His Word Today: Saint Jerome

Good morning everyone,

Today, the Church celebrates the liturgical Memorial of Saint Jerome (circa 347-420 AD).  Born at Stridon, on the border between the Roman provinces of Dalmatia and Pannonia, on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea, an area that corresponds to current-day Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Slovenia, Montenegro, Kosovo, part of Serbia and most of northern Albania.

As a teenager, he made his way to Rome, where he learned Latin and some Greek.  He continued his studies, travelling from place to place in order to do so until his mid-30s when he plunged himself into the study of the Bible.  In fact, the legacy he left to the Church was his work in translation of most of the scriptures from Greek and Hebrew to Latin.  He also provided extensive commentaries about the various passages contained in the Bible.

If Jerome were to comment on the scripture passage proposed for today's liturgy (Mt 13:47-52), he would find a way for us to understand Jesus' words: The Kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea, which collects fish of every kind.  When it is full, they haul it ashore and sit down to put what is good into buckets (Mt 13:47-48).

Our lives are filled with a variety of experiences.  Each of them filters our perception and enriches us, including our experience of prayer and our encounters with the living God.  When the nets of our lives are full - ie when the time comes for us to leave this world - it will be time to sit down and sort through the experiences - the time of judgement.  In the meanwhile, it is good that we should remember this analogy so that we can begin even now to practice the art of sifting through our lived experiences in the light of faith, all the while looking forward to the day when we will see God face to face.

Have a great day.

Respond with compassion

In today's gospel passage, Jesus speaks to the Pharisees, and especially to those among them who loved money and physical possessions.  He was particularly concerned with this group of people because he loved them as much as he loved all others and wanted them to understand the true meaning of wealth.  You see, the danger exists in those who set their sights only on physical possessions, because earthly riches can weaken our ability to understand the sufferings of others.

The story includes a rich man who is very proud of his achievements, but his pride blinds him to the needs of the poor man Lazarus.  This rich man has become comfortable, surrounded with a life of ease.  He may still have been a really good man, but his love of money disoriented his good intentions and made him unresponsive to the needs of those around him.

Jesus makes it clear that we already have the help we need in order to resist the temptation of pride.  The prophet Amos warns that wealth tempts people to think only of themselves (cf Amos 6:1) and the Ten Commandments instruct us to respond to the needs of others, especially those who are poor (cf Ex 20:12-17).  It is not surprising then that Abraham rebukes the rich man with powerful words: remember that during your lifetime, you received good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here and you are in agony (Lk 16:25).

Jesus wanted everyone to fight the good fight of the faith; to take hold of the eternal life to which we are called (1 Tim 6:12).  This is the reason why he chose to offer a parable that shows all of us that being merciful and loving can help us overcome temptation.  Mercy and love are at the heart of God's divine love for each one of us.  If we have recognized these gifts in our own lives, we ourselves can respond by striving to reduce the suffering of others through our acts of compassion and love.

His Word Today: Saint Vincent de Paul

Good morning everyone,

Today, the Church celebrates the Memorial of Saint Vincent de Paul (24 April 1581 - 27 September 1660), a French priest who dedicated his life to serving the poor.  He was renowned for his compassion, humility and generosity.  He is also the founder of the Congregation of the Mission: a society of apostolic life that includes both priests and brothers; and the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul, a Society of Apostolic Life for women.

The gospels tell us that at the sight of the crowds, Jesus' heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned (Mt 9:36).  Here, Jesus shows us by his own reaction that his heart is not unlike our hearts.  Jesus is moved by the presence of those who are in need, and so should we.  This is the simple lesson that we learn from the example of Saint Vincent de Paul.

Let our prayer today be a request that the Lord might work within our hearts to make us aware of the needs of our brothers and sisters, and that we may be inspired by a deep and abiding concern for those in our world who are unable to find peace because they are troubled and feeling abandoned.  Merely by asking for such a grace, we are already beginning to make a difference.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Curiosity

Good morning everyone,

If we are truly honest with ourselves, we will soon discover that many if not all of the characters mentioned in the scriptures hold some part of the traits that we too identify as our own.  Evidence of this truth can be found in today's gospel passage.  Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was happening and he was greatly perplexed (Lk 9:7).  In fact, he was so perplexed that he kept trying to see him (Lk 9:9).

