His Word Today: Motivation

Good morning everyone,

Every day is a new gift, a new opportunity to do something wonderful. However how many of us stop to think about doing things that are wonderful for the sake of someone else? In fact the duty of a Christian is to look first and foremost for the  Face of Jesus in the people that we meet every day. Mother Theresa of Calcutta was one of those who perfected this art. Every day she looked for the face of Jesus in the people she met.

In today's gospel passage, we hear the words of Jesus that might be addressed to us as well:  anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to me ...  Will not lose his reward (Mk 9:41). We could turn these words around and picture not us as the receptionists of good work but rather those who are in need. How often do we give simple things to those in need?  Sometimes, what we give is not so important. Rather, what is important is that we respond to the needs of those who are in our midst.

Be on the lookout today for those who are in need. We have no idea what they will need or when they will need it. We don't even know if we will have what others will need. All we can do is open our eyes and look with faith. Jesus will do the rest of the work. He will place us on the paths of those who need to find him. He will place us on the paths of those who need to hear his words. He will even give us the courage to act as his disciples.

Have a great day. 

His Word Today: Others

Good morning everyone,

What's the saying?  No one can do the job as well as I can?  How often have we found ourselves in a position where we are called upon to instruct someone else about how to carry out a specific task, and then entrust them with the responsibility to perform that task ... only to discover that the other person doesn't do the job like we would, or as well as we would?

In today's gospel, the disciples come looking for Jesus, complaining that some else was driving out demons in the name of Jesus (cf Mk 9:38).  Their reaction is a very typical human behaviour.  After all, they had been the ones who spent all the time in training with Jesus.  How then could it be that someone else just happened to begin driving out demons?

Jesus' response to their inquiry gives us a glimpse into his heart, which is much larger and more curious than we might imagine.  He says: Do not stop him.  There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me (Mk 9:39).  This response necessitates a much wider view, and that is exactly what our God possesses: a much wider view of the situation than we do.

Let us pray today for the grace to see the world as God does: with a wider view of reality that includes the dimension of divine love.  Perhaps then we will be able to perceive the mighty deeds that surprise us, and understand them as proof of work that is beyond our own capacity.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Retreat

Good morning everyone,

In today's gospel passage (Mk 9:30-37), we hear about a moment when the disciples were on retreat: meaning that they were travelling with Jesus and he did not want anyone to know about it (Mk 9:30), as though they were to spend time only with him.  This is what it's like when we come away with the Lord to spend time on retreat: we take time away from the normal demands of daily life in order to spend time with him.

The first time we experience a retreat of this kind can be an un-nerving experience for some, especially if we are not used to spending that much time focused on listening for His voice, or spending that much time allowing Him to be present to us, yet such moments can be extremely rewarding because it is often in such experiences - away from the hustle and bustle of daily routines that we can allow ourselves to come face to face with ourselves, with the questions that the Lord wants to ask of us and with the preoccupations that sometimes hold us back from truly listening to his voice.

In the case of the disciples, when they took time to simply be in his presence, they came face to face with their own question: Who among us is the greatest? (Mk 9:34)  Interestingly, when they finally admitted this truth to him, he sat down, called them to him and taught them the true meaning of leadership through service (Mk 9:35-37).  What about us?  Are we still hesitant to admit the questions that preoccupy us?  Can we dare to place these questions before the Lord in prayer?  Are we ready to hear his answers?  They will never harm us, and they may even teach us something about his understanding of love and service.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Accompany

Good morning everyone,

A very important Meeting for the Protection of Minors in the Church has just concluded at the Vatican.  Pope Francis called for this meeting because he recognized that the Church needs to be serious about protecting minors if we are to have any hope of re-establishing the credibility among God's people that we once had.  It is important that we learn to listen attentively to those who present cases of children and adolescents who have been harmed, and that we do all in our power to provide for their care so that the wounds that have been inflicted can heal.

