Exodus 40; 16-21 Start Making that List

Thursday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time

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By SOPHIE DRUFFNER

Moses did exactly as the LORD had commanded him.
On the first day of the first month of the second year
the Dwelling was erected.
It was Moses who erected the Dwelling.
He placed its pedestals, set up its boards, put in its bars,
and set up its columns.
He spread the tent over the Dwelling
and put the covering on top of the tent,
as the LORD had commanded him.
He took the commandments and put them in the ark;
he placed poles alongside the ark and set the propitiatory upon it.
He brought the ark into the Dwelling and hung the curtain veil,
thus screening off the ark of the commandments,
as the LORD had commanded him.

Gosh, I need to go to confession.

I haven’t murdered anyone recently, stolen anyone’s beloved pearls, or done anything especially terrible, but goodness gracious, I need to go to confession.

Recently I read a piece about envisioning our souls as glass, and any sin that we have committed is a smudge on that glass. I’ve also heard the comparison of our souls to a wedding dress.When  I get to the altar one day (hopefully! although I’m sure my mum will tell me to just get through college first), I’m going to have the most gorgeous wedding dress ever. And I certainly wouldn’t want any stain upon it.

So when we receive the Eucharist, we should envision ourselves in a wedding dress, approaching the altar. If you’re a guy, envision yourself in a gorgeous white tuxedo. But rewind the mental tape to about fifteen minutes before, when you’re standing in the bride or groom’s room, looking at yourself in the mirror one more time. “I,” you tell yourself, “look simply fantastic. This is the best day of my life.” And then imagine your bridesmaids or groomsmen enter the room and start throwing rotten tomatoes, moldy fruit, containers of old soup and yogurt, and all sorts of rotten and disgusting things at you. Your beautiful dress! Your gorgeous tux! The stains are accumulating and you duck but you can’t get rid of them. Suddenly, after five minutes of the onslaught, they suddenly drop the disgusting things and escort you out. You’re shell-shocked, but you walk down the aisle anyway. You cannot believe you’re going to enter a new life in this awful outfit.

That’s how most of us approach the altar to receive Jesus. We’re covered in weeks, months, or years of white lies, bits of stray gossip, and last month’s scandal, and yet we still receive Jesus, who is pure love.

Moses had it right when he enshrined the rules in the Ark of the Covenant. He held the rules sacred, even though he broke them. We should hold the rules sacred, too. We should remember “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s goods” when we begin to be jealous of how someone has the latest version of the iPhone or the latest and greatest new car. We should remember “Thou Shalt not take the name of the Lord Thy God in vain” when we say “Jesus!” or “God, I can’t believe he’d do that,” where the sacred name of Jesus takes the place of a curse word. Of course, we should not say curse words either. But perhaps using the name of God in the place of a curse word is worse.

Before confession, I always like to take fifteen minutes and write down a list. Rather than going into the confessional, citing three or four commandments, and then mumbling “and all the rest,” at the end, I like to examine each and every time that I can remember that I’ve talked bad about someone, cursed, or failed to honor my parents. Then I say a quick prayer to the Holy Spirit to help me remember each and every time I’ve failed to do right. And then, empowered with my list, I go to the chapel and stand in line.

I’ll be going to confession this week before Sunday mass. I want to be able to receive the Eucharist cleanly, with as few smudges or stains as possible. Because don’t we all want to try as hard as we can to be pure before our God?

Jn 11:19-27 Martha My Dear

Wednesday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time

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By Benedict Augustine

“When Martha heard that Jesus was coming,

she went to meet him;

but Mary sat at home.

Martha said to Jesus,

‘Lord, if you had been here,

my brother would not have died.

But even now I know that whatever you ask of God,

God will give you.’”

Although Jesus seems to show preference for her sister Mary, most people tend to identify and sympathize more with Martha. Mary had “chosen the better part” by sitting at Jesus’s feet and later anointed Him in an inspired moment of adoration; Martha presumably chooses the worse part by doing chores and endures Jesus’ scolding twice in the gospels, first for doing chores and complaining about it and second for misunderstanding the meaning of the resurrection.

The only other disciple whom Jesus corrects even more than Martha is Peter who misunderstands Jesus’ Passion and later denies Him three times. Curiously, Martha and Peter have similar personalities that lead to such blunders: they both love Jesus in a very human (and thus relatable) fashion, and this causes them to presume that they know Jesus more than they do. Peter naturally assumes that Jesus would want to avoid torture and crucifixion. Martha naturally assumes that Jesus would want a woman to tend to the house and raise His dead friends sometime in the distant future. Jesus must remind them both that He is no ordinary man, but God’s Son, which makes their all-too-human love somewhat misguided.

Human though their love might be, as opposed to the transcendent selfless love of God, “fileis-se” and not necessarily “agapo-se,” Peter and Martha have tge privilege of witnessing Jesus’ greatest triumphs as well. After all, even though they know Who Jesus is, Jesus must show them what that means. In Peter’s case, Jesus’ lesson on what He means fills whole gospels (see Matthew and Mark); in Martha’s case, this lesson makes up the greatest, most significant miracle in the gospel of John.