The reasons for Herod's perplexity were admittedly somewhat self-centred.  His initial intrigue at least had little to do with really wanting to get to know who Jesus was.  Rather, it was about seeking answers to his own inquiring, yet this is not so unlike many of us who begin our quest for faith in the midst of questions that have little to do with seeking the person of Jesus and much to do with responding to questions that seem to arise from our own hearts.

Have you ever considered the fact that Herod's curiosity is not so unlike our own curiosity when it comes to finding ways to see Jesus?  Only when we come face to face with the carpenter/preacher from Nazareth can we begin to seek the answers that we truly want to ask.  Only these answers will ever truly respond to the longings of our hearts.  Don't ignore the curiosity; instead, follow it and allow it to peak your interest.  The journey awaits.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Mission

Good morning everyone,

Have you ever heard the phrase: You are exactly where you need to be, when you need to be there?  It can often happen that we look prayerfully at the events of our day and discover incidents that we may not immediately have seen; in hindsight and in prayer though, we discover that such moments are opportunities for us to recognize God at work in and through us.

At a certain point in time, Jesus sent his disciples to proclaim the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick (Lk 9:2).  In addition, he instructed them to take nothing for the journey (Lk 9:3).  This is a word of encouragement for us as well, not to take anything for our journey, nothing that will distract us from focusing on Jesus.

From day to day, we must constantly focus our attention on Jesus; we need to look to him for guidance and we need to develop our awareness of his presence, guiding us as we set out each day on our journey.  If we begin each day from this point of view, and if we are persistent in maintaining our resolve to follow him, we will become more and more convinced that we are indeed exactly where we need to be, when our presence is needed.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Action

Good morning everyone,

Yesterday, the Holy Father, Pope Francis sent a video message to those who are participating in the United Nations Summit on Climate Change.  The meeting is taking place in New York, and among the most talked-about participants, there is a teenager from Sweden who is speaking out strongly and challenging all those who are in attendance to take action and not to settle for mere platitudes.

Greta Thunberg is still young, but she is causing quite a stir, perhaps not unlike the attention that was focused on Jesus when he re-defined the established norms of his time.  In the gospel proposed for today's Eucharistic celebration, he says: My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it (Lk 8:21).

We too have a choice to make.  We can choose to hear the words of Jesus and not to allow them to affect us, or we can choose to listen attentively for these words and to allow them to influence our actions.  Jesus is calling us to act, the response is up to us.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Saint Pio

Good morning everyone,

Today, the Church celebrates the liturgical memorial of Saint Pius (Pio) of Pietrelcina, a Capuchin Franciscan Friar who lived between the years 1887 and 1968.  Born Francesco Forgione, he was given the name of Pio when he entered the Order.  Even as a young Friar, Pio was afflicted with a number of illnesses including gastroenteritis at age 6 years and typhoid fever at age 10.  As it turned out, he suffered physically for most of his life, but he accepted it as a gift from God.

As a youth, Francisco reported that he had experienced heavenly visions and ecstasies (a type of altered state of consciousness characterized by greatly reduced external awareness and expanded internal and spiritual awareness).  He was about 10 years old when he first felt drawn to the life of the Franciscans.  This desire continued until he entered the noviciate of the Capuchin Friars at Morcone on 6 January 1903.  Two weeks later, he took the Franciscan habit and the religious name Fra Pio.

For the next seven years, he studied and prepared for priesthood.  Throughout this period, he continued to experience poor health, but he never allowed this to stop him.  Eventually, he was ordained a priest and sent to live - along with a small community of seven friars - in the Capuchin Friary of Our Lady of Grace, located in San Giovanni Rotondo, in the Province of Foggia.  He lived there for the remainder of his life.

Saint Pio is known and loved by the Italian people because of his piety and because of the rare gift of the stignata: the spontaneous appearance of bodily wounds, scars and pain in locations corresponding to the crucifixion wounds of Jesus Christ, on the hands, wrists and feet.  In a very tangible way, this holy man practiced the advice that Jesus gives to his disciples: Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross and follow me (Mt 16:24).

Padre Pio compared weekly confession to dusting a room weekly, and recommended the performance of meditation and self-examination twice daily: once in the morning, as preparation to face the day, and once again in the evening, as retrospection. His advice on the practical application of theology he often summed up in his now famous quote, Pray, Hope and Don’t Worry. He directed Christians to recognize God in all things and to desire above all things to do the will of God.  Many people who heard of him traveled to San Giovanni Rotondo to meet him and confess to him, to ask for help, or to have their curiosity satisfied.