Today's gospel passage (Mk 9:14-29) provides an example of a child who has been possessed by a mute spirit (Mk 9:17).  Jesus takes the time to listen to the child's father who pleads for his son and is compassionate.  This is the first step in any such situation where healing is required.  Eventually, the father brings his son to Jesus so that he can see for himself the extent of the damage that has been done, and Jesus - who has established a relationship of trust with the boy's father - reassures him that it is possible for his son to be healed (Mk 9:20-24).  Finally, Jesus prayed in the presence of the possessed child and commanded the spirit to come out (Mk 9:25).

Every person who is entrusted with a level of leadership in the Church must learn to do as Jesus did - to welcome those who plead for their children, to listen attentively as they tell their stories, to establish relationships of trust and then to do all in our power to bring about the healing that is needed.  This is delicate but necessary work if we are to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, helping our brothers and sisters to overcome the scourge that has possessed them so that they can be set free.

Have a great day.

A defining moment

Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you (Lk 6:27-28). The gospel passage that we have just heard describes a defining moment in the ministry of Jesus and in the lives of his disciples.  There were a few such moments during the time that the disciples shared with Jesus when he described a way of life that was – and still is – very different from the life that his followers had been used to living until then.  Ever since that moment, those who have followed in his footsteps have been trying to put those words into practice ... including us.

This week, there is a special Meeting taking place in Rome, one that has drawn the attention of many in our country and indeed around the world.  At the very beginning of their meeting, Pope Francis set the tone:  In the light of the scourge of sexual abuse perpetrated by ecclesiastics to the great harm of minors, I wanted to consult with you, Patriarchs, Cardinals, Archbishops, Bishops and Religious Superiors and Leaders, so that together we might listen to the Holy Spirit and, in docility to his guidance, hear the cry of the little ones who plead for justice (Pope Francis, Introductory Remarks, 21 February 2019).

In various parts of the world, Bishops and other Leaders in the Church have been listening to the cries of the little ones – children, teenagers and adults – who have been crying out for justice, but unfortunately, too many of these voices have been ignored.  Not any more!  This is a defining moment in the history of the Church.  For far too long, we have not wanted to stand face to face with the truth that innocent people have suffered unspeakable harm and the result is that the reputation of the Church and of her members has suffered and continues to suffer.  Many of those who once placed great trust in us have turned away because when they needed us, we too turned our backs.  Not any more!

From a human point of view, it does not seem natural for us to want to love our enemies, to do good to those who hate us, to bless those who curse us or to pray for those who abuse us, but these are precisely the attitudes that have defined Jesus’ disciples throughout the centuries.  He never wanted us to be like everyone else.  He wanted us to set an example so that others would see a different way.

On Wednesday of this week, prior to the beginning of the Meeting in Rome, the members of the Organizing committee met with 12 people who have suffered abuse – men and women from different parts of the world, who wanted to share their stories.  In addition, each of the participants who is present for these Meetings has brought stories of others who have also suffered. 

Skeptics would have us believe that nothing will come of the meetings that are taking place in Rome this week, but the gospel by which we live challenges us to show the world that this is indeed a defining moment in the life of the Church.  The holy people of God are watching, and we must all pray that this Meeting in Rome will result not in simple and predictable condemnations, but concrete and effective measures to be undertaken.

His Word Today: the Chair of Saint Peter

Good morning everyone,

Today the Church celebrates the Feast of the Chair of Saint Peter. This is the day on which all Catholics across the world celebrate our unity. The Chair of Saint Peter refers to the chair on which Saint Peter, the first pope sat while he served in charity.

To this day the Bishop of Rome, that is to say the pope, is the successor and living sign of Saint Peter still among us. The gospel passage for today places upon the lips of Jesus the question: and who do you say that I am? (Mt 16:15) This question must be answered not only by popes but by all of those who follow in the footsteps of Jesus.

This week in Rome, the pope is presiding over a meeting of all Presidents of Episcopal Conferences from all over the world. Together they are listening to testimonies from those who have been abused by clergy and trying to establish policies that will protect all minors in the Church. This is indeed a dark chapter in the life of the Church, however it is also a moment when we must learn how to be close to those who have been hurt. As Cardinal Antonio Tagle reminded those who were there at the meeting, we must learn from this experience how not to deny allegations against the integrity of the Church but rather to investigate them and to bring the truth to light.

