Today’s Thoughts: In a phrase we might say that today’s readings are about “the value of life” or put differently “the value of each person.” In our political and religious rhetoric these days we hear a lot about the value of life and the person. We might say that as Catholics the value and importance of life is our prime objective however often it only refers to birth rather than the entire span of life. We are profoundly intent on bringing life into the world but how concerned are we about that life after it comes into the world?
 
In the first reading from the Book of Wisdom we hear that God did not make death, that the creatures of the world are wholesome, and that God formed us to be imperishable; in the image of God, we were made. In other words, each one of us who comes into the world brings the image and likeness of God with us. We are each valuable, important, necessary and gifted. Each one of us is unique and special. Without our presence in the world a part of the image and likeness of God is missed.
 
St. Paul in the second reading continues this reflection on the value of life. He reminds of what Jesus has done for us. Jesus so loved us that he gave his life for us, that we might have life. In St. Paul’s words Jesus became poor that we might become rich. St. Paul’s point is that we each have a special gift and it needs to be shared. He asks us to be gracious and generous people. In St. Paul’s eyes, in God’s eyes, we are all equal and should share equally in the abundance of God’s love. If we happen to be blessed at a particular moment in life that blessing must be shared.
 
Finally in Mark’s Gospel we encounter the challenge of being gracious, generous and loving lived out in the person of Jesus. He puts the value of each person ahead of the rules and regulations of his own religion. Jesus steps across the boundary of becoming ritually unclean to heal. Jesus values the life and health of the woman with the hemorrhage and the official’s daughter because they are created in the image and likeness of God. In each case Jesus becomes ceremonially unclean and was not permitted to enter the synagogue or the temple to pray liturgically or publicly. It was not that Jesus wanted to challenge the tradition; he simply acted spontaneously and lovely because he valued life and the person, a stance that Jesus was more than willing to defend.
 
We can talk about the importance of life all we want but the proof of the pudding is in our actions. If we value life and making sure that life reaches the world then we must ask ourselves if we are willing to care for life from the moment of conception to the last breath? Do we value ourselves and others? Do we value the least and the best? Do we share our blessings so that all might encounter God’s love? Are we willing to step across the boundaries of culture, society and religion when someone needs us? Are we gracious, generous and loving people? These are the questions our scriptures ask of us today! What answers will we give?
 
Have a blessed and holy Sunday everyone and do not forget to give God a little time today!

​Today’s Thoughts: Today we celebrate the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, two very prominent figures in our story of faith, two men who grounded and push forward the early Church but who did it in very different ways. We celebrate two men who remind us why we are Church, two men who reflect what it means to be Church.
 
I sometimes think that Sts. Peter and Paul reflect the Church though it might be nice to have a triptych of saints today with perhaps the third being a woman, like St. Mary Magdalen. If Mary were included our celebration today our feast would surely be a more complete picture of the Church and the Body of Christ.
 
However, we celebrate Peter and Paul, two people of different approaches to life, different ways of living, different ministries. They didn’t always agree yet they forged an energy, a spirit that remains with us today.
 
St. Peter was a passionate man but one who was easily swayed by the moment. St. Paul was a man of conviction, spirit and energy but at least early on it was misguided. Both had to be challenged by God to accept their roles as leaders, preachers and persons of faith.
 
We celebrate them today by asking them to intercede for us before God so that we might be graced with the strength, the perseverance, the energy, the spirit and the faith to live as a Church, as the Body of Christ. We seek their passion so that we too might recognize God in our midst and be able to proclaim as we journey through our life of faith, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God,” and “To God be glory forever and ever, Amen!”
 
Have a holy and blessed Saturday and many blessings on this feast of Sts. Peter and Paul. 

​Today’s Thoughts: At times when I hear or read certain Gospel stories I think wouldn’t it be great if Jesus could do that today! In today’s story (Matt 8:1-4) Jesus encounters a leper. Leprosy in Jesus’ time made people outcasts. They were disconnected from the community. They had to keep their distance. They were relegated to living in community with only other lepers. They were not to touch or be touched by others. They were seen as unclean.
 
However, the leper in the Gospel story has the courage to approach Jesus and for that courage he is rewarded with a healing. He is made clean so that he can live once again within the community. Jesus heals by touching, by crossing the boundary of culture, society and religion. Jesus deals with the person as a human being created in the image and likeness of God.
 
I guess my point is that in our day there are many people who probably feel like the lepers of Jesus’ time. People who are looked upon as unclean, who are looked upon as not part of the community. People who are looked upon by culture, society and especially religious institution as misfits, who are often excluded. Wouldn’t it be great if Jesus were here today and like that day long ago as he came down from the mountain he would stop and talk with them, touch them, perhaps embracement and make them feel like a person again accepted, loved not feared.
 