Padre Pio died at the Friary of Our Lady of Grace on 23 September 1968.  His funeral Mass was celebrated three days later and was attended by more than 100,000 people.  He was Canonized on 16 June 2002 by Saint John Paul II.  The Shrine of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina was dedicated by Saint John Paul II on 1 July 2004 and continues even today to be a place of pilgrimage and prayer for pilgrims from all corners of the world.

May this beloved Saint intercede for us today and help us to always look to Jesus for guidance as we seek to follow him.

Have a great day.

Aim to serve

The scripture passages for today guide our thoughts and our prayers to the question of service; in particular the question of what it means to serve the Lord.  In the gospel passage (Lk 16:1-13), the dishonest manager has taken his position for granted.  We can presume that at least for some time, he has been using what rightfully belongs to his master to enrich himself ... and now he has been caught (Lk 16:1-2).

Even more than the loss of his position as a steward, he fears becoming an outcast, so for once, he deals honestly with his neighbours by changing their contracts to reflect what they truly owe and removing the extra charges with which he may have intended to line his own pockets.  Seeing his willingness to change, his master is able to re-establish his trust in his manager.

Like all of Jesus' parables, this story speaks of our heavenly Father and the relationship he seeks to establish with all of us.  The master is God and we are the managers of his property.  God is the complete opposite of a self-interested master.  His unfathomable love for us means that he dedicates himself to our well-being, showering us with gifts in order to help us to achieve the ultimate goal: an eternal home with him in heaven.  Like the manager, one day we will all have to give an account for the way we have used God's gifts.

However, the good news is that we see in Jesus' story that the manager is forgiven at the moment when he puts his master first - instead of himself - to say nothing of the many times in the past that he may have ignored his master's presence.  It is still not too late for us to make sure that we are serving the right master.  To serve God faithfully, with the gifts he has given us, means doing everything we can to speak and act out of love, and what more perfect example can we possibly find than the selfless and merciful love that Jesus has shown to us?

His Word Today: Saint Andrew Kim Taegon

Good morning everyone,

Today, the Church celebrates the Memorial of Saint Andrew Kim Taegon (21 August 1821 to 16 September 1846).  He was the very first Korean-born Roman Catholic priest and the patron saint of Korea.  He was canonized along with more than 120 others by Saint John Paul II on 6 May 1984.

After being baptized at age 15, Kim studied at a seminary in the Portuguese colony of Macau. He also spent time in study at Lolomboy, Bocaue, Bulacan, Philippines, where today he is also venerated. He was ordained a priest in Shanghai after nine years (1844) and then returned to Korea to preach and evangelize. During the Joseon Dynasty, Christianity was suppressed and many Christians were persecuted and executed. Catholics had to covertly practise their faith. Kim was one of several thousand Christians who were executed during this time. In 1846, at the age of 25, he was tortured and beheaded near Seoul on the Han River. His last words were:

This is my last hour of life, listen to me attentively: if I have held communication with foreigners, it has been for my religion and for my God. It is for Him that I die. My immortal life is on the point of beginning. Become Christians if you wish to be happy after death, because God has eternal chastisements in store for those who have refused to know Him.

Saint Andrew and his companions leave us with a legacy of the words of Jesus being put into action: If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me (Lk 9:23).  Let us ask this holy martyr to pray for us today, that we too will have the courage to take up our own crosses and to follow wherever the Lord should lead us.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: With Love

Good morning everyone,

Two thousand years after his death, Jesus is among the most remembered people in history.  His actions and words certainly made an impression on those who saw him, those who heard his words.  An example of his influence appears in the gospel passage prescribed for today (cf Lk 7:36-50).

Invited to dine at the home of one of the Pharisees, Jesus took advantage even of those moments to teach - at times without even having to speak a word.  It is interesting to note that the gospel writer recounts the details of a woman who enters the house and stands behind him.  She began to bathe his feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair (Lk 7:38).  While the Pharisee continued to speak accusing words, this woman was more eloquent while maintaining her silence.

Perhaps the lesson that we can learn today is that there are times when we need no words, but at all times, we should strive to act with love.  Like the woman, our actions will speak louder than any words that could ever be spoken.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Anyway

Good morning everyone,

Anyone who has ever been invited to a position of leadership knows that at some point or another, no matter what we try to do, someone will criticize our efforts.  The key in such situations is to be sure that the decisions that are made have been well-thought-out and that the choice that has been put forward is truly made in the best interests of the people we are seeking to serve.

