the tomb?”
When they looked up,
they saw that the stone had been rolled back;
it was very large.
On entering the tomb they saw a young man
sitting on the right side, clothed in a white robe,
and they were utterly amazed.
He said to them, “Do not be amazed!
You seek Jesus of Nazareth, the crucified.
He has been raised; he is not here.
Behold the place where they laid him.
But go and tell his disciples and Peter,
‘He is going before you to Galilee;
there you will see him, as he told you.’”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

On entering the tomb they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a white robe, and they were utterly amazed. He said to them, “Do not be amazed! You seek Jesus of Nazareth, the crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Behold the place where they laid him.

Oratio (Responding)

On this night of the easter vigil we celebrate the ressurection of Jesus. Why does the ressurection matter? Well the entire christian faith hangs on this moment. You see, if Jesus did not raise Himself from the dead, then that means that He is not the son of God. If He is not the son of God, then He is just another man, and His death is un remarkable. If His death was meaningless, then we are still abandoned to sin and the gates of Heaven are still closed. If Heaven is still closed, then we have no hope of salvation, and we will never be able to reconcile our sin with the Lord, and will be eternally cast out of Heaven forever. Everything depends on this act.

The life death and ressurection of Jesus is one of the most well documented facts in the history of this world. We have the 4 gospels that tell the story, and they coherently is consistently tell the same facts of Jesus’ life. Many critics would falsely, claim that these men were disciples and that they had something to gain by affiriming the story of Jesus. But I will contend that all of these disciples of Jesus were tortured mercilessly for their faith, and all but John actually died as martyrs of the Faith. They tried many times to kill John but the Lord protected him from death, some think as a reward for his fidelity to Jesus and Mary at the cross. But why do I mention their martydom? because people dont die for a lie. Many will die for a lie that they think to be true, but no one dies for a lie that they know to be a lie. That would be insane. So they either gave an accounting of the true facts of Jesus’ life or they were liars that died for their lie.

But even if you do not accept the account of the apostles, there are Roman scholars, like Tacitus, and Jewish scholars like Josephus, that wrote about the times in Isreal at the time of Jesus’ death, and they confirm the true facts, that Jesus lived, He taught, and that He died at the hands of the Romans because of the insistence of the jewish temple leaders. And these men and many others also confirm the fact that Jesus was resurrected days later. These men had NO investment in promoting a lie about Jesus, on the contrary, the jews and the romans hated, Jesus, and had nothing to gain by lying about this moment in time. Thus we can conclude that they were recounting true facts about Jesus.

Next, I want to address the facts about his death. The romans were extremely good at killing people, and they knew how to torture people. The word excruciating comes from the process of Killing people by crucifix. This was an extremely painful way to die, and no one ever survived being crucified, ever! But to belabor the point, they made sure that he was dead by peircing Him with a lance. The fact that water came out means that both his heart, and his lungs (that were now filled with water) were peirced. No one survives a wound like that. Finally, Jesus was dead for three days, Friday at 3:00, to sometime sunday morning (the third day). It was not a full 72 hours, but clearly long enought be convincingly dead. And according to Jewish law you were not officially dead until the 3rd day, so in all ways of calculating death, Jesus was dead, He was not sleeping and would wake up later.

But then he wasnt. He was completely alive again, and when He appeared to his disciples, he retained the marks of His crucificixion, in His hands, feet, and side, but not the marks of the wips, and thorns. Father Ripperger says that this is because the marks of the crucifixion were what He was sent here to do to save us, the whips and the thorns are the result of our gratuitous infliction of more and more sin on Him after the fact. Jesus bears the marks of his crucifixion, in His glorified body, because they are the marks of his Victory over Sin, but the marks of the whips, and the thorns are our sins that have been forgiven, and they are gone, and forgotten.

Finally, St. Peter recounts a moment, in his Epistle, when the ressurected Jesus appeared to hundreds of people at the same time, and they were all converted and baptised. So between all this, I think we can safely Say that Jesus lived, died, and then lived again. It is beyond doubt, and it is beyond question. And so I assert that when one is confronted with the logical proofs that I have given herein, I believe that the conclusions derived, compell you to respond. You cannot confront the existence of Jesus and go on from that moment unchanged. This knowledge puts a claim on you and actually demands a response.

We must either accept these facts and orient ourselves to God in right worship by obediently ordering our lives according to His commands and His teachings…, or you must reject this truth and choose yourself to worship and obey instead. These two choices are completely logical, they come down to either humility and faith, or rejection and pride, anything else is completely irrational. Satan chose himself, and as a result he will spend eternity suffering in hell for that choice. The angels and saints chose God, and they have been rewarded with an eternity of joy and happiness in Heaven with the Lord.

But when you actually confront the truth of Jesus, it is then that the true work of the holy spirit begins in your life, and His will for your life will become clear. And when you identify all of the good works that He has done in your life, are you going to then love and worship Him, or are you going to pick up rocks to stone Him? That is what the ressurection is challenging you to choose today. What will you do?

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh Lord, help me today to choose you, and believe in you, and help others to do the same.

John 13:21-33, 36-38

Lectio (Reading)

Reclining at table with his disciples, Jesus was deeply troubled and testified,
“Amen, amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.”
The disciples looked at one another, at a loss as to whom he meant.
One of his disciples, the one whom Jesus loved,
was reclining at Jesus’ side.
So Simon Peter nodded to him to find out whom he meant.
He leaned back against Jesus’ chest and said to him,
“Master, who is it?”
Jesus answered,
“It is the one to whom I hand the morsel after I have dipped it.”
So he dipped the morsel and took it and handed it to Judas,
son of Simon the Iscariot.
After Judas took the morsel, Satan entered him.
So Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.”
Now none of those reclining at table realized why he said this to him.
Some thought that since Judas kept the money bag, Jesus had told him,
“Buy what we need for the feast,”
or to give something to the poor.
So Judas took the morsel and left at once. And it was night. When he had left, Jesus said,
“Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him.
If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself,
and he will glorify him at once.
My children, I will be with you only a little while longer.
You will look for me, and as I told the Jews,
‘Where I go you cannot come,’ so now I say it to you.”

Simon Peter said to him, “Master, where are you going?”
Jesus answered him,
“Where I am going, you cannot follow me now,
though you will follow later.”
Peter said to him,
“Master, why can I not follow you now?
I will lay down my life for you.”
Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me?
Amen, amen, I say to you, the cock will not crow
before you deny me three times.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Peter said to him, “Master, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Amen, amen, I say to you, the cock will not crow before you deny me three times.”

Oratio (Responding)

This line is so powerful and convicting for me. This is how I think of myself, and how I truly wish to do the right thing. But Just like peter when it is time to actually fulfill these promises, I so often fall short. Why is it that are we so weak and easily tempted. It is our free will that allows us to choose to either love and obey, or to hate and reject. This is the human condition, and it is at the same time our greatest weakness and our greatest strength. The freedom to choose is what causes the worst evils in the world, and also the most incredible love and joy.

This is why I personally cling to Peter and his example, because he is just like all of us. He has moments of incredible faith and courage and moments of horrible doubt and failure. But through it all his heart is with God, and his love is without doubt. If Peter can become a saint, then he gives us all hope for the same. This is why Jesus trusted His church to Peter, despite his betrayal and failure, and his stupid mistakes, he was always the rock of love and fidelity, and can be trusted to eventually do the right thing. And this is why he was made the leader and model for all of the popes that would come after him. Popes will make mistakes, but they should also be the first to admit their mistakes once made, and eventually do the right thing. This is why Peter gives me hope, that God will also forgive me, and that I too will eventually do the right thing.

Jesus started this passage with the statement that “one of you will betray me” and then ends with Jesus telling Peter “Before the cock crows you will deny me 3 times.” Clearly the first statement was for Judas, and the second for Peter, but oh how Peter must have been deeply shaken at these statements, and worried about what they could mean. But Peter is just like all of us, and his weakness and his strength are often two side of the same coin, and for him one actually leads to the other. And I believe that it was his love for God that allowed him to recover from his betrayal, while Judas despaired that he could never be forgiven, and thus destroyed himself.

So we must always follow the model of Peter, get up when you fall down, ask for forgiveness, and try to do better next time. That is our task and our calling as well. It starts this holy week. Get to confession, and start over again, do the right thing and revel in Gods forgiveness and love.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, I pray that your grace can come to me like it did Peter, and I too can be a rock that you can trust your church with.

Mark 14:1 – 15:47

Lectio (Reading)

The Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread
were to take place in two days’ time.
So the chief priests and the scribes were seeking a way
to arrest him by treachery and put him to death.
They said, “Not during the festival,
for fear that there may be a riot among the people.”

When he was in Bethany reclining at table
in the house of Simon the leper,
a woman came with an alabaster jar of perfumed oil,
costly genuine spikenard.
She broke the alabaster jar and poured it on his head.
There were some who were indignant.
“Why has there been this waste of perfumed oil?
It could have been sold for more than three hundred days’ wages
and the money given to the poor.”
They were infuriated with her.
Jesus said, “Let her alone.
Why do you make trouble for her?
She has done a good thing for me.
The poor you will always have with you,
and whenever you wish you can do good to them,
but you will not always have me.
She has done what she could.
She has anticipated anointing my body for burial.
Amen, I say to you,
wherever the gospel is proclaimed to the whole world,
what she has done will be told in memory of her.”

Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve,
went off to the chief priests to hand him over to them.
When they heard him they were pleased and promised to pay him money.
Then he looked for an opportunity to hand him over.

On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread,
when they sacrificed the Passover lamb,
his disciples said to him,
“Where do you want us to go
and prepare for you to eat the Passover?”
He sent two of his disciples and said to them,
“Go into the city and a man will meet you,
carrying a jar of water.
Follow him.
Wherever he enters, say to the master of the house,
‘The Teacher says, “Where is my guest room
where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?”’
Then he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready.
Make the preparations for us there.”
The disciples then went off, entered the city,
and found it just as he had told them;
and they prepared the Passover.

When it was evening, he came with the Twelve.
And as they reclined at table and were eating, Jesus said,
“Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me,
one who is eating with me.”
They began to be distressed and to say to him, one by one,
“Surely it is not I?”
He said to them,
“One of the Twelve, the one who dips with me into the dish.
For the Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him,
but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed.
It would be better for that man if he had never been born.”

While they were eating,
he took bread, said the blessing,
broke it, and gave it to them, and said,
“Take it; this is my body.”
Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them,
and they all drank from it.
He said to them,
“This is my blood of the covenant,
which will be shed for many.
Amen, I say to you,
I shall not drink again the fruit of the vine
until the day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”
Then, after singing a hymn,
they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Then Jesus said to them,
“All of you will have your faith shaken, for it is written:
I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep will be dispersed.
But after I have been raised up,
I shall go before you to Galilee.”
Peter said to him,
“Even though all should have their faith shaken,
mine will not be.”
Then Jesus said to him,
“Amen, I say to you,
this very night before the cock crows twice
you will deny me three times.”
But he vehemently replied,
“Even though I should have to die with you,
I will not deny you.”
And they all spoke similarly.

Then they came to a place named Gethsemane,
and he said to his disciples,
“Sit here while I pray.”
He took with him Peter, James, and John,
and began to be troubled and distressed.
Then he said to them, “My soul is sorrowful even to death.
Remain here and keep watch.”
He advanced a little and fell to the ground and prayed
that if it were possible the hour might pass by him;
he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible to you.
Take this cup away from me,
but not what I will but what you will.”
When he returned he found them asleep.
He said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep?
Could you not keep watch for one hour?
Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test.
The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.”
Withdrawing again, he prayed, saying the same thing.
Then he returned once more and found them asleep,
for they could not keep their eyes open
and did not know what to answer him.
He returned a third time and said to them,
“Are you still sleeping and taking your rest?
It is enough. The hour has come.
Behold, the Son of Man is to be handed over to sinners.
Get up, let us go.
See, my betrayer is at hand.”

Then, while he was still speaking,
Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived,
accompanied by a crowd with swords and clubs
who had come from the chief priests,
the scribes, and the elders.
His betrayer had arranged a signal with them, saying,
“The man I shall kiss is the one;
arrest him and lead him away securely.”
He came and immediately went over to him and said,
“Rabbi.” And he kissed him.
At this they laid hands on him and arrested him.
One of the bystanders drew his sword,
struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his ear.
Jesus said to them in reply,
“Have you come out as against a robber,
with swords and clubs, to seize me?
Day after day I was with you teaching in the temple area,
yet you did not arrest me;
but that the Scriptures may be fulfilled.”
And they all left him and fled.
Now a young man followed him
wearing nothing but a linen cloth about his body.
They seized him,
but he left the cloth behind and ran off naked.

They led Jesus away to the high priest,
and all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes came together.
Peter followed him at a distance into the high priest’s courtyard
and was seated with the guards, warming himself at the fire.
The chief priests and the entire Sanhedrin
kept trying to obtain testimony against Jesus
in order to put him to death, but they found none.
Many gave false witness against him,
but their testimony did not agree.
Some took the stand and testified falsely against him,
alleging, “We heard him say,
‘I will destroy this temple made with hands
and within three days I will build another
not made with hands.’”
Even so their testimony did not agree.
The high priest rose before the assembly and questioned Jesus,
saying, “Have you no answer?
What are these men testifying against you?”
But he was silent and answered nothing.
Again the high priest asked him and said to him,
“Are you the Christ, the son of the Blessed One?”
Then Jesus answered, “I am;
and ‘you will see the Son of Man
seated at the right hand of the Power
and coming with the clouds of heaven.’”
At that the high priest tore his garments and said,
“What further need have we of witnesses?
You have heard the blasphemy.
What do you think?”
They all condemned him as deserving to die.
Some began to spit on him.
They blindfolded him and struck him and said to him, “Prophesy!”
And the guards greeted him with blows.

While Peter was below in the courtyard,
one of the high priest’s maids came along.
Seeing Peter warming himself,
she looked intently at him and said,
“You too were with the Nazarene, Jesus.”
But he denied it saying,
“I neither know nor understand what you are talking about.”
So he went out into the outer court.
Then the cock crowed.
The maid saw him and began again to say to the bystanders,
“This man is one of them.”
Once again he denied it.
A little later the bystanders said to Peter once more,
“Surely you are one of them; for you too are a Galilean.”
He began to curse and to swear,
“I do not know this man about whom you are talking.”
And immediately a cock crowed a second time.
Then Peter remembered the word that Jesus had said to him,
“Before the cock crows twice you will deny me three times.”
He broke down and wept.

As soon as morning came,
the chief priests with the elders and the scribes,
that is, the whole Sanhedrin held a council.
They bound Jesus, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate.
Pilate questioned him,
“Are you the king of the Jews?”
He said to him in reply, “You say so.”
The chief priests accused him of many things.
Again Pilate questioned him,
“Have you no answer?
See how many things they accuse you of.”
Jesus gave him no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed.

