Mk 6:45-52 Loosening Hearts

Wednesday after Epiphany

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By BENEDICT AUGUSTINE

“He got into the boat with them and the wind died down.

They were completely astounded.

They had not understood the incident of the loaves.

On the contrary, their hearts were hardened.”

Jesus continues to surprise the disciples. Just a few days ago, he multiplied five loaves and two fish to feed a crowd of over five thousand people, having twelve baskets of leftovers after the meal. On this occasion, he walks on water—in a storm, no less—and enters the disciples’ boat teetering among the waves and calms the wind with his entry. Despite a the great feats, a tinge of melancholy appears afterward: instead of increasing their faith, the miracles seem to do the opposite.

Up to this point, the disciples had witnessed many miracles of Jesus and heard his teachings; calming the waters should not have surprised them. Because it surprised them, and surprises modern audiences, they fail to see the truth behind the miracles. Instead their hearts harden as they likely debate their own sanity as Jesus settles himself in the boat. The storm of confusion still assails their minds despite the actual storm disappearing around them. They focus on the spectacle, the effect, and lose sight of the source, the cause.

Rather, they should have recognized that Jesus was God Incarnate and had command over the elements should the world pose obstacles against him—and the world frequently does. This is true on a spiritual plane: even if a soul should isolate himself in middle of an endless sea of doubt, paranoia, and solipsism, Jesus will cross the waters, stop the storms, and tell that person to overcome their fears and accept Him. This is also true in a physical way: the gospel has found its way across vast oceans, deserts, and wild jungles to convert those ready to repent and receive Christ.

More than anyone, the disciples needed to learn this lesson, for they too would have to walk on water and tell their audiences to “take courage” and “not be afraid.” They would have to calm the winds of adversity blowing through the ages, especially in those first few centuries after the Church’s founding.

Moreover, they could not rely on the proliferation of miracles to spreadthe gospel. Miracles are always a means, never an end to conversion. Contrary to the false notion of atheists who idolize the god Science, Christianity does not spread because of miracles and gullible peasants believing in them. Christianity spreads because of the love Christians have for one another as well as for their persecutors. The miracles they perform manifest the love they have. The magnitude of Jesus’ miracles indicates just how much love He had for His fellow men.

For this reason, John’s letter preaches love, not miracles. The Christian responds to God’s gift of Jesus with love: “if God so loved us, we also must love one another.” Through Jesus, God first models love, which can then be imitated by all men with open hearts. Real love, the love “that remains in God and God in him,” obviously does not rest on the tumultuous waves of ephemeral feelings; it walks over the waves with ease. Real love does not suffer the buffeting of the winds; it calms those winds.

Christian love, embodied by Christ, preserved by His Church, nurtured by God’s children, outlasts the storms of politics, economics, culture, and other such factors that determine the fate of civilizations. It is the miracle that causes all other miracles.

Mk 6:34-44 Steering and Feeding

Tuesday after Epiphany
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When Jesus saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd... By now it was already late and his disciples approached him and said, "This is a deserted place and it is already very late.  Dismiss them so that they can go...and buy themselves something to eat."  He said to them in reply, "Give them some food yourselves."

In today's Gospel passage, our Lord touches on two touchy issues:  lives without direction and endless needs. 

Sheep without a shepherd.  Life without direction is a sin, for it's a waste of precious time.  It's like walking in the dark and bumping into everything.  Or worse, it's like walking in the dark with a turned off flashlight in your hand.  It's time to turn on the flashlight!

Christ is our light.  He is our truth!  And the truth is we need benchmarks - a standard - a high standard  - something or someone we can measure our performance against and bounce our lives off of. 

No man is an island, even if stranded on an island.  Like it or not, believe it or not, we allow others to influence us, even when we deny it.  So the question really is:  who or what is my shepherd?  Who or what is guiding me?  Is it the wind?  Is it despair?  Is it anger, revenge or resentment?  Is it fears?  There are plenty of stars out there, but not all of them are worth following. 

So the question isn't so much "Where are the stars?" but "Which star must I follow"?  Christ knows our needs and He answers our need for light, for meaning and purpose...for LEADERSHIP!

When Jesus saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd.  "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest" (cf. Mt 11:28).

Endless needs.  "By now it was already late and his disciples approached him and said, "This is a deserted place and it is already very late.  Dismiss them so that they can go...and buy themselves something to eat."  He said to them in reply, "Give them some food yourselves."

We have needs, and we will always have needs.  We will never be satisfied with what we have.  We will never have enough:  never enough clothes or money or stability or confidence or love or attention or affection.  We will never have enough time!

A few days ago I celebrated a funeral Mass for a woman who died at the age of 93. Her younger sister (age 90), told me she felt like she didn't have enough time with her sister.  I just looked at her and thought to myself:  Did she want her to live another 100 years!!! 