Let us pray today that the challenges of our day will not darken the light that the Lord wants the church to bear. It is important that the light of faith be shared with all peoples so that we will not lose our way but rather that we will continue to be prophetic for the sake of all those who look to us.

Have a good day.

His Word Today: Saint Peter Damian

Good morning everyone,

Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Peter Damian (circa 1007 - 21 or 22 February 1072 or 1073), a Benedictine Monk and a Cardinal who was later declared a Doctor of the Church (1828).  Peter's childhood was not an easy one.  He was orphaned at an early age and then raised by a number of his elder siblings until one of them agreed to provide an education for him.

Peter was an important figure in a time when the Church was in great need of reform.  At such a time which called for change, Peter encouraged the followers of Jesus to go back to their own roots, to examine their own willingness to be faithful to the call to discipleship.  In the words of the evangelist Mark, we might say that it was critical to Peter Damian that Christ's followers ask themselves the same question that Christ himself asked of the disciples: Who do you say I am? (Mk 8:29).

Inspired by the example of Saint Peter Damian, let us seek today to be faithful followers of our divine master.  Let us begin our day by asking ourselves: Who do I say that the son of man is? ... and how does my answer to that question determine the extent of my commitment to following him?

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Gentleness

Good morning everyone,

Every time we encounter Jesus, we have another opportunity to observe how he works.  Even if we do not get to observe the miraculous outcomes of Jesus' efforts, we must admit that he worked with remarkable tenderness, especially with those who had been wounded and with those who were suffering.

Saint Mark tells us today that when Jesus and his disciples arrived in Bethsaida, people brought to him a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him (Mk 8:22).  The people believed that with one touch, Jesus could restore this man's sight, but Jesus was infinitely tender and careful with him, perhaps because he knew how fragile this man was and how much extra care he needed.

Have we ever had an awareness of the infinite gentleness with with Jesus approaches each of us?  Although Jesus will always invite us to enter into relationship, He will never force us to cooperate; rather he will always open his own heart and allow us to come close ... at our own pace, until we are comfortable in His presence.  And what about us?  Do we invite others to approach with such infinite gentleness?  Do we take the risk of opening our hearts and inviting others to come close?

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Confidence

Good morning everyone,

Throughout the time he spent with the disciples, Jesus tried to instil confidence in them.  The process included calling them to live a new life, and day after day, finding ways to reassure them that they were capable of being living examples of joy, love and forgiveness for others.  A key part of their confidence was drawn from their own ability to recognize that their strength and conviction came every day from their connection to Jesus.

The same is true for us today.  Each of us who is a disciple of Jesus is still a living sign of Jesus' joy, love and forgiveness, but like the original disciples, we must feed our souls on the presence of Jesus so that we can understand that he is the bread - the source of nourishment - that we need (cf Mk 8:14).

As others come to us today, looking for guidance, let us dare to point them to the source of the nourishment that we feed on - the bread of Jesus' joy, love and forgiveness.  These sources will never let us down.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Bravery

Good morning everyone,

Usually, when we read the gospels, we hear about the powerful signs that Jesus was able to accomplish.  It is rare that he refused to help those who came to him ... except in this circumstance.  The Pharisees - the ones who were responsible for maintaining the orthodoxy of the Jewish faith asked him for a sign, but they really were not interested in seeking good.  Rather, they were trying to test him, and he knew that their intentions were not entirely pure.

With great bravery in the face of those who had established power, Jesus dared to refuse their request:  Amen, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation (Mk 8:12).  I wonder what the faces of those Pharisees must have looked like in response to such words.

Sometimes, we all need to pray for the gift of paresia (holy bravery) in order to speak the truths that need to be spoken, regardless of those who may hear them and regardless of the results that may ensue.  Ask the Lord to give you the gift of holy bravery today so that you can courageously share the truth that is already living in your heart.  Our world needs such courage, more than you might think.