Now on the occasion of the feast he used to release to them
one prisoner whom they requested.
A man called Barabbas was then in prison
along with the rebels who had committed murder in a rebellion.
The crowd came forward and began to ask him
to do for them as he was accustomed.
Pilate answered,
“Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?”
For he knew that it was out of envy
that the chief priests had handed him over.
But the chief priests stirred up the crowd
to have him release Barabbas for them instead.
Pilate again said to them in reply,
“Then what do you want me to do
with the man you call the king of the Jews?”
They shouted again, “Crucify him.”
Pilate said to them, “Why? What evil has he done?”
They only shouted the louder, “Crucify him.”
So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd,
released Barabbas to them and, after he had Jesus scourged,
handed him over to be crucified.

The soldiers led him away inside the palace,
that is, the praetorium, and assembled the whole cohort.
They clothed him in purple and,
weaving a crown of thorns, placed it on him.
They began to salute him with, “Hail, King of the Jews!”
and kept striking his head with a reed and spitting upon him.
They knelt before him in homage.
And when they had mocked him,
they stripped him of the purple cloak,
dressed him in his own clothes,
and led him out to crucify him.

They pressed into service a passer-by, Simon,
a Cyrenian, who was coming in from the country,
the father of Alexander and Rufus,
to carry his cross.

They brought him to the place of Golgotha
— which is translated Place of the Skull —,
They gave him wine drugged with myrrh,
but he did not take it.
Then they crucified him and divided his garments
by casting lots for them to see what each should take.
It was nine o’clock in the morning when they crucified him.
The inscription of the charge against him read,
“The King of the Jews.”
With him they crucified two revolutionaries,
one on his right and one on his left.
Those passing by reviled him,
shaking their heads and saying,
“Aha! You who would destroy the temple
and rebuild it in three days,
save yourself by coming down from the cross.”
Likewise the chief priests, with the scribes,
mocked him among themselves and said,
“He saved others; he cannot save himself.
Let the Christ, the King of Israel,
come down now from the cross
that we may see and believe.”
Those who were crucified with him also kept abusing him.

At noon darkness came over the whole land
until three in the afternoon.
And at three o’clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice,
“Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?”
which is translated,
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
Some of the bystanders who heard it said,
“Look, he is calling Elijah.”
One of them ran, soaked a sponge with wine, put it on a reed
and gave it to him to drink saying,
“Wait, let us see if Elijah comes to take him down.”
Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last.

Here all kneel and pause for a short time.

The veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom.
When the centurion who stood facing him
saw how he breathed his last he said,
“Truly this man was the Son of God!”
There were also women looking on from a distance.
Among them were Mary Magdalene,
Mary the mother of the younger James and of Joses, and Salome.
These women had followed him when he was in Galilee
and ministered to him.
There were also many other women
who had come up with him to Jerusalem.

When it was already evening,
since it was the day of preparation,
the day before the sabbath, Joseph of Arimathea,
a distinguished member of the council,
who was himself awaiting the kingdom of God,
came and courageously went to Pilate
and asked for the body of Jesus.
Pilate was amazed that he was already dead.
He summoned the centurion
and asked him if Jesus had already died.
And when he learned of it from the centurion,
he gave the body to Joseph.
Having bought a linen cloth, he took him down,
wrapped him in the linen cloth,
and laid him in a tomb that had been hewn out of the rock.
Then he rolled a stone against the entrance to the tomb.
Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses
watched where he was laid.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Today is Palm Sunday, and we read the account of Christ’s Passion, according to Mark.

Oratio (Responding)

Today we read from the Gospel of Mark, and his account of Christ’s Passion. Mark’s gospel is much shorter than the others. But the stories that he tells always have much more detail than the other synoptics. This reading is far too long to give a complete reflection of the whole thing, so instead I would like to focus specifically on Mary and the wedding of Jesus to his Bride (the church).

Mark’s gospel is the only account of the passion that includes the anointing at Bethany. It may seem like a small thing that could be easily missed but this anointing has deeply profound theological implications. Mary Magdalene was the woman of whom Jesus had cast out many demons. She is also believed to be the woman that was caught in adultery. The ointment was pure nard, which was extremely expensive. It was used, not only for the embalming of the dead, but also had a nuptial context as well. The only other mention of nard in the bible is in the song of songs, as a gift from the bride to her bridegroom. Mary here, is not only anointing Jesus’ body for death, but she is giving a gift of great value, and meaning, to her bridegroom.

This mystical union is why I believe Jesus uses the marriage feast and nuptial metaphors all throughout His teachings, because that is what Heaven is, and perpetual, eternal, wedding feast where the bridegroom Jesus, celebrates his bride (the church), and their mutual triumph over satan and sin. Don’t you want to be at that feast, don’t you want to celebrate eternity with Him forever in Heaven? Don’t you want to spend eternity with your bridegroom, the king of the universe, the creator of all things? That is what He wants, more than anything! Can you even comprehend something so incredible. That God wants to be wedded to you, and wants more than anything, for you to want to be wedded to Him. It boggles my mind to think that this could possibly be true, but it is, He is waiting for you to make the first move. What are you waiting for?

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to give you everything, my whole self, so that I can be wedded to you forever in the eternity of Heaven. Amen.

John 12:20-33

Lectio (Reading)

Some Greeks who had come to worship at the Passover Feast
came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee,
and asked him, “Sir, we would like to see Jesus.”
Philip went and told Andrew;
then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.
Jesus answered them,
“The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies,
it remains just a grain of wheat;
but if it dies, it produces much fruit.
Whoever loves his life loses it,
and whoever hates his life in this world
will preserve it for eternal life.
Whoever serves me must follow me,
and where I am, there also will my servant be.
The Father will honor whoever serves me.

“I am troubled now. Yet what should I say?
‘Father, save me from this hour’?
But it was for this purpose that I came to this hour.
Father, glorify your name.”
Then a voice came from heaven,
“I have glorified it and will glorify it again.”
The crowd there heard it and said it was thunder;
but others said, “An angel has spoken to him.”
Jesus answered and said,
“This voice did not come for my sake but for yours.
Now is the time of judgment on this world;
now the ruler of this world will be driven out.
And when I am lifted up from the earth,
I will draw everyone to myself.”
He said this indicating the kind of death he would die.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Now is the time of judgment on this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.” He said this indicating the kind of death he would die.

Oratio (Responding)

This reading is full of seeming contradictions. Unless the grain dies it cannot bear fruit, or unless you hate your life, you cannot have eternal life, etc. Jesus speaks here of the dichotomy between the ways of this world, and the ways of heaven. This is the difference between the lures of the world, the flesh, and the devil (aka. greed, lust and pride) versus the ways of heaven, Prayer, Fasting, and Almsgiving (aka. Faith, hope, and charity).

In our physical form we are subject to the needs of the physical body. We must eat, we are seduced by the pleasures of the flesh, and we desire the accumulation of the things of this world. But it will not be that way in heaven. You will not possess anything, you will not lust for anything, and the highest rule of life will be love (charity). I have often referred to this as the economy of Heaven. In this world we exchange things for other things, we take what we cannot have and we sin and hurt each other in the process. But in heaven the only thing that will be exchanged is love, and it will be given and received perfectly and freely.

In this physical life we are trapped by the physical needs of food, shelter, and security. Our physical form cannot escape this reality. This fact causes us to gather and hoard, and save up stores so that we will be prepared later. That could mainifest in the form of money in the bank, or food and water in your garage, but the human need for things, is a fact of life for all of us. But Jesus wants us to look beyond this world to the next. In Heaven, none of that money or saved food will matter, you will not take it with you, and you would not need it even if you could.

The devil wants you to only think of the things of this world and the needs of the flesh. He wants this because the more you hoard things, and the more you feel safe and secure, the less you think you need God. But Jesus on the other hand wants you to “hate” these things, The original word in greek for “hate” here is better translated as: “love them less than”. God wants you to love your things less, and instead, to put your trust fully in Him. It is okay to have a house, and food in your pantry, and even money in the bank. But you must not let those things be the most important thing in your life. You must be willing to lose them all, Like Job, and say to your self “The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord”

This is the lesson that Jesus came to teach us. That like the landowner who tore all his barns down to build bigger ones to store his great harvest, but the same night he was done, his life would be demanded of him. We cannot take any of this stuff with us. The only treasure that we store up in Heaven, is the love we share with all of those around us, and the sacrifices we make for them. And this is what it means when Jesus says “Now is the time of judgment on this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out.” The ruler of this world is the Devil. And Jesus is tellings us that to the extent that we reject “the world, the flesh, and the devil” in our lives, and instead trust fully in God, that as a result, we drive the Devil out of our lives and ultimately out of this world.

That is the call of this life…, to get to heaven. God wants you to enjoy the good things of this world, but within reason, and in moderation. The moment that anything in this world becomes more important to you, than God, it is at that moment that you start the slow comfortable slide into hell. Love is the antidote, love people not things, love God not yourself, and give to others more than you receive. This is the economy of Heaven and this what we should all strive for now, and get used to it, because it will be the only thing that matters in Heaven.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh Lord, help me today to detach from the things of this world, and to look to you alone for the fulfillment of all my needs. Amen.

John 3:14-21

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to Nicodemus:
“Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert,
so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son,
so that everyone who believes in him might not perish
but might have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,
but that the world might be saved through him.
Whoever believes in him will not be condemned,
but whoever does not believe has already been condemned,
because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
And this is the verdict,
that the light came into the world,
but people preferred darkness to light,
because their works were evil.
For everyone who does wicked things hates the light
and does not come toward the light,
so that his works might not be exposed.
But whoever lives the truth comes to the light,
so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Jesus said to Nicodemus: “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”

Oratio (Responding)

To better understand we need to reflect back on the passage in Exodus reference here. The passage is of the seraph serpants. The incident of the serpents was proceeded by a series of ungrateful grumblings, by the jews in the desert? They complained about the food, They complained about the water. They complained about the living conditions in the desert. They had already forgotten that they were slaves under pharaoh, and they yearned to back to that time of slavery, because they thought it was better than the freedom that the Lord was providing.

God knew that, while it only took one day to get the jews out of egypt, it would take 40 years to get egypt out of the jews. But nevertheless, He heard this terrible ingratitude and all of their selfish grumbings, stopped protecting them, and allowed them to be punished for their sins by the attack of the seraph serpents. Poisonous snakes spread throughout the camp and bit as many of the jews as they could find. Many died, and others were very badly injured by this. But through Moses’ love for his people and through his powerfull intercession, he asked God for an end to this suffering. And God provided them a way to be healed.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh, god, source of all goodness truth and beauty. Take what little I have to offer you today, multiply it and glorify it into something wonderful. Amen.

Matthew 18:21-35

Lectio (Reading)

Peter approached Jesus and asked him,
“Lord, if my brother sins against me,
how often must I forgive him?
As many as seven times?”
Jesus answered, “I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times.
That is why the Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king
who decided to settle accounts with his servants.
When he began the accounting,
a debtor was brought before him who owed him a huge amount.
Since he had no way of paying it back,
his master ordered him to be sold,
along with his wife, his children, and all his property,
in payment of the debt.
At that, the servant fell down, did him homage, and said,
‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back in full.’
Moved with compassion the master of that servant
let him go and forgave him the loan.
When that servant had left, he found one of his fellow servants
who owed him a much smaller amount.
He seized him and started to choke him, demanding,
‘Pay back what you owe.’
Falling to his knees, his fellow servant begged him,
‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’
But he refused.
Instead, he had him put in prison
until he paid back the debt.
Now when his fellow servants saw what had happened,
they were deeply disturbed, and went to their master
and reported the whole affair.
His master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant!
I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to.
Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant,
as I had pity on you?’
Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturers
until he should pay back the whole debt.
So will my heavenly Father do to you,
unless each of you forgives your brother from your heart.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Oratio (Responding)

There are a couple really important ways to look at this scripture. The first thing I want to mention is the context of where this passage occurs. In the passage right before this, Jesus gives the power to “bind and loose” to his apostles. So in some ways Peter is asking an legalistic question here, almost asking, in your kingdom, what are the limits to our binding and loosing? The answer is either 77, or seventy sevens (490), depending on who’s translation you accept. But in either case it is a lot, but not infinite.

Jesus then clarifies with His parable about the forgiveness. John Bergsma has done some of the math for us here and has estimated that the wicked servant owed the master about $8.6 billion (converted to today’s dollars). This is a sum of money that is so large that, at a servants ability to make money, would take tens of thousands of years to pay back the debt. The other servant by comparison owed something like $8000. The point here is that only the master could forgive such and enormous amount, but his forgiveness is contingent on our doing the same for our fellow man, even though the amount is minuscule by comparison.

The analogy here is apropos when we consider the debt we owe to God because of our sin. The debt we owe is so large that we could never make it right a thousand lifetimes. And yet God only asks that we humbly ask for forgiveness. But just as the lords prayer says “forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us,” our forgiveness is contingent upon our forgiving those to whom owe us a much smaller debt.

Additionally, we also are told the consequences of our lack of humility, and our rejection of Gods forgiveness. If we reject Gods mercy and forgiveness, we are thrown into prison and given over to the torturers until the full debt is paid. And as we know you cant make much money in prison. So this is hell, where you wallow in the debt of your sin, and are perpetually tortured by the knowledge that you cannot ever pay it back on your own. And as such you will never be free of this suffering, and never be able to live in the masters glory and love.

So forgiveness, is the very essence of God’s personality. If we have free will, and we have the ability to reject Him, then forgiveness is the only way back into relationship with Him. Thus it is at the core of who He is, the essesnce of His love for us, and the purpose of His mission to save us. If you look back on your life, how many times have we transgressed against Him, and our fellow man, yet forgiveness, is at the core of how we are able to live in community and have civilized society.

I’m not sure who said it, but it is so true: “that no matter how many steps you take away from God, it is only one step back.” Just like the prodigal son, the Lord is sitting waiting, and looking to the horizon for your return, and when He sees you coming, He will come running like a madman to pour His love and forgiveness upon you. It is an amazing thing, God’s forgiveness, He wants to give you everything, but He is a gentleman, and will not force it upon you.

So the first move is yours, you must turn to Him first, but once you do, you will see the Father run to you like a mad man too. What is holding you back from making this first move? what are you holding onto that is more important than that love. This is the task of our lives, and we should not wait another day to figure it out.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to find the strength to let go of the things that are anchoring me to this world, the humility to forgive those who have harmed me, and the courage to turn to the lord and His crazy love for me.

John 2:13-25

Lectio (Reading)

Since the Passover of the Jews was near,
Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
He found in the temple area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves,
as well as the money changers seated there.
He made a whip out of cords
and drove them all out of the temple area, with the sheep and oxen,
and spilled the coins of the money changers
and overturned their tables,
and to those who sold doves he said,
“Take these out of here,
and stop making my Father’s house a marketplace.”
His disciples recalled the words of Scripture,
Zeal for your house will consume me.
At this the Jews answered and said to him,
“What sign can you show us for doing this?”
Jesus answered and said to them,
“Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.”
The Jews said,
“This temple has been under construction for forty-six years,
and you will raise it up in three days?”
But he was speaking about the temple of his body.
Therefore, when he was raised from the dead,
his disciples remembered that he had said this,
and they came to believe the Scripture
and the word Jesus had spoken.