Even Jesus found himself surrounded with nay-sayers of his time.  To whom shall I compare the people of this generation? ... They are like children who sit in the marketplace and call to one another (Lk 7:31-32).  As our current Holy Father has reminded us on many occasions, gossip is poison.  It destroys relationships, it has the potential to destroy dreams and to cut people off far short of their potential.

Jesus uses this image to challenge us to hold our heads high, even though there will always be those who will challenge what we say or do.  He challenges us to speak anyway, to love despite the possibility that others may ridicule us, to make ourselves vulnerable anyway, trusting that in the end, we are called to care not for strangers but for our brothers and sisters.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Saint Robert Bellarmine

Good morning everyone,

Today, the Church celebrates the liturgical Memorial of Saint Robert Bellarmine (4 October 1542 - 17 September 1621), an Italian Jesuit Cardinal who was canonized in 1930 and named a Doctor of the Church - a title that has been awarded to only 36 of the saints.

Bellarmine was a professor of theology and later served as Rector of the Roman College. In 1602, he became Archbishop of Capua. He was a major figure in supporting the reform decrees of the Council of Trent, which dealt with many serious issues and calls for change which came about as a result of the Reformation.  Along with others, he helped to re-orient the Church so that we could continue faithfully following in the footsteps of Jesus.

The gospel proposed for today's Mass places Jesus at the gates to the city of Nain, where he met a woman who was greatly distressed (Mt 7:21-29).  Her world had been turned upside down when her only son had died.  Without her even realizing it, Jesus re-oriented her by bringing her son - the one who would care for her and support her - back to life.  We might even say that Jesus restored within her the gift of hope for a better future.

Like Jesus, like Robert Bellarmine, perhaps someone needs us today to help them, to re-orient them and to give them a reason to hope.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Saints Cornelius and Cyprian

Good morning everyone,

Today, the Church celebrates the Memorial of two holy men who lived during the third century.

Life has always been difficult for those who choose to follow Christ.  Evidence of this is abundant especially during the first centuries of the Christian era.  The Roman emperors, who exercised temporal power at the time did not take kindly to anyone who would not submit to their orders.  We see evidence of this in the stories of today's heroes.

During the third century, the Roman emperor Decius decreed that all those who would not renounce their Christian faith should be killed.  Fabian, who was Pope at the time, was killed, along with many others, but there were some who denounced their faith and were spared.  This was yet another attempt to defeat the Church.  The thought was that without a pope, the Church would die away.  Emperor Decius even went so far as to prevent the election of a successor to Fabian, but some priests managed to secretly carry out an election.  While the emperor was at war, Cornelius was elected to succeed Fabian as Bishop of Rome.

There were added complications too.  A priest named Novatian and his followers believed that those who had renounced their Christian faith could never return to the Church, even if they had repented, so Cornelius assembled a council of bishops to settle the dispute.  The council affirmed Cornelius' belief and condemned Novatian's theory.  Cornelius spent two years as Pope before he was arrested under the emperor's command and banished.  He died in exile in 253.

Cyprian - who was Bishop of Carthage in North Africa - was a supporter and a friend of Cornelius.  Cyprian was a native of Carthage, born in 210.  He served as Bishop of Carthage for almost 10 years, but only really experienced peace for the first year of that term.  The persecutions that were carried out under the emperor Decius began around 211, and like Cornelius, Cyprian too had to address the challenges voiced by Novatian.  Persecutions also continued after Decius' death and eventually, Cyprian was arrested and tried for being a Christian.  When he was read his death sentence, he replied by exclaiming: Blessed be God!  He was martyred in 258.

Cornelius and Cyprian were friends.  Like the disciples, they helped each other to live faith-filled, self-sacrificing and loving lives.  We too are called to help our friends to live lives of faith so that we can all remain close to God, and we can be reassured by the words of Jesus' prayer for the disciples: Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are one (Jn 17:19).  These are words that Jesus continues to pray for all of us.

Have a great day.

Love, mercy and forgiveness

Today's scripture readings all remind us of the boundlessness of God's mercy.  In our flawed humanity, we continually stray from the path that we already know leads to eternal life, but God's compassion and forgiveness are much stronger than his justifiable anger.  God never gives up on us.