Have a great day.

Everyone is loved

On Monday of this past week, the World Day of the Sick was celebrated in various parts of the world, including right here in this city.  Priests from the various parishes in the surrounding area were here for a meeting and this opportunity also gave us a chance to visit patients in the hospital, at Saint Joseph’s Manor and at the Oaks.  As we visited, we saw many smiling faces and heard many people thank us for our presence on that day.  It was important for us to be close to those who are sick on that day so that we could touch the wounds of our brothers and sisters (His Holiness, Pope Francis), and so that they could know of God’s closeness to them in their time of need.

Today’s gospel passage gives a detailed account of those in the time of Jesus who were most often ignored by the rest of society, and even today, they help us to understand that there is an important difference between valuing someone for the sake of something we can hold on to in this life, and truly loving them for who they are, in spite of the fact that they might have nothing.  In fact this is the very reason why we gather here week after week.  We come to worship our God who has always looked upon us with a loving glance, ever since the moment when we were conceived.

Imagine for a moment the surprise with which that crowd must have heard Jesus’ words: Blessed are you who are poor ... blessed are you who are hungry ... blessed are you who weep ... blessed are you when people hate you ... exclude you, revile you and defame you on account of the Son of Man (Lk 6:20-23).  In fact, even today, we need to hear these words.  They provide a valuable reminder that each and every one of us is precious in the eyes of God.  Far too often, we might forget this simple but profound truth, and find ourselves reacting to others, and maybe even judging others according to the measure of this world.  Rather, we should always try to see the world through the eyes of faith, and never lose sight of the fact that we are all brothers and sisters; each of us is infinitely loved by our God who created us.

The prophet Jeremiah explained the infinite love that God has for us in this way: Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord (Jer 17:7).  Perhaps, we might ask ourselves: how implicitly do I trust in the Lord?  Do I place all matters in God’s hands, or do I try to take matters into my own hands, even though I know that God will never provide anything that would harm me?  Do I truly believe that God will always love me, and only seek that which will be good for me?

It might be difficult for us to truly believe this, but we would not be the first to doubt.  Saint Paul wrote to the early Christians in Corinth at a time when they too were experiencing doubts about whether it was actually true that Jesus was the Christ, the chosen and beloved Son of God, and that he had risen from the dead.  Listen again to what he says: If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people, most to be pitied ... but Christ has been raised from the dead (1 Cor 15:19-20).  This is the good news that all Christians need to know: Christ has been raised from the dead.  We need to share this good news with everyone we meet, so that we all can come to believe that we are God’s precious children.

His Word Today: Willingness

Good morning everyone,

Something that strikes me about the gospel passage that is quoted for today's liturgy is the fact that Jesus was always willing to help those who were truly in need.  Saint Mark recounts the details of his travel to the Decapolis (Mk 7:31-32). This was a relatively sparsely populated part of Israel at the time. In that place, he encountered a man who was deaf and who had a speech impediment. The people asked Jesus to help him.

It is interesting to note that if it weren't for the other people - who actually remain nameless - this deaf-mute might never have met Jesus.

If we are indeed a people who have already heard Jesus speak,  then we are already on the way to becoming better disciples. However it is part of the job description of a disciple to seek out those who are in need of Jesus' help. It is up to us to identify those of our brothers and sisters who are in need and to invite them into a living relationship with the one who we have already met.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Saints Cyril and Methodius

Good morning everyone,

Today, the Church celebrates the Memorial of Saints Cyril and Methodius, two brothers who were Byzantine Christian theologians and missionaries.  They lived in the ninth century and are most well known for devising the Glagolitic alphabet, the first alphabet used to transcribe Old Church Slavonic.

Their missionary spirit is also echoed in today's gospel passage.  Jesus went to the district of Tyre and there he met a Syrophoenician woman who was concerned for her daughter's health.  Thanks to the woman's sound arguments, Jesus granted her wish and healed her daughter.  This gesture of inclusion shows us that the good news of the Gospel is meant for everyone.