While he was in Jerusalem for the feast of Passover,
many began to believe in his name
when they saw the signs he was doing.
But Jesus would not trust himself to them because he knew them all,
and did not need anyone to testify about human nature.
He himself understood it well.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Oratio (Responding)

Lets start with a brief description of the temple. The temple was a series of walled off areas. The innermost sanctum was where the ark sat. it was separated by a great veil of heavy canvas that was a foot thick, and only the high priest on high holy days was allowed to go there. The room around that was designated for placing the sacrifices of bread and wine before the lord…, only the levite priests were allowed there. Outside of this room was the inner courtyard, it was divided by the great altar where the blood sacrifices were conducted. Only the levites were allowed behind the altar, and only the “ritually clean” jews were allowed into the courtyard in front of the altar, to bring their sacrifices to the Lord. Outside of this courtyard, but still inside the walls of the temple, was the outer courtyard. This was where the the jews had setup a marketplace.

So why was Jesus taking this seemingly drastic action. The outer courtyard was still a holy place in the temple, this courtyard was originally intended to be a place that gentiles of the whole world could come to worship the one true God. Gentiles were not allowed in the inner parts of the temple, but they were still invited to come and worship the one true god in this outer courtyard. The jewish leaders did not want the gentiles anywhere near them, they wanted to push the gentiles out and away. And so they pushed them out in one of the most vile ways you could think of, by desecrating the temple with consumerism.

There is also another disgusting thing about this scene. The temple sacrifice was meant to be a gift from the person whom is requesting forgiveness. It was supposed to be given as a true sacrifice from their livlihood. It was to be a gift of blood that came from their own household. But instead jews would just show up at the temple with money (with caesars face on it) and they would exchange that idolatrous money for their “sacrifice” and then they would then present that sacrifice to the levites.

This economy was not what the Lord wanted, the sacrifice was supposed to come from best of your life and work, and that you should have an attachment to it. To just show up, and hand one levite money, and another levite the sacrifice that you just purchased, was deplorable, and clearly not what God had intended. The buying of animals was actually originally allowed in Deut: 14:24-26. But by the time of this reading it was seriously being abused. So much so, that it had infact become a “tourist trap,” taking advantage of the pilgrims. At the end of the day, these money changers, in an effort to provide an economy of goods for the sacrafice, were actually breaking the commandment about stealing. So Jesus, by driving out these evil doers (as Lord of the universe), was litterally enforcing the law!

Next, I want to discuss the whip of cords. Jesus did not bring this weapon with him, he improvised it on the spot, deliberately created it out of things he could find on site. To me this speaks of a person that is not full of rage, who instead is witnessing a grave offense to the lord, and through a stirring of righteous anger decides to take action to put an end to it. Futher, I think it is noteworthy to notice that a whip is a very different kind of weapon than a sword. A sword gives you a distinct advantage in battle. It has a cutting edge, and gives you separation from your opponent in battle, and it provides defense against counter attack. A short whip on the other hand, gives you none of those advantages…, you can’t hide behind it. Using a whip requires close contact, and that makes you vulnerable. It requires courage by the weilder, and the advantage of righteous indignation, over the shame and fear of your opponent.

Lastly, I think that we need to discuss “anger”. Anger is not a sin, as long as it remains righteous and not wrathful. St Thomas Aquinas speak of all our human passions as having opposites, for example hope and fear, joy and sorrow, but he says that anger has no opposite. Anger is the human response to injustice, whether real or percieved. It is righteous when the anger is in response to the offense of gods law or if it is in defense of the persecution of the weak, helpless, and afflicted. It is un-righteous, if it is in defense of a percieved injustice, or a sinful selfish desire. And it is wrathful, if the response is disproportionally over-aggressive or vengful. I like to think that Jesus’ heart rate probably did not increase one beat throughout this whole episode, because His anger was completely proportionate, and righteous, and like I said he was simply enforcing the law. Jesus was simply responding to the disgrace that had risen up in the temple and was making it right.

And he is still doing that today. Although lately it seems that the evil one is winning, but judgement day is coming. Get yourself right with god, and pray that you are not feeling the pain of his whip.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, give me today the wisdom to see the things in my life that cause you pain, and the courage to remove them from my life before you come to do it to/for me. Amen.

Matthew 20:17-28

Lectio (Reading)

As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem,
he took the Twelve disciples aside by themselves,
and said to them on the way,
“Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem,
and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests
and the scribes,
and they will condemn him to death,
and hand him over to the Gentiles
to be mocked and scourged and crucified,
and he will be raised on the third day.” Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee approached Jesus with her sons
and did him homage, wishing to ask him for something.
He said to her, “What do you wish?”
She answered him,
“Command that these two sons of mine sit,
one at your right and the other at your left, in your kingdom.”
Jesus said in reply,
“You do not know what you are asking.
Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?”
They said to him, “We can.”
He replied,
“My chalice you will indeed drink,
but to sit at my right and at my left,
this is not mine to give
but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”
When the ten heard this,
they became indignant at the two brothers.
But Jesus summoned them and said,
“You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them,
and the great ones make their authority over them felt.
But it shall not be so among you.
Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant;
whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave.
Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve
and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?

Oratio (Responding)

These two apostles definitely did not fully understand what Jesus was saying here, The apostles were refering to seats of power and the trappings of being close to the king, while Jesus is referring to His passion and the torturous death that He would experience. There is no way they would have responded “we can” if they actually fully knew what He was saying. They all would have cowered and retracted in fear.

But Jesus knew something that they didn’t. That in the months and years after Jesus’ death the Holy Spirit would be working on them, and strengthening them, and preparing them for the martyrdom that they too would all experience. Except John, he was not martyred, but was tortured all the same. I often muse to myself about this moment, and wonder if their answer here determined their destiny to martyrdom. Jesus asks “You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?” Why else would he have asked this question in this way? I wonder, if they had said no, if Jesus would have protected them from this fate. Jesus’s response that “My chalice you will indeed drink” is almost a surprise, and almost as if He did not know if they would have the courage to die in defense of His truth, until that moment. In either case, I dont know that they fully understood, but I do believe that their lives were forever changed after that moment.

Nevertheless, any time Jesus asks a group of people a question in the bible, He is also asking all of us readers even today. He is asking us today, can you drink my cup? It has been incorrectly believed, for a long time, that the age of martyrs was over, but it is becoming clearer and clearer that we are right now, in greatest age of martyrdom that the church has ever known. In fact, there have been more martyrs in the last 100 years then in the previous 1900 combined, greatly due to the murderous rampage of communism all around the world. Are you able to stand by Jesus, and die for what you believe in? This is a question that may soon become a real question in your life.

But take heart, the bible promises that in that time, if you are faithful, that He will give you the words and the courage you need to stand up for God’s truth. To die a martyr is not a sad thing, it is a gift from God, and if you are so blessed with this gift, you will be rewarded with a crown in heaven, and will be scooped up straight into Gods pressence. I think that we could all be grateful to go this way. I just pray that, if this is what is asked of me, that I will have the courage to listen to the Holy Spirit and to witness to God’s greatness and truth.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Today as we ponder this question, let us have the courage to accept the cup that Jesus offers us, and to live out his plan for our lives.

Mark 1:12-15

Lectio (Reading)

The Spirit drove Jesus out into the desert,
and he remained in the desert for forty days,
tempted by Satan.
He was among wild beasts,
and the angels ministered to him. After John had been arrested,
Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God:
“This is the time of fulfillment.
The kingdom of God is at hand.
Repent, and believe in the gospel.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

The Spirit drove Jesus out into the desert, and he remained in the desert for forty days, tempted by Satan. He was among wild beasts, and the angels ministered to him.

Oratio (Responding)

This is a really short gospel, and it leaves us wanting more. In the gospel of Matthew he goes into a lot more detail about this scene, explaining the temptations of the evil one and how Jesus overcomes them. Jesus confronts the temptations of lust, pride, and greed, and He show us how to overcome them by following the lenten practices of fasting, prayer, and almsgiving. Fasting from food overcomes the temptation of lust of the flesh; Prayer to god, overcomes the pride of power, the pride of thinking of yourself as god; and almsgiving overcomes greed (the lust of the eyes), the need to take from others, instead of giving away to them.

But todays reading glosses over all of that completely. Why? I believe, because it is to give us time to contemplate why he allowed himself to be tempted by the devil, and why Jesus went into the desert in the first place. Jesus was not just the divine son of God, he was also completely and totally Human. 100% God, and 100% man. This is critical to understand if you want to truly contemplate the temptations put before Him and why He was there in the first place. He was tempted not only as a man, but also as the divine son of God.

So Jesus’ journey into the Desert has to serve the purposes of both of His natures, and His triumph over the devil needs to speak to us, both about who God in Heaven is, and who Jesus is as Man. The short answer is that Jesus the divine son of God wanted to repair the damage, to right the wrong, done by Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, by overcoming the same temptations as a fully human person.

The stories overlap perfectly. They (Jesus and Adam) were both were tempted by satan. They were both confronted with the same temptations. They both found themselves among the wild beasts in the wilderness, and they were both accompanied by angels. But Jesus is obviously superior to Adam, He is the new Adam. Jesus did not fall to temptation, but confronted those temptations perfectly obedient to God in Heaven. Where Adam fell from Eden into the world of sin, Jesus completely reverses it all by being born into a god-forsaken world, setting right the past wrongs, and ultimately restoring eden, and through his death on the cross, saves us, and gives us the oportunity to go back to eden and walk with Him in the Garden and be with Him for all eternity.

In many ways this moment marks the beginning of His ministry. The beginning of the end of His life. After battling with the devil and triumphing, He then sets to the task of teaching us what He did for us, and how that is going to culminate in His passion, and then finally what it all means when He is ressurected. That is the point of everything He does and says after this moment, and that is why he proclaims “the kingdom of god is at hand.” Because it is! Before that moment there was no hope for any of us! Sin and death were the only thing that we could expect, but after this moment, and after His triumph on the cross, the gates of heaven were opened, and our hope for eternity in Eden with God, was restored.

Incredible! That the all powerful, creator of the universe would love us, any of us (but actually all of us), that much, that He would literally rewrite history to save us… is truely Awesome. And all you have to do is follow His lead. Reject the temptations of Lust, Power, and Greed, and embrace the life of fasting, prayer and almsgiving, To reject this world and seek the divine life, the Kingdom of Heaven. If you do this, then you too can hope for eternity with God in Heaven. It is a simple equation, but extremely hard to do. So when you fall short, seek God’s forgiveness, and start again. Simple but hard…! Your eternity depends on it, what will you do?

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from Evil. i do not deserve your love and devotion, but I am so grateful for it. You are a good God, and I love you, Amen.

Mark 3:20-21

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus came with his disciples into the house.
Again the crowd gathered,
making it impossible for them even to eat.
When his relatives heard of this they set out to seize him,
for they said, “He is out of his mind.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Jesus came with his disciples into the house. Again the crowd gathered, making it impossible for them even to eat. When his relatives heard of this they set out to seize him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.”

Oratio (Responding)

This is a weird passage and seems out of place. The passages previous to this one tell us that Jesus has been healing and doing miracles, and He is attracting a great crowd of followers. In the passage directly before this we are told that Jesus has retreated to a mountain, and named his 12 apostles. It is upon returning to the village that we get todays reading. The crowd is pressing in on Him and they were so crowded thay could not even sit and eat dinner. The next verse is where the pharisees will accuse him of being a devil and casting out devils by the power of the devil.

So, why does this passage happen and why is it needed, in the gospels. I read a commentary on this passage, and George Leo Haydock suggestes that maybe it was because they knew that the pharisees were on the way and were about to try to sieze him, and the apostles made up the story of the madness so that they could extract Him from the crowd and prevent the confrontation with the Pharisees. Regardless of the reason, it was ill founded. Jesus would remain, and would have a great controntation with his persecutors, and He would send them away confounded once again.

Please remember that the pharisees wanted to destroy Him from the first moment that they confronted His Teaching, but Jesus did not allow it. When Jesus would finally meet His passion, He would be ready, and He would finally submit to their persecutions. But Jesus had the wit and skill to evade capture as long as He wanted, so He was never afraid of them, and never needed to be protected from confrontation with them. Jesus was always in control. And He still is, and all you need to do is to submit to Him and He will show you grace and knowledge and peace that you never thought possible.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, guide me and lead me to the peace that surpasses all understanding. Amen.

Mark 1:7-11

Lectio (Reading)

This is what John the Baptist proclaimed:
“One mightier than I is coming after me.
I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals.
I have baptized you with water;
he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

It happened in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee
and was baptized in the Jordan by John.
On coming up out of the water he saw the heavens being torn open
and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon him.
And a voice came from the heavens,
“You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized in the Jordan by John. On coming up out of the water he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon him. And a voice came from the heavens, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

Oratio (Responding)

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to speak your truth, and spread your word about faith and baptism to the whole world. amen.

John 1:43-51

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus decided to go to Galilee, and he found Philip.
And Jesus said to him, “Follow me.”
Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the town of Andrew and Peter.
Philip found Nathanael and told him,
“We have found the one about whom Moses wrote in the law,
and also the prophets, Jesus, son of Joseph, from Nazareth.”
But Nathanael said to him,
“Can anything good come from Nazareth?”
Philip said to him, “Come and see.”
Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him,
“Here is a true child of Israel.
There is no duplicity in him.”
Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?”
Jesus answered and said to him,
“Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.”
Nathanael answered him,
“Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.”
Jesus answered and said to him,
“Do you believe
because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree?
You will see greater things than this.”
And he said to him, “Amen, amen, I say to you,
you will see the sky opened and the angels of God
ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

You will see greater things than this. Amen, amen, I say to you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.

Oratio (Responding)

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord help me today to recognize you as the king of the universe, and at the same time the doting, loving father of all.

Luke 2:22-35

Lectio (Reading)

When the days were completed for their purification
according to the law of Moses,
the parents of Jesus took him up to Jerusalem
to present him to the Lord,
just as it is written in the law of the Lord,
Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord,
and to offer the sacrifice of
a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons,
in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord. Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon.
This man was righteous and devout,
awaiting the consolation of Israel,
and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit
that he should not see death
before he had seen the Christ of the Lord.
He came in the Spirit into the temple;
and when the parents brought in the child Jesus
to perform the custom of the law in regard to him,
he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying:

“Lord, now let your servant go in peace;
your word has been fulfilled:
my own eyes have seen the salvation
which you prepared in the sight of every people,
a light to reveal you to the nations
and the glory of your people Israel.”

The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him;
and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother,
“Behold, this child is destined
for the fall and rise of many in Israel,
and to be a sign that will be contradicted
(and you yourself a sword will pierce)
so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Oratio (Responding)

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to ponder your greatness, and the profundity of your gospel, and the work you have done to save my soul. Help me to have the humility to simply say thank you, I love you, and I am so unworthy of your love. Help me to show you the respect, and dignity that is concomitant with your grace, and love for me. Amen.

Luke 1:46-56

Lectio (Reading)

Mary said:

“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my savior.
for he has looked upon his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm,
and has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever.”

Mary remained with Elizabeth about three months
and then returned to her home.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior, for he has looked upon his lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed; the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name.