The first reading speaks of the Israelites turning away from God in order to worship a golden calf (cf Ex 32:8).  On the surface, it might seem difficult for us to relate to this reality, but we are constantly bombarded with voices that entice us to acquire more and more superficial possessions: new cars, bigger homes, more stylish clothing, jewels, gadgets ... and so on.  Each one of these can be a modern-day golden calf, ultimately luring us to turn our attention away from God.  How easy it is at times to give in to such temptations!  Yet, God calls us, in the silence of our hearts and the intimacy of prayer, to forsake these false gods and to return to Him.

Saint Paul provides a prime example of one who truly understands the tenderness and mercy of God, gifts that are always ours for the asking.  Speaking of his own personal experience, he says: I am grateful to Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me (1 Tim 1:12).  Each of us can repeat these words if we ourselves have come to know them to be true in our own lived experience.  In the end, it is Christ Jesus who constantly strengthens us and prepares us for the mission he entrusts to us.

Saint Luke focuses our attention today on the pain of loss and the rejoicing that follows when that which has been lost has been found (cf Lk 15:11-32).  The most powerful element of this passage is the story of the lost son who abandoned home and family in favour of reckless living.  Perhaps we can identify with this pain ... or perhaps we can more easily see ourselves in the elder son's discontent and envy when the father warmly welcomes his brother home.  Maybe, there is a bit of both these characters in us.

Today, let us pray that our heavenly Father will grant us the grace to answer the call to recognize and to welcome his love, his mercy and his forgiveness.

His Word Today: Saint John Chrysostom

Good morning everyone,

Today, the Church celebrates the Memorial of Saint John Chrysostom (349 - 14 September 407 AD).  He served as Archbishop of Constantinople and was an important Early Church Father.  He is most well-known for his preaching and public speaking and for the creation of the Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom (the liturgy that is observed by many of the Eastern-rite Churches).

The title Chrysostomos, which has been translated as Chrystostom, translates as golden-mouthed: a reference to his celebrated eloquence.  If we were privileged enough to hear him speak about the gospel passage for today's Mass (cf Lk 6:39-42), perhaps he would focus on Jesus' words: Can a blind person guide a blind person? (Lk 6:39).

Day after day, we are enlightened and guided by the Word of God.  This Word helps us to continue the journey of faith that is the appropriate response to Jesus' invitation: come, follow me (Mt 4:19).  As we celebrate and thank the Lord today for the gift of Saint John Chrysostom, let us pray for the gift of divine sight so that we can perceive the presence of our God and help others to see him too.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Surprise

Good morning everyone,

The words Jesus spoke to his disciples could easily be spoken to us today.  In fact, we believe that Jesus continues to speak through his Word which is living and active for those of us who read it, even to the point that it can surprise us and challenge us.

Evidence of this can be found in the first lines of the gospel passage for today's Mass.  Jesus calls us to ... love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you (Lk 6:27-28).  These are challenging words for all of Jesus' disciples.  It is not easy to love those who seek to destroy us, or to follow any of the other advice offered in this phrase, yet this is the way that Jesus encourages us to make a difference in our world.

If Jesus could imagine these behaviours to be possible for us, should we not trust him to know what is best for us?  Should we not look to him for guidance?  After all, he said that he would never leave us alone.  Let us look to him today and ask him to help us to use our words and actions today to do what others will never expect of us: to do good even to those who would seek to do us harm.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: POV

Good morning everyone,

In today's gospel passage (Lk 6:20-26), we are invited to see the world - and the people in that world - from a different perspective.  As the saying goes: we are encouraged to see the world as Jesus sees it, and not necessarily as we might see it at first glance.

Jesus teaches us that those in our world who are poor are blessed; those who are hungry will be satisfied; those who are weeping will laugh; those who are excluded from conversations, from advancements, from recognition of any kind ... are precious in the eyes of our God.

These are simple yet challenging words.  Perhaps today, they will help us to look at the world around us just a little bit differently.  Maybe, they will help us to see the people we meet in a different light.  God thinks with larger horizons than we do ... and this is a good thing because he is constantly calling us to grow.  Life can be lived differently depending on our point of view.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Calling

Good morning everyone,

The gospel passage prescribed for today speaks of the calling of the disciples.  Saint Luke says that Jesus went to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer to God (Lk 6:12) before he chose his disciples.

The work that Jesus was doing at the time was a response to the promptings of the Father's guidance.  In fact, all acts carried out by people of faith are meant to be just that: a response that is guided by the will of the Father.  This is the way that we distinguish the difference between acts of the human will and acts that are in fulfilment of a higher will.

