Today’s Thoughts: Over the last week or so we have been reading a section of Matthew’s Gospel that is a directive for discipleship. Jesus tells the disciples to trust in God by taking nothing with them on the journey, to depend on the hospitality of others, and to offer peace and to proclaim the Kingdom wherever they go. Jesus also tells them that the journey of discipleship will not be easy, that they will be rejected and at times the peace they offer will not be accepted. And in today’s Gospel Jesus also tells the disciples that the struggles of discipleship may even start within the family and friends that they love.
In several ways, the picture Jesus paints of discipleship in Matthews Gospel today (Matt. 10:34-11:1) is one that seems impossible to embrace let alone live. The thought of being at odds with mother, father, sister and brother would make me wonder why I would want to journey down that road. I think Jesus’ purpose for this instruction is simply to make it clear that if we get on broad it is not an easy ride. The journey of a disciple is not the journey of a fairy tale; it is not the journey of “happily ever after.” The journey of a disciple is a difficult road with many challenges, many struggles, many difficulties and often a great deal of change. It is a journey of choices and decisions that are not always easy. Discipleship is the journey of the Cross and Jesus wants those who take it up to understand the consequences along with the joys and hopes. Have a blessed and holy Monday everyone!
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Today’s Thoughts: In our Gospel today, we hear the beautiful and perhaps threatening parable of the Good Samaritan. A scholar of the law asks Jesus a question, it is asked to begin a discussion rather than a request for information. Jesus answers the question with a question. The man knows the Law well and responds correctly. According to the Book of Leviticus, 19, 18, loving neighbor is a sacred responsibility of the faithful Jewish person. So, to extend the discussion and perhaps get the upper hand, the scholar asks the obvious question and Jesus takes it out of the scholar’s hand and lays it on his heart.
A Samaritan becomes the central focus of the story by placing himself in the vulnerable position of not being anybody’s neighbor. The beaten man sets up the tension. The two religious figures, who do not tend to the man, heighten the gesture of the disliked Samaritan. Jesus is telling this story to move from the Law to the Good News. The good news of the parable has several aspects. Perhaps the two who pass by on the “opposite side” have their religious reasons. Their being faithful to their understanding of the laws of physical purity are righteous in their eyes. The good news that Jesus expresses in the parable is that “unlawful” love of the injured is the new and complete righteousness. Keeping our eyes and hearts open to those in need is more blessed than keeping our eyes on law. The Samaritan is moved with compassion flowing from his head and heart. Jesus is the compassionate stranger to our fallen, robbed-of-innocence humanity. Jesus is on “our side” and takes us to the “inn” of his embrace after tending to our wounds through the Sacraments. “Oil” and “wine” are the healing “bandages” of Jesus’ touch. The good news is that we are relieved from our wondering what exactly are we to do when healed and sent back on our journeys. We are to “Go and do likewise.” Selfishness in its various forms of protection, personal image, and indulgence, are very close to our minds and hearts. This interior law is not so far away or high above us. We do not need anybody to teach us how to be greedy, egocentric, or lazy. There are two forms of “good news”. One is the selfishly good news that each of us can walk on the “opposite” side of the other “good news” which we keep hearing and making the center of our lives. The selfless law of Jesus is warming to the heart when we hear it, but the other “good news” of our ignoring selves, remains in effect. So once again, the Gospel puts us in tension. We ask also “who is our neighbor,” we ask whom we should care for and whom can we pass by. We would say that our neighbor is the one who will appreciate our gestures of generosity. Our neighbors are those whom we know. Our neighbors are those who are like us; think the way we do, act in accordance with our values. This is natural and warming to the heart and mind. Jesus’ teaching is his whole life of including, embracing, and saving us in our being stripped, beaten by the ways of the world within and around us. He has brought us from our own being half-dead back to full life. Jesus keeps teaching us to share, to extend his compassion, and work to heal. In doing this, Jesus lives through our stoppings. As St. Teresa of Avila put it, “Christ has no body now on earth but yours.” But ours! Have a blessed and holy Sunday everyone and don’t forget to give God a little time today! Today’s Thoughts: “Whom shall I send? Who will go for us? Here I am, send me!” In today first reading we have the call of Isaiah the prophet and the all too familiar words, “Here I am!” Isaiah’s vision enlivened his spirit and strengthened his faith to the point of accepting God’s call to serve. He sensed his own sinfulness but also realized God’s presence in his life.
Isaiah embraced the spirit of Jesus’ words in the Gospel this morning that he was important to God. God knew everything about him, all the hairs on his head. Isaiah knew that God valued him far more than a couple of sparrows. With this understanding, with this knowledge of God Isaiah was able to move forward, to volunteer for the journey of a lifetime. Perhaps the challenge of our scriptures today is to look at our own life, to acknowledge our own sinfulness but to trust in the presence, the care and the love of God and move forward, to volunteer for the journey of a lifetime with God. Yes, there is an evil one lurking out there ready to calm our body and soul, but we must trust in God’s care, concern and love to guide us through the challenges and the struggles that come our way. We need to trust that we, like Isaiah, are important to God. As we journey through this day let is ask God for the strength to believe more deeply in God’s love for us so that we can live more peacefully in God’s presence around us! Have a holy and blessed Saturday everyone! Today’s Thoughts: “For it will not be you who speak but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you” (Matthew 10:20). There is great comfort in these words from the Gospel today especially for someone like me, a preacher. However, they are words that are also demanding. They demand dependence not independence. They demand dependence on God, a willingness to let go and let God.