Oratio (Responding)

This passage is called the Magnificat of Mary. A magnificat is a canticle from the bible, used in daily prayer. But even more, it is is a great statement of faith, proclaiming that a great grace has been given and a great miracle that has taken place. This is Indeed a great miracle and grace, because this reading takes place immediately after Mary travels to the hill country is recieved by Elizabeth and the infant John. Elizabeth calls Mary the mother of God, and ask how it is that she has come to her.

This canticle may sound prideful, but it is not. But instead it should be read as if Mary is both prophesying and proclaiming the fulfillment of prophecy all at the same time.

The sin of adam and eve was to succomb to pride. and to take the fruit that was forbidden. They did not trust in god, and sought to usurp Him. But in the simple humble yes of Mary, she the “Ave,” reversed the sin of eve the “Eva”, and fulfills all of the prophecy before her that fortold this moment. This is the moment when she became, as Augustine said, the ladder by which god decended from heaven and became man, and thus through his divine act of mercy would die on the cross and redeamed all of mankind.

The prophesy she is proclaiming at this moment, is that because of the part she played, in her humble yes, that she will be forever called blessed. And indeed she has been and forever will be. Mary is the mother of all humanity, the greatest disciple of Jesus, and the perfect servant of the Lord. We should all strive to be some fraction of that in our own lives.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to be a faithfull servant, and to love you and trust you like mary did. Amen.

John 1:6-8, 19-28

Lectio (Reading)

A man named John was sent from God.
He came for testimony, to testify to the light,
so that all might believe through him.
He was not the light,
but came to testify to the light.

And this is the testimony of John.
When the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests
and Levites to him
to ask him, “Who are you?”
He admitted and did not deny it,
but admitted, “I am not the Christ.”
So they asked him,
“What are you then? Are you Elijah?”
And he said, “I am not.”
“Are you the Prophet?”
He answered, “No.”
So they said to him,
“Who are you, so we can give an answer to those who sent us?
What do you have to say for yourself?”
He said:
“I am the voice of one crying out in the desert,
‘make straight the way of the Lord,’”
as Isaiah the prophet said.”
Some Pharisees were also sent.
They asked him,
“Why then do you baptize
if you are not the Christ or Elijah or the Prophet?”
John answered them,
“I baptize with water;
but there is one among you whom you do not recognize,
the one who is coming after me,
whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.”
This happened in Bethany across the Jordan,
where John was baptizing.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

A man named John was sent from God. He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to testify to the light.

Oratio (Responding)

The messiah is one of the most misunderstood characters in the old testament. Some prophesy tought the messiah would be a political leader freeing them from slavery. Other prophets tought that He would be a suffering servant that would come to sacrafice and die for us. Most Jews believed that when He came He would be the conquering king, and did not understand what it would mean for Him to come as a suffering servant.

Nevertheless there are 3 things that the Jews knew and proclaimed about the messiah. First that Elijah would appear and he would proclaim the coming of the Lord. Second, The christ (messiah) figure would arrive, and he would Restore the kingdom, Unite the tribes, and put all of Isreals enemies under its feet. Lastly He would be the great profit that was promised by God to Moses.

John did not fulfill any of these. He was not elijah, or the messiah, or the great prophet, but He did maintain parts of all these things, only to the extent that they pointed to the true Messiah Jesus who was the true fulfillment of all three. But John did have the firery spirit of elijah. He was the voice crying out in the wilderness, making straight the way to the Lord, and he was a(minor) prophet, the last in fact, that would point to the arrival of the great high priest and King of the universe.

So Today, rejoice because the lord of the universe is about to become human, and He comes to save us from our sins. Not because we deserve it, but because He loves us so much that He would give everything to simply save us. This is a love that we cannot fully understand, but a gift that we should be eternally grateful for.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh Lord, help me today to love you above all, and to prepare my heart, and all that I am, for your arrival…, both 2000 years ago, and the one that is yet to come.

Matthew 11:11-15

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to the crowds:
“Amen, I say to you,
among those born of women
there has been none greater than John the Baptist;
yet the least in the Kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
From the days of John the Baptist until now,
the Kingdom of heaven suffers violence,
and the violent are taking it by force.
All the prophets and the law prophesied up to the time of John.
And if you are willing to accept it,
he is Elijah, the one who is to come.
Whoever has ears ought to hear.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

From the days of John the Baptist until now, the Kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent are taking it by force. All the prophets and the law prophesied up to the time of John. And if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah, the one who is to come. Whoever has ears ought to hear.”

Oratio (Responding)

This passage is one of those “Hard Sayings” of Jesus, that seems difficult to understand. How does the kingdom of Heaven suffer violence? violence seems antitheitical to the divine order of the Lord, and how does He suffer anything? Well once again we need to look to the wisdom of the church fathers. Here is what St. Hilary of Poitiers wrote about this line:

Earlier expectations are being torn apart. The glory that was pledged to Israel by the patriarchs, which was announced by the prophets and which was offered by Christ, is now being seized and carried off by the Gentiles, through their faith.

All of the prophecy that proceeded John the baptist, pointed to the arrival of the messiah in Christ Jesus. Much of the prophecy also has a double meaning fortelling what will happen at the end of time as well. But there is no doubt that the moment of Jesus’ arrival on the scene, was the complete fulfillment of what the prophets foretold.

But who were the keepers of this knowledge? it was not the average jew, and it certainly was not the gentiles. The keepers were the Pharisees and Saducees, but they did not recognize the messiah, in fact, they rejected Him, and ultimately even murdered Him on the cross. But when Jesus arrives, the people are the ones that recognize Him, and love Him and follow Him, and it is because of that faith, apart from all of the knowledge of the temple leaders, they are in affect “violently” pushing their way to the front of the line, and will indeed enter the Kingdom before those Church leaders.

The Jews were the chosen people, and for all time they were desitined to be the “stump” from which the messiah would come out of, and they ultimately would have the privledged, place of honor when the Lord returned to them. But instead they had become complacent, and comfortable in their positions of power, and authority. And so the plan that God had for the people of isreal, is now being torn apart, and the gentiles are the ones that will be fulfilling the role that the Jews were supposed to, from the beginning.

So the message for us in this reading today, is that we should not put all of our faith, and hope, in the rule and order of the church, especially in times of great tummult and confusion (like today). But instead, focus fully on our faith, and on reconcilliation with God. Stay close to the Lord, frequent the sacraments, and if you have sin on your heart, take it to confession. This is called being in a state of grace, and if you can maintain this state in your life, until you die, then you too, may steal your way into Heaven and an eternity of joy and peace with the lord forever. I sincerely wish this for all of God’s people.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to recognize those things that are preventing me from knowing you fully, and help me to remove those things from my life so that I can find my way to you in Heaven, for all eternity.

Luke 1:39-47

Lectio (Reading)

And Mary said:

“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my savior.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.

Oratio (Responding)

This story of the visitation is so full of typology, that I could write 10 pages about it, But we will try to stick to the highlights.

When the temple was finally built the ark was moved into the inner sanctum of the temple behind the veil, where it resided for centuries, until the ark was stolen by the invading Babylonians. Eventually David recovered the ark and returned it to Jerusalem. When the ark was finally found, David said “who am I that the ark of the Lord should come to me?” Then we have the unfortunate incident with Uziah, touching the ark and dying. So in reparation, David decides to send the ark into the hill country while he prepares a proper reception of the ark into Jerusalem, this is the same hill country where Elizabeth and Zecchariah resided in todays reading. And then when David finally brings the ark into Jerusalem, he dances and leaps before it. Does this sound at all familiar? If not, you need to re-read todays reading.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh Lord, Let me know today what you want me to say yes to, and give me the courage to do so.

Luke 5:17-26

Lectio (Reading)

One day as Jesus was teaching,
Pharisees and teachers of the law,
who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem,
were sitting there,
and the power of the Lord was with him for healing.
And some men brought on a stretcher a man who was paralyzed;
they were trying to bring him in and set him in his presence.
But not finding a way to bring him in because of the crowd,
they went up on the roof
and lowered him on the stretcher through the tiles
into the middle in front of Jesus.
When Jesus saw their faith, he said,
“As for you, your sins are forgiven.” Then the scribes and Pharisees began to ask themselves,
“Who is this who speaks blasphemies?
Who but God alone can forgive sins?”
Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them in reply,
“What are you thinking in your hearts?
Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’
or to say, ‘Rise and walk’?
But that you may know
that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”–
he said to the one who was paralyzed,
“I say to you, rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home.”

He stood up immediately before them,
picked up what he had been lying on,
and went home, glorifying God.
Then astonishment seized them all and they glorified God,
and, struck with awe, they said,
“We have seen incredible things today.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

When he saw their faith, he said, “As for you, your sins are forgiven.”

Oratio (Responding)

We in the modern world have a tendency to miss how big a deal it was for Jesus to say to this paralized man “your sins are forgiven.” In the jewish world one could only be forgiven of sin by making a pilgrimage to the temple, offering a sacrafice comiserate with the offense, and only then, after the priest performed the ceremony, would god “in Heaven” forgive you.

For a human “man” to claim this ability was beyond their abilty to understand, and this is why the pharisees called it blasphemy. But then, sensing their indignation, Jesus gave the sign of the physical healing to prove that he was the Lord. You should notice that almost every time Jesus heals in the bible He first forgives sins. This is God’s way, he is more concerned about our imortal souls than our broken mortal bodies. Aches and pains come and go, but your immortal soul is forever.

This must have been an incredible thing to witness, much less to be the paralytic that can now walk. But what is even more amazing is that the pharisees did not get it. they walked away from this moment not astounded that the messiah was here, but that they were upset that he claimed to be god, and set out to find a way to stop Him. Bogged down in the law, they totally missed the reality of the moment.

This is a warning for use today as well, do not allow your conception of this world or your preocupation with rules to prevent you from seeing the miracles all around you. The lord is speaking to you right now, are you listening?

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to read the signs that you have brought into my life, and help me to belive, and not distrust you and your miraculous love for us.

Mark 1:1-8

Lectio (Reading)

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God.

As it is written in Isaiah the prophet:
Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you;
he will prepare your way.
A voice of one crying out in the desert:
“Prepare the way of the Lord,
make straight his paths.”
John the Baptist appeared in the desert
proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
People of the whole Judean countryside
and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem
were going out to him
and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River
as they acknowledged their sins.
John was clothed in camel’s hair,
with a leather belt around his waist.
He fed on locusts and wild honey.
And this is what he proclaimed:
“One mightier than I is coming after me.
I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals.
I have baptized you with water;
he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way. A voice of one crying out in the desert: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.”

Oratio (Responding)

This is the very beginning of Marks gospel, and he starts it by announcing Jesus as Son of God. To modern ears this is not remarkable. But to anyone that read this at the time Mark would know that this language would get you killed by the Roman. But not only the writer, but anyone that read it. The romans believed that Ceasar was the son of God and to claim anyone else could hold that title was treasonous, and was punisable by death. Mark is making a very bold claim here indeed.

It is also important to note that Mark begins his gospel with John the baptist, and not with the birth of Jesus. Mark wanted to tell the story of Jesus’ ministry and the new exodus that He would bring, the exodus from sin and to salvation. So to that point Mark begins (like the old testament did) with a new beginning, and the ultimate fulfillment of all of that old testament prophecy, namely Isaiah’s “A voice of one crying out in the desert”

So who was this voice? Many believe that because of the old age of his parents that John was sent as a very young boy to live in the wilderness with the Essenes. There were several religous sects in practice during this time. We hear about the Scribes, Pharisees, and Saducees, in the bible, and there were also radical sects like the zealots, but there was at least one other we know of (from the dead sea scrolls) called the Essenes. The Essenes, were what you would call today, religious fundamentalist. They believed that the temple had been completely corrupted by the Pharasees, and Saducees, and so they lived in the desert, and litterally lived out the words from Isaiah, waiting for the signs of the coming of the messiah.

Lastly, I want to mention the line from the end of this reading “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” This has always been a really confusing thing for me. Our church says that our baptism is not valid unless it is in the “name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” But John only says here “the Holy Spirit.” Was John mistaken, or was this a translation error. Greater insight comes from Luke’s version of this reading, in it he says “the Holy Spirit and Fire,” and from a commentary on this line in the Haydock bible commentary. In that, he says that Fire was used in many places of the Bible to refer to the Holy Spirit but also the divine love of the Father. So since John mentionsboth the Holy Spirit and Fire, and since the one that will come and offer this new baptism is Jesus, then the baptism that He will offer will be in the name of all three persons of the holy trinity. I know that it is a small thing, but for me it is another example of the inerrancy of scripture and proof of it’s divine inspiration.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to prepare for your coming. Help me to understand what you need from me to recieve you with joy and happiness. Amen.

Mark 13:33-37

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Be watchful! Be alert!
You do not know when the time will come.
It is like a man traveling abroad.
He leaves home and places his servants in charge,
each with his own work,
and orders the gatekeeper to be on the watch.
Watch, therefore;
you do not know when the lord of the house is coming,
whether in the evening, or at midnight,
or at cockcrow, or in the morning.
May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping.
What I say to you, I say to all: ‘Watch!’”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Watch, therefore; you do not know when the lord of the house is coming, whether in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or in the morning. May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to all: ‘Watch!’”

Oratio (Responding)

Watch! this is the clear message of todays gospel. Jesus says in other gospels, that not even He knows the day or time, and that is a good thing. Can you imagine if it was a known fact that Jesus would return on a certain date, and that your judgement would be meted out at that time. Do you think people would go about their lives in the same way, as if they did not know? The answer is clearly NO.

We have seen this over and over throughout the milenia since Jesus left us. There have been dozens of communities that have been fooled by the lies of a charismatic leader, and believed that they had some secret knowledge of the end times. These people give away everything they owned, putting themesleves and their families in mortal danger, and some have even killed themselves in anticipation of the moment. Thinking you know, is a tragedy, and is bad for us, and so in God’s wisdom, we can not, and should not know.

That is why the lord Jesus says Watch. Notice that He does not say listen, but instead watch. It is not a loud clap of thunder from the sky, it is not the lies of a cult leader. But instead it will be heralded by signs that will be discernable by each of us with our own eyes.

But what are we watching for? Jesus says in another gospel that just like the fig tree changes with the seasons, you too can see the signs of the end of time. But you will not be able to see the changes of the times, if you dont know your bible. You must read it daily, you must study what others church fathers have said about it, and know what the prophets foretold. Then when you know your faith, the changes of the seasons, and the fulfillments of the prophecies, become as clear as the changing of the seasons.

At the same time, we must also be preparing our hearts and souls for that time when we meet Jesus. We must be baptized, we must frequent the sacraments of confession and eucharist, so that we can stay in a state of grace. And finally we must live our vocation of fatherhood or motherhood, with great joy, and happiness. Like the wise virgins, who kept their lamps lit, and carried extra oil, if you do these things, you will be prepared, and when the times change, and the lords arrival is imminent, you will be ready to joyfully great Him.

So do not wait, and be caught asleep when this time comes, because you will not have the time to prepare yourself then, and your judgement will be left only to the mercy of God. You do not want to be left outside where there is wailing and grinding of teeth. So watch, and be ready, for the time of the lord coming.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me to watch and be ready, and to know what it is you want from me so I can be reconciled with you when you come. Amen.