Those of us who seek to respond to the guidance of our heavenly Father must learn how to listen for His guidance.  We must all learn how to come away from the normal settings of our daily lives - so often cluttered with noises that stop us from hearing the voice for which we must constantly listen - so that we can pay attention to the voice that teaches us how to follow in His footsteps.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Rigid

Good morning everyone,

Today, the gospel passage shows us a moment during his ministry when Jesus confronted the rigid manner in which some people applied the Law.  On a certain sabbath day, Jesus went into the synagogue ... there was a man there whose right hand was withered and the scribes and Pharisees watched him closely to see if he would cure on the sabbath (Lk 6:6-7).

Above all else, Jesus wanted to help this man.  He was aware of the Law that forbade any work on the sabbath, but he wanted to point out the distinction between becoming a slave to the Law as opposed to understanding the Law as being created for our good.  This is the reason why he asked a series of questions: Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it? (Lk 6:9).

We must always be willing to follow the law, but we must also be equally as vigilant so that we do not become ensnared by the law, for to do so would be to run the risk of turning away from the possibility to do good ... even to save life.

Have a great day.

The cost of discipleship

From week to week, we gather in this place to spend time together, to pray, to seek guidance and to be strengthened in our resolve to live out our lives as disciples: followers of Jesus Christ.  Following in the footsteps of Jesus is not a task for the faint of heart.

The first reading that we heard today (cf Wis 9:13-18) is a powerful reminder of how great God is and how wondrous his plans for us are meant to be.  We may have already experienced God's gentle and abiding love for us, but if we are sincere about wishing to submit ourselves to Him ... if we really seek to model our lives on His life, we should also be prepared to be challenged because our God constantly calls us to the realization of truth.

Jesus reminds us that discipleship makes some tough demands on us: Whoever of you does not give up all their possessions cannot be my disciple (Lk 14:33).  Saint Paul demonstrates this truth in his willingness to continue speaking about Jesus even if to do so meant that he had to be imprisoned (cf Philemon 9).

Why then should we follow Jesus?  Would life not be easier if e were to follow our own desires or only commit ourselves half-heartedly to living our faith?  Yes, in the short run, perhaps this would be easier on us, but the real reason why most people choose to attempt anything that is challenging is because of the results.  An athlete sacrifices and trains for better performance; a student reads, writes and reviews consistently to obtain desirable grades.  So too, following Jesus will produce greater results than anything else we might commit to doing.

The result of following Jesus is everlasting life.  Our earthly lives are perishable.  Some day these tangible bodies of ours will all return to dust, but God has promised to restore and to perfect the life we originally received.  Christ came to show us that our earthly lifespan does not have to be all we know.  God has prepared something much better for us: eternal life in paradise, and it is ours to be enjoyed without end.

His Word Today: Fresh

Good morning everyone,

In today's gospel passage, we see a moment when Jesus' actions caused the local law makers to ask questions (cf Lk 5:33).  His way of living and acting was so different from what they expected that they had no point of reference, no way to understand his motivation.

Even in our day, when we see something new, something that we do not understand, we will ask questions - or we should ask questions.  Asking for clarification is good because it helps us to grasp the fact that something we are witnessing is meant to give us a fresh perspective, even if at times it may challenge us to look at a given situation in a new light.

Perhaps today we can pray for the grace to look at the world around us with fresh eyes.  There is always something new for us to learn, to see, to appreciate ... and if we can manage to recognize it, perhaps we will be able to appreciate the fact that something new, something fresh, something exciting is unfolding right before us.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Purpose

Good morning everyone,

Every time that I hear the account of the calling of the first disciples (Lk 5:1-11), I am reminded of the fact that although it might appear at first glance as though the interactions Jesus had with people in the scriptures were unplanned, in reality, these moments were always part of the unfolding of a much larger plan.

The same is true for us today.  We may not always be aware of the ways in which Jesus' plan for us is unfolding, but the more we learn to look at life through the lens of faith, the more we will become aware of the plan that is unfolding, and the more we will be able to marvel at the wonders of God's presence.

Pay attention today to the moments of grace, in which Jesus' presence in your life is made known.  Sometimes we tend to miss them, but they are always there.  All we need to do is open our eyes, and ask Him to help us to see them.  Jesus is always working with purpose, a purpose that is His to know and ours to discover.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Help

Good morning everyone,

The gospel passage for today's liturgy places us in the home of Simon, where Jesus met Simon's mother-in-law (cf Lk 4:38-39).  I have always wondered whether Simon was the one who called out to Jesus and told him about his ailing mother-in-law.  Was it he who invited Jesus to enter his home, to draw close to his elder who was in need?