The circumstances of this miracle help to bring out its meaning. In Jesus’absence, Martha’s brother Lazarus grows fatally ill. Jesus learned about Lazarus’s illness, but does not stop His preaching to see him, noting rathercryptically that the illness will “not lead to death, but is for the glory of God.” Two days elapse and He learns that Lazarus as died. Only at this news does He desire to go and visit Lazarus – not to pay His condolences as a friend, nor make the most of a crisis as a political leader, but, as the true messiah, to resurrect a dead man already corrupting in the tomb and inform humanity of its ultimate destiny.

When Jesus arrives, Martha cannot contain herself. Thinking in characteristic human terms, she accuses Jesus of being a bad friend, greeting him with the words, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” Nevertheless, she holds out hope, a small hope, that He might still do something since He is the Messiah. Like most people wanting something of God, they hope for the best but expect the worst, trying to avoid disappointment.Jesus rewards Martha’s gumption, and tolerates her qualified faith, by raising her brother from the dead right there and then.

In all likelihood, this huge feat confirms the meaning of Jesus for Martha—and the many, many disciples like her. He is much more than a mere friend who can comfort one in pain but not really remove that pain. He is much more than an abstract hope, some divine afterlife venture in which to invest one’s soul. He is the Resurrection and Life Incarnate. He acts in all times, past, present, and future, and His love gives life and perfection to those who accept it.

In hindsight, Martha shows enormous pluck in confronting Jesus like this. The fact the Jesus does what He does afterward suggests that He does not mind this at all. Considering that many prophets, not least Moses, had done the same with God in the Old Testament with complaints and accusations far worse than Martha’s, Jesus probably appreciates her honesty.

Martha’s example teaches that one should not only approach God in high spirits—God does not really care that a person is polite, or positive, or hardheaded—but in low spirits and anger as well. Through His Son, God heals and gives life; He wants to take those low spirits and raise them like He raised Lazarus. Like Martha, and unlike her mystic sister Mary, most disciples might learn this only after so many lessons and mistakes. Even so, Martha is a saint like her siblings, and this should give hope to any disciple who might not understand everythingright away but has the courage to continue to strive to know Jesus.

Mt 13:36-43 Oh My!

Tuesday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time
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By FR ALFONSE NAZZARO

Jesus dismissed the crowds and went into the house.  His disciples approached him and said, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field."  He said in reply, "He who sows good seed is the Son of Man...The weeds are the children of the Evil One...  The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his Kingdom all who cause others to sin and all evildoers.  They will throw them into the fiery furnace..."

It's not everyday we hear the Lord speak so, well, "Medieval."  But we have it in us to be very "Medieval," or, better yet, so "20th century."

The Lord is reminding us that we have a tremendous responsibility towards Him and our neighbor.  So what exactly does this mean?

1.  Keep your priorities straight.  I continue to be amazed at how so many people, including old people, perpetuate century old lies.  For example, a few days ago I had someone come up to me and ask me to pray that their grandson pick and choose the right college.  I couldn't believe my ears.  Really?  Com' on! Let me tell you what is far more important:  that college is for learning, not liberating.  And what is even more important than that is how they need to keep their heads on straight when they are in college. 

Do you remember how everyone was talking about Breaking Bad? I can't tell you how many times people said to me: Oh my gosh!  You have to watch this show!  It's amazing! 

Really?  It's a TV show.  Give me a break! 

Believe it or not I have reflected on this phenomenon.  I find it amazing how we (I include myself) can talk up a storm about a TV show or a sports game or something similar to it and encourage others to watch it, participate in it and be thrilled by it...and yet I don't even mention a word about my faith, or my religion, or my God.

Amazing!

2.  Get out of your shell.  Early this morning I read in the news that the Church of the Snows, a Catholic Church - the only one on this particular continent- was closing.  That's right.  The only Catholic Church in Antarctica is closing after some fifty-plus years. 

I couldn't believe it!  At first I thought, "We have a church down there?"  And then I said to myself, "Big deal. I'm sure the priest is relieved."  But once I was fully awake, I felt quite a bit of sadness.  I was truly disturbed by this fact and was curious to know why. 

In its heydays, there were over 2000 people working in the vicinity of the Church.  Today, with budget cuts and other constraints, the number has dwindled.  But the real reason for its closure was "a lack of interest."   The people are no longer coming to Church.

HEY FOLKS:  Wake up!  Do you still believe that people come to Church?  Give me a break!  People don't come to Church.  They are brought to Church. 

How are we supposed to bring people to Church?  This is what I do.  I invite HS students, college students, young people, anyone!!! to breakfast, lunch or dinner.  I invite people to Church.  I tell them what God has done for me.  I take my life and theirs seriously.  I take my responsibility seriously. 

Very few times did Christ ever speak in a medieval (or modern) tone.  We should take Him seriously, for the salvation of souls depends on Him and on us as well.

We have our part in the history of salvation.

Mt 13:31-35 Seeds and Costa Rica

Monday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time
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By KATIE GROSS

Jesus proposed a parable to the crowds.

“The Kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed

that a person took and sowed in a field.

It is the smallest of all the seeds,

yet when full-grown it is the largest of plants.

It becomes a large bush,

and the birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches.”