Luke 21:34-36

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy
from carousing and drunkenness
and the anxieties of daily life,
and that day catch you by surprise like a trap.
For that day will assault everyone
who lives on the face of the earth.
Be vigilant at all times
and pray that you have the strength
to escape the tribulations that are imminent
and to stand before the Son of Man.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Be vigilant at all times and pray that you have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent and to stand before the Son of Man.

Oratio (Responding)

Be vigilant, like the wise virgins, keeping your lamps trimmed and carrying extra oil…, be ready.

What does this mean for our lives, it means getting baptized and confirmed. Working at every moment to stay in a state of grace, by frequently going to the sacraments, eucharist and confession. It means living out your vocation (of motherhood, or fatherhood), with joy, and zeal. And then when you are sick, or at the end of your life, to seek the anointing of the sick. This is not the only way to heaven, and we cannot account for the grace of God, but if you do these things with faith and charity, you will be ready.

Make your life a prayer. Pray always, and offer up every part of your day to the lord. Saint Francis de Sales once said “Every one of us needs half an hour of prayer every day, except when we are busy—then we need an hour.” Our lives need to be a constant prayer, because it is only through gods love and grace that we are able to do any of these things in our lives, so we need to stay close to that source so that we can become a conduit of those graces to all of the other people in our lives. If you do this then you can rightly hope in Gods love and protection and you will be spared the tribulations and the final test.

The tribulations spoken of in all of the bible’s apocalyptic verses are not something to trifle with, you do not want to experience them. Famine, earthquakes, plagues, persecution, and great suffering. Pray that you can be spared these things, because who knows how you will handle the test if you are put to it. So like the wise virgins, be ready, watch with great love and joy for the coming of the bridegroom, but do not become drowsy and fall asleep in the ways of the world.

If you can do this, then the promise of eternal joy in heaven awaits you.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to put first things first, to have joy, and love, and to not get bogged down in the ways and worries of the world. Amen.

Luke 16:9-15

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his disciples:
“I tell you, make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth,
so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.
The person who is trustworthy in very small matters
is also trustworthy in great ones;
and the person who is dishonest in very small matters
is also dishonest in great ones.
If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth,
who will trust you with true wealth?
If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another,
who will give you what is yours?
No servant can serve two masters.
He will either hate one and love the other,
or be devoted to one and despise the other.
You cannot serve God and mammon.” The Pharisees, who loved money,
heard all these things and sneered at him.
And he said to them,
“You justify yourselves in the sight of others,
but God knows your hearts;
for what is of human esteem is an abomination in the sight of God.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another, who will give you what is yours? No servant can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

Oratio (Responding)

This passage is both humbling and obvious. You cannot serve the Lord, if you spend all of your time serving the people and things of this world. Peter Kreeft wrote “We must worship God, love people, and use things. In that order.” But how often do we get stuck in thinking of the things of this world, at the precise moment that we should look to God and trust in his loving protection. We worry about our jobs, and we worry about our mortgages, and we worry about being able to provide for our families. We worry…, because we tell ourselves, “if I don’t do it who will…” and we forget about God.

That is precisely where the error is, when we think like this, we buy into the ways of this world, and the lies of the devil, and we think that everything is on our shoulders, and that nothing we do will make any difference. But the truth is exactly the opposite. Everything is in Gods hands, and is proceeding according to His divine will, and the efforts that we make in this world, either to support and build up His divine will, or to detract and work against it. Augustine said it best when he wrote: “Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on you.”

That is the point of our labor and toil…, to build up God’s kingdom on earth, in whatever way we can, and to whatever extent that our talents allow us. Like a violinist in an orchestra. When present, and played well, the violin adds a necessary and intrinsically beautiful element to the overall music that is being played. If the violin is not there, or is played badly, the music will still be beautiful, but not as beautiful as it would have been otherwise. It is like when the whole congregation sings at mass. I know that I am not a beautiful singer, but when we all sing together, it is truly transcendent. My bad voice when combined with everyone else’s makes a beautiful harmony.

When God created you, He created you for a purpose, and that purpose was to help build up His kingdom on earth. Do you know what that purpose is? If so are you living out that purpose? If not why not? If you don’t know your purpose, Pray to the Lord, and ask Him to reveal it to you. And then embrace it, and work for it, like Augustine said, as if it all depends on you. Play that violin and sing your heart out, and make beautiful music with us all, and we will see the divine will lived out among us, in our daily lives.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to do good for good reasons, to love you and keep you in mind at all times, and in all things. Amen.

Luke 14:1, 7-11

Lectio (Reading)

On a sabbath Jesus went to dine
at the home of one of the leading Pharisees,
and the people there were observing him carefully. He told a parable to those who had been invited,
noticing how they were choosing the places of honor at the table.
“When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet,
do not recline at table in the place of honor.
A more distinguished guest than you may have been invited by him,
and the host who invited both of you may approach you and say,
‘Give your place to this man,’
and then you would proceed with embarrassment
to take the lowest place.
Rather, when you are invited,
go and take the lowest place
so that when the host comes to you he may say,
‘My friend, move up to a higher position.’
Then you will enjoy the esteem of your companions at the table.
For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled,
but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.

Oratio (Responding)

Yesterday we discussed God’s financial calculus (doing what is right despite what the law says about it). Today we confront gods social calculus (the great will be humbled, and the humble will be exalted).

Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.

Oratio (Responding)

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to spread your word, to render only what is due to you, and to ignore and discard everything else. Amen.

Luke 12:1-7

Lectio (Reading)

At that time:
So many people were crowding together
that they were trampling one another underfoot.
Jesus began to speak, first to his disciples,
“Beware of the leaven–that is, the hypocrisy–of the Pharisees. “There is nothing concealed that will not be revealed,
nor secret that will not be known.
Therefore whatever you have said in the darkness
will be heard in the light,
and what you have whispered behind closed doors
will be proclaimed on the housetops.
I tell you, my friends,
do not be afraid of those who kill the body
but after that can do no more.
I shall show you whom to fear.
Be afraid of the one who after killing
has the power to cast into Gehenna;
yes, I tell you, be afraid of that one.
Are not five sparrows sold for two small coins?
Yet not one of them has escaped the notice of God.
Even the hairs of your head have all been counted.
Do not be afraid.
You are worth more than many sparrows.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

There is nothing concealed that will not be revealed…, Be afraid of the one who after killing has the power to cast into Gehenna… You are worth more than many sparrows.

Oratio (Responding)

This passage is about the last judgement. What Jesus is saying is that at the end of time the wisdom and justice of Gods judgement will be made known to all. If you have loved god but made mistakes, the truth of what you really loved will be made known to all. And if you have rejected god, and always chosen yourself first, that truth will be made known to all as well. We may be sad that some will be thrown into Gehenna, but we will also know that those who are cast out are being cast out for perfectly just reasons.

So the message here is clear. Do not be afraid of the people and things of this world that can only harm you physically, but instead, be afraid of the one that can condemn your soul to hell for all eternity. If you do love god, and put your full trust in him, then you need not fear the last judgment. God knows all the hairs on your head, and he loves you dearly. And if you really want to be with him forever, he will give you the grace you need to make that choice, and do what is necessary to make it to heaven, because you are worth more to Him than many sparrows.

I thank god for his mercy and grace, if it has been awhile, you should get to confession, and ask for his forgiveness.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh, lord, help me today to do what is needed to reconcile my soul with you. And give me the courage to start with the ones that you have put here with me to love, and to protect. Amen.

Matthew 21:33-43

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people:
“Hear another parable.
There was a landowner who planted a vineyard,
put a hedge around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a tower.
Then he leased it to tenants and went on a journey.
When vintage time drew near,
he sent his servants to the tenants to obtain his produce.
But the tenants seized the servants and one they beat,
another they killed, and a third they stoned.
Again he sent other servants, more numerous than the first ones,
but they treated them in the same way.
Finally, he sent his son to them, thinking,
‘They will respect my son.’
But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another,
‘This is the heir.
Come, let us kill him and acquire his inheritance.’
They seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him.
What will the owner of the vineyard do to those tenants when he comes?”
They answered him,
“He will put those wretched men to a wretched death
and lease his vineyard to other tenants
who will give him the produce at the proper times.”
Jesus said to them, “Did you never read in the Scriptures:
The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
by the Lord has this been done,
and it is wonderful in our eyes?
Therefore, I say to you,
the kingdom of God will be taken away from you
and given to a people that will produce its fruit.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a tower. Then he leased it to tenants and went on a journey.

Oratio (Responding)

This is an amazing parable about the story of salvation. The landowner is God the Father. The Jewish leaders of the temple are the tenants. The vineyard is Israel (this world). The Hedge is the law defending it. The wine is the good fruit that comes from us living a good life, and the winepress is the church that helps transforms the good things of this world into good fruit. Finally the tower is the watchful and protective eye of the lord. In this one passage we see all the good that god has done for us, all that he has done to give us everything we might need to be happy and to do his will on this earth.

But instead we humans revolt, and try to take from god the only thing that he could not give, his omnipotent power. So he sent us prophets, telling us to be watchful of signs of the coming age. But instead of listening, to them we killed them, then the lord sent us even more prophets, and we killed them too. Then the lord sent us his son and we would also kill him. Finally god will come and bring judgment for all of the wicked servants.

The passage sums up with… “the stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.” What does this mean? This whole parable was designed to remind the pharisees of the wickedness that they have done in Gods vineyard, while at the same time also predicting His own death. It is important to note here that the leaders of the jewish people were not rightfully allowed the have those positions that they controlled. The pharisees were not levites, and had no right to be priests of the temple, yet they and the scribes had been given this power by King Herod, because they could be controlled. The Herod’s were not even jewish, and they were given their power by the Romans, because they too could be controlled. So all of these jewish leaders were usurpers, and had no right to be where they were. Finally we come to the new temple. Herod the great started it and the Herod of this reading (his son) was still finishing it at this time. But what most people don’t know, is that after the first temple was destroyed and the jewish people were scattered among the world. The temple was meant to lay in ruins until the new davidic king (Jesus) would come and rebuild it. Only a true son of david had the right to undertake such a great endeavor, not the usurper Herod. So until the new king of david was crowned, there was not supposed to be a new temple built. And so when Jesus says “the stone that the builers rejected…” he is making references to these wicked tennants who killed the son, and tried to steal his kingdom…, built their own temple and were essentially worshiping themselves as Gods. That is why they will be severely punished with the destruction of their temple in 70 AD.

And in jesus’ death on the cross, he opened the gates of heaven, and has become the cornerstone on which the new temple of the kingdom god will be built in heaven. And every baptised soul that converts their heart to Jesus will become bricks of that same great temple. So, I ask you today… What are you doing in gods vineyard? Are you making good fruit, or are you trying to steal gods power and steal the good gifts that he has already freely given you. This is a very convicting thing to contemplate, and it should not be taken lightly. Ponder this today, and if you are not a good tenant, then get to confession, and get right with god, our eternity depends on it.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, enlighten my conscience, and help me to discern who I really am in this parable, and to make the needed changes to get right with you and to be a good and holy tenant, amen.

Luke 9:57-62

Lectio (Reading)

As Jesus and his disciples were proceeding
on their journey, someone said to him,
“I will follow you wherever you go.”
Jesus answered him,
“Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests,
but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.”
And to another he said, “Follow me.”
But he replied, “Lord, let me go first and bury my father.”
But he answered him, “Let the dead bury their dead.
But you, go and proclaim the Kingdom of God.”
And another said, “I will follow you, Lord,
but first let me say farewell to my family at home.”
Jesus answered him, “No one who sets a hand to the plow
and looks to what was left behind is fit for the Kingdom of God.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the kingdom of God.

Oratio (Responding)

Why, this is a strange expression. Maybe a better expression for modern ears would be “nobody gets on the freeway at 80mph and looks behind him for what was left behind.” The expression simply means this. If you are looking behind it will be impossible to plow or drive in a straight line before you. It is assured, that you will veer to one side or another. In plowing this means that you might have to redo your rows, but in driving on the freeway, it could be deadly.

But in trying to make it into the kingdom, it is impossible. I think that this reading, and this teaching is about regret, or holding onto the past. The past is behind you, you cannot change it, so you must not obsess on it. The future is unknown, and so you must not pine for it. All you have any control over is right now. One foot in front of another. You have a choice between doing good or evil, right or wrong, and between making the best of this moment, or wasting it on useless or sinful things.

What will you choose? How will you make this day, this moment the best it can be. The past and the future, is a trap. And the evil one wants you to get stuck there, because if you are stuck you are not making a positive change in your life. So dont get stuck, forgive the past, hope for the future, and make most out of today.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord help me to be the best possible version of my self today.

Matthew 21:28-32

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to the chief priests and elders of the people:
“What is your opinion?
A man had two sons.
He came to the first and said,
‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’
He said in reply, ‘I will not,’
but afterwards changed his mind and went.
The man came to the other son and gave the same order.
He said in reply, ‘Yes, sir, ‘but did not go.
Which of the two did his father’s will?”
They answered, “The first.”
Jesus said to them, “Amen, I say to you,
tax collectors and prostitutes
are entering the kingdom of God before you.
When John came to you in the way of righteousness,
you did not believe him;
but tax collectors and prostitutes did.
Yet even when you saw that,
you did not later change your minds and believe him.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

A man had two sons. He came to the first and said, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’ The son said in reply, ‘I will not,’ but afterwards he changed his mind and went. The man came to the other son and gave the same order. He said in reply, ‘Yes, sir,’ but did not go. Which of the two did his father’s will?”

Oratio (Responding)

This message begins with a father asking both of his sons for help. I think that we all can identify with both sons, in a way, but the first son, for me is the one who’s actions I can most understand. Most scholars say that two sons directly refer to the two groups he is addressing at the end of this passage. The first son is like the tax collectors and prostitutes that sinned for a time, with their words they rejected god, but eventually saw the truth, recognized the word made flesh in jesus, and with their actions turned from their wicked ways, and changed their lives to follow Him. The second son is like the Pharisees and Scribes. They said yes to god in all of their words, and public prayer, but with their actions they rejected god, they did not see Jesus as the physical manifestation of all of their prophesy, standing right before them, and instead sought to kill him.

This is why the second son is harder to understand, it seems utterly wicked to me, to say yes and then do the opposite. There is almost some malice of forethought in his response. But I am not sure it is that outwardly evil. I think that many of us have an idea of what is right and wrong. We become comfortable in that position. We say “I am a good person,” and we end up filtering out all evidence to the contrary. While it is indeed wicked to say one thing and do another, there is some sympathy for these people. It is the sin of pride, the devils favorite of all temptations, that leads people to rationalize their thoughts with their actions. We must do our best to reject this pride, and seek the humility of the tax collector and prostitutes, and that is why we must not immediately write off others that do the same, we must sympathize

But why do I have sympathy for this wickedness, because Jesus did! He said “Amen, I say to you, tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you.” Jesus did not say tax collectors and prostitutes are entering heaven and you are not, he said “before” you. And he is saying that to all of us too. This is a call to conversion! This is Jesus saying that you need to align your actions with your words, and to seek the truth over your personal view of right and wrong. If you don’t then your journey to heaven will be long and painful.