Now before I go any further with my reflection, I would just like to say something about this phrase “let go and let God.” I know I use it often and at times people have commented that they don’t quite understand it. When I use the phrase “let go and let God” what I am referring to is the human condition known as being in control. We all like to be in control, to call the shots. We all like to have a sense that we have got things covered, that we know best. However, if we pay close attention to Jesus in the Gospel we are reminded time and time again that it is about God not about us. Jesus often asks the disciples to trust, to not depend on themselves but the presence of God in their lives. This was not easy, and the disciples often fail. It was when they were able to let go of their way and trust in God that they found themselves on the right path. Letting go and letting God simply means that life is not about “me” it is about God. It is about letting go of the enticements of the world and letting God be present to us as we journey through life. This theme of trust, of letting go has been an ongoing theme in our Gospels this week. We have been told of the great power that the disciples have been given to proclaim the Kingdom of God in the Gospel. And we have been directed in many ways through the responsorial psalm that our focus in life should always be God. We have heard how Jacob and Joseph have trusted in God’s plan for them and Israel. Thomas Merton wrote, “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.” Jesus remind us today of the same thing. It is through the courage of our friendship with God that we will always be able to bring the Kingdom of God to each moment of life. So, as we make our way through this day let us have the courage to let go and let God because we trust in God’s unrelenting love for us, a love that impels us to proclaim the Kingdom of God because the Spirit of God speaks through us! Have a blessed and holy Friday everyone! Today’s Thoughts: I had two thoughts after spending some time this morning with our readings for today. The first was that of God’s unconditional, unrelenting love. In the first reading from Hosea, God knows that the Israelites are not faithful and that they have chosen to buy into the culture around them. However, God is not going to give up on them. God is going to remain faith.
My second thought is that Jesus is also teaching his disciples about God’s unconditional and unrelenting love but in a different way. Jesus sends the disciples out to proclaim the Kingdom of God giving them great powers but also asking them to be dependent. They are not to take what a usual traveler should take. They are to be dependent on the people and place that they go. They are to let God take care of the problems that they may face. Jesus asks his disciple to depend on God in their ministry. Our two readings remind us that God is in this journey of life for the long haul. God will be with us through the journey and if we are faithful God will take care of the struggles, not always in our time but in God’s time. All we need to do is trust in the presence and love of God. If we do this our presence life will give way to the fullness of a life that will never end! The Kingdom of God is at hand: repent and believe in the Gospel! Have a holy and blessed Thursday everyone! Today’s Thoughts: “A man knows when he has found his vocation when he stops thinking about how to live and begins to live.” (Thomas Merton) I think this is a good quote for our Gospel reading today. The 12 apostles (Matt. 10:1-7) begin to live today and in doing so they find out what God has in store for them.
Isn’t this true for all of us? In living we uncover, we find, we experience, we become who God calls us to be. A verse from John’s Gospel came to mind as I reflected upon today’s Gospel, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit – fruit that will last” (John 15:16). The twelve were chosen by Jesus and in the Gospel today they take their first steps in living out that call, they bring the gift of God to the people that they encounter. The challenge today for us is – Are we living out our call? And what gifts are we offering the world today? Have a blessed and holy Wednesday everyone! Today’s Thoughts: I think we have all been where Jesus seems to be today. It might take place within family, friends, the place where we work, the neighborhood or our faith community, but we have been in those situations when we look at people and their struggles and our “hearts go out to them!” We see them overwhelmed by life and we wonder how they will survive, how they will make it. At times we even feel helpless because the struggles, the problems, the issues just seem so overwhelming.
In the midst of Jesus’ ministry, even though he is healing everyone in sight he looks around and it is overwhelming. He sees the struggles of life, of health, of emotions, of faith. How are these people going to make it?” He wonders. His heart goes out to them! On the plus side, Jesus sees a great harvest. He sees possibilities; he sees gifts, talents, abilities. He sees hope and a future, but he knows people cannot do it alone the whole community must work at it. Sometimes we think this passage just refers to vocations. If we just get enough priests everything will be fine. Vocations are only a piece of the challenge that Jesus presents to us today. The challenge is for the whole community to be involved. The whole community needs to work together to bring in the harvest, not just a so called chosen few. Yes, there are a lot of things wrong however a harvest of faith, hope and love is right in front of us and it is our responsibility to bring that harvest in. We are in this journey of life together and we all have something to add, to give so that the full rich harvest of God’s presence can be realized and made present. Have a blessed and holy Tuesday everyone! Today’s Thoughts: Happy 4th of July everyone!