​As perhaps some readers may have noticed, I have not written a post for Father’s blog in three weeks. This is because I just returned back from a two-week study abroad in Costa Rica. My time in Costa Rica was more incredible than anything I could have ever imagined. Sure, I knew that I was going to get better at Spanish, and that I would probably get a nice tan, and that I would see a beautiful part of the world. But I think my greatest takeaway from my time in Costa Rica is this; Costa Rica doesn’t mess around. Costa Rica really teaches you how weak you are.

 

​One afternoon, we went out to a mountain in a region of Monserrat de Coronado called “Las Nubes,” or “the clouds” in English. As one could assume, the region got its name for its average altitude, which puts it smack-dab in the middle of some of the lower stratus clouds. We were planning to go on a fifteen-kilometer hike up and down the mountain on an intermediate trail, covering a total altitude change of about 200 meters. Some students at my school had done the same hike the week prior, and they had vehemently warned me not to participate. “Don’t do it,” they told me, “every single one of us was on the ground after that thing.” But of course, I didn’t listen. I was about ten years younger than most of them. I was in Costa Rica, the land of adventure!!! Plus, I run cross country, and I had been training for months at that point for the fitness test for the military academies. How bad could it have been?

 

​I quickly answered that question—VERY BAD. The second the incline broke twenty degrees or so, I found myself out of breath. At that altitude, there was not nearly as much oxygen in the air as I was accustomed to in Dallas. Then came the countless flights of crazy-steep stairs (if you could even call them stairs) that I could barely clear in a single step. Cue the rain. Cue three separate stings from a particularly vicious species of Costa Rican horsefly that was attracted to the smell of my soap, and the resulting paranoia from hearing them buzz around my head. And did I mention that we were in a federally-protected tropical rainforest? This was the real deal—our guide cleared the path with a machete. Needless to say, it was an adventure I will never forget. And I did fall on the ground afterwards from pure exhaustion—I have pictures to prove it.

 

​What does this have to do with today’s Gospel reading, you may ask? Well, when I got to the top of that mountain, I had experienced a whole new variety of humility.  I had only covered fifteen kilometers of a preserve that composed a whole county of Costa Rica. I had only scaled one tiny mountain, and I was beat. I compare my feelings that day to that cliché experience of awe and powerlessness that some people have described upon viewing the Grand Canyon. You suddenly realize how weak you are in comparison with nature, and thus with God. But if any of you have ever experienced a similar sentiment, you know that it’s not a negative or discouraging feeling of weakness. Instead, you know in those moments that your weakness is just reality.

 

​“The Kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a person took and sowed in a field. It is the smallest of all the seeds…” In a way, we are the mustard seeds. Alone, we can do very little. We’re weak, small, and frankly, even the brightest among us have moments where we are not all that bright. Weakness is in our human nature. It is only when we accept our smallness and weakness that we can entrust ourselves to God, who knows where we should be scattered to grow into the fullest version of ourselves. If we are mustard seeds, unless we are planted, we are basically worthless. But if we allow ourselves to be planted, we, though weak, can live in a way that we could never have imagined.
 

​“…yet when full-grown it is the largest of plants. It becomes a large bush, and the birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches.” Hopefully most people reading this have had their lives enriched and deepened by their faith in some aspect. With faith and with trust in God, our understanding of the world around us becomes so much broader and richer—in other words, it grows into the largest of plants. While others may say that Christianity creates narrow-minded thinkers, Christians know that the exact opposite is true. Just think of the low level of dignity that my generation attributes to marriage, the family, and the unborn. To far too many members of my generation, marriage is a contract between any two people about what property belongs to whom, founded on a sentiment that might be here today and easily erased tomorrow. The unborn are “choices,” mere consequences—although the word consequence implies responsibility, which many would like to believe no longer exists. These definitions are the mustard seeds not yet entrusted to the right grower. But to Catholics, who have placed their mustard seeds in the hands of God, the family is an icon of the Trinity. To Catholics, the unborn are reflections of the vulnerability of the Son of God himself. To Catholics, love is a choice that endures hardship and comes out stronger after having been tested in fire.

 

​When we allow God to plant us, our understanding of the world around us only becomes deeper and richer. True-- alone, we can do very little. But with the help of God to sow us in the right ground, we can open our eyes to see things that are otherwise hidden.

Eph 4:1-6 Bear With One Another

Seventeenth Sunday in ordinary Time
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By FR ALFONSE NAZZARO

Brothers and sisters:  I, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love, striving to preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace: one body and one Spirit.

A prisoner for the Lord.  How often do I consider myself a "prisoner for the Lord"?  Not very often, I must say. How unfortunate for me! 

Far too often I see myself as a "prisoner" to my own passions or sensuality, or to my pride and vanity.  Oh how I wish I could embrace being a prisoner for the Lord, which is so much more liberating and exciting!

And what exactly does it mean to be "a prisoner for the Lord"?

To live in a manner worthy of the call.  A prisoner of the Lord sees people and things as the Lord sees them: with great humility. 

God continues to be amazed at His very own creation.  So much so that His only begotten Son was created in the image and likeness of man!  This is remarkable.  God so loved us that He became one of us!  He understands that the word "power" is entirely, wholeheartedly, and unconditionally associated with another word:  HUMILITY. 

If you want others to adore you, then you must adore them. 
If you want people to worship you, then you must worship them.
If you want people to love you, then you must love them.
If you want people to appreciate you, then you must appreciate them.
If you want people to bend their knees and bow down to you and serve you, then you must bend your knees, bow down to them and serve them.

