​Today’s Thoughts:  "If today you hear [God's] voice, harden not your hearts." The response for the psalm today seems to say it all. In the first reading the faith community has hardened their hearts toward God. They are not listening or responding to the word or presence of God. In the Gospel there are some who have hardened their hearts for they cannot recognize God in their midst.
 
In the opening talk of my missions, I talk about how we at times harden perhaps not our whole heart but pieces or areas of our hearts. The primary reason is because we have been hurt and we harden ourselves so that we cannot be hurt again. Sometimes the hurt comes from another person, or a group of people, or an institution or from someone or something outside of us. Yet often we think the hurt comes from God and we harden our hearts to the grace, the word, and the presence of God. In doing this we very often miss the opportunity to experience the presence and the gift of God in our life.
 
Jesus reminds the people today that bad things do not come from God. God only wants good for us. God loves us, created us and desires a relationship with us. It is the world around us that can hurt. It is often the world within us that can hurt.
 
We don't want to make the mistakes of our ancestors that are talked about in our first reading from Jeremiah today. We don't want to make the same mistake of the people who question where Jesus is from in today's Gospel. We want to open our hearts, make our hearts places of nothing but good soil so that when we encounter God, when we hear God's voice the grace, word, strength, blessing and presence of God will be planted within us and grow producing a harvest that is hundred-fold.
 
Please as you journey through this day do not harden your hearts but be open to hear God's voice and encounter God's presence in your life!
 
Have a blessed and holy Thursday everyone!

​Today’s Thoughts: Sometimes we see laws, rules and commands as unnecessary. Sometimes we think they are burdensome. At times we look for ways around them or think, what is the least we need to do to follow them. Take going to mass as an example, people have asked me; “What parts of the mass do they need to be there for in order to fulfill their obligation?” Well, as I was growing up it was often said you had to be there before the Gospel and stay until Communion was given out. Certainly, if you go to church on Sunday you can see the people who observe the law, the rule of going to mass in this way, they show up just before the Gospel and they are out the door at Communion. The letter of the law!
 
However, I do not think that is what Moses and Jesus are speaking about today. They are talking about living a life of faith, living a relationship with God that does not seek to do the minimum. It seeks to live the maximum. Moses tells the people to live their relationship with God and pass that living on. Jesus tells the people he has come to live his relationship with God, to be an example to the fullest extent of this relationship.
 
Often people ask what they can do to get their adult children to return to their faith. How can they get them to live a life of faith? My answer to them is to pray for and love their children and grandchildren, but most importantly to live their faith. The best way to make God present to people is by living out our relationship with God as authentically as we can, no short cuts! If we are fully invested, if we live out our relationship with God each day, we become an example; we pass on the gift sometimes not even knowing that we do.
 
In the Book of Deuteronomy from which our first reading comes today, Moses and later Jesus who often quoted Deuteronomy use the word today. The law is not about something given or established long ago. Moses and Jesus are saying it is about today, this moment. It is today, it is this moment of life that we live our relationship with God to the fullest!
 
Yes, rules, laws, regulations, commands can be bothersome, they can place us in opposition to culture and society. They can seem hard to live out. They can frustrate us. But in living by the rules, in being faithful to our relationship with God we keep the story alive. We enhance the community of faith. We bring the gift of God's presence to all we meet. We pass on our faith - today!
 
Have a blessed and holy Wednesday everyone!

​Today’s Thoughts: First off, this morning I was struck by Azariah’s words, “We have in our day no prince, prophet or leader, no holocaust, sacrifice, oblation or incense, no place to offer first fruits, to find favor with you.” While our situation these days is not Daniel’s situation after all he utter these words from a fiery furnace, they do echo some of our struggles these days. I thought to myself, is it time for us to be totally honest with God? Is it time for us to seek God’s mercy and forgiveness? Just a thought!
 
My second thought comes from our responsorial psalm today. "Your ways, O Lord, make known to me; teach me your paths, guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my savior." This is the opening line of today's psalm and perhaps words that sum up our readings for us.
 
In the first reading from the Book of Daniel, Azariah prays for God's forgiveness not just for himself but for the community. He reflects on the social sin of his time. Not just something an individual has done but what the community had done or failed to do. Azariah seeks God's forgiveness. Often, we do not think this way we worry more about individual sin rather than looking at ourselves as a community of faith who at times sin together by our action or our lack of action. We rarely take into consideration social sin and yet we, as a community, are responsible for what we do or don't do.
 
We might think the Gospel turns us back to individual forgiveness but in a way, it carries through with our first reading's theme. The other servants see the injustice of the one servant and look to correct the problem. We might say it is the community that deals with the injustice.
 
Forgiveness and being a forgiving person, a forgiving community, was a constant theme in the life of Jesus. It is not an easy way to live. We would rather seek revenge than be forgiving. We would rather hold the hurt in our heart than be forgiving. It takes hard work and a heart of compassion. Jesus taught us how to have such a heart. He taught us how to be forgiving people and he also taught us how to take responsibility for our sinfulness. He showed us how to be people of faith. He showed us how to take responsibility and how to be compassionate and forgiving. He taught us that forgiveness is an ongoing process.
 
Jesus taught us the ways of God. He showed us the path to walk. The question is; are we willing to learn and walk down the path that Jesus has set before us?
 
Have a blessed and holy Tuesday everyone.

​Today’s Thought: Our readings today talk about expectations. We all have expectations for our life, for experiences we enter into, for our relationships, for our jobs and ministries, for the world around us. Sometimes our expectations are met even exceeded, however sometimes we are disappointed. At times our expectations can be unrealistic and there is no way they can be met. At other times our expectations cloud our ability to enter into a situation and get the best out of it. Our expectations of people, place, things and experiences can at times hold us back from realizing the graces or blessings of a particular experience or moment.
 
