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Wednesday, June 03, 2009

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 11:28:48 GMT

Reading 1
Tb 3:1-11a, 16-17a

Grief-stricken in spirit, I, Tobit, groaned and wept aloud. Then with sobs I began to pray:

"You are righteous, O Lord, and all your deeds are just; All your ways are mercy and truth; you are the judge of the world. And now, O Lord, may you be mindful of me, and look with favor upon me. Punish me not for my sins, nor for my inadvertent offenses, nor for those of my ancestors."

"We sinned against you, and disobeyed your commandments. So you handed us over to plundering, exile, and death, till you made us the talk and reproach of all the nations among whom you had dispersed us."

"Yes, your judgments are many and true in dealing with me as my sins and those of my ancestors deserve. For we have not kept your commandments, nor have we trodden the paths of truth before you."

"So now, deal with me as you please, and command my life breath to be taken from me, that I may go from the face of the earth into dust. It is better for me to die than to live, because I have heard insulting calumnies, and I am overwhelmed with grief."

"Lord, command me to be delivered from such anguish; let me go to the everlasting abode; Lord, refuse me not. For it is better for me to die than to endure so much misery in life, and to hear these insults!"

On the same day, at Ecbatana in Media, it so happened that Raguel's daughter Sarah also had to listen to abuse, from one of her father's maids. For she had been married to seven husbands, but the wicked demon Asmodeus killed them off before they could have intercourse with her, as it is prescribed for wives.

So the maid said to her: "You are the one who strangles your husbands! Look at you! You have already been married seven times, but you have had no joy with any one of your husbands. Why do you beat us? Is it on account of your seven husbands, Because they are dead? May we never see a son or daughter of yours!"

The girl was deeply saddened that day, and she went into an upper chamber of her house, where she planned to hang herself.

But she reconsidered, saying to herself: "No! People would level this insult against my father: 'You had only one beloved daughter, but she hanged herself because of ill fortune!' And thus would I cause my father in his old age to go down to the nether world laden with sorrow It is far better for me not to hang myself, but to beg the Lord to have me die, so that I need no longer live to hear such insults."

At that time, then, she spread out her hands, and facing the window, poured out her prayer:

"Blessed are you, O Lord, merciful God, and blessed is your holy and honorable name. Blessed are you in all your works for ever!"

At that very time, the prayer of these two suppliants was heard in the glorious presence of Almighty God.
So Raphael was sent to heal them both: to remove the cataracts from Tobit's eyes, so that he might again see God's sunlight; and to marry Raguel's daughter Sarah to Tobit's son Tobiah, and then drive the wicked demon Asmodeus from her.

Gospel
Mk 12:18-27

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."

Something 2 Think About

There is more to life than what is laid out in front of us, and it takes the grace of God to open our eyes to the beauty that surrounds us. That is what I gathered from today's readings. How often has despair or problems at home, work, or school lead us to be "Grief-stricken in spirit." We all seem to have some sort of problem today.

Tobit and Sarah had their own problems to deal with. Tobit had his blindness and Sarah had to deal with a slanderous maid and a foul tormenting demon who made it difficult for her to bear life. Both of them were in such despair that they wanted die, end their life and suffering... "it is better to die than to endure so much misery in life, and to hear these insults... deeply saddened that day, she went into an upper chamber of her house, where she planned to hang herself." But they did not give up, rather in humility they recognized their limitations and prayed for God's mercy ""You are righteous, O Lord, and all your deeds are just; All your ways are mercy and truth; you are the judge of the world. And now, O Lord, may you be mindful of me, and look with favor upon me. Punish me not for my sins, nor for my inadvertent offenses, nor for those of my ancestors... Blessed are you, O Lord, merciful God, and blessed is your holy and honorable name. Blessed are you in all your works for ever!" And thus mercy was given... "the prayer of these two suppliants was heard in the glorious presence of Almighty God."