It's that simple...and scary...yet exciting.

LIVE IN A MANNER WORTHY OF THE CALL.

Bearing with one another through love.  It seems like the political race is beginning to heat up.  Some candidates are beginning to throw insult upon insult, thinking that it will get them to the Presidency - thinking it is the perfect strategy.  But we humans are fickle creatures.  We enjoy a good spectacle for a short while. Not for long periods of time.  There's a lot we can learn from those who lived in the years B.C., who slowly but surely grew weary of spectacles and scandals on and off the arena.  We don't have to be prisoners to those who grow in power through insult or arrogance or insecurity.

A calling from God is a calling from former ways to new ways.  It is the divine call to share in God's love and truth, which brings people together (unity) and results in peace. 

We can be prisoners to those who grow in power through love.  And that is a blessing!

To the Top of a Mountain; Exodus 19:20

Thursday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time

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By SOPHIE DRUFFNER

“When the LORD came down to the top of Mount Sinai,

he summoned Moses to the top of the mountain.”

[Please note: I’m going to go just a little further in the reading today, beyond the confusion of the Israelites at seeing “Mount Sinai wrapped in smoke,” and the fear they must have felt at hearing Moses speak to the thunder, the Voice of the Lord. I’m going to take the part where Moses starts to go up the mountain, totally stressed at the thoughts of leaving his people, knowing that, like children, they’ll probably be up to some mischief without him.]

As we looked at the mountains surrounding Mount LeConte, a huge gray cloud began descending, wrapping around the top of the mountain. Parts of it separated and traveled even lower; the mountain looked as if it was being enveloped in smoke.

Recently, my family and I went on vacation in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. As we were hiking the 5.5 miles up to the tip of Mount LeConte, the sky gradually grew darker and darker. Portions of ground under the canopy of pine trees began to grow nearly black. And as we climbed, I began to think of how prophets used to go to mountains to pray. It seems as if we believe God is somewhere “in the clouds,” we have to go up to the highest point that we can imagine to hear him. We have to climb with our hiking boots sinking into the mud, our hands occasionally brushing the rough leaves of enormous trees, and sit down on a bed of lichen. Paradoxically, as we climb closer to God on the mountain, we sink a little further into the dirt, which he created, and as we reach the top of the mountain, the dirt is on our ankles, our face, our hands.

Muslims believe that all creation is “muslim,” or “in submission to God,” because He created it. In yoga, participants are encouraged to feel as if they are part of nature, as is the case in most meditations. Most Native American religions integrate nature to a great extent. And of course, in Genesis, humankind names the animals and rejoices in the plentiful fruit and nourishment in the Garden of Eden. In many religions, understanding nature can bring us closer to God.

It was amazing how removed from the modern world we were on that mountain. Of course, you could always point out that a little beyond those trees were telephone lines, chain restaurants, and electricity. But as we hiked in groves of dead, white trees which had sunk to an upside-down V-formation, I felt as if I could be there among the dinosaurs, the only person in the world. I wondered if this was how Moses felt, climbing up on that mountain. A little beyond him were the camps of the confused Israelites, looking for someone to take comfort in, perhaps distrusting Moses and looking to idols. But as he climbed up on that mountain, although thoughts of his people may have troubled his head, the further he climbed, the more he became involved in the nature, the more he became closer to God.

So this week, I encourage you to go climb a mountain, if you are near one. Or, if you aren’t, just take a walk in suburbia, or wherever you are. Enjoy how the water drips off of a live oak tree, how the sun shines on a cluster of hydrangeas, how the colors of the flowers are so bright and alive. While you are walking, completely involve yourself in the sights of the nature. Think of the complexity of each leaf, the amazing nature of photosynthesis, how God created each green thing that you see. And at the end of your walk, having just a little closer to God, say “Thank you,” to Him.

2 Cor 4:7-15 Treasure in Earthen Vessels

Feast of St James, Apostle

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By JENNIFER BURGIN

Brothers and sisters: We hold this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing power may be of God and not from us. We are afflicted in every way, but not constrained;  perplexed, but not driven to despair;  persecuted, but not abandoned;  struck down, but not destroyed;  always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our body.

Last week, I read an interesting article on the discovery of a shipwreck off the coast of North Carolina.  Estimated to be from The American Revolution, marine scientists found perfectly preserved cooking bricks, chains, wine bottles, and wood timbers buried deep in the cold waters.  These "treasures"  from an "earthen vessel" will provide insight into maritime voyages from centuries ago.  Who knows what other treasures will be found. 

We read in the bible about Saint Paul shipwrecked.  Scripture doesn't go into much detail. Perhaps he attempted to sail from point A to point B.  Wicked winds threw his navigation off course.  Gigantic waves possibly made him sea sick.  A torrential storm crashed his ship onto land, tearing it up into pieces.  Obstacles from every compass direction afflicted Paul....

Another disciple of Christ gives up:  No more discipleship! No more spreading the good news!  I'm done with this Jesus mission! Travel is impossible!  However, Paul carried the crucified Christ inside every recess of his soul.  His intimate relationship with Our Lord kept his head above water while suffering discomfort, agony, and torment.