But she was right. We never have enough time.

We are needy.

Christ invites us to take our meager belongings and merge them with his grandeur!  Think big; think holy.  Think meaningfully; think sacrificially.  Think Jesus; think eternally.

We have been given a tremendous desire, thirst and hunger - appetite! - for things our world can never give and that this world will ever be able to satisfy.  Why?  Because we were made for infinite and beyond! 

We will never be content with having what is necessary for survival.  We were meant to discover.  Christ is the answer to our prayers, desires, needs and wants. 

Christ satisfies our needs.  He gives us what we need most:  GOD. 

John 1:29-34 John Testifies about Jesus

Christmas Weekday
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By GABY HUNDZA

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.” Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.”

The verse that sticks out to me in this reading is verse 31, “I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.” Baptism was his way to find Jesus, as we are united with Christ through baptism.

On my last day of camp this past summer, I witnessed two girls get baptized. They had not been introduced to God prior to coming to camp, but after learning about Him and experiencing His love they strived to grow closer to Him. It was incredible seeing the joy of two girls uniting themselves with Christ and choosing to walk with him!

Baptism transforms us in many ways; we are made new. When we are born, we are bound to original sin, but through baptism we are freed from our sin. We are cleansed by the baptismal water. Baptism is an act of repentance, but it’s more than just that.

We are reborn through the sacrament; we become children of God, and we are united with the Spirit. This is such an incredible thought: when someone is adopted, it’s a permanent seal into that family. In a similar way, when we are baptized, God is adopting us into his family. We will always be his children, and his love for us is never ending!

Baptism is the basis of our Christian life, and it is the beginning of our journey of faith. This is our first declaration of our faith, and after this sacrament is complete, our journey truly begins.

Mt 4:12-17, 23-25 Keeping Our God and our Head On Straight

Monday after the Epiphany
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By KATIE GROSS

From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say,

“Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

… And great crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan followed him.

​Yesterday the Church celebrated the Epiphany, when we remember the three magi and their journey towards the child Jesus. In today’s readings, we flash forward to the public ministry of Jesus where it is impossible to miss the parallel: Jesus is himself the new star that many begin to follow. What does it really mean to follow Jesus, though?

​Yesterday I went to Mass at All Saints celebrated by Fr. Alfonse and he shared something I felt was very profound in his homily (shout out to Father!) He reminded us that we have to have some kind of benchmark or guidance in our faith, or else we will just end up following our own crazy will. After all, the wise men had both the star and the knowledge of the scholars to guide them.  

​On that same note, today’s first reading from 1 John says: “Beloved, do not trust every spirit but test the spirits to see whether they belong to God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” Today’s world is full of these “false prophets” that try to draw us away from the truth, whether they be people or things or cultural attitudes. That got me thinking about something that has been the subject of my reflection a lot lately: how do we ‘test’ things as John advises us? How are we supposed to know that what we are doing is in accord with the will of God? What are the ‘benchmarks’ we should look for to know we are on the right track?

​Remember that phrase “false prophets.” It also appears in Matthew chapter 7:

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but underneath are ravenous wolves. By their fruits you will know them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Just so, every good tree bears good fruit, and a rotten tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a rotten tree bear good fruit… So by their fruits you will know them.”

​So by their fruits you will know them. What are these fruits? For starters, if your decisions and lifestyle are truly guided by the Holy Spirit,your life should bear the fruits of the Spirit described in Galatians 5: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Have you begun to choose a lifestyle that has made you less kind, good, gentle, or faithful? Young people: have you chosen to hang with a group of friends that lacks kindness or goodness or self-control? At some point, all of us have made decisions that deprive us of these fruits of the Spirit. It is almost always a sign that we have stumbled down a wrong path.

​Another little ‘test’ that I really enjoy is something that a theology teacher shared with me my freshman year of high school. Somebody posed the question to the class: how do we know if the spiritual ‘inclinations’ we feel are really from God or just manifestations of our own will? The teacher quoted Padre Pio. It went something like: “If something is your own will, it will initially cause peace and then fear; if something is from God, it will initially cause fear and then a deep peace.”

​Of course, these things are great little ‘tests’ and examinations of conscience for us. However, nothing beats consistent prayer. Consistent prayer is like the Magi following the star, or like the early disciples following Christ—they had constant contact with God. If the Apostles started acting out of line, Jesus quickly corrected them and led them back down the right path, simply because they were constantly around Him. If we stay in touch with Jesus through a stable prayer life, we greatly reduce our risk of being led astray by these “false prophets.” Have you ever slacked a little in your prayer life and then found yourself feeling very uncharitable (a nicer way to say rude and grumpy)? As a seventeen-year-old girl I can testify to that! Prayer is real stuff.
 