Making someone clean has many connotations some positive, some negative. Making someone clean presumes that they are unclean. Was the leper of Jesus’ day really unclean? Are people in our time really unclean? Asking Jesus to make those that culture, society and religious institutions often consider as unclean, clean, might not mean curing them of some disease or condition, it might simply mean clearing the way, stepping across the boundary and changing the attitudes that will allow them to feel accepted, to feel they belong.
 
“Lord if you wish, you can make us clean.” Stretch out your hand today and will it!
 
Have a blessed, holy, and healthy Friday everyone!

​Today’s Thoughts: There was a poster I once saw that said, “If you were to be put on trial for being a Christian, would you be found guilty?” Perhaps that is what Jesus is getting at in the Gospel today (Matt 7:21-29). It is not about what we say; it is about how we live especially when there is a storm.
 
Mahatma Gandhi once said, “I like your Christ; I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.” If we are to be people of faith, we need to be Christ like.
 
As Jesus images in the Gospel, our faith needs to be built on God, our rock, so that when the storms come and the winds blow, we stand firm. It does not mean that we don’t sway a little; that we are not pushed at times to our limits; or that the electricity doesn’t go off from time to time. What it does mean is that when the storm is over, the wind stopped blowing and the sun comes out we are still standing and a member of the Body of Christ!
 
Have a holy and blessed Thursday everyone!

​Today’s Thoughts: In today’s Gospel Jesus warns the disciples to be aware of false prophets, who come in sheep’s clothing, but underneath are ravenous wolves.  Jesus tells the disciples, “by their fruits you will know them”. Perhaps in other words, Jesus is telling us to be attentive, because if we are not then we will begin to compromise our values, our convictions, our faith. Most likely not all at once but little by little in the face of daily challenges and temptations. Remember a tree does not die all at once, unless it is cut down. Rather trees die little by little, gradually giving in to decay that comes from within.
 
The false prophets, the wolves in sheep’s clothing plant the seeds of decay that can cause us to turn away from the presence of God in our life. The glitz and glitter of the world. The empty promises that we encounter every day that on the outside sound so good while on the inside are hallow and lifeless can begin to eat away at our faith.
 
There always seems to be new ideas that will make life easier, more fulfilling – just take this pill, eat this food, wear these cloths, drive this car and you will have arrived, life will be all it can be, you will be successful. Vote for me and I will fix everything that is wrong. I will bring back the good old days. Life will be easy again!
 
Life and faith are never easy. They are full of challenges, struggles, temptations and problems. In order to survive we need to stake our life on the promises of God. In our first reading today from the Second Book of Kings, with the help of the High Priest Hilkiah and the scribe, Shaphan the King of Israel recommits the community to the promise of God found in the book of the law. He realizes that they have strayed from the covenant. They need to get back on the right path. They are decaying from the inside.
 
There are many things that can cause us to look beyond God’s promises for greener pastures. There are many false prophets with loud voices and answers for everything. Our scriptures today remind us to be attentive, alert, discerning and faithful. They ask us like the king of Israel to stake our lives once again on the promises of God.
 
Have a blessed and holy Wednesday everyone!

​Today’s Thoughts: I think today’s Gospel (Matt 7:6, 12-14) is about reverence, and respect. Jesus seems to indicate that the road to reverence and respect is a narrow one that is a difficult journey but certainly one that is worth the struggle.
 
There are always people out in the world that find it easy to disrespect us. As Jesus seems to indicate the road of selfishness and “me first” is wide and has many travelers.
 
Perhaps the focus of today’s Gospel rests in these words by Thomas Merton: “To be grateful is to recognize the Love of God in everything He has given us - and He has given us everything. Every breath we draw is a gift of His love, every moment of existence is a grace, for it brings with it immense graces from Him.
 
Gratitude therefore takes nothing for granted, is never unresponsive, is constantly awakening to new wonder and to praise of the goodness of God. For the grateful person knows that God is good, not by hearsay but by experience. And that is what makes all the difference.”
 
If we recognize the Love of God in ourselves and in others we will be on the right road!
 
Have a blessed and holy Tuesday everyone!

​Today’s Thoughts: Perhaps one of John the Baptist’s most profound sayings which can be found in John’s Gospel (John 3:30) goes like this, “He (Jesus) must increase and I must decrease.” Why is this so profound? Well because John shows us a humility not found very often.
 
Think of our world, when someone rises to power, fame, fortune the last thing they want to do is let go of control, step out of the spotlight, and turn things over to someone else i.e. Mr. Trump and to be fair many others. Yet, that is exactly what John the Baptist does. He is “the man” all eyes are focused on him; he has center stage and yet once Jesus enters John is willing to step out of the bright lights and let Jesus take over.
 
Today we celebrate the birth of John the Baptist. We remember his coming into the world and how he was dedicated from conception to be the forerunner, the announcer of Jesus’ presence in the world. From the very beginning John knows that at some point his presence will no longer be necessary, his mission will be completed, and he will have to decrease.
 