Now, let's take what is going on in our lives right now with all its "problems" and think for a moment that we can sometimes see ourselves as Tobit and Sarah. "I had a bad day at work, my supervisor yelled at me... I can't seem to catch up on my homework, it's hopeless... I don't think this marriage is going to work, it's just not the same..." whatever complaint we have we best take these complaints before the Lord rather than to bottle them up or bury them deep inside masking suffering with a false outward appearance of joy. Be humble or be humbled. We all have our limitations and faults but we have to learn to accept our imperfections and seek Jesus Christ. Prayer begins with a sense of humility knowing that there is nothing greater than God and that we need His help because we can't do this on our own. Tobit and Sarah knew this, and it is by those humbled prayers that the Lord heard and reached out. When we pray let us not expect immediate results as we live in such a demanding world rather let us know that God does indeed hear our prayers and will answer them in His time and in His manner as we may get the answer to our prayers in such a way that we did not expect. You pray for a Mercedes and God will bless you with a Focus. You pray for peace and God will allow war. God's thoughts and ways are indeed not our thoughts and ways; and His ways are truly beyond our comprehension. As Tobit and Sarah showed us, it is not complicated to know our place in the whole scheme of things and that apart from God we are nothing. Reach for Jesus Christ, seek His guidance in the Church, and begin to be more devout in your faith than you ever thought possible. You may shock yourself. I know I did.

And in knowing that God's thoughts and ways are not our own, we see the Sadducees ever so humbled by Jesus Christ who points out this theological fact that apart from His Heavenly Father we can easily be "greatly mislead" as we live in a world of not only immediate results but in a world where we seek facts rather than truth. There is more to this life than what is laid in front of us. Images can depict the glory of God but we have to allow the Holy Spirit to open our senses to God's presence around us. May God grant us the grace to see and hear Him not only on a Sunday but every day no matter where we are.

Tuesday, June 02, 2009

Tue, 02 Jun 2009 11:33:51 GMT

Reading 1
Tb 2:9-14

On the night of Pentecost, after I had buried the dead, I, Tobit, went into my courtyard to sleep next to the courtyard wall. My face was uncovered because of the heat. I did not know there were birds perched on the wall above me, till their warm droppings settled in my eyes, causing cataracts. I went to see some doctors for a cure but the more they anointed my eyes with various salves, the worse the cataracts became, until I could see no more. For four years I was deprived of eyesight, and all my kinsmen were grieved at my condition. Ahiqar, however, took care of me for two years, until he left for Elymais. At that time, my wife Anna worked for hire at weaving cloth, the kind of work women do. When she sent back the goods to their owners, they would pay her. Late in winter on the seventh of Dystrus, she finished the cloth and sent it back to the owners. They paid her the full salary and also gave her a young goat for the table. On entering my house the goat began to bleat. I called to my wife and said: "Where did this goat come from? Perhaps it was stolen! Give it back to its owners; we have no right to eat stolen food!" She said to me, "It was given to me as a bonus over and above my wages." Yet I would not believe her, and told her to give it back to its owners. I became very angry with her over this. So she retorted: "Where are your charitable deeds now? Where are your virtuous acts? See! Your true character is finally showing itself!"

Gospel
Mk 12:13-17

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.

Something 2 Think About

I've been on an extensive leave of absence from the daily bread/word of God that I have now felt the hunger to be fed by His Holy word and to continue to share the Good News of the Lord. Actually it's been eating away at my conscience. As Fr. Corapi once put it, the devil is an opportunist and used my shame, that unworthy feeling of worth, against my relationship with the Lord; and to the talents and treasures that God has given me I kept to myself and did not share. Enough is enough, it is time to continue to pick up where God had left off.

After reading today's reading from the book of Tobit, I thought about how terrible it must have been to become blind and what an awful cause of his blindness. Basically, the birds decided to do their business aiming at his eyes causing the infection and blindness. Sounds funny, but every day we get poop shot in out eyes. Not literally of course, but spiritually speaking. Poop from what we see and hear in the mainstream media affects our vision to see and hear God around us. Thus we become blind and foolish as Tobit's wife points out.

So who can wipe our faces clean so that we may see again? Only Jesus Christ. Some of us may have been blind for days, months, and even years but God does not measure time because for God time is infinite. The oppression I experienced which caused me to take a few steps back is the same tactic the devil uses on many people to lead them away further from God and His Church. "Oh, you are not worthy of God" or my favorite "It's too hard, life should be easy and fun." I easily fell into myself and placed God a near second in the race. Now I am slowing down a bit and allowing God to lead the race. Can we all say the same?