​If we follow these ‘benchmarks,’ as Father says, we can be assured that we are doing everything in our power to follow the will of God.

Mt 2:1-12 Holy Markers!

Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord
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When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, "Where is the newborn king of the Jews?  We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage."

We all seek epiphanies throughout our lives.  We want to see God.  We want to experience His presence.  But how?  Today's Gospel passage reveals some markers towards the God of Jesus Christ. 

Holy Friends.  We cannot underestimate the influence of friends, good and bad.  Friends can lift up our hearts, build us up and raise us up.  But there's a huge difference between follows, fans and friends.  Real fiends are few and far between.  Throughout my life I have run into thousands of people.  Of these, only a handful have been true friends - that is, people who would stand by me if tough times fell upon me.  Unfortunately, over time, some "friends" (I prefer "followers" or "fans") begin to "demand" more and more time, attention and even affection.  They begin to use the phrases, "You owe me..." or "You don't care about us..." ...which is truly unfortunate and unpleasant.  They are the first to criticize and the first to point a finger.

That's the way it is. 

Friendships are a treasure.  And we all need them.  But let's not fool ourselves to think they depend solely on how we treat others.  Let's not forget how few friends the Lord had throughout His life time.  And He was an awesome guy!  Let's not forget how many friends stood beside him at the foot of the Cross!

Good friends - Holy Friends - help us to get to Jesus.  We should seek a friendship with wise men and women who follow the star of David and the Son of God.

Holy Paths.  There is a difference between being spiritual and being religious, but all religious people are spiritual people.  We, religious people, who participate in "organized" religion (including those who belong to non-denominational churches) began our journey on a spiritual inclination, a hunch.  We were seeking someone, maybe even some thing.  Likewise, before a star appeared in the sky, the wise men were seeking some one, the King of kings.  But they didn't go on a wild goose chase.  They sought out markers - guides - to help them on their quest.  They sought out the advice of religious experts - chief priests and scribes - with the hope their advice, their counsel, their knowledge and their understanding of Scripture would lead them to their ultimate goal:  the Son of the Most High. 

Are you on your journey alone?  Are you on a wild goose chase?  Are you trying to reinvent the wheel and start your own church? 

Stay on the road!  Keep the commandments.  Live the Beatitudes.  Stay off the curbs!  Avoid sinning.

The Church and the Holy Scriptures are two paths that lead us to Jesus Christ.  Sure, there are many paths to heaven, as many as there are people, but Scripture and the Church's teachings help us to get to the King safe and sound, with as few cuts and wounds as possible in this life! 

Holy Stars.  There are many different types of stars in the sky.  There are many different types of stars in our world.  There are Hollywood stars, athletic stars and music stars.  But what is in common with all these stars is that they all come and go.  The reason?  Because they point to themselves.  In contrast, what makes a star a holy star is that it points to something else:  a child in a manger.  "We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage" (cf. Mt 2:2).

Still, I believe that all stars, whether secular or non-Christian, point indirectly to Jesus Christ.  In fact, all things  - science, philosophy, religion, politics, relationships, friendships, animate and inanimate things - point to the creator and redeemer of the world.   

As you can see, the Lord has provided many markers to get to Him:  Holy friends (saints living and dead); Holy paths (Scripture and Church) and Holy Stars (life's wonders).  
 
Come, let us adore Him.

1 Jn 2:29-3:6 In The Holy Name of Jesus

Saturday Before Epiphany
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By JENNIFER BURGIN

The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.  Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope based on him makes himself pure, as he is pure.

Over Christmas weekend, I watched the riveting film Unbroken  based on the true story of Louis Zamperini, US Olympic runner and World War II bombardier.  This outstanding movie depicts the ugliness of war and one man's resilience against life-threatening odds. How any man can survive 46 days in a tiny life raft on the ocean and then 2 years as a Japanese prisoner of war is truly a remarkable feat.

In one movie scene, Louis is so desperate to be saved from the raft while exposed to starvation, sharks and scorching sunlight,  he prays: "God, if you rescue me I will serve you the rest of my life!"  Years later he kept his promise by returning to Japan and forgiving each one of his captors.  He took Christ's command "Love Thy Enemy" seriously.

What is in a name? Before a child is born, parents carefully choose a name.  The name is usually of significance; for example, naming a child after a family member. Sometimes people select off-the-wall names, especially Hollywood celebrities.  Why name a child Moonflower, Willow, Apple, Blue or even Hennessey like the liquor?! Strangeness draws attention.