We go through life hunting for buried treasure through material possessions and intimate pleasures.  We desire to become god-like, obsessed with our own desires.  When  affliction and confusion strike us, we do all we can to scrape off the crusty barnacles and prevent the sun from burning our skin further, yet nothing seems to help.  This is when the Holy Spirit rescues.  Real treasure lies in God alone.

Marine Biologist Sylvia Earle wrote, "Like a shipwreck or a jetty, almost anything that forms a structure in the ocean, whether it is natural or artificial over time, collects life."  So, when life turns into one massive shipwreck, sinking our earthly vessels nautical miles deep into the sea, rest-assured God has everything under control and divinely protected.

Receive the Holy Eucharist regularly.  Adore the Blessed Sacrament frequently.  Pray for the strength to survive life's shipwrecks trusting that God will provide.  Keep the crucified Christ bound tightly to the heart!

‎Life is a shipwreck, but we must not forget to sing in the lifeboats.” - Voltaire

Saint James, Pray for Us!

Jn 20: 1-2, 11-18 Along Comes Mary

Wednesday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time

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By Benedict Augustine

“Mary stayed outside the tomb weeping.

And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb

and saw two angels in white sitting there,

one at the head and one at the feet

where the Body of Jesus had been.”

Mary Magdalene has a difficult time letting go of Jesus. After His death, she can think of no other thing to do than to sit at His tomb and mourn in the presence of His corpse. And before this, when Jesus lived and preached, Mary can think of little else but to cling, kneeling at His feet while her sister busies herself with hosting. Once Jesus heads over to Jerusalem one last time for the Passover, Mary shocks the disciples by pouring costly ointment over Jesus with little thought of the cost. At the crucifixion, she stands with Jesus’ mother and a young disciple to watch Jesus die, oblivious to the gore and scandal. In her mind, no one else seems to exist besides her Lord and Master.

Because of Mary’s almost slavish devotion to Jesus, practical concerns quicklyescape her notice. She thinks nothing of money, or imminent persecution, or proper hospitality. As a disciple, she does quite little. She does not evangelize; she does not heal or serve others; she does not write epistles and establish churches; she only follows Jesus and sits at His feet.

And yet, Jesus reveals Himself to her after the resurrection before anyone else.He could have chosen Peter, or His mother, or John, but He chooses her, the useless one that always latched to Him unthinkingly. Some might argue that He could have revealed Himself to Pilate, or Caiaphas, or Herod, and prove to them that He came back to life and that they had just crucified God’s Son. In either case, whether appearing first to the leader of His Church or His enemies, He probably could have made his resurrection that much more successful and powerful.

But instead He chooses Mary Magdalene. Why?

Mary does something unique. Long before anyone else, she truly worships and adores Jesus as God’s Son. Peter might have been the first to verbalize this truth, and Mary His Mother might have been the first to know this truth, but Mary Magdalene realizes the full import and acts on it. While the masses crowd around Jesus like some celebrity, shoving sick people in His face; and while His disciples complain to Him about food shortages, storms, and botched miracles as though He were a manager; and while His enemies make plans to destroy Him as a dangerous rebel; Mary humble kneels in awe, treating Him like God.

Jesus appears first to Mary because she alone would not question His resurrection. The others to whom He appears afterward her all need some kind of assurance. On the way to Emmaus, Jesus must deliver a lecture on the full meaning of the Old Testament and reenact the Last Supper before His audience realizes what had happened. With His apostles, Jesus must pass through a locked door and show His wounds—and then, later, let Thomas poke them.

Mary, however, does not think twice about Jesus’ resurrection but immediately reverts back to her old style of adoration, clutching His feet once more. For once, Jesus has to tell her to let go and actually do something: “Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” In entrusting Mary with this message, Jesus communicates two things:(1) it was Mary, not the other disciples, who ultimately showed the most courage and strength, and (2) Mary’s courage and strength came from her adoration and devotion of Him.

Jesus intends to make Mary Magdalene a model for all His disciples. Knowing quite well man’s insatiable desire to works and prove himself, He chooses to give his attention to the woman who does nothing but adore.  Although there are times when a disciple must act, there are even more times where he must simply sit still and listen.

Many of the Church’s saints followed Mary’s example and came to understand the power behind adoration. Nearly all of them would adore Jesus before they witnessed in His name. Religious orders today, like that of Blessed Mother Teresa, kneel in the Presence of Jesus for hours before they begin their work with the poor. The popes do the same. At the urging of St. John Paul II, many parishes will offer Eucharistic Adoration all hours of the day and experience the blessings that accompany this practice.

Most people feel drawn to Christ’s presence, yet they might not understand this yet. More than likely, Mary Magdalene felt the same way, but she trusted Jesus to understand, and He did. The first disciples eventually followed suit as Christians throughout the ages have done the same. Adoration transcends understanding as it helps believers transcend themselves. It humbles and elevates at the same time, and it continues bring the peace and strength that Mary experienced so many centuries ago sitting at the feet of Christ, hearing His voice.

Ex 12:37-42 Keeping Vigil

Saturday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time
 

By JENNIFER BURGIN

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At the end of four hundred and thirty years, all the hosts of the Lord left the land of Egypt on this very date.  This was a night of Vigil for the Lord, as he led them out of the land of Egypt; so on this same night all the children of Israel must keep a vigil for the Lord throughout their generations.