Perhaps today we can ask ourselves whether or not we have a missionary spirit.  Are we able to look beyond the barriers that sometimes divide us from our brothers and sisters?  Only in this way can we truly enact the good news of the gospel.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: From Within

 Good morning everyone,

Jesus speak some interesting words today which end up challenging some of the dietary laws that were emphasized by the leaders of his time. Knowing that they were  looking at him with detrimental eyes, he  explained that food that enters the body from the outside cannot defile the body. This must have caught everyone by surprise. He dared to challenge the teachings of his religious superiors.

 Jesus challenged the teachings of his day on many such occasions. The reason why was because he wanted to  show us that religion is not a matter of laws for the sake of laws. Rather it is about  establishing a value system based on love.  If the value system of love is at the centre of our relationships then we will understand that dietary laws are meant to help us but never to constrain us.

Jesus invites us to discover the gift of new life. This new life is found and rooted in a relationship with him. He wants to have a personal relationship with us like the relationships that we might have with other human beings. Let us invite him today to reveal his heart to us. As we strive to live lives motivated by love we will also be more and more aware of the words we speak. That which comes out of us will also demonstrate the presence of our loving God in our lives.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Ears

Good morning everyone,

I wise person once reminded me that each of us has two ears, two eyes and only one mouth. This was a somewhat polite way of reminding me that in some situations we need to listen very intently  and we need to look purposefully at certain situations before we venture to speak.

The gospel passage that is proposed for today's prayer provides us with another example of a time when Jesus might have used this word of advice.  The Pharisees who were watching him tried to question him about the reasons why his disciples didn't seem to be following the rules. Jesus took their own argument and turned it back on them.  You disregard God's commandment but cling to human tradition, he told them (Mk 7:9).

This is a sobering and challenging thought for each of us. We may all be tempted from time to time to cling to human traditions and even to judge others based on our interpretation of these traditions. Rather we should first ask ourselves what is God's will for us? Let us try today to listen for His voice, to be more aware of God's Commandments and seek to live according to them. We might be surprised at where this might lead.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: World Day of Prayer for the Sick

Good morning everyone,

Today the church celebrates the World Day of Prayer for the Sick. This annual observance began in 1992 but this time around it has a special twist: the observance launched two days ago in Kolkata, formerly known as Calcutta (India), the city associated above all with Mother Theresa, the Church's great patron saint of the sick.

This holy woman modelled her life of service on that of Jesus himself. In the gospel passage proposed for today's liturgy,  people immediately recognized Jesus and began to bring the sick on mats to wherever they heard that he was (Mk 6:54-55).

Today we pray for all of those of our brothers and sisters who are sick, suffering, and in need. May the Lord who  is always close to his children hear our prayer for them, come to their help and bring them back to health.

Have a great day.

Do it again

During my years in undergraduate studies, I chose to be part of the University choir.  Every Monday evening, we would practice for three hours, and once or twice a year, we would put on a concert for other students and residents in the local city.  I remember the first night that I arrived for practice.  They handed me the music and sat me in the tenor section.  The conductor pointed at the pianist who played a chord and we were off.  There was no time spent teaching us the parts: that was our own responsibility.  Inevitably, we would sing a bit and then we would be stopped.  The conductor would point out something that needed to be done differently and then he would say: Now, let’s start again ... and we would return to the point from which we had started.  I don’t remember how many times we repeated the music, but I know that at some points, we grew exasperated when he asked us to repeat the musical phrase yet again ... until we had almost memorized the music.

I have often wondered whether Simon felt exasperated when Jesus said to him: Put out into deep water and let down your nets for a catch (Lk 5:4).  Simon, James and John were fishermen.  They had worked all night long, but they had caught nothing (cf Lk 5:5), yet when Jesus asked them to let down their nets yet again, they agreed, and the outcome was remarkable: they caught so much fish that their nets were beginning to break (Lk 5:6).