The Holy Name of Jesus causes a lot of attention; not attention because it's weird but because it's holy. Jesus in Hebrew means "God Saves."  The name was proclaimed by the Angel Gabriel, signifying God's commitment to humanity.  Why doubt for a moment that God hears and answers prayers?  Why think God doesn't understand our sufferings?  Louis Zamperini's inspiring story is a perfect testimony of God's divine providence.

The world does not know us  Recently, I read a news story about a woman who bought a Playstation 4 as a Christmas present for her boyfriend.  Upon opening the box, two bibles were tucked neatly in place of the gaming system.  The woman felt she "ruined" Christmas for her boyfriend.  Also, the boyfriend remarked that he "didn't want the bibles unless they were autographed by Jesus himself."  Interesting comment; yet, it highlights general ignorance and indifference toward Christ.  Most likely this man doesn't even realize his bibles stand the test of time and are worth much more than a popular gaming system which will become obsolete in a year or two!  

Jesus "autographs" his name throughout the books of the New Testament.  Read the beautiful stories of Christ's forgiveness and healing and discover a treasure trove of wisdom. A spiritual "autograph" is much more meaningful than a physical one.

Today, think about what The Holy Name of Jesus means to you.  Does the name Jesus bring about fulfillment and joy, or guilt and fear?  Do you have a close personal relationship with Jesus or is he simply just a name in a news story?  Don't allow sin to interfere with devotion to Christ.  His Holy Name purifies, clarifies, and sanctifies!

In conclusion, here is an original poem I wrote self-titled "In The Holy Name of Jesus"

In The Holy Name of Jesus,

My heart becomes pure,

So full of peace and joy,

I know I will endure.

Adversity and challenge,

Burden and strife,

Troubles and obstacles,

Will not destroy my life.

I pray to The Holy Name,

Of Jesus the Lord above,

His Love is unconditional,

His Forgiveness like no other!

His Name purifies,

His Name glorifies,

His Name clarifies,

His Name sanctifies.

The Holy Name of Jesus,

Wraps His arms in mine.

He cares and protects me,

I know everything will be fine!

This meditation was written by Jennifer Burgin.  She is a Lay Dominican associated with Albert The Great Dominican Priory in Irving, TX.  Please follow her blog:  Jennifer's Spectrum of Spirituality

Lk 2:16-21 Mary, The Mother of God

Solemnity of  Mary, the Holy Mother of God
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The shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger.  When they saw this, they made known the message that had been told them about this child.  All who heard it were amazed by what had been told them by the shepherds.  And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.

New Year's Day.  I want to wish all my friends who read this blog a very happy and blessed NEW YEAR!!!  We made it!  We made it through another revolution; that is, another revolution around the sun!  "Astrophysically" (actually, astronomically) speaking, its no big deal.  Just another lap around the sun.  But psychologically speaking, it's a big deal.  We need these types of festivities to put things to rest, including time, maybe 2014?!

Yes, we need to feel like we can close the door and not look back and open up a new one.  We need to feel like we can begin again, make a fresh new start, and have hope in the future. 

But lets not forget that language and our universe speak highly of the mysteries of faith!  There are so many delightful things outside of Scripture that we can reflect on to help strengthen our faith.  For example, the English language offers us a wonderful homonym that we can employ to help us reflect on our relationship with God.  I find it playfully delightful and highly useful that "sun" sounds very much like "Son."   

So with this in mind, and with the New Year upon us, let's get started. 

Christ is the light and life of the world.  Christ is the light of the world.  He is the Son who gives life to all things and sheds light on all things.  We need Him.  All people need Him!  Our world needs Him!!!  Hence, for our survival it's important we stay close to Him at all times.  We need the Son in our life as much as the sun, for without the sun the world would cease to have life, and without the Son, we will surely annihilate ourselves and our world. 

Stay close to the Son.  Similar to the sun, Jesus brings warmth to the world.  He doesn't just brighten our days; He brings warmth to our days!  It's elementary:  the closer we are to Him, the warmer we will get. The further away we get from him, the colder we get.  It's not astrophysics!  You don't need to have a PhD to figure this out.  It's as obvious as the winter months and as sunny as the summer months.  Stay close to me, sonny!

Mary, the Mother of God.  In a very healthy and natural way, Mary's life revolved around her son.  Everything she said and everything she did was for the glory of God.  Her life was an echo of His life.  And at times, His life was an echo of her life.  After all, she taught him how to pray.  She taught him how to appreciate nature, especially the lilies and the birds.  But let's get one thing straight:  Mary wasn't a helicopter mom!  She was a prayerful mom.  She new how to let go and let God.  Learn to let go and let God. 

Mary is a wonderful example of how faithful we can be; how loving we can be; and how beautiful we can get. She lived close to her son, even when separated by miles and death.   

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you.  Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.  Amen.