I’ve read this passage from the Book of Exodus numerous times, yet the word "vigil" never jumped off the page until now.  So many thoughts come to mind....

Traditionally, Catholics celebrate Saturday evening Vigil masses. We attend candlelight vigils in honor of the deceased, or we pray as a candle-holding community for social causes.

Parents know all too well the late night "vigil" as they wait for a teen that drags in way past curfew. A son or daughter sneaks in the backdoor. Uh oh!  The living room lamp is on and an angry father sits on the couch with his arms crossed.  Oops, I forgot all about the curfew, Dad! 

A little boy reminds his mom to turn on the nightlight right before bedtime. In an imaginative vigil, he waits for his favorite Super Hero to arrive and destroy the evil Boogie Man hiding in the closet!

Remember the Bic lighter everybody used to carry to a rock concert?  Now replaced by the mobile phone's glowing screen, hundreds of fans wave their phones in the air whistling and yelling.  Encore!  We want to hear an encore! Come back out and sing to us some more!

We cannot forget the lighthouse which seafarers rely on for navigation.  The swirling light is seen for miles away in dense fog, successfully alerting ships before they crashonto land.  

Keeping vigil shines a light source in the darkness; keeping vigil consists of waiting, preparing, and protecting.  We anticipate something good arriving or fear something bad occurring.  Other times, lamentations swell our hearts as we mourn the tragic loss of a group of loved ones.

The most familiar vigil scene in the bible is when the maidens keep their oil lamps lit anxiously awaiting the arrival of the bridegroom.  Unfortunately, a few maidens did not carry along enough oil.  They were ill-prepared so naturally their lamps burned out.  Their vigil abruptly ended.  They are left out of the celebration in the presence of the bridegroom....We know the bridegroom represents Jesus Christ himself.  

All children of Israel must keep vigil for the Lord throughout their generations.  Are we doing this in modern day?  Are we preparing our hearts, minds and souls for the second coming of the Lord?  Are we doing all we can to brighten our lives so that others see the shining light of Christ in us?  Are we protecting and helping others who struggle with darkness?

Light a candle.  Say a prayer.  Patiently wait.  Prepare for eternal rewards.  Keep Christ close to your heart!  

"I believe in God - not in a Catholic God; there is no Catholic God. There is God, and I believe in Jesus Christ, his incarnation. Jesus is my teacher and my pastor, but God, the Father, Abba, is the light and the Creator. This is my Being." - Pope Francis

 

Ex 3: 11-14 Hello, My Name is

Thursday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time

(Click here for readings)

By SOPHIE DRUFFNER

Moses, hearing the voice of the LORD from the burning bush, said to him,
“When I go to the children of Israel and say to them,
‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’
if they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what am I to tell them?”
God replied, “I am who am.”
Then he added, “This is what you shall tell the children of Israel:
I AM sent me to you.”

Yesterday, my family and I went to a small Baptist cemetery in Cades Cove, which was a booming town of a little over  four hundred people in the late 1800s. Today, no one lives in Cades Cove, but the descendants of those who once lived there are still buried in the cemetery.

Cemeteries are funny places. People in cemeteries are reduced to a tombstone, which contains their name, their birth date, their death date, and maybe a short quote. It is amazing how much a person can lose their identity on a tombstone. Unlike today, no one put pictures on tombstones back in the 1800s, so the image of the person is lost. No matter how much time that person spent on their hair, nails, or clothing, it doesn’t matter any more. They’re dust. Some of the names are even abbreviated, so whatever they were called while they were still in the world. A person can lose their identity on a tombstone.

But let’s focus on the temporary nature of names. Today, in the Gospel, God declares “I am Who Am.” I always struggled with this statement. It didn’t make any sense to me until I started thinking about names.

Let’s take my name, Sophie.  I will be Sophie until I die, and then it will be on some tombstone or crypt somewhere (hopefully somewhere famous, but that is just vanity), and then one day my great-grandchildren will be telling their children about their great-grandmother Sophie and by the time the story is over my great-great-grandchildren will have forgotten what my name is. Such is the nature of names.

But God tells us today “I am Who Am.” By the nature of the name “I am Who Am,” and the nature of God Himself, the name is not temporary. God does not die, even if his Son died on the cross. His divinity cannot die because he, God the Father, is not human.  So God’s name is eternal.

Before we were born, before the Earth was created, God Was. This is crazy to me because when I think of how excited people are to meet people who write amazing songs, or build amazing technology, it seems ironic that these same people are so not excited to go to church (if they do) to receive Christ in the Eucharist, or listen to his works in the Gospel, as the case may be. Think of it! Every time you receive Christ in the Eucharist, you’re receiving in the most intimate way possible He who made every cell in our bodies, every mitochondrion, and the whole world besides.

Scientists are still trying to figure out how much of the world even works, but God knows because He created it all. He knows the function of every single part of DNA, every protein, every cell, mysteries that it will take many years to uncover.

So what can you do about it?

Well, appreciate what God has made. If you’re thinking nasty things about a person, reflect that God created them too and instead of thinking or saying bad things, pray for them in a simple prayer, “Dear God, please draw ____ closer to Christ.” When you’re about to throw something recyclable into the garbage, think! Check the label and then recycle. Save plastic bags to recycle at special outlets around town. This might sound like too much work, but reflect that if you don’t, it’s going to sit decomposing very, very slowly in a landfill for thousands of years, releasing toxins into the life-giving dirt that God made, inhibiting the beauty of the earth that God created for us to keep care of.