Like the conductor standing in front of that choir, Jesus asks us to practice our lines.  The specific tasks he asks us to perform are not difficult in and of themselves, but the fact that he asks us to repeat the same tasks, even if we don’t perceive any effect, can leave us frustrated.  Some of us pray the same words day after day, year after year and we don’t see anything change.  Some of us speak kindly to others and still it seems that we are ignored ... and how many times have we messed something up and said sorry, then tried to change and we end up messing up again?  The good thing is that no matter how many times we mess up, our God is always willing to give us another chance.

Jesus never asks us to do something that we cannot do, but he will often ask us to practice virtue over and over, no matter how many times we mess up ... until we get it right.  When Simon Peter saw the miraculous catch of fish, he fell down at Jesus’ knees and said, Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man (Lk 5:8).   Like Simon, and like Isaiah, when we witness the great goodness of our God, we too can sometimes respond by saying: Woe is me (Is 6:5) or Go away from me Lord because we are made aware of our own unworthiness, yet God does not judge our unworthiness; God loves us for who we are.

It was because of God’s love for his people that Christ died for our sins ... that he was buried, and that we was raised on the third day ... (1 Cor 15:3-4).  What we are called to do every day is to practice following in his footsteps.  We must continue to pray day after day, even if we don’t see the results right away; we must continue to speak kindly to others, even if they might ignore us; and every time we fall down, we must get up again, say sorry, dust ourselves off and try again.  Eventually, we’ll get it right.

His Word Today: Maybe

Good morning everyone,

The gospel passage for today's liturgy presents the figure of Herod, the King of Israel (Mk 6:14-16).  The figure of Herod, like his ancestors, spoke immediately to the human heart of his time about the presence of the Romans, about might and power, and yet, the figure of Herod also shows us that there was a level of curiosity in the heart of this man when it came to understanding who John (the Baptist) was.

Many people, even today, put on brave faces in an attempt to convince the people around them that they have life figured out, that everything is under control, yet the very people who portray the essence of calm and control may still have room in their hearts to wonder ... this is the place where Jesus enters into our lives, with the power to change our questioning and doubt into wonder and awe.

Perhaps we too have known this truth in our lives.  Perhaps even now, we still seek answers to our pondering.  If this is the case, perhaps this is the day for us to imitate Herod: choose to believe that Jesus is truly alive and active in our lives.  Ask him to help you to grow in faith and trust that he is always close, ready to help us when we are in need ... and always willing to envelop us in his love.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Go

Good morning everyone,

The gospel passage for today speaks of a moment in Jesus' life when he invited his disciples to go out into the world (Mk 6:7).  He gave them very specific instructions: take nothing for the journey but a walking stick – no food, no sack, no money in their belts (Mk 6:8).

Can you imagine how vulnerable those disciples were.  They would have set out with very little to give them a sense of security, yet this was done on purpose because only in this way could they learn the essential truth that we must always recognize: we must rely on Jesus, and remember that he is always with us.  If we forget this truth, then we end up doing our own work, not the work that Jesus intends us to do.

Dare to go out into the world that the Lord puts you in today.  Dare to leave behind whatever it is that you find yourself relying on for comfort and security.  Dare to trust that Jesus will always be with you.  He is always close to every one of his beloved children, placing us on the path that will allow us to cooperate in doing his work on earth.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Saint Paul Miki

Good morning everyone,

Today, we remember and pray with Saint Paul Miki, born in 1562, who was a Jesuit seminarian, one of the twenty-six martyrs of Japan.  Having been taught by the Jesuits, Saint Paul joined the Society of Jesus and became a well-known and successful preacher.  Because of his work, many others converted to Catholicism.  Out of fear of the Jesuit influence and not understanding their intentions, the ruler of Japan began persecuting Catholics.  Paul Miki was arrested and jailed along with other fellow Catholics who were later forced to march more than 966 miles from Kyoto to Nagasaki.  There, he was cruelly put to death.