This is a really convicting…, because we have all been there. We have all said one ting and done the other. So, we must learn to seek to do what is His will over our own will, and to speak the truth, as opposed to our slanted version of it. And maybe just maybe, when we die, we will get to be with God in the beatific vision. I yearn for that myself, and I wish it for you as well.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh Lord, please help me to hear your call, and to respond immediately. Amen.

John 1:47-51

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him,
“Here is a true child of Israel.
There is no duplicity in him.”
Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?”
Jesus answered and said to him,
“Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.”
Nathanael answered him,
“Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.”
Jesus answered and said to him,
“Do you believe
because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree?
You will see greater things than this.”
And he said to him, “Amen, amen, I say to you,
you will see heaven opened
and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

You will see greater things than this. Amen, amen, I say to you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.

Oratio (Responding)

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, please help me be more humble, and to be more open to your grace. Amen.

Matthew 20:1-16a

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus told his disciples this parable:
“The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner
who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard.
After agreeing with them for the usual daily wage,
he sent them into his vineyard.
Going out about nine o’clock,
the landowner saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
and he said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard,
and I will give you what is just.’
So they went off.
And he went out again around noon,
and around three o’clock, and did likewise.
Going out about five o’clock,
the landowner found others standing around, and said to them,
‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’
They answered, ‘Because no one has hired us.’
He said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard.’
When it was evening the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman,
‘Summon the laborers and give them their pay,
beginning with the last and ending with the first.’
When those who had started about five o’clock came,
each received the usual daily wage.
So when the first came, they thought that they would receive more,
but each of them also got the usual wage.
And on receiving it they grumbled against the landowner, saying,
‘These last ones worked only one hour,
and you have made them equal to us,
who bore the day’s burden and the heat.’
He said to one of them in reply,
‘My friend, I am not cheating you.
Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage?
Take what is yours and go.
What if I wish to give this last one the same as you?
Or am I not free to do as I wish with my own money?
Are you envious because I am generous?’
Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Oratio (Responding)

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Luke 8:4-15

Matthew 16:13-20

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Oratio (Responding)

With all that background established, We now turn to Jesus, the new King of the line of David. The succession of Davidic kings was broken many years before this moment, by foreign kings conquering Israel and destroying the temple. But the line of David was not ever broken. The sons of David persisted, but did so in secret. If the Romans knew that they existed, they would have wiped them out, as they would not tolerate any challenge to their authority. And so it is in this moment that Jesus is reestablishing the long lost Davidic kingdom and taking his rightful place as the King. And every Davidic king needs a steward, who can bear the keys to the kingdom, and “open and shut” while the king is away. That steward is Peter. In the Catholic church we teach that the position of the steward is the pope, and Peter here is ordained as the first pope…, who will watch over the kingdom while the king was away, and whatever he binds and looses, would have the authority and imprimatur of the king. And as we learned from Isaiah, it is clearly also not a role that dies with the holder of the keys, it is a perpetual role that must always be filled until the king returns, and thus we have the long line of bishops and popes that have always held this role even until today.

And this is why it is so important that the church has an ultimate leader, and why we cant simply go straight to God? The evil one is constantly injecting himself and corrupting and destroying everything. Consider this example, imagine a church with two great leaders, both highly respected, both admired for their wisdom and understanding, but at some point find themselves at odds with each other over a teaching or a doctrine. The argument may be over interpretation, or pride, or actively being caused by the temptation of the devil. What are they to do, how do they reconcile this difference? In the protestant church they split, and create two new churches. To the end that now we have over a 100 denominations, and 100,000 non-denominational churches across the world all with different variations of doctrine. In the catholic church, however, the dispute is taken to the priest, and then the bishop and in some cases all the way to the pope, and eventually a final decision is made. And in the case of our two leaders, you either agree with the pope, and stay in the church, or you disagree, and are excommunicated from it until you can see the error of your ways. But excommunication is not a permanent status, it litterally means “outside of the church,” and the goal is always reunification, and reconcilliation, not division (that is the realm of the evil one). And that is why there is still one Catholic church 2000 years later.

Finally, we should discuss Jesus’ question to His disciples. He asks who do the people say that the son of man is? As with all questions Jesus asks, you should ask your self this question. it is a powerful examination of conscience. But there is also another really important reason for this question. Jesus starts by asking about what others say, they respond Elijah or a prophet, Jesus does not like this answer, so He asks His disciples who they say that He is. Peter fills the silence and says that He is the son of the living God. The jewish people were all waiting for the return of Elijah, and the subsequent return of God, so Jesus did not want them to think that He was just another prophet in a long line of prophets. He wanted them to understand very clearly that John the baptist was the return of Elijah, and that Jesus was the one that Elijah would prepare the way for…. That is God! A wise teacher, or a prophet is the only thing that Jesus could not be. Jesus claimed to be God, and He literally proved it in the resurrection, so if He was not God, that would make Him either a liar or lunatic. But if He claims to be God, and then subsequently proves it with miracles and by returning from the dead in His resurrection, then that means He actually is God. That is an important thing for these men to know, even if they will not fully understand it until after His death and resurrection.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, you are God, the creator of the universe, master of all things. I am your meek and humble servant. I am not worthy of your love and protection, but I am so grateful to be your beloved son. Help me to rise to that calling, and to teach your word to all of those that dont know you, so that they can be your beloved son or daughter too.

Matthew 18:21–19:1

Meditatio (Reflecting)

I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times.

Oratio (Responding)

Forgivness, is the very essence of God’s personality. Free will requires it. If god is going to make us free, and give us the ability to accept or reject him, then forgiveness is the only way back into relationship with god. Thus it is at the core of His love for us, and His mission to save us. If you look back on your life, how many times have we transgressed against him, and our fellow man, yet forgiveness, is at the core of how we are able to live in community and have civilized society. Not sure who said it but it is so true “that no matter how many steps you take away from God, it is only one step back.” Just like the prodigal son, the lord is sitting waiting, and looking to the horizon for your return, and when he sees you coming, he will come running like a madman to pour his love and forgiveness upon you. It is an amazing thing, gods forgiveness, he wants to give you everything, but he is a gentleman, and will not force himself upon you. So the first move is yours, you must turn to him first, but once you do, you will see the father run to you like a mad man too. What is holding you back from making this first move? what are you holding onto that is more important than that love. We need to think about this today, and begin to let go, and turn to Him. This is the task of our lives, and we should start today.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Matthew 14:22-33

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught Peter, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”

A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on… [path, rocky ground, thorns, rich soil]

Oratio (Responding)

I love this parable. It is so indicative of different types of human nature. We humans, are so much like this in actual practice.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Please lord help me today to figure out where I am planted and what I need to do to find rich soil. And give me the courage to make the move. Amen.

Matthew 11:25-30

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.

Oratio (Responding)

So what Jesus is saying here is that if you yoke to Him, he will carry most of the load and you will have a much easier time, but if you try to do it all yourself, then you will tire and not be able to continue. If instead, you work together with Jesus, and try to split the load with Him you both will be much much more effective. But most importantly, I think the message of this passage is that to walk the way of Christ will be a burden, and not easy. You will have to labor and work alongside jesus to achieve the good fruits you desire, because Jesus cannot do it for us, and we also cannot do it without him. But if you are yoked to Jesus, you will be a very powerful team.

There is also a different, but very interesting connection in this reading to 1st Kings, Chapter 12. This book tells of the time when Solomon has died and his sons are vying for control of the kingdom. This is an incredibly important moment in the history of the chosen people. Solomon had many sons, but his designated heir was Rehoboam. Another son Jeroboam also wanted to take over the kingdom. In 1st kings, Rehoboam is now king. The people of isreal came to him and asked for him to lighten the burden and labor that Solomon had placed on them. Rehoboam told them to return in 3 days, and in the interim, he sought counsel. First, he consulted the elders of the kingdom, and the advised that if he lessened the burden then all of isreal will be his servants forever. Next he consulted his sicophant (bootlicker) entourage, and they advised the opposite. Rehoboam did not follow the wisdom of the elders, and told isreal that he would not lessen, but instead increase their burdens and labor.

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh, lord, help me today to be as humble as the centurion, but give me the courage to ask for your grace as well.

Matthew 10:26-33

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Therefore do not be afraid of them. Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known.

Oratio (Responding)

At the end of time gods justice will be know by all. The reason that those that make it to heaven and those that make it to hell, will be known by all, and god’s justice will finally be understood by all. As it is now, we cannot understand why anyone would choose hell, over heaven, but as mother mary said in Fatima, that souls are falling into hell like snow falls on the ground, so this means that many will not make it to heaven, and as such we know that many choose hell instead. why? most likely pride, but also love of power, and possesions. but we are taught that hell is not a punishment, it is a choice that one makes of their own free will and knowledge. People dont end up in hell by accident, or because they made a wrong turn. they are there because they cannot fathom living the life of service and humility that heaven demands of us. And at the final judgement this will all become clear to everyone, all at once. I dont know how, but God is God, and he can do anything. even vulcan mind meld with allsouls all at once. That will be and extraodrinary day, and while I am not excited to see that day, it will be one for the ages.

————————————————

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to hear your word, to listen to your teachings, but most importantly, to understand them in a way that loves and glorifies you.

John 3:16-18

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned…

Oratio (Responding)

Our protestant brothers and sisters teach “faith alone” and they believe that all you need is faith to get to heaven, but that teaching is not written anywhere in the bible. In fact, it is the opposite of that. The Bible teaches many times in many places that the place of hell is very real. Whether you consider the story of Lazurus and Abraham and its clear description of heaven and hell, or the Marian visions at Fatima where mother Mary’s clearly warns of soul falling into hell. Or even by Jesus’ own words “be gone for I never knew you…”

So the message today, is to ponder that name that God has given you, the name that is to reflect His will for your life, and then align our will to His. This choice will determine your salvation or your condemnation, so choose wisely.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord help me to learn to enjoy your gift, while at the same time directing my life towards the your kingdom, and your mission for souls here in this world.

Mark 11:11-26

Meditatio (Reflecting)

When he reached it he found nothing but leaves; it was not the time for figs. And he said to it in reply, “May no one ever eat of your fruit again!”

Oratio (Responding)

The parable of the fig tree is one of the more enigmatic teachings in the bible. It does not make sense to modern ears that Jesus would condemn a tree. But as all things that Jesus taught there are deeper meanings to the teaching. The Fig tree is a symbol of all of isreal, there was no fruit on the tree, just like all of israel. Over all the years, the Jews had only succeeded in creating a system of their own making, a usurper was the kings, pharisees (not levites) were in charge of the temple, and the people were lost in a mire of man made laws. And as such Jesus curses the tree, as stand-in for the whole of Israel. The fig tree also serves as a sign of the truth of his condemnation after entering the temple to cleanse it. The outer court of the temple, was designed as a place of worship for all nations (isaiah 66), God wanted the temple to be a place that all nations could come to and worship the one true god. But instead, because the jews hated the gentiles, they excluded them from any part of the temple, and turned the outer court into a marketplace for buying and selling temple sacrificial offerings. This turn of events was foretold in Jeremiah 7:11 that the temple would become a “Den of Thieves, and that god would not protect it.” So when Jesus used the Prophets words here the Pharisees in the temple, recognized it immediately and were deeply angered. I cannot emphasize enough how this quote would enrage them, it could not have been more volatile or controversial. And indeed god would no longer protect the temple…, It was destroyed 40 years after that day. And so, as a sign of this prophecy, Mark tells us that the Fig tree is withered on the way out, and thus his prophesy was proved true.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me to live my life in a way that honors you, and pleases you, help me not to be like the pharisees, that put their wishes above your own. Amen.

John 20:19-23

Lectio (Reading)

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Receive the holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.

Oratio (Responding)

This reading is John’s version of the first meeting of Jesus with the full group of the disciples after Jesus’ death and resurrection. But it is also, at the same time considered by many scholars to be John’s version of the giving of the Holy Spirit that we celebrate at Pentecost.

The breathing on the disciples evokes the image of the creation of the world in Genesis, where God breaths His breath (Rhua) out onto the world and creates the heaven and the earth. It is also evokes the creation of Jesus’ new church and the establishment of these disciples as the His representatives. As such, these words now become some of the most important words ever spoken by Jesus. With these words he created the first bishops, and by proxy all of the priesthood. And as a consequence all posterity has had access to the all of the sacraments because of this gift.

While these words of binding and loosing are the same that Jesus said to Peter when he was made him Pope and leader of the church, these disciples would now get the same commission to bind and loose, and would thus take on the role of priests and bishops that would oversee the spreading of God’s word out into the whole world. This is an incredibly important moment, because the priesthood is what gives us access, not only to the eucharist and confirmation, but specifically with these words, Jesus instantiated the sacrament of confession, giving us the way for us to renew our baptism, find forgiveness for our sins, and to come back into right relationship with the lord.

Besides baptism and Jesus’ unbelievable sacrifice on the cross which represents the greatest gift of forgiveness every bestowed on anyone…, it is through the anointing of the first bishops, and through the priesthood we attain access to all of the sacraments and to His ongoing forgiveness of our sins in the sacrament of confession and holy Eucharist. We truly don’t deserve this love and grace from the Lord, it is a pure gift, and so that is why this gift is all the more amazing.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

John 15:26 – 16:4a

Meditatio (Reflecting)

They will expel you from the synagogues; in fact, the hour is coming when everyone who kills you will think he is offering worship to God.

Oratio (Responding)

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Oh lord, help me today to choose you, and to abandon my sin and death, amen.

Matthew 1:16, 18-21, 24a

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Oratio (Responding)

As a Protector of Jesus and Mary, he models for us what a man must do to maintain a safe home for his family, and to move forward after you make a mistake.

He was indeed a righteous man, and we must all endeavor to strive to be more like him…, humbly and joyfully leading, protecting, and providing for our families.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

John 9:1-41

Meditatio (Reflecting)

I came into this world for judgment, so that those who do not see might see, and those who do see might become blind.

Oratio (Responding)

Todays reading is long, and full of lots of imagery, and meaning. But we will focus today on the vision and blindness. At the time of Jesus the people believed that if you were born with a disability, or later in life contracted an ailment, that it meant that either your parents were sinners, or that you had sinned in a way that lead to this punishment. Jesus starts the passage by using the ability to see to show the error of this way of thinking. He explicitly states that this is not the reason that the man was blind, but then uses his disability to prove that point, by granting him sight that was blind from birth.

The second point I want to make is about how He did it. Just like God made clay when He created Adam in the garden, Jesus uses clay to recreate this blind man in His image. The clay is a mixture of water and dirt, the water (saliva) comes from the divine God, and the earth comes from the physical world. It is a combining of the divine nature with the worldly nature. That is how we were created before adam and eve sinned, and it is how we are recreated through the sacraments of anointing (using the clay, aka. confirmation) and the washing (in the pool of siloam, aka. baptism).

God’s original plan was for us all to be perfect combinations of Mind, Body, and Soul in the garden with Him, but then sin entered the world, and human kind rejected this close connection with God, and thus we now have to have our relationship with Him restored. That is the point of Jesus’ life, teachings and sacrifice, and it is through the sacraments that He left us, that we are restored to right relationship with Him.