So appreciate how beautifully things in the earth work. Think of others, and care for God’s creation.  And even though your name will one day be obsolete, God will remember every thought and action in Heaven, forever.

Ex 3:1-6, 9-12 The Burning Bush and Moses’ Peculiar Faith

Wednesday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time

(Click here for readings)

 

By Benedict Augustine

“There an angel of the LORD appeared to him in fire

flaming out of a bush.

As he looked on, he was surprised to see that the bush,

though on fire, was not consumed.

So Moses decided,

‘I must go over to look at this remarkable sight,

and see why the bush is not burned.’”

Every skeptic hopes to experience the miracle that Moses had experienced. An atheist friend of mine claimed smugly, “I want to have a “burning bush” moment. I want God to talk to me and prove He is there. Until then, I won’t be convinced.” To this, I could only sigh and fruitlessly argue that God’s miracles would be wasted on a skeptic who refuses to believe.

And I still think this is the case. If the average atheist encountered a burning bush, he would try to put it out, both literally and metaphorically. When he realizes that the bush burns miraculously and does not go out despite his efforts, he will seek to find a natural explanation, or more likely, he will summon an “expert” to give a natural explanation for the bush. Usually this will put the atheist’s mind as ease, but if doesn’t, then he might just have to conclude that current science has no explanation—yet—but it will soon enough, so there’s no point in examining the issue further (See: the Shroud of Turin, theDancing Sun of Fatima, the miracles at Lourde, the stigmata of Padre Pio, etc.)

Or, instead of going through the trouble of investigating the bush, the truly typical atheist will probably shrug his shoulders, assume the bush was for someone else, and ignore it as he does with most things he doesn’t understand.

All the while, the bush goes on burning in vain since the person for whom it was intended decided to wish it away instead of hear the message. Luckily, God knew beforehand that Moses, a man eager to rediscover the God of his ancestors, would respond.

What often goes unnoticed in this story, by atheists and Christians alike, is the context of burning bush. This might make one pause before he appeals to God to make Himself known.

God appears to Moses after Moses has left his home, suffering from something of an identity crisis. Because of the pharaoh’s decree to kill the Hebrew children, Moses, by the Grace of God, was given up by his mother and adopted by the pharaoh’s sister.  He grew up as an outsider at the court, knowing that he didn’t fit in. When he is an adult, he decides to take action for “his people,” a rather abstract concept for a man who grew up as an Egyptian, and kills one of the Egyptians who struck at a Hebrew. When this crime becomesknown by the Hebrews and Egyptians, Moses flees.

Later, Moses flies into action once more, helping some Hebrew damsels in distress. Some shepherds decide to harass and drive them away from a well, but Moses defends them and helps them draw water for their father’s flocks. He marries one of the daughters and lives the simple life as a shepherd. Thus, from living in the highest court in the land, he now lives off the land.

Moses’ concern for his people lies at the heart of his descent. Although one might say he simply wanted to find meaning in a world of gold and pagan hedonism—like many men today—he actually had the right idea of taking up arms for his people. The Hebrews were in trouble, serving as slaves, undergoing forced abortions, and questioning their own (like Moses) instead of questioning their oppressors. They needed a leader, and more importantly, the needed God.

God commissions Moses with a mammoth task that requires substantial faith along with the other virtues of leadership. In light of this fact, one could say that He appears to Moses because of His faith, not the lack thereof. It’s likely that there were more than a few skeptics among the Hebrews, who not only questioned God before the miracles, but even after the miracles! Obviously, people who didn’t believe in elevating their situation would hardly believe in a God that could save them.

Keeping in mind the context of the burning bush, one can conclude that God appears in times of crisis and will usually demand something. Furthermore, He only does this for those who can accept His mission. Seeing that He has a vocation for all men and women, it’s essential to understand this and open our hearts. For those who lack the willingness to listen, let alone respond, He will remain silent and leave them to their tyrants and idols.

On a deeper level, the story of the burning bush also suggests that a man who does not believe in God probably struggles with believing in himself and others. God picked Moses for a reason, and the reason isn’t obvious. Moses does little to distinguish himself as a leader, and most would call him a hypocrite for trying to identify as a Hebrew even when he grew up among Egyptian royalty.Nevertheless, God sees Moses’ self-confidence and his courage in leaving Egypt even when he could have enjoyed the good-life. Moses evidently believed in himself, and in his people, and likely in that hitherto unknown God he must have only heard rumors about.

Through his peculiar faith—which is certainly different from Abraham’s—Moses liberates himself from pagan Egypt. This self-liberation then qualifies him as liberator of others, both for the skeptics of his time and the skeptics today.

Mk 6:7-13 Shake It Off

Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
(Click here for readings)

By FR ALFONSE NAZZARO

Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over unclean spirits.  He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick - no food, no sack, no money in their belts.

Simplicity.  The Lord is instructing His followers to take very little with them on their journey. 

So what exactly are they to take?  The answer is remarkably simple:  HIM.  Jesus Christ.  And in order to take Jesus along, it is required they leave certain things behind.

Where you go, go with Him.  What you say, say it through Him.  What you do, do it in Him. 