The Pharisees and Herodians were also opportunists setting Jesus up in today's Gospel but rather than allow their tactics to get the best of Him Jesus responds in a clam manner answering their question back with a question making a point rather than an argument. I can easily have my emotions get the best of me and make rash decisions but I do thank the Lord to bless me with those moments of prudence whether through my conscience or my wife He steers me back on the path He has called me. Can we have easily reacted as Christ or would we be quick to be on the defensive?

I ended my extended leave of absence from His daily bread, and I pray that many of us will also come back to dine with the Lord not only on a Sunday but every day.

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 11:43:49 GMT

What we can come to know in today's reading from the book of Numbers 21:4-9 and the Gospel of John 8:21-30 is to come in humble adoration before the Lord seeking only He who can heal us from our affliction of sin and eternal death. When we are fed the word of God we can reject it, question it, or tire from listening to it as the Israelites grew tired of wandering in the desert and eating manna which God provided to feed His people. In questioning we can be like the Pharisees who are quick to hear and question rather than to come to understand the word of God. But what do the Israelites and the Pharisees have in common in today's readings? They relied on their own strength and understanding complaining and questioning the ways of God rather than to rely on the strength and saving grace of our Lord. To put it in today's perspective, it's like hiring an amateur to do a professional's job. We would not hire or rely on a plumber to do open heart surgery on ourselves. No way! We would seek out the medical professionals, the doctors, to perform such a task. Same thing goes with our faith as Catholic Christians. We have to rely on the one true professional of our faith and that is Jesus Christ. I don't care if you are the world's most awful sinner or the world's greatest priest or theologian. We all need the grace of God to get by the day. A good priest would tell you that they too see Jesus as the high priest and that no authority is greater than His despite what today's culture would say about our practices and traditions as Catholics. If we can get one thing out of today's readings is that we are called to learn more about our faith and that it will take more than reciting the words of God every Sunday at Mass; it will take living the words of God beyond the walls of our Churches taking it out in our daily lives and practicing what we preach no matter what the circumstances may be. Without Christ the stress of the world would eventually crush us so let us seek ye first the Kingdom of God.

Monday, March 23, 2009

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 11:27:46 GMT

"Hi Guys, Remember Me?"
Monday of the Fourth Week of Lent

Reading 1 Is 65:17-21

Thus says the LORD: Lo, I am about to create new heavens and a new earth; The things of the past shall not be remembered or come to mind. Instead, there shall always be rejoicing and happiness in what I create; For I create Jerusalem to be a joy and its people to be a delight; I will rejoice in Jerusalem and exult in my people. No longer shall the sound of weeping be heard there, or the sound of crying; No longer shall there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not round out his full lifetime; He dies a mere youth who reaches but a hundred years, and he who fails of a hundred shall be thought accursed. They shall live in the houses they build, and eat the fruit of the vineyards they plant.

Gospel Jn 4:43-54

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.

Something 2 Think About

"The things of the past shall not be remembered or come to mind... a prophet has no honor in his native place"

Today's reading and Gospel reminds us that in our walk with Christ we leave behind our old bad habits and that when we return to those who knew us before we were renewed in Christ we may either be accepted or rejected. Family & friends will always see us for who we were rather than who we are now. If we were into drunk wild parties before and are now trying to follow Christ example by avoiding those occasions of sin we will face some sort of criticism by our peers. I've come to a point in my spiritual life that I could care less about what people would say because I'm here to do the Father's will and not my own. God's judgement could be far more graver than any criticism from family members or friends. Seek ye first the Kingdom of God. Many friends of the past have come and gone but Jesus remains. Family gatherings are becoming less and less of a massive family reunion, and slowly the celebrations are centered on each individual household; and yet Jesus remains.

This unity with Christ was not to be only experienced with the individual alone but to spread from one person to another. I remember seeing this commercial which one good deed witnessed from a stranger was passed on to another and another. It those thirty seconds, three or five people passed on the message of kindness through their unselfish actions and the thing is that those who showed kindness didn't even realize the effect that simple action had to those around them. It's like what Jesus was trying to explain in today's Gospel. We need no huge sign or miracle to believe in His presence. All we have to do is look around us and know that what God created was good. From random acts of kindness from a stranger to the beautiful sun rise, we see, or eventually will see, that God is present today as He was present before. We just have been blinded by society to not see. By seeing the simpleness of Christ around our everyday life we see God.