Through baptism and confirmation we go from the blindness of sin into the vision of full communion with Him. But then sin comes back into our lives again, and thus we have the sacraments of confession and eucharist to bring us back into full communion after we fall. We then are given the sacraments of holy orders or marriage so that we can devote our lives to the service of the lord, and finally we have the sacraments of viaticum, to bless us when we are sick and dying so that we can be in right relationship with Him at the last moments of our lives. Everything that jesus did was for our salvation. To restore us to full communion with the father. So that at the end of time, we can be restored body and soul to full relationship with Him, like adam and eve had before the fall.

That is the reason for all of this, this life, the church, our faith, and our journey toward the lord. It is for us to rightly order our lives toward the one that is the source of everything. This is the story of the blind man, and it is the call of all of us. Do not be like the pharisees, who knew the law, and believed that they could see, but were actually blind to the truth of Jesus and the real reason for God’s love. They were stuck in the trappings and lures of the this world, and were blind to the promise of eternal happiness with God. So if you are blind, open your eyes to the promise of God and His sacraments, and you will be forever changed.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord help me today to find some way to share your word, and your promise to the people of my family that are lost and stuck in sin.

John 4:5-42

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again; but whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst; the water I shall give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.

Oratio (Responding)

Today’s telling is the story of the woman at the well. This story has many facets, and whole books have been written about this encounter. I am going to focus mostly on the woman’s interaction with Jesus. I believe that this converstaion is a story about the conversion of a soul.

The woman comes to the well in the middle of the day, the hottest part of the day. Women of this time, would be the ones that would fetch water, and the women would do normally do this chore at sunrise and sunset so as to avoid the heat of the day. It is believed by many scholars that because she was living in an adulterous relationship, and as such she was a pariah amongst the other women, and thus she was avoiding the other woman. There is also another poetic reference here of a person coming from the darkness of sin into the light of day, and forgiveness. I like this, but it is not a widely held belief.

So the woman comes to the well to satisfy the human need for water, and instead finds the lord Jesus and learns that He has an offer that is far more valuable. The interchange about water emphasizes this point. They are talking about the difference between the needs of the body versus the needs of the soul. The woman is seeking the former, but Jesus is offering only the later.

There conversation then moves into a discussion about marriage. The woman was in an adulterous marriage, and she had been in 5 others before that. But the 5, is also a metaphor for the what happened to the samaritan people. When the sons of Solomon split the 12 tribes up and the 10 in the north eventually fell to the Assyrians empire, the assyrians brought 5 other cultures with them. And the 10 jewish tribes eventually commingled not only their people in marriage, but also their faith with the 5 pagan cultures as well. This new culture of comingled people and religion thus became the samaritan people. They ultimatly created their own temple, and their own form of worship, and forgot the one true God, and their true jewish faith.

Jesus is telling her that this samaritan experiment of dabbling with other gods is a total failure, and that only the worship of the one true God can lead to total happiness, and freedom. What Jesus is offering here is a marriage of sorts. Jesus the bridegroom, is seeking His bride (the church), and not only are all of the jewish people called to this marriage, but all of the gentiles of the world as well. Jesus is proposing that this woman abandon all of her previous husbands, and all of that pagan worship and join Him in His new universal (aka catholic) church.

The last thing of note in this reading is that the woman left her jar, and ran to the village of samaritans, and became an evangelist for this new faith, and as a consequence converting many to the same end.

This is the story of conversion. We find ourselves in sin, avoiding all of the people that remind us of our faults, and are toiling in the hot of the day suffering simply to satisfy the most basic of human needs, and at our lowest we find Jesus, and He offers us something far greater, and proposes that you join Him in a nuptial bond forever. And if you accept, you will be forever changed, leaving everything that previously mattered behind, and you will seek out others to share the good news that you now have.

And it is the same today as it has always been. Jesus is waiting at the well for you. Are you tired enough to hear what He has to offer you. If you are ready, and accept what He is offering, so you too can be forever changed. If so, Pickup your bucket and walk to the well, it is the last time you will ever need it.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me to take the good news that you have given me, and to share it with someone that needs it today. Amen.

Matthew 4:1-11

Meditatio (Reflecting)

At that time Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was hungry.

Oratio (Responding)

Hungry indeed, these readings are some of my very favorite in the bible. They give so much insight into the way of things in heaven, vs the way of things in the world. First we must dispel a couple things about these readings. Jesus was indeed hungry, because he was indeed fully human. And he was also tempted, not just in his human nature but also in his divine. we will explore this in each temptation. The first temptation was the temptation of the “lust of the flesh.” Jesus had made promise to god before this episode with the devil, a promise to fast for the souls of the world, and it is not time yet to complete the fast. The devil is trying to tempt Jesus’ real human need for food, but also to tempt his divine nature to trust in his own power to feed himself, rather than trust in god in heaven to provide all that he needs. The second temptation was “pride of power” to throw himself down from the parapet, and make a spectacle of himself. The devil is tempting Jesus’ human nature to flying around like superman, drawing attention to himself, making a spectacle of himself instead of being humble, and trusting. The Devil is also tempting his divine nature by saying that you can win converts, if you show your great power, and make these people bow down to you, and win converts by force of his will, rather than by faith, trust, and love. The last temptation was “the lust of the eyes.” Jesus’s mission was to come to the world, and through the pain and suffering of the cross, to save souls, and open the gates of heaven. The devil is saying here that he is the king of this world, and any soul that give themselves to the devil, are going to suffer with him in eternity in hell. The devil is making a simple proposition here, he is saying that if Jesus worships him, that he will release all of those souls to the father, and he will have accomplished the same goal without the suffering. This is a clear temptation to his human nature, to not suffer, but it is also a clear temptation to his divine as well, save all of those souls for the sake of Jesus declaring that that the devil is greater. I believe that this last temptation was the most difficult for jesus to overcome, and yet he did, quickly and completely. So how did he do it? He used the lenten practices of fasting, prayer, and almsgiving as the antidote, to the temptations of lust, pride, and greed. Fasting from food overcomes the temptation of it. Prayer to god, overcomes the pride of doing it your own way, and almsgiving overcomes the greedy need to take from other to avoid your own sacrifice and suffering. The symmetrical opposition here is incredible, and beautiful at the same time, but the message is clear. To over come the temptation of three fold concupiscence, you must humbly embrace the practice of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. It is easy to say, and even easier to see it laid out in example, but it is hard to live, but you must do it, and you should start today, your eternity depends on it. Don’t wait another moment.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to reject the temptations of this world, and to focus directly on you. Amen.

Matthew 5:38-48

Meditatio (Reflecting)

So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Oratio (Responding)

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, purify my mind, clarify my understanding, and pacify my will to your plan for my life. I want more than anything to be with you in heaven, help me make the next steps I need to make to be there with you. Amen.

Mark 9:2-13

Oratio (Responding)

This passage may seem to be a simple narative about movements and actions of the various players at that time. However, there is a major thing happening here. This passage marks the official beginning of Jesus’s Ministry. St. Jerome, writing about the line, says “Mystically interpreted, Christ begins to preach as soon as John was delivered to prison, because when the Law ceased, the Gospel commenced.” Before this moment the law consisted of the teachings of Moses, the Sages, and the centuries of prophesy. The kingdom before this time consisted of the kingdom of David. David was annointed by god and his son Solomon inherited his kingdom, and Solomons mother became the queen of the kingdom. and this tradition was repeated until the moment of todays reading. John’s preaching, represented the fullfillment of all of the law and the prophets. That old tradition of queens would be completed in Mary, and Jesus would be the last of the Davidic Kings. And, Jesus would also be the new annointed king of the new kingdom of heaven. The old dividic kingdom has come to an end, and Jesus begins anew. This is what all of the Old Testament was pointing to, all of what the prophesies fortold, and all of what all of the people of isreal were waiting for. But instead of hearing the preaching of John, and heeding his warnings, and seeing the fullfillment of all prophesy in Jesus Christ, the pharisees instead rejected john, imprisoned him, and eventually martyred him. The pharisees, ultimately rejected the law, and the prophets, chose themselves instead, and would eventually kill their king too. This moment marks the point were the new covenant will begin, and this new covenant will be proclaimed via the gospel. The gospel is the way and the truth and the life, in a word it is Jesus. This gospel is the new teaching is the “kingdom of heaven,” and it is indeed now at hand. But how can heaven be at hand? Well Jesus is remaking the davidic kingdom in himself. Jesus’ life death and resurrection built this new kingdom. It did not exist before this point, and that is why Jesus is our saviour, he created a place for us to be with him in eternal happiness, and he showed us the way to live so that we will be invited into eternity with him, and he open the gates, so that we could enter upon our deaths. This is why it is at hand. Because it lies before us, the invitation is real, and the oportunity for eternal happiness simply waits for our assent. What an incredible gift that Jesus has placed at our feet, you simply need to bend down on your nees and pick it up. The old is over, and the new has begun, and we should indeed repent in the light of this new covenant and promise. The gates of heaven are now wide open to you, if you simply repent, and humby ask for gods forgiveness, and eternity of happiness awaits.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me to repent of my evil ways, to reject the tempations and allurments of this world, and to choose you above all things, amen.

Matthew 3:13-17

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. John tried to prevent him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and yet you are coming to me?” Jesus said to him in reply, “Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.”

Oratio (Responding)

Today marks the baptism of the lord. Why does the king of the universe need to be baptised, that seems like a useless action. Well there are several things happening, here, and the church fathers mention multiple reasons. The first and foremost is that we must remember that Jesus is fully man, and as man his flesh must be baptised, because nothing unclean can enter heaven. Lets go deeper. John was baptising for the forgiveness of sins, Jesus was in a way certifying this act and telling his diciples that you need to continue this practice for all time. Secondly it is believed that this is the very spot on the banks of the Jordan where the ark sat while the irealites crossed over into the promised land. That place has great significance for the jews and god. The last reason given is that jesus, by allowing himself to be baptised, is actually sanctifying the waters of the whole world with his blessing, so that all that come after him will be blessed by this single act, and giving the water the power to actually remove the stain of sin. I dont know if one of these reasons is the correct one, I suspect they all are correct, in some degree. But it is, no doubt one of the most important moments in the whole bible. You will notice that all 3 persons of the trinity are present at this moment. This is not to be missed, baptism is the most important of all of the 7 sacraments. None of the other sacraments are even possible without baptism. It is the golden ticket that you need in order to enter heaven, assuming that you are in a state of grace, but you cannot enter heaven without being baptised. Thus the significance of this moment cannot be understated. If you are not baptised, or your kids are not, dont wait another moment, talk to your priest today, the eternity of your and your childrens soul could very well depend on it.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to live out the meaning and purpose of my baptism, to be priest prophet and king to the people in my life that you have given me authority over, and allow me to do it with you with love and grace.

Matthew 23:8-12

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Do not be called ‘Rabbi.’ You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers. Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven.

John the Baptist appeared, preaching in the desert of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Oratio (Responding)

Why was John the baptist offering baptism in the wilderness. Well the dead see scrolls give us the answer. In john bergsma’s book he explains in great detail why he was doing what he was doing and why it matters. It is believed that John was part of the Essene community. A group of monks that lived celebate lives and they were cloistered from women and all other people. They made many vows to be part of the community, a few are relevant to this reading. First they wore camel hair out side their communities, becuase ishaia said that elijah would herald the coming of the lord, and that is what elijah wore. the essenes believed that the messiah was coming and that they had proclaim this news. Second the essenes to a vow to not eat any food that was prepared outside the community, and so when baptising he would only eat from the land, meaning locusts, and wild honey. So why was he baptising. The essenes believed that the pharisees had corrupted and desecrated the temple, and that they could not longer offer sacrafice, and get forgiveness at the temple, so John was offering a similar service for the holy jews that agreed with him. This is why john called the pharisees vipers when they came out to see what he was doing. Vipers killed there mother, and just like these pharisess were killing the mother church. All of these scenes make so much sense when you know that context of what is going on, and that is the point of bible study to find your way to the true meaning of its teachings.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today in my studies to find the true meaning of your word, so that I can share it with others.

Matthew 24:37-44

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Two men will be out in the field; one will be taken, and one will be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken, and one will be left.

Oratio (Responding)

Oratio (Responding)

Many people read this parable and think that Jesus is chastising them for not having enough faith (less than a mustard seed), but in reading a commentary by Peter Kreeft, he points out that instead what Jesus doing is chastising them for not uniting what little faith they do have to Jesus. Ultimately it is not their faith that will uproot the tree and pant it in the sea, that is god that would do that. But god would only do that in response to the fervent prayer and faith of his followers. So, instead what he is saying is that if there was even the smallest amount of faith, but it was fully united in god in love and faith, that you could, with gods help, do amazing things in this world. But alas we human actually have a lot of faith, more than a mustard seed, but because it is not united with christ, it languishes, and goes to waste. So what does it mean to unite your faith in Christ Jesus. I would explain it like this. The truth of christ Jesus requires a response. C.S. Lewis said that when faced with this question, there are only 3 responses, Liar, lunatic or Lord. It is only one of those answers, but It Requires an answer. You either accept or reject it, that is the only logical reply, but ignoring it, being indifferent, is the crazy response. But sadly indifference is the most common response to this truth. That needs to be worked on. We should not be lazy, and expect the answers to come to us, we need to work at it, and to be strong and courageous in the face of doubt. So when you do finally confront this truth, and accept that Jesus is lord, then at that point you must decide to change your life, to say that I can no longer continue to live as I did. You then unite everything breath you take, every thing that you do, to the lord Jesus, You thank him for your joys, and unite them with his joy in heaven. Your offer your suffering to others, by uniting it with his suffering on the cross. You make your life a living testament to the power and grace of the lord. When you finally do that you will end up doing things greater than moving trees around, you might actually save a soul, and as James said, cover a multitude of sins. This is your call, take your faith, and unite it with christ, and you will see miracles happen.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to fully unite my mind body and soul to you, and help me to serve as your hands and feet on this earth. To do your will and to help spread your kingdom on earth, Amen.

Matthew 18:1-4

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Oratio (Responding)

What does it mean to be like a child, I think it means to trust. To be willing to do what you are told and to obey without question, because you know that that the one asking you is trustworthy. For most of us in our day to day lives this is not possible, because the people around us are other human, and some are not trustworthy. If you have good parents this is easier to relate to than it is for others. But humans are flawed, and we hurt each other constantly, and so we put up barriers and defenses, to protect ourselves from hurt. But god is the good father, and he should be trusted above all, and without question. With god we are free to be simple and childlike, we dont need walls, we dont need to protect ourselves, he always has our best interest at heart. Most of us know that in our minds, but do we know it in our hearts? If not why not. Today is the day that you should start the process of learning to trust the good father. When you do, he will pour out more grace on your than you could ever imagine.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to trust you more, and love you more in all of the things I do. Amen.

Luke 16:1-13

Meditatio (Reflecting)

The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones; and the person who is dishonest in very small matters is also dishonest in great ones.

Oratio (Responding)

The parable of the dishonest steward is one that has always really caused me anxiety, because it is really hard to understand. The response of the master is totally illogical, and Jesus saying “Make friends with dishonest wealth,” that is almost antithetical to all of His other teachings. So how do we understand this?