It doesn't get any simpler than that. 

A long time ago I read "Gift from the Sea" by Anne Morrow Lindbergh.  It is a delightful little book (I don't know what I did with it, I think I let someone "borrow" it) regarding Mrs. Lindbergh's summer vacation along the seashore.  Anyways, this wonderful book contained lots of words of wisdom, including that of simplicity (or simple living).  Every summer, Mrs. Lindbergh would pack one suitcase and go live by the sea.  Sounds simple, right?  Well, she found tremendous value and liberation in doing so.

The Lord is inviting all His followers to do the same as well.  DO NOT COMPLICATE LIFE!

Complications.  We love to complicate things, especially life, and we tend to do it through our sins, especially the sins of pride, vanity and sensuality. 

Why was it so important to the Lord that the disciples only bring certain things and leave other things behind?  What's the big deal?

I'm sure all of you have heard of Donald Trump.  He's a multibillionaire running for President.  He takes pride (in a good way) in what he has accomplished.  But every time I listen to him, I get the feeling he thinks we need him more than he needs us.

The Lord doesn't want his disciples to get like that.  Hence, He has purposely made it extremely difficult for them to get by without the help of others. 

Simplicity makes it absolutely necessary to get along with others, and to never consider oneself above another.

Live your LIFE, your MARRIAGE, your RELATIONSHIPS, especially FRIENDSHIPS, without complicating them!

Shake it off.  If you ever wondered where Taylor Swift got her inspiration for her hit song, "Shake it off", then look no further then today's Gospel passage:  "Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you, leave there and shake the dust off your feet."

Don't pitch a fit!  Don't get angry!  Don't get resentful!  Don't feel stupid or dumb or embarrassed!  JUST MOVE ON!  Shake it off!

Whenever you feel like your life has become too complicated, then go back to the basics:

1.  Who am I?  I am a gift from God.
2.  What am I here for?  To be a saint.
3.  What does it mean to be a saint?  It means to be holy.
4.  What does it mean to be holy?  It means to know how to love.
5.  What does it mean to love?  It means to freely give and forgive.

That's it.  Simple as 1,2,3,4,5.

I guess this is also what it means to be a visionary (cf. Am 7:12-15).

Mt 10:24-33 Secrets Revealed

Memorial of Saint Benedict, Abbot
By JENNIFER BURGIN

(Click Here for Readings)

Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known. What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light; what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul;  rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.

Do you harbor a deep dark secret nobody knows about?  Is this secret eating away at you like a bleeding ulcer leaving you irritable, nervous, and restless?  What would it feel like to let go of the secret, receiving the Lord's healing mercy and forgiveness?

Secrets Revealed   Recently, I watched a TED Talk by Frank Warren who in 2005 began a community mail art project called Post Secret.  As part of the project, people send "anonymous" postcards sharing their most intimate secrets.  No censorship is placed on the content although people are asked to tell the truth.   Every Sunday, Frank posts 10 new secrets on his website.  I've monitored the site for the past couple of months and find the posts very interesting.  Some secrets display humor while others jaw-dropping seriousness.  Secrets can be downright repulsive at times, leaving me scratching my head wondering the sanity of the person holding the secret.  What I find most intriguing is the raw honesty behind the postcards. Some of the "revelations" are quite thought-provoking. They prove how human beings are all "wounded" in one way or another. We have strange hang-ups and "hiccups" that people may even relate to.  Yet,  God still loves his children regardless of the "secrets" revealed under the anonymity of snail mail or the Internet.

Every now and then a postcard appears with a religious flair. Here are a few examples which make me think "Hmmm..."

"I've been an atheist for years but sometimes I miss church.  Tell your God I said "Hi."

"I wish God missed me...Like I miss him."

"I am proud to say I am well on my way to becoming the adult I prayed for as a kid."

"Working in a funeral home has made me appreciate my own life."

I read the posts from writers who wrestle with God. I often wonder what happened in their lives which made them turn away from religion in general. Did they suffer abuse or neglect?  Did they grow up in a family who didn't believe in God?  Do they hold a lot of guilt and anger?  I find "secrets" relating to atheism to be particularly insightful.  Sadly, I have more questions than answers.

Jesus' Secrets to Ministry    Jesus reveals to his disciples what I like to think of as useful "secrets" to effective ministry.  The Apostles are being taught what it means to be a teacher and a disciple.  Jesus tells them not to be afraid. People will doubt and ridicule.  People won't always be willing to listen to the good news.  People will harbor secrets in the recesses of their hearts.  Even Christ will tell the Apostles advice "undercover" that will ultimately need to be shared with others in compassionate ways.

God knows all of our "secrets" even when we do not openly share them.  I find secrets often relate closely to sin.  We naturally want to stick our hands in the sand and run away when we've done something wrong.  The best way for secrets to be revealed is through the Sacrament of Confession.  Through the privacy of a priest, we can let go of our sin and receive forgiveness.  We don't necessarily have to resort to sending an anonymous postcard in the mail to confess a secret bothering our conscience.

If a long time has lapsed, perhaps it's time to make an appointment with Christ in the confessional.

Saint Benedict, Pray for Us!

"Isn't it astonishing that all these secrets have been preserved for so many years just so we could discover them!"  -Orville Wright