It is interesting to note that on the day when we remember that it was so difficult for Paul Miki and his companions to be accepted for their faith, we also hear the story of Jesus' arrival in his hometown, where he too was not accepted (cf Mk 6:4).  Over the centuries, fear of the unknown has often proven to be at the root of misunderstandings.  Jesus worked very hard during his life to break down the misunderstandings of his time; even today, there are prophetic voices calling out to us, urging us to work hard at promoting avenues of mutual understanding.

Today, we can make a difference if we choose to work toward understanding others, their motivations and their reasonings. When we do, we might just discover that others are not so different from us.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Saint Agatha

Good morning everyone,

Today, the Church celebrates the Memorial of Saint Agatha (circa 231-251 A.D.)  We know little about her earthly life, other than the fact that she was from a rich and noble family who lived in Catania (Sicily).  As a young girl, she made a vow of virginity and later rejected amorous advances from the Roman prefect Quintianus.  Her insistence on living, not according to the dictates of human beings but rather according to the call of the Lord earned her a martyr's crown.

The gospel passage proposed for today's meditation presents two other women who also faced perils but triumphed because of the presence of Jesus in their lives (cf Mk 5:21-43): the daughter of Jairus and a woman who had suffered from hemorrhages.  In both cases, the women mentioned in the gospel passage were also in peril, but ended up triumphing because of the faith of others.

The world we live in often turns a blind eye to the humanity some of our brothers and sisters, choosing instead to see them as objects worthy of being set aside, ignored or treated as property.  In contrast to this, Jesus came to show us that each one of us is cherished, precious in the eyes of our God, and because we are precious, we should also cherish all the brothers and sisters who share our journey through earthly life.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Change

Good morning everyone,

There is a saying in popular culture that advocates for change: To live is to experience change.  The problem is that no one likes change.  We human beings are creatures of habit.  Once we have established our routines, we will resist change, even if that change might be necessary or might represent something that is better for us.

In today's gospel passage, we see Jesus at a moment when he encounters a man who is possessed by demons (cf Mk 5:1-13).  This man had been dwelling among the tombs, continually haunted by the demons, but unable to free himself of their influence.  Perhaps he had gotten to the point where he himself had begun to lose hope that he might ever see a day when he would be free of them.  Perhaps he had begun to resign himself to the fact that he would have to live with them for the rest of his days.

Do we know of anyone who is living with demons today?  Modern-day demons are no different from the demons of days gone by.  They are sly, they try to convince us that they are no longer around, all the while distorting our ability to think clearly, to reason soundly and to be all that we are intended to be.  Perhaps we ourselves need Jesus' help to free us from demons, or perhaps we know of someone who does.  Today, let us seek out an encounter with Jesus so that we can ask him to free us - or the ones we love - from the demons that enslave us.

Have a great day.

Prepare to be surprised

Today, we have come once again to sit in the presence of Jesus.  Here, we hope to learn from him whatever it is that we need to learn so that we can continue in the coming week to live as his disciples.  The gospel passage we have heard today is the continuation of the episode we heard last week.  Once again, we are seated with all those friends of Jesus who gathered in the synagogue in Nazareth, hoping to hear him say something wonderful.  Perhaps they expected him to recognize the role they had played in helping him to grow, to learn and to be prepared to face the world.  Jesus was expecting them to ask him to perform a miracle.  After all, they had already heard of such things happening in Capernaum (cf Lk 4:23).  However, the words Jesus spoke surprised them.  The words of the gospel should always surprise us, jar us, wake us up.  In this way, we learn how to listen as though we have never heard the story before.

Sitting at the feet of Jesus, we are gathered in the school of love.  Here we learn more and more every time we gather about how we should love, and what better teacher can we have to teach us about love than the author of love.  Our God, who has always longed to share the gift of love with us, spoke to the prophet Jeremiah saying: Before I formed you in the womb I knew you (Jer 1:5).  Each one of us can find great reassurance and consolation by spending time in prayer, simply repeating these words in our minds and in our hearts because the gift of love that was offered to Jeremiah has also been offered to each one of us, and God’s love is not like human love: it is not based on any conditions but rather, it is freely given regardless of what we might have done, regardless of what excuses we have invented in order to distance ourselves from the author of love.