This is the case in our readings today. Naaman seeks healing for his leprosy from Elisha the prophet. When told to go to the Jordan River and wash seven times he becomes indignant. He thinks Elisha should do something spectacular, that there should be a great event that brings about his healing. Naaman is finally convinced to let go of his expectations and healing comes.
 
The people of Nazareth have certain expectations for Jesus. They think they know him. They think they know what to expect from him. Thus, they make it difficult for Jesus to be the healing, loving forgiving person he is everywhere else. The people of Nazareth cannot let go of their expectations and Jesus must move on.
 
Our scriptures remind us today that God works in mysterious ways. If we have expectations for God, for Jesus, for the Holy Spirit, then we might be disappointed, however if like Naaman we can put aside our expectations, if we can let go and let God, then great things can happen. Most importantly we will be able to recognize God's presence in our life when we most need it.
 
Let us also have the faith of Naaman’s servant girl that God will provide healing for all of us!
 
Have a blessed and holy Monday everyone.

Today’s Thoughts: Our readings today give us much to think about! There is the grumbling of the Israelites because they are angry with God. There is a reminder from St. Paul that even though we are sinners Jesus was willing to lay his life down for us. What a gift! And finally, in our Gospel we have the wonderful story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman, a story of Jesus’ unrelenting search for us until we are found. Jesus never gives up on us and like the Samaritan women if we are open, truthful and willing to listen we too can become a proclaimer of God’s Word of Life!
 
One of the reflections that I was reading this past week presented the idea of Jesus thrusting. It is Jesus who asks for a drink of water first. Water is very significant in our story of faith. As we hear it plays a role in the Israelites struggle in the desert. They grumble because they are thirsty. They doubt God’s presence.
 
Jesus is thirsty perhaps not for ordinary water but for the Samaritan woman’s faith. He sees her potential, the gift that she is. Our Gospel today reminds us that Jesus is thirsty for all of us, our faith is important to Jesus, and he is always looking for the opportunity to engage us in conversation.
 
Jesus joyfully engages the Samaritan woman at the well. He moves her from isolation into the community. Jesus considers her struggles, her situation and her relationship to the community and invites her to be part of a faith community. She becomes a proclaimer of the word, an evangelizer.
 
The readings today also talk about change and the struggle we as human beings have with change. The Israelites (Exodus 17:3-7) are struggling with the changes in their life. Suddenly the slavery of Egypt doesn’t look so bad compared to a journey through the desert. They are struggling with life outside their comfort zone, with life that calls them to trust in their relationship with God.
 
The Samaritan woman is struggling in her life, yet she is truthful about it and open to a conversation with God about it. She is challenged to change, to see things differently. Actually, all the characters in our Gospel story are challenged to change and see things differently, the woman, the disciples and people of Sychar. This encounter with Jesus will leave them all changed in the end.
 
Jesus asks them to see water, food, life and God differently, especially God. God is not a person relegated to one place or another, to one mountain, one city, one group of people. God is there for everyone! Yes, sinners are included, thankfully as St. Paul tells us (Romans 5: 1-2, 5-8).
 
We are challenge to hear the word of God today and be hopeful. Because God is amongst us, all of us and God loves us, all of us!
 
Have a blessed and holy Sunday everyone.

​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 back into the family, into the celebration. All we need to do is let go of what we have done or failed to do and accept his forgiveness, his love!
 
Perhaps each morning, each day of our lives is an opportunity to return home to our loving Father. God is always waiting for us to recognize our sinfulness and return home to his loving mercy.
 
Have a holy and blessed Saturday everyone.

​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 holy and blessed 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 holy and blessed Thursday everyone!

Today’s Thoughts: Usually when I hear today's Gospel the thought that comes to 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."
 
In our first reading today, in the last few verses we get an opportunity to hear words from Jeremiah’s personal journal. It was never supposed to be a part of his book, but the editor found his diary after his death and inserted his confessions into the book where he thought they fit historically. These are Jeremiah’s personal thoughts, his struggles, his way of telling God his thoughts and asking for help. In today section 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 blessed and holy Wednesday everyone.

​Today’s Thoughts: Now I must admit to you that I struggle every time I hear or read today's Gospel. The images that Jesus uses to talk about the religious leadership of his time seem all too familiar and being a part of the leadership of our Church I wonder about myself and whether I am making the same mistakes as those Jesus is talking about in the Gospel.
 
I think about the scandals and struggles of the Church today and wonder if the very pitfalls that Jesus points out about the leadership of his day are not alive and well in the leadership of the Church today. Let's remember that the Scribes and Pharisees of Jesus' day were good people for the most part. They were doing what they thought they were supposed to do. However, they were caught up in a religious leadership culture that had developed over centuries. They thought they were doing what was right.
 
Many in religious leadership today are good people doing what they think is right, but they are caught up in the leadership culture, a clericalism, that has developed over centuries. But like in Jesus' time does that make it right and life giving?
 
For me whether you are part of the religious leadership of today or not the challenge of the Gospel is that of being a humble servant. Throughout my life and ministry as a priest I have always imaged myself as a servant and a shepherd. Those are the two images that make the most sense to me for who I am and how I am supposed to live. I work at trying to be a humble person, but I am not always successful. What always brings me back to reality when I get too full of myself is that I am a servant nothing more.
 
Too often today we see people in leadership who feel entitled, who look for the places of honor, who seek out titles, who do place burdens on others without any thought of helping. They become people who are distant, at times unapproachable and certainly not shepherds or servants!
 
Perhaps our task today is to pray for leadership, especially within our Church that they - we might find the virtues of servant and shepherd once again. That they - we might take to hearts the words of Jesus and seek to be humble servants who learn to do good again!
 
Have a blessed and holy Tuesday everyone.