Remembering John, the Baptist reminds us of our challenge to live as prophets, as disciples of Jesus. Life is not about us and if we take on the journey of discipleship, of proclaiming the presence of God we too will all be called to decrease so that God can increase.
 
Yes, our feast today reminds us that like John the Baptist, we too are wonderfully made so let us praise God with the living of our life today so that like John we can be ready to proclaim God’s presence to whomever we encounter!
 
Have a holy and blessed Monday and may you receive many blessings in the spirit of John the Baptist today and always!

Today’s Thoughts: “You do not need to know precisely what is happening, or exactly where it is all going. What you need is to recognize the possibilities and challenges offered by the present moment, and to embrace them with courage, faith and hope.”
(Thomas Merton)
 
In today’s first reading Job, the image of the sea in the midst of a storm takes center stage. This image of the sea is important in Israelite history. They were not a sea fairing people. The sea was something to be feared. Yet, as God tells Job today, he is the master of the seas. In the middle of a fierce storm, Job has been complaining to God – complaints that God described as Job’s “proud waves.”  The overwhelming humbling of Job is the way God brings humility to him: “Here shall your proud waves be stilled!”
 
Very often we have a tendence to blame God for problems and as God points out to Job, it takes honest to goodness humility to realize that God is God.  God loves us, this love is often mystery, but it is a love that will calm hearts – but only if we have faith and hope.  As the opening line of our first reading tells us, “The Lord addressed Job out of the storm.”  It’s easy to feel prayerful and faith filled when all is going well.  However, it’s in the middle of the storm where we are most likely to listen to God speaking to us.
 
In our Gospel from Mark today, Jesus and his disciples have gotten into their own storm.  While the wave and the wind threaten to swamp the boats, Jesus is calmly sleeping at the back of the boat.  Jesus has a calm and a peace we so long for because Jesus lives with faith, hope and trust in the Father.  Sometimes we find ourselves in that graced place, feeling cherished and held closely to God’s heart, and we have a sense that there is nothing that we can’t face with that sense of God at our side.  Then the crisis is over, and our humanity asserts itself again, and we struggle, we fear, and our reliance on God fades.
 
Jesus’ fear filled friends ask a question that is ironic when we know the rest of the story:
“Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” Jesus is, in fact, inviting us to die with him.  Die to our fears.  Die to ourselves.  Die to our needs.  Die to the past and the future and live in the moment. He’s asking us to be bold and have faith.
 
Once we realize that we don’t need to know precisely what is happening or exactly where we are going. Once we take up the challenges and recognized the possibilities of the moment with faith and hope and really live our lives. We will never really be the same.  We can then follow Jesus into the deep waters impelled by his love!  The old things have passed away; behold, new things have come,” as St. Paul tells us.
 
Being a disciple means pushing ahead into the newness of each and every moment.
 
Don’t forget to give God a little time today.
 
Have a blessed and holy Sunday – and stay cool!

Today’s Thoughts: Jesus in Matthew’s Gospel provides us with a spiritual blueprint for living life. He invites us to disconnect ourselves from the things that the world finds important like material goods and wants, and become more trusting of God, like the birds of the sky and the flowers of the fields. 
 
Jesus invites those listening and us to focus on things that really matter and not those that are distractions.  Jesus challenges those listening and us to live more simply, less materialistically, and more spiritually.  Jesus encourages us to be more faith-filled and less troubled by the things we are powerless to change.
 
In other words, it is not the temporary and fleeting things in life but the consent presence of God that can help us come to the source of real power. It is coming to the realization that we cannot serve two masters. It is making the conscious choice to put God at the center of our life. It is trusting in the reality that when we are weak, we are strong. It is not worrying about tomorrow but living today!
 
Have a holy and blessed Saturday everyone!

Today’s Thoughts: There is a poem attributed Fr. Pedro Arrupe, SJ, who was the Superior General of the Society of Jesus for almost 20 years, but it was actually written by Fr. Joseph Whelan, SJ. I like it very much and I think it speaks to our Gospel today.
 
Nothing is more practical than
finding God, that is, than
falling in love
in a quite absolute, final way.
What you are in love with,
what seizes your imagination,
will affect everything.
It will decide
what will get you out of bed
in the morning,
what you do with your evenings,
how you spend your weekends,
what you read, who you know,
what breaks your heart,
and what amazes you with
joy and gratitude.
Fall in love, stay in love,
and it will decide everything.
 
I thought of this poem as I read today’s Gospel (Matthew 6:19-23). Where is your treasure? Who or what do you love? Seem to be the questions of the day. Is it God? The words of the Gospel today challenge us to find our treasure in God, but also to move beyond simple academic statements about God and love.  Jesus asks us to allow our living of life to reveal to us what we really believe and value. The path we take in life can be a helpful, important, and challenging window in helping us recognize where our hearts are, what and who we are in love with, and where our treasure truly lies.
 
Have a blessed and holy Friday everyone!