And in seeing God, we come to tie in what we see around us to what we hear and read in Scripture and to what we practice in our Traditions as Catholics. We have to see beyond what we see, and hear beyond what we hear. The word of God is so simple that we make it so difficult to follow.

Recommended Reading

The Royal Official’s Request for a Miracle - Father Steven Reilly, LC

Friday, March 20, 2009

Fri, 20 Mar 2009 11:24:48 GMT

The Greatest Commandment Takes Root
Friday of the Third Week of Lent

Reading 1 Hos 14:2-10

Thus says the LORD: Return, O Israel, to the LORD, your God; you have collapsed through your guilt. Take with you words, and return to the LORD; Say to him, "Forgive all iniquity, and receive what is good, that we may render as offerings the bullocks from our stalls. Assyria will not save us, nor shall we have horses to mount; We shall say no more, 'Our god,' to the work of our hands; for in you the orphan finds compassion." I will heal their defection, says the LORD, I will love them freely; for my wrath is turned away from them. I will be like the dew for Israel: he shall blossom like the lily; He shall strike root like the Lebanon cedar, and put forth his shoots. His splendor shall be like the olive tree and his fragrance like the Lebanon cedar. Again they shall dwell in his shade and raise grain; They shall blossom like the vine, and his fame shall be like the wine of Lebanon. Ephraim! What more has he to do with idols? I have humbled him, but I will prosper him. "I am like a verdant cypress tree"– Because of me you bear fruit! Let him who is wise understand these things; let him who is prudent know them. Straight are the paths of the LORD, in them the just walk, but sinners stumble in them.

Gospel Mk 12:28-34

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.

Something 2 Think About

Throughout Lent we speak of conversion, reconciliation, and acceptance of the word. We know that to love Christ will take more than words, and that our actions must speak for themselves. We cannot rely on the wisdom of the world, the ways of mankind because they oppose the very teachings of Christ and the doctrines of the Church. In today's reading from the book of Hosea God's word takes root in our very hearts and blossoms reaching out. He calls us to return to Him, those of us who have been away, with all our heart, mind, and strength. It shows that in our walk with the Lord we will have moments that we stumble in sin. That is why the Sacrament of Reconciliation is so important in our spiritual growth and walk with the Lord.

And in walking with the Lord and hearing His word, we often heard that if we love the Lord then we must obey His Commandments. Not just one or the other but all of His Commandments. The scribes and many of the devout Jews were familiar with the Ten Commandments and of course so was Jesus. To put all ten commandments in perceptive and to sum it up it all equates to the "Greatest Commandment" which was love God with all our heart, mind, and strength; and secondly to love our neighbors as ourselves. If we went down each Commandment we should incorporate the "Greatest Commandment" like this: "If I really love God with all my heart, mind, strength, and love my neighbor as myself then I should not steal, commit adultery, kill, and so on and so on."

Let us have confidence in the Lord that we may answer Him with understanding when He calls knowing that we "are not far from the Kingdom of God."

Recommended Reading

The Greatest Commandment - Father Daniel Polzer, LC

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 11:17:31 GMT

Be a Receiver Like Joseph
Saint Joseph, husband of the Virgin Mary

Reading 1 2 Sm 7:4-5a, 12-14a, 16

The Lord spoke to Nathan and said: "Go, tell my servant David, 'When your time comes and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your heir after you, sprung from your loins, and I will make his kingdom firm. It is he who shall build a house for my name. And I will make his royal throne firm forever. I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me. Your house and your kingdom shall endure forever before me; your throne shall stand firm forever.'"

Reading II Rom 4:13, 16-18, 22

Brothers and sisters: It was not through the law that the promise was made to Abraham and his descendants that he would inherit the world, but through the righteousness that comes from faith. For this reason, it depends on faith, so that it may be a gift, and the promise may be guaranteed to all his descendants, not to those who only adhere to the law but to those who follow the faith of Abraham, who is the father of all of us, as it is written, I have made you father of many nations. He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into being what does not exist. He believed, hoping against hope, that he would become the father of many nations, according to what was said, Thus shall your descendants be. That is why it was credited to him as righteousness.

Gospel Mt 1:16, 18-21, 24a

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.

