Join us on Thursday March 28, 2019 at 3:00 pm for our new Livestream program Through The Cross - and Part II of "Who Are the Passionists?" If you cannot be with us at 3:00 pm on March 28th you can always watch the program at another time by visiting The Sunday Mass Web site and clicking on Through The Cross.. https://thesundaymass.org/en/live
0 Comments
Today’s Thoughts: The Gospel today presents us with the stark reality of life that at any moment it can end. The question that Jesus is asking is are we ready? The Galileans and those who died at Siloam when the tower fell did not died because they were sinful. They died because of the violence and accidents of life. These kinds of tragedies happen every day as I mentioned above the question is are, we ready? If not, then eternal death not just physical death will be our outcome.
The good news is that God is a merciful God slow to anger and rich in kindness. However, we must be willing to accept and give fruit to God merciful grace. In the parable that ends the Gospel today, God plays the role of both the orchard owner and the gardener with us as the fig tree. God is always willing to give us a second chance, sometimes even a third, fourth and fifth chance but we need to respond to the grace given, we need to produce some fruit. In other words, time is of the essence as the Galileans and the people in Siloam learned. Now is the time to bear fruit, to do the good that we can, because there might not be later. This seems to be St. Paul’s message to the Corinthians today also. He looks at all God did for the Israelites bringing them out of slavery, help them throughout their journey to the promised land and yet some did not take advantage of God mercy and kindness. They grumbled and chose a different path and, in the end, paid for it. St. Paul challenges the Corinthians and us not to make the same mistake. We must be ready. We must be people who bear the fruit of God’s merciful love always. Have a blessed and holy Sunday everyone! Join us on Thursday March 28, 2019 at 3:00 pm for our new Livestream program Through The Cross - and Part II of "Who Are the Passionists?" If you cannot be with us at 3:00 pm on March 28th you can always watch the program at another time by visiting The Sunday Mass Web site and clicking on Through The Cross... https://thesundaymass.org/en/live
Today’s Thoughts: The story of the Forgiving Father is what we are asked to reflect on today. I have used this parable many times, often when I am preparing young people for the Sacrament of Reconciliation. For me the first half of the story about the younger son and his return home is a great image for the sacrament. All the elements of the sacrament are there, recognition of sinfulness, the journey to the sacrament, saying we are sorry and forgiveness.
The second half of the story about the older brother reflects another side of sinfulness. We often only think of sinfulness as bad things that we do. We think of the Ten Commandments. However, sin can be what we don't do. Sin can be standing in judgment, self-righteousness, pride, envy, jealousy and anger especially when we think we are right. Sin can be refusing to be part of the family, part of the faith community. Sin can be thinking only of ourselves and playing the victim card. I have always felt this story presented the two sides of sin and often for many of us the older brother is where we usually find ourselves. The hopeful sign in the story is that the father is in the whole story. He is wherever we are. Always willing to forgive, always willing to welcome us home, always willing to come out and welcome us into the family, into the celebration. All we have to do is let go of what we have done or failed to do and accept his forgiveness, his love! Have a great Saturday everyone! Join us on Thursday March 28, 2019 at 3:00 pm for our new Livestream program Through The Cross - and Part II of "Who Are the Passionists?" If you cannot be with us at 3:00 pm on March 28th you can always watch the program at another time by visiting The Sunday Mass Web site and clicking on Through The Cross... https://thesundaymass.org/en/live
Today’s Thoughts: Our scriptures for today present us with two issues that we often face in life. They are jealousy and holding on to what we think is best and not what God thinks is best.
Certainly, the familiar story of Joseph and his brothers reminds us of what jealousy, what envy can do to us. How they can make us think and act toward others, even people we love. Perhaps like the religious leaders of Jesus' time Joseph's brothers reflect only on the narrowness of their life rather than seeing the bigger picture. Rather than trusting in their father's love. I think it is only human to want to be recognized, to want to be valued, to want to be loved. The story tells us that Israel loved his sons but that he had a special affection for Joseph because he was the last and the son of Israel's old age. How often do we hear the saying, "Mon and dad liked you best!" It happens, or it seems to happen. Mothers and fathers often have a special feeling for one of their children, but it never means that they do not love the others. Yet, that human emotion of wanting attention, of wanting a special love can overwhelm us and make us do stupid things. Thinking we know best is equally as troublesome. The religious leaders get a lesson in what they have done wrong from Jesus today. How they have ignored God's ways and walked down their own path. How they have ignored the presence of God in their life in order to hold on to their own power, authority and way of life. God is in their midst, yet they fail to see. They fail to respond. They fail to grow! What can we take away from our readings today perhaps that they are an opportunity to reflect on our own lives? How often do we look around and feel sorry for ourselves because God seems to love others more than us? How often does the presence of others make us uncomfortable even jealous because we think they have something we do not? Yet, we are all blessed by God; we are all created in the image and likeness of God. We all have a place, a purpose and meaning here in this world. God loves us all. The question is can we recognized, accept and live out that love. Can we believe and trust in God's love for us? Finally, are we willing to accept and buy into God's way or does it always have to be our way. In the midst of living life are we willing to see God's presence and grow in the presence? Can we recognize God standing in our midst or do we have a better idea? Have a great Friday everyone! Today’s Thoughts: Well our scriptures today continue the theme that has been with us for the last few days; it is the theme of looking beyond ourselves. We have in the Gospel today the famous story of the rich man and Lazarus the poor man who sits at the rich man door. Lazarus is covered in sores. At first glance we might say that it is the rich man’s wealth that is the problem and I am sure that many preachers have taken that approach in preaching about this Gospel. However, at closer inspection, it is not wealth that is the problem it is the rich man's way of life, it is how he lives. It is how he uses his wealth. He fails to see Lazarus at his door and if he does see him he ignores him.