The verse from the responsorial psalm seems to capture the essence of our readings today, “The Lord is gracious and merciful.” In our first reading from Hosea (Hosea 2:16, 17C-18, 21-22) God is imaged as a devoted, caring, and loving husband. One that cannot eliminate our problems, but who is always with us, never leaving us to face the struggles and difficulties of life alone. In the Gospel, (Matt. 9:18-26), we witness God’s graciousness and mercy through Jesus. It is a graciousness and mercy that comes about because of the faith of two people, the official and the woman. Both the official and the woman have unconditional faith, unrelenting faith. Even though his daughter is dead the official still searches out Jesus. He knows that even in death an encounter with Jesus can mean life. The woman who has struggled with health issues for many years just wants to touch Jesus’ clothing that simple action will make all the difference. These two faith filled people teach us the value, the gift of unconditional, unrelenting faith. They teach us that when we place our trust in God wonderful things, sometimes even impossible things happen, both encounter God’s graciousness and mercy! Today we are challenged not pass up any opportunity to encounter a place, a person, an experience that will help us to know of God’s active presence in our life, to know God’s graciousness and mercy, to know God’s loving presence. Let us be people of unconditional, unrelenting faith so that as we journey through life there is always the possibility for wonderful if not impossible things to happen. Have a blessed and holy Monday and 4th of July everyone! Today’s Thoughts: In order to get a better grasp of our first reading today from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah, we have to consider the importance of the Temple in Jerusalem. This building complex was the dwelling place of God and the central reminder of God’s fidelity. It was the foremost symbol of Israel as God’s Chosen People. They were what the Temple said they were. It became the celebration place for their identity, their history and their future.
In our first reading we are listening to verses from the final chapter of Isaiah. It is a complicated and lengthy series of poems, oracles, threats, history and songs of comfort and support. What we encounter today is one such oracle calling out hope and rebirth to the nation Israel. The Temple has been rebuilt after exile and so the identity of the nation is reborn. The verse immediately before our reading, pictures God in a conception/birth posture which leads to the maternal rejoicing of our reading. The Temple itself is in a maternal posture giving birth and consoling nourishment. The presence of God is again a blessing for all, who like young children, sit on their mother’s lap and are comforted with the motherly gestures of faithful love. Those who find life and strength from such nourishment will live their lives as faithful children in service to their loving God. In our Gospel we hear what we might call a “pep talk” or a coach’s half time speech by Jesus. As Moses selected seventy elders to guide and govern his people, so Luke images Jesus as a Moses, sending out seventy-two disciples to make known his coming. Jesus’ challenge to them is that they are to depend on nothing nor anybody, but on the Spirit with which Jesus sends them. We hear of their joyous return and excited report of all they had done and seen. Jesus receives their report and reminds them that what they experienced was a direct result of their relationship with God. They belong to God and are dependent on him for their identity. In other words, they cannot go it alone. They must let go and let God. Jesus is the “kingdom of God” which is close at hand. The ones sent are how that “kingdom” will be handed on. They will see and do great things, but even greater are the works that will be done through them without their knowing it. Today, we are how the “kingdom of God” gets handed on. Like Jesus’ disciples we too must be dependent on God so that great things can happen. However, at times we struggle. At times we think we can go it alone after all. Often, we want our own identities. We want to create our own kingdoms which are of hands and for ourselves. We can go down this road, but it is the road to ruin. Even in the independence we celebrated last Thursday, God is present. We might say that God is always be laboring to free us from our independence. God is always reminding us that what we have is not our doing but God’s doing. If we remain faithful, if we remain dependent even greater are the works that can be done! Have a blessed and holy Sunday everyone! Today’s Thoughts: In today’s gospel Jesus presents himself to his disciples, and to us, as our bridegroom. Jesus says he desires to relate to them, and to us, as a bridegroom relates to a bride!
This is quite an invitation to intimacy and in thinking about it, one might feel a little uncomfortable. To be honest with you, I am much more comfortable focusing on Jesus as savior, shepherd and friend -- our way, our truth our life. I am comfortable acknowledging Jesus as savior of humanity, and for saving me as part of the human race. But it is sometimes scary when Jesus reveals what he desires from us individually, that is, when he invites us to be with him in the most intimate human relationship, that of a bridegroom and bride. This invitation can seem overwhelming because intimacy ask so much more of us perhaps more than we want to give. But Jesus is honest with us and his disciples. He asserts that he does not want us simply to “patch up” our former relationship with God -- patching up old cloth and old wineskins doesn’t work. Jesus invites us to a new relationship, new cloth, new wineskins. Can he really mean it? What do we do now? Can we accept the invitation? But what Jesus asks Jesus gives. We can only pray for the grace to remove our resistance and to allow Jesus to draw us into this spousal intimacy. Lord, teach us how to let you be our bridegroom and speak to us of peace! Have a holy and blessed Saturday and Fourth of July weekend everyone. |
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
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