Saint Paul helps us today to deepen our understanding of the love that Jesus wants to share with us.   Instead of being lured away by the voices of this world that make all kinds of empty promises, our God invites us to taste the same sweetness that the apostles and the saints have known.   Attempting to explain the depth of this treasure, Saint Paul says: Love is patient, love is kind, love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude (1 Cor 13:4-5).

It should always surprise us to hear these words.  We live in a world that strives to be patient, yet human efforts will always fall short of God’s ability to be patient with us.  In an ideal world, we would all be kind to one another, but God will always outdo us in kindness.  If we truly want to be disciples, we will constantly judge our words and actions in terms of whether or not they are willing to bear all things, believe all things, hope always and even endure all things (cf 1 Cor 13:7).  This sounds idyllic, yet this is how our God loves us.

Dear friends, in this place, week after week, imperfect humans dare to stand in the presence of our God who alone is perfect.  Here, we are encouraged – over and over – and always with infinite gentleness and compassion as we progress toward the truth that is the source of our rejoicing (cf 1 Cor 13:6).

His Word Today: the Presentation of the Lord

Good morning everyone,

Today, the Church celebrates the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord.  The oldest written account of the celebration of this Feast dates back to the fourth century A.D. and an account which was penned by a Spanish nun by the name of Egeria.  She kept a diary of her pilgrimage to the Holy Land.  In it, she writes: The fortieth day after (Christmas) is indeed celebrated here (in Jerusalem) with the greatest solemnity.  On that day, there is a procession to the (Basilica of the Resurrection) and all assemble there for the liturgy ... (Egeria, Diary of a Pilgrimage, chapter 26).

It seems that at that early date, the Feast did not have a specific name and was simply called The Fortieth Day After the Nativity. Later it was called The Encounter of Our Lord, referring to the encounter of Saint Simeon with Jesus in the Temple which is the theme of the oldest homily on the Feast, ascribed to Hesychius of Jerusalem (who died after 450). In the West, the Feast was called The Purification from Mary’s compliance with the legal purification prescribed by the Law (Lk 2:22). In the English speaking world, however, the term of Presentation was adapted since on that day Jesus was presented (offered) to God in the Temple (Lk 2:22).

The first mention of candles being used on this Feast is traced to the fifth century A.D.  Sometime in the middle of that century, a Roman matron by the name of Ikelia speaks of their presence, and both Saint Cyril of Alexandria (d. 444) and Theodore of Ancyra (d. 446) mention the use of lights during the procession that takes place on this Feast. The custom of blessing candles on the Feast of the Presentation was introduced to fill the needs of the people.  Its introduction into our Rite was relatively recent, during the seventeenth century, but its roots reach venerable antiquity. As recorded in The Chronicle of Saint Theophanes, Emperor Justinian I had issued an order in 541 A.D. that on the Feast of the Presentation, a candle-light procession be held throughout the city to implore Divine Protection against pestilence and the numerous earthquakes that plagued the city.

Let us celebrate this feast with joy.
Have a great day.

His Word Today: Unseen

Good morning everyone,

Today, the scriptures remind us that God is constantly at work, in ways that we are sometimes unaware, unless of course we learn how to see with the eyes of faith.  Seen solely through human eyes, we might indeed see a man scattering seed on the land (Mk 4:26), or we might see mustard seeds ... being sown on the ground (cf Mk 4:31), but without the eyes of faith we will never be able to know or appreciate how those seeds are able to sprout and grow.

The answer to this question is found only by those who have been granted the gift of faith.  Only in faith can we see the hand of God at work in these situations and in the many more that are part of our daily lives.

It is true that even without faith, we can continue to live our lives, but with the gift of faith, with the gift of belief in God and in his Son Jesus Christ, we can see life differently. Let us dare to trust in God, and let us ask him to open his heart to us so that we can grow closer and closer to him, day after day.

Have a great day.