Just as he was willing to visit with that weakened woman, so he was also willing to draw close to many others who were brought to him later that day: those who were sick with various diseases (Lk 4:40).  In each case, he opened his merciful heart and was present to them in their need.  In the same way, our loving God draws close to us whenever we call out to him.  He is aware of our need and is always ready to heal us, to respond to our call and to reassure us of his love for us.

Today, let our prayer be heard by our loving God.  We may not be aware of our own weakness.  We may consider ourselves not to be in need of the divine physician, but it is enough for us to call out, to ask him to visit us ... he is always ready to share with us the gifts that we need.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Saint Gregory the Great

Good morning everyone,

Today, the Church celebrates the liturgical memorial of Pope Gregory I, commonly known as Saint Gregory the Great, who was Pope from 3 September 590 to 12 March 604 AD. He is famous for instigating the first recorded large-scale mission from Rome, the Gregorian Mission, to convert the then-pagan Anglo-Saxons in England to Christianity. Gregory is also well known for his writings, which were more prolific than those of any of his predecessors as Pope.

On the day when we celebrate the memory of the Vicar of Christ, the one who is sent to embody the presence of Jesus himself among his people, it seems interesting to note that the scriptures propose the scene in which Jesus' disciples were arguing among themselves about which of them should be regarded as the greatest (cf Lk 22:24-30).

The wisdom presented in this gospel passage is the truth that our God is always with us, that success according to God's plan has nothing to do with our success but with God's success in converting the hearts of all His people.  In the footsteps of Saint Gregory, the Successors of Peter continue even today to work at sowing the seeds of hope, unity and concord among the people who follow in the footsteps of Jesus.  What can I do to plant such seeds in the hearts of my brothers and sisters?

Have a great day.

His Word Today: New

Good morning everyone,

In the gospel passage proposed for today's liturgy, Jesus stands in the synagogue in Nazareth at the beginning of his public ministry.  This was a defining moment for him, his introduction to the rest of the world as it were.  He stood up to read and was handed the scroll of the prophet Isaiah.  He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it is written: 'The spirit of the Lord is upon me ...' (Lk 4:16-18).

As we begin this new month, as students and teachers prepare to return to school, this is also a significant moment for many of us.  As it was in the time of Jesus, God is at work within us today.  The spirit of the Lord is upon us too.  This spirit is at work in our hearts, but how often do we stop to recognize the ways that God's work is made manifest in our lives.

Be attentive to God's spirit today.  Pay attention to the many ways that God is present in your life today: the people He invites to walk with you today, the circumstances He places you in, the ways in which He invites you to assist others, helping them to also increase their awareness of God's spirit that is present in all our hearts.

Have a great day.

Be radical

The last time I set foot inside a bookstore, I was amazed to see the number of books that were scattered among the shelves, each of which bore titles dealing with self-improvement, enhancing self-esteem and assertiveness.  Thanks to the wonders of modern-day technology, many of these titles are now available at our fingertips.  Books can still be read in paper format, but increasingly, they can also be accessed in audio and electronic formats, all available on a smartphone.  In a world where so much information is instantly available, it seems that our appetites for knowledge are never quenched.

In today's gospel account, Jesus says that when you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honour ... instead, go and sit down at the lowest place (Lk 14:8, 10).  In other words, we should not presume such honours for ourselves.  In the words of one of my professors, we should not become puffed up with pride or think ourselves better than others.

Jesus was radical in his challenges as he faced the power brokers of his time.  He constantly challenged them to put others ahead of themselves and to reach out to those who could not repay their kindnesses ... and the gospel continues to challenge us even today: how we interact with others, who we invite to share our dinner table ... these choices and others like them indicate the type of people we truly are.  Every day, Jesus invites us to move away from being self-centred and to become increasingly other-centred in our choices and actions.

As our relationship with God continues to grow, we realize day after day how much we are loved.  We develop increasing abilities to understand the strengths and limitations that we possess.  As we gather for this Eucharistic celebration, we give thanks to God who dwells within us, and the more we come to recognize the depth of God's love for us, the less we feel the need to be first in line, or to have the best seats in the house.