Something 2 Think About

The game of football involves a team who follow the game plan of the coach. The coach can have the best strategy in place for his team to win but if the receiver fails to be open for that winning pass and that ball hits him in the face it can set the stage for a loss. In order to win the receiver must be open and ready. In today's Gospel reading, Joseph shows us all how to be good receivers of God's message. He gives us an example of doing God's will without question, hesitation, or doubt. He willingly obeys God despite how he feels... "he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him." He didn't think of himself rather he thought about protecting his wife, Mary, "unwilling to expose her to shame." It is because of this unselfish act that the Lord saw the "righteousness" of Joseph and sent His angel to deliver the message. Joseph was open to receive the message of the Lord. When we hear the word of God speak to us through prayer, readings, psalms, song, homily, and communion are we open to receive the message or does it go in one ear and out the other hitting us in the face. When we participate in the Mass are we merely reciting prayers rather than meaning to follow them? Joseph, being a devout Jew, was familiar with the reading from Samuel, practiced his faith, and understood the teachings. It made him more open to receive God's message and follow without a second thought. No matter our calling, we are all called to be in union with Christ through our faith and traditions; through one another as a community of faith; and to not only know our faith but to practice it. Are we open to receive the message of Christ today?

Recommended Reading

A Heroic Example - Father Jeffery Jambon, LC

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 11:38:41 GMT

Faith & Traditions in Pop Culture
Wednesday of the Third Week of Lent

Reading 1 Dt 4:1, 5-9

Moses spoke to the people and said: "Now, Israel, hear the statutes and decrees which I am teaching you to observe, that you may live, and may enter in and take possession of the land which the LORD, the God of your fathers, is giving you. Therefore, I teach you the statutes and decrees as the LORD, my God, has commanded me, that you may observe them in the land you are entering to occupy. Observe them carefully, for thus will you give evidence of your wisdom and intelligence to the nations, who will hear of all these statutes and say, 'This great nation is truly a wise and intelligent people.' For what great nation is there that has gods so close to it as the LORD, our God, is to us whenever we call upon him? Or what great nation has statutes and decrees that are as just as this whole law which I am setting before you today? "However, take care and be earnestly on your guard not to forget the things which your own eyes have seen, nor let them slip from your memory as long as you live, but teach them to your children and to your children's children."

Gospel Mt 5:17-19

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."

Something 2 Think About

The teachings, statutes, decrees, and traditions before the time of Christ have been passed on from generation to generation. Even today, our celebration in the Mass and the teachings and traditions of our Catholic faith can be traced back generations and generations during and before the time of Christ. If we reflect on the Ten Commandments we come to know that Jesus did not come "to abolish the law or the prophets" rather He came to "fulfill." The world today will tell us otherwise that such faith and tradition are old fashioned and that somehow there is this new world out there apart from these, apart from God. But God is unchanging, and as often was said is the same before, today, and the same for all eternity. As devout Catholics we are to pass along our faith and traditions from generation to generation... "take care and be earnestly on your guard not to forget the things which your own eyes have seen, nor let them slip from your memory as long as you live, but teach them to your children and to your children's children." We are to remember that our faith is not something we leave at the door on Sundays rather it is a way of life that ought to be lived despite what pop culture may teach. In fact, popular secular media and the world apart from God "have come to abolish the law or the prophets." It us up to us, the few, the proud, the Baptized Christians to pick up our crosses daily and follow Christ leading by example and word just as Jesus and His disciples did back then. When the world is in panic because the economy is failing, structures fall or are renamed, and conflict arises we must show that we can overcome because with Christ we can persevere through these tough times and through Christ we shall have no fear.

Recommended Reading

The Law That Encompasses All Law - Father Daniel Polzer, LC

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 10:48:53 GMT

God Is Merciful But Can We?
Tuesday of the Third Week of Lent

Reading 1 Dn 3:25, 34-43

Azariah stood up in the fire and prayed aloud: "For your name's sake, O Lord, do not deliver us up forever, or make void your covenant. Do not take away your mercy from us, for the sake of Abraham, your beloved, Isaac your servant, and Israel your holy one, To whom you promised to multiply their offspring like the stars of heaven, or the sand on the shore of the sea. For we are reduced, O Lord, beyond any other nation, brought low everywhere in the world this day because of our sins. We have in our day no prince, prophet, or leader, no burnt offering, sacrifice, oblation, or incense, no place to offer first fruits, to find favor with you. But with contrite heart and humble spirit let us be received; As though it were burnt offerings of rams and bullocks, or thousands of fat lambs, So let our sacrifice be in your presence today as we follow you unreservedly; for those who trust in you cannot be put to shame. And now we follow you with our whole heart, we fear you and we pray to you. Do not let us be put to shame, but deal with us in your kindness and great mercy. Deliver us by your wonders, and bring glory to your name, O Lord."