In reading about the passage, I have heard some scholars say that the steward was giving the people back his profit of the debt. That is how stewards made money, by adding a tax onto the top of what the subject already owed the master. Some stewards charged more than others, and maybe here he is just giving that tax back in order to make friends with the kings subjects so that he will not be cast out of the town when he loses his position of power. This logically makes sense, but I have read other eminent scholars say specifically that this is not true, that the master was truly commending him for being prudent through misusing the masters property. Essentially doing a bad thing for good reasons.

But I cant think of a single human master that would be okay with this. But what if that master is God, and the steward is misusing the gifts and graces of god, to do a good thing by helping his subjects and making friends at the same time? Then I guess that makes sense that god could commend that. Essentially, this the steward might be making the first step towards redeeming himself. He is still doing dishonest things, but he is at least doing them for a good reason this time… “Baby steps…”

But do not be confused…, the catholic church clearly teaches that you can never do a bad thing for good reasons. In this parable the steward is being commended for prudence, and maybe Jesus is saying that while doing a good thing for bad reasons, is not good, it is better than doing a bad thing for bad reasons.

I should like to meet this man if he ever made it to heaven, and get the full story. Let us all strive, for good reasons, to do good, not bad things, even if it is really hard, because that is what Jesus is really calling us to do.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to do good for good reasons, to love you and keep you in mind at all times, and in all things. Amen.

Luke 15:1-32

Meditatio (Reflecting)

In just the same way, I tell you, there will be rejoicing among the angels of God over one sinner who repents.

Oratio (Responding)

In my Sunday commentary Peter Kreeft asks a question about this line that I never thought of before. “Who will be rejoicing the most”. It is said that there will be great rejoicing in heaven. For the most part I always imagined this was the angels, high-fiveing, and thanking god. But Peter Kreeft made me consider that God loves all of us sinners more than any of the angels ever could, and it is not inconceivable that He is dancing and rejoicing even more than all of the angels, over the one lost sheep. Like the father in the prodigal son story, running across the field to embrace his lost son. This is such a heartening image of god for me. It gives me so much hope to ponder that god loves me that much, that after I go to confession, and am absolved of my sins, that the angels, and even God himself, are dancing with joy for that fact. It is humbling, and convicting at the same time. And these days I bet it happens a lot less often than it used to. So I strongly suggest that we all get to confession, and not let months go by without going. We all need to do our part to keeping the party in heaven going.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, convict my conscience, and help me to make a good confession next time I go. Help me to be free of my sin, so that you can fully rejoice of my conversion. Amen.

Matthew 1:18-23

Meditatio (Reflecting)

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about.When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit.

Oratio (Responding)

Second Reflection

We should all hope for such fidelity and trust in our lives and our marriages. Amen

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh, lord, help me today to discern what you want from me today, and give me the courage to set out towards that end. Amen.

Luke 14:1, 7-14

Meditatio (Reflecting)

For every one who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.

Oratio (Responding)

Like Yesterday we discussed God’s financial calculus, today we confront gods social calculus. To better explain I believe that I have to touch on the fall of Satan. When the God created the universe he started with the angels (and satan was first among the angels), then the universe of planets and starts, and then the animals, and finally man. In Satan’s mind those things that were created first were greater than those things created last. So he thought that after god Himself, that he Satan was the most powerful creature in the universe, and indeed he was. But What he did not understand was that God made everything in the heaven and earth for the love and pleasure of mankind. So when God showed satan and all of the angels his plan to lower himself in the incarnation, and become man, and create a way for them to redeem themselves through the death and resurrection of man, it was at that point that satan and a third of the angels fell from grace rejecting god, and as satan said, “I will not serve”. So for God his plan is to have the powerful and strong, to have the humility and kindness to put themselves last, and lift up the lowly. And for those that are lowly to have the patience and hope to trust in the promise of god, so that they can be exaulted in heaven. But why then is the world not like this, one word is the answer, Satan. He is the lord of this world, and the calculus of the powerful is the only one that he understands, and since he is the temptor of all of us, his influence is strong in this world. But why doesn’t this work, because if the powerful are always exploiting the weak, and fighting with the other strongmen of the world, only pain and suffering results. But in the calculus of God, the humble and the meek lift up everyone. That is the point of god’s plan and His Justice. That is what we should strive for. Because if you make it to heaven, nothing short of this standard will be excepted. Dont get me wrong, I do not believe that there will be humility police in heaven, but instead, the glory of god in the beatific vision will be so powerful that you will not be able to do anything less than give your very best, to love your very best, and to serve others, your very best. Let us strive for that even now, and prepare our hearts for the eternity of heaven.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to be humble, to put others first, and to seek your justice in this world, and not that of the evil one.

Luke 12:32-48

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival.

Oratio (Responding)

This gospel today definitely has a message for us all, but when peter asks is this for everyone, or just us, Jesus responds with a stern warning to Peter and his fellow priests, and bishops. I truly wish that when the liberal “anything-goes” catholic priests read this at mass today that they would here Jesus speaking directly to them.

The servant in this parable are the priests distributing the eucharist, and watching over His flock. The good servant is the one that obeys the law, is vigilant of the masters return and takes care of the flock, the wicked servant is the one that uses his position as steward to take advantage of those put in his charge.

We live in a world with both, and they are unfortunately very empowered by the leadership of the vatican, and the secular world. I also think about Jesus’ warning about the little ones and leading them into sin. These wicked servants will have to stand before jesus at their judgement, and they will have to account for their actions. I would not want to be them on that day, and I hope that they will read this gospel today, and take heed. While they have blood pumping in their veins they still have time to repent. I pray that they take the opportunity that god is gracing them with.

We the members of the masters flock have a part in this reading today too. We have the grace of being given a choice as to which servant we are to follow. Are you going to follow the James Martin’s of the world or the Joe Bidens, that pick and choose what parts of the church’s teachings that we are going to follow? or are we going to follow the good steward, the Bishop Strickland, or Father Altman’s of the world, that teach the truth and hold us to the masters standard.

It is easy to follow the wicked servant, because he lets you get away with being wicked, but in truth he is spirtually abusing you. It is much hard to follow the good steward, because it requires discipline, and fasting, and faithfullness, but the promise of heaven is awaiting you.

I pray that we all can find the good steward, that will sheppard us straight to heaven, and that the wicked steward will realize the error of his ways, before it is too late.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, please help us to find the true path, and to follow the good steward, and to ready and vigilant for when you return. Amen.

Matthew 15:1-2, 10-14

Meditatio (Reflecting)

It is not what enters one’s mouth that defiles the man; but what comes out of the mouth is what defiles one.

Oratio (Responding)

The jewish leaders had a crazy amount of laws regarding cleanliness. But all of the laws related to defilement. Meaning something from the outside of the body touching the your body. Be it blood, or feces, or another sick person. If you came in contact with these things and many others you suddenly became unclean. Jesus clearly did not believe this. Cleanliness is obviously important for avoiding disease, but to be truly unclean (in gods eyes) you must be defiled, on the inside. If you think disgusting things, if you pursue evil ends, if you say terrible things, that is what makes you truly unclean. And the only way to wash away these defilements is to seek gods forgiveness, and thus change yourself from the inside out. This is why Jesus always said to the sick and unclean people that came to Jesus for healing, that their sins are forgiven. He tended to the state of their soul first, and the disposition of their heart first, and only after they were healed and cleaned on the inside did he then tend to their physical ailments. It is still the same today, and we must go to confession to get forgiveness, before we can partake of the eucharist, and its life-giving sustenance. God wants to heal your heart and then your body comes next. Go to him and find his healing love.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help us today to see our faults, and to seek the healing love of your promise. For to be clean in your sight is more important than anything is this world.

Matthew 14:13-22-36

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Oratio (Responding)

I so much identify with this reading. I want to have the faith that is described here, but just like Peter, I feel like I would not have the courage to not doubt. But Peter does us all a favor here, in that he shows us what to do. “Lord save me”, no matter what the situation is, no matter how bad it all gets this exclamation is all you need to receive gods help, and he will help. Last night at adoration a man came in and started crying. He was crying out to the lord, for help. At that moment I felt the lord look at me and say “will you help your brother?” I had a choice, that was clear to me, and I choose to reach out to this man. I sat and spoke with him until 1am, and I believe I gave him comfort. But it goes to show that this reading is absolutely true, and Jesus will always be there for us (through others) to help and save us in our time of need. All you have to do is ask for help. Do not be afraid to ask, god wants us to be happy, and to be free from pain and suffering. The world is in pain, and it is mostly because people are told the lie that they are alone. But that is a lie, and despair is the greatest trick that the devil ever played on the world. Despair is the most diabolical of the devils temptations, and we must never believe that we are all alone. We are not, and we must never forget that.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Matthew 13:16-17

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Amen, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.

Oratio (Responding)

This is definitely me. I do long to have sat at the lords feet and listened to him talk. In fact that is the promise of heaven, to be with god physically, to see and to hear him directly. But if I am being honest with myself, I am not even sure that I would have recognized god if he was standing right before me, So maybe I have the exact amount to access to god that I need to find Him, and maybe it is not worth thinking about things I cannot have, but instead look to how I can get closer to him right now.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord help me today to find the grace I need to here and see your work in my life. And help me to grow closer to you in every way of my life.

Luke 9:51-62

Meditatio (Reflecting)

When the days for Jesus’ being taken up were fulfilled, he resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem,

Oratio (Responding)

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Please lord help me today to put you first in all things, and help those around me that I love to do the same.

Matthew 10:7-13

Meditatio (Reflecting)

As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’

Oratio (Responding)

In todays passage, we are focusing on the power that Jesus gave his apostles to heal and exorcise. In fact he gives us all that same power, from our baptism. We also, have the power to heal others, and even drive out deamons. The difference is authority. In order to be effective you need both. Power gives you the ability to do something in gods name, but it is only under the correct authority that your powers will actually be effective. Jesus’ apostles are the predecessors to our current bishops. A bishop has the full power of jesus for healing and exorcising, but his authority is limited to the jurisdiction of his diocese. Every single soul in his diocese is under his protection and anyone that he also bestows that power on (ie an exorcist). The bishop and his designated exorcist are the only ones that have the authority to drive out deamons in other people in their diocese. The father of a catholic home has the same power and authority, as a bishop, but his jurisdiction is limited to his own home and his own family. Without the proper authority, or if you swerve outside of your authority, you will attract the attention of other deamons and possibly recieve relatiation. Everything in Gods kingdom is governed power and authority, and if you do not have both, the deamons will notice, because they are like lawyers from hell, and they follow gods law to the letter. It is funny, but they respect god’s law better than most humans do, but they know all the loopholes in the law, and they will exploit them all, and punish you dearly if you step out from under gods protection. But the message for today is that (with the proper authority), we have the power to heal and to excorcise, in our homes, in our families, and in our places of work. So, if we have this opportunity, and are properly positioned, we should do so the kingdom of god depends on it.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Matthew 5: 20-26

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Oratio (Responding)

This is a high bar for most of us that are not saints yet. But we are all called to forgive without consideration of anything in return. rhuminating on past slights leads to anger, anger leads to hate, and hate leads to suffering, and most people dont have the ability to deal with these emotions, and ultimately lash out with words or violence, which perpetuates the cycle. Jesus’ commandment here, short circuits this by ending the cycle before it even begins. forgiveness, heals not only you but the one that is hurting you, and that is why it is the genius answer to this problem of anger. We have all had the experience where something that was making us angry, when we find out the source is an innocent mistake that we are immediately not angry. If it is so easy to not be angry in those situations why is it so much harder when it is intentionally done the answer is that we choose it, whether it is pride, or injustice, or some other combination of sins, we choose to be angry, and respond according to that choice. It is not rational, or acceptable, we must, with God’s help try to choose to forgive instead of be angry. This is not something we can do on our own, but with gods help we can be better at it.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Matthew 5: 13-16

Meditatio (Reflecting)

You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world.

Oratio (Responding)

We are called to touch other lives. We all have a journey to the lord, but we are not all journeying alone. God has put many people in our lives with us. some are family, some are friends, some are strangers, but they have all here on a journey of their own. If you have an insight, or have learned something that will help others with their journey, then you are required to share that and help others. bring salt and light into their lives, and help lighten their load, or show them the shortcut that they need to find their way to the lord.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

John 14:15-16, 23b-26

Lectio (Reading)

Jesus said to his disciples:
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
And I will ask the Father,
and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always.

“Whoever loves me will keep my word,
and my Father will love him,
and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him.
Those who do not love me do not keep my words;
yet the word you hear is not mine
but that of the Father who sent me.

“I have told you this while I am with you.
The Advocate, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name,
will teach you everything
and remind you of all that I told you.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Jesus said to his disciples: “Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words;

Oratio (Responding)

“The goal of love is always intimacy, and God becomes more and more intimate with us as he reveals himself in three stages: first, the Father reveals himself in the Old Testament; then, the Son, in the New Testament; and then, the Holy Spirit, in the Church. First God is above us and then he is with us and then he is in us. First, he is outside us; then, he is beside us; and finally, he is inside us.”

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord help me to seek the peace that is not of this world…, your peace! The peace that comes from the tranquility of order.

Mattew 5:20-26

Meditatio (Reflecting)

But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment

Oratio (Responding)

This message definitely speaks out to me today. Both my real brother Josh, and my proverbial brother Micheal. I have reconciled with Josh, and I am glad for that. He and I are very close friends and I hated fighting with him. I have not reconciled with Micheal, and I dont think that I safely or legally can. I allowed the courts to decide our dispute, and it was fair. I am going to say now that I forgive him. I ask you lord to forgive him, and to help him to understand that I did not want any of this, and I hold nothing more against him.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Jesse Waitz

Matthew 16:24-28

Lectio (Reading)

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Oratio (Responding)

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Resolutio (Resolving)

Matthew 16:13-23

Lectio (Reading)

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Oratio (Responding)

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Resolutio (Resolving)

Luke 9:28b-36

Lectio (Reading)

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Oratio (Responding)

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Resolutio (Resolving)

Matthew 14:22-36

Lectio (Reading)

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Oratio (Responding)

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Resolutio (Resolving)

Matthew 14:13-21

Lectio (Reading)

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Oratio (Responding)

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Resolutio (Resolving)

Luke 12:13-21

Lectio (Reading)

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Oratio (Responding)

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Resolutio (Resolving)

Matthew 14:1-12

Lectio (Reading)

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Oratio (Responding)

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Resolutio (Resolving)

Matthew 13:54-58

Lectio (Reading)

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Oratio (Responding)

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Resolutio (Resolving)

Matthew 13:47-53

Lectio (Reading)

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Oratio (Responding)

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Resolutio (Resolving)

Matthew 13:44-46

Lectio (Reading)

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Oratio (Responding)

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Resolutio (Resolving)

John 11:19-27

Lectio (Reading)

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Oratio (Responding)

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Resolutio (Resolving)

Matthew 13:31-35

Lectio (Reading)

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Oratio (Responding)

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Resolutio (Resolving)

Luke 11:1-13

Lectio (Reading)

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Oratio (Responding)

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Resolutio (Resolving)

Matthew 13:24-30