In the Gospels when Jesus talks about wealth it is never to condemn the person just because they have wealth it is always about what we do with it. Do we hoard it? Do we only care for ourselves? Or do we see the world and the needs of the world? Do we let our wealth work for the betterment of others? Do we help those in need with our wealth? This not only pertains to money and possessions, it is also about the gifts and talents that we have that can not only help us but others. Once again like the last few days this is about service, it is about being humble because all that we have comes from God and needs to be shared! In the first reading from Jeremiah we are reminded that one of the important values of our life is trust, specifically trust in God. This value can help with the above challenge of service. If we trust in God, if we make God part of our life then our riches, our gifts, our talents, our resources are much easier to share, because we know that God is with us. Our challenge is to think outside the box. Conventional wisdom says store up treasures for ourselves, make sure our life is comfortable, eat, drink, rest, be merry. But as people of faith God demands our lives. We are to be disciples, we are to be servants, we are to make what we have work for the good of others. We are to be people whose trust and hope is in God. We are to be rich in what matters to God. Remember "the Lord, alone probes the mind and tests the heart, and rewards everyone according to her or his ways, according to the merits of her or his deeds." Let us be people who trust and hope in God. Let us be people rich in the presence of God! Have a great Thursday everyone! Join us on Thursday March 28, 2019 at 3:00 pm for our new Livestream program Through The Cross - and Part II of "Who Are the Passionists?" If you cannot be with us at 3:00 pm on March 28th you can always watch the program at another time by visiting The Sunday Mass Web site and clicking on Through The Cross... https://thesundaymass.org/en/live
Today’s Thoughts: Usually when I hear today's Gospel the thought that comes into mind is, "Right question, wrong time!" What I mean by this is that Mrs. Zebedee asks the right question but it at the wrong time. She wants the best for her sons; she wants eternal life, who doesn't? It is the goal of every person of faith. Yet if we listen to the passage closely, Jesus has just talked to them about what lies ahead, he has shared with them the reality of his Passion and Death. What's their response, "Can my sons have a place of honor in the Kingdom?" If Jesus were like us he might have responded, "Lady, did you just hear what I said!" But he doesn't, Jesus turns it once again into a teaching moment in the hope his disciples will continue to grow.
We might say that Mrs. Zebedee's question is a typical human response when someone is sharing their deep human emotions and feelings. When someone shares with us a personal struggle, a personal tragedy, a personal hurt or pain, at those moments we tend to want to change the subject or turn inward and think of ourselves. Jesus and the readings the last few days have been trying to focus us beyond ourselves. A disciple serves. A disciple looks outward toward others. A disciple tries to right the wrongs of society. A disciple thinks of those who have no one to help them. A disciple is not concern about herself or himself. A disciple has entrusted herself or himself to God. Jesus uses this moment today to once again make this point. He has "not come to be served but to serve and to give his life in ransom for the many." Jeremiah wants to know why bad things happen to good people. Why for all the good work he has done he faces being repaid with death? All he did was to bring God's message to the people. All he did was be a faithful disciple. What Jeremiah learns and what eventually Jesus' disciples learn is that discipleship is not easy and often dangerous. Yet if we trust in God, if we look beyond ourselves to others God will take care of us when it counts most. As we continue to make our way through this Lent let us listen to Jesus and not respond by thinking just of ourselves but let us trust in God's kindness and love because we too are willing to serve rather than be served. We too are willing to look beyond ourselves for the sake of the Kingdom! Have a great Wednesday everyone! Join us on Thursday March 28, 2019 at 3:00 pm for our new Livestream program Through The Cross - and Part II of "Who Are the Passionists?" If you cannot be with us at 3:00 pm on March 28th you can always watch the program at another time by visiting The Sunday Mass Web site and clicking on Through The Cross.. https://thesundaymass.org/en/live
|
Fr. Paul R. Fagan, C.P. "Preacher on the Run"Just a few thoughts to help you on your journey through life...let me know from time to time what you think... Archives
April 2024
Categories |