Gospel Mt 18:21-35

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."

Something 2 think About

As forgiveness cannot be received without giving, God's mercy cannot be given to us if we ourselves are not merciful. If we are truly walking in His way then there would be no such thing as holding a grudge. In the book of Daniel, mercy is indeed begged for recognizing that God is indeed greater than any of us which teaches us that the path to a forgiving heart is to be humbled. The world dictates otherwise that such humbleness and forgiveness is a sign of weakness but as we all know we are to be rebels with a cause, and that by our humility and forgiving nature we are seen as spiritually strong beings in the eyes of the Lord. The ways of the world feeds the ego but the ways of Christ feeds the soul. It is by this humble act that we learn to be forgiving people reacting in kindness and silence rather than in strife. Such is the example that Christ gives to us in today's gospel reading from the book of Matthew about the servant seeking mercy from his master but fails to give the same mercy back to his fellow servant. Forgive us our trespasses, oh Lord, as we forgive those who trespass against us. During this Season of Lent, let us reflect back on someone who we had either angered or did not forgive and take steps to reconcile with that person taking the chance that they may or may not forgive us back. At least we did our part to take the initial step in practicing what we preach. Leave in peace and pray for one another.

Recommended Reading

God, the Merciful King - Father Daniel Polzer, LC

Monday, March 16, 2009

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 11:23:32 GMT

Why have you torn your garments?
Monday of the Third Week of Lent

Reading 1 2 Kgs 5:1-15ab

Naaman, the army commander of the king of Aram, was highly esteemed and respected by his master, for through him the LORD had brought victory to Aram. But valiant as he was, the man was a leper. Now the Arameans had captured in a raid on the land of Israel a little girl, who became the servant of Naaman's wife. "If only my master would present himself to the prophet in Samaria," she said to her mistress, "he would cure him of his leprosy." Naaman went and told his lord just what the slave girl from the land of Israel had said. "Go," said the king of Aram. "I will send along a letter to the king of Israel." So Naaman set out, taking along ten silver talents, six thousand gold pieces, and ten festal garments. To the king of Israel he brought the letter, which read: "With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman to you, that you may cure him of his leprosy." When he read the letter, the king of Israel tore his garments and exclaimed: "Am I a god with power over life and death, that this man should send someone to me to be cured of leprosy? Take note! You can see he is only looking for a quarrel with me!" When Elisha, the man of God, heard that the king of Israel had torn his garments, he sent word to the king: "Why have you torn your garments? Let him come to me and find out that there is a prophet in Israel." Naaman came with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha's house. The prophet sent him the message: "Go and wash seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will heal, and you will be clean." But Naaman went away angry, saying, "I thought that he would surely come out and stand there to invoke the LORD his God, and would move his hand over the spot, and thus cure the leprosy. Are not the rivers of Damascus, the Abana and the Pharpar, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be cleansed?" With this, he turned about in anger and left. But his servants came up and reasoned with him. "My father," they said, "if the prophet had told you to do something extraordinary, would you not have done it? All the more now, since he said to you, 'Wash and be clean,' should you do as he said." So Naaman went down and plunged into the Jordan seven times at the word of the man of God. His flesh became again like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. He returned with his whole retinue to the man of God. On his arrival he stood before him and said, "Now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel."

Gospel Lk 4:24-30

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.

Something 2 Think About

What does it mean to tear one's garments? Is it a sign of rejection, outrage, or mourning? Whatever the case may be, we see the tearing of garments occur in today's reading from 2 Kings as the king's response to Naaman's request to be cured of leprosy. We see the same response when an arrested and beaten Jesus proclaims His profound message to the high priest who also tears his garments. And lastly we see Jesus' own garments torn and divided among the guards during the Crucifixion. But what does it all mean? Perhaps it could be the reaction that many of us can have in accepting Christ over our own desires. Not saying that we would tear our own garments, but we would reject Christ in some way. A rejection of Christ is sin, and knowingly breaking His Commandments is a deep and mortal sin. But what are the outcomes in both readings today? One reading shows how stubborn we can be in accepting Christ when the answer to our prayers is not what we had expected but eventually we come to accept what God has given us. It can take days, months, or years but there will be a time when we answer God's call as Naaman eventually did. The other reading shows how Christ can be rejected as easily as He can be accepted by those who know Him best. Now, his own hometown people did not tear their garments rather they wanted to hurl Christ off a cliff. We can treat Christ in the same manner by rejecting His Commandments when we fall into sin. This Lent are we ready to accept Christ, no matter how long we have been defiant as Naaman the Syrian, or are we to rise up against Christ, tear our garments, and drive Him out? Accept Christ today in the Sacrament of Reconciliation and let us pray for a good Confession without any hesitation.

Recommended Reading

Accepting Christ - Father Daniel Polzer, LC

Friday, March 13, 2009

Fri, 13 Mar 2009 11:28:03 GMT

Reading Between the Headlines
Friday of the Second Week of Lent

Reading 1 Gn 37:3-4, 12-13a, 17b-28a

Israel loved Joseph best of all his sons, for he was the child of his old age; and he had made him a long tunic. When his brothers saw that their father loved him best of all his sons, they hated him so much that they would not even greet him. One day, when his brothers had gone to pasture their father's flocks at Shechem, Israel said to Joseph, "Your brothers, you know, are tending our flocks at Shechem. Get ready; I will send you to them." So Joseph went after his brothers and caught up with them in Dothan. They noticed him from a distance, and before he came up to them, they plotted to kill him. They said to one another: "Here comes that master dreamer! Come on, let us kill him and throw him into one of the cisterns here; we could say that a wild beast devoured him. We shall then see what comes of his dreams." When Reuben heard this, he tried to save him from their hands, saying, "We must not take his life. Instead of shedding blood," he continued, "just throw him into that cistern there in the desert; but do not kill him outright." His purpose was to rescue him from their hands and return him to his father. So when Joseph came up to them, they stripped him of the long tunic he had on; then they took him and threw him into the cistern, which was empty and dry. They then sat down to their meal. Looking up, they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, their camels laden with gum, balm and resin to be taken down to Egypt. Judah said to his brothers: "What is to be gained by killing our brother and concealing his blood? Rather, let us sell him to these Ishmaelites, instead of doing away with him ourselves. After all, he is our brother, our own flesh." His brothers agreed. They sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver.

Gospel Mt 21:33-43, 45-46

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.

Something 2 Think About

Talk about raw emotion gone array! It's funny how emotions can drive the most sane insane. It's like watching the news and hearing the stories of an unspeakable crime and asking ourselves how could such a thing happen. Imagine if the story of Joseph aired on the nine o'clock news or Jesus parable made headlines; what would our reaction be? The Headlines would be "Brothers Suspected of Foul Play in the Disappearance of Joseph" and "Tenants Murder Owner's Servants including His Only Son Over Property Dispute." Would we react as the chief priests and Pharisees did? "He will put those wretched men to a wretched death." Or can we see the deeper meaning as to why such things occur and pray. "by the Lord has this been done" and may "Lord have mercy." Emotions can truly sway our decisions and ways of thinking. Read between the lines.

The message is not so much to control ourselves or our emotions, but to love and respect all life even if we do not feel that it is deserved. Jesus shares in His parable about how much He truly trust us and displays the virtue of patience. Could we be as patient to those who let us down over and over again? We should because God is ever so patient with us no matter how many times we let Him down. He will keep searching for us and sending His messengers until we get it. He will always forgive us as long as we are forgiving of one another; and He will always love us as long as we love and obey His Commandments which in turn we love Christ for He is the word made flesh. Love one another as Christ had loved us.

Emotion is not bad but if we lose control then we may be setting ourselves up so let us pray that we remain focus on the Lord at all times taking a moment to reflect rather than to react.

Recommended Reading

The Gift of Life - Father Andrew Mulcahey, LC