His Word Today: Our Lady of Lourdes

Good morning everyone,

Today, the Church celebrates the Memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes.  The first apparition of the lady who appeared to Bernadette Soubirous occurred on 11 February 1858 while the 14-year-old girl was gathering firewood with her sister and a friend.  The lady appeared eighteen times in all during that year.  Although the local authorities discounted reports of the visions, they were eventually confirmed.  Lourdes is now a major Marian pilgrimage site especially for those who are sick.

This day also marks the World Day of Prayer for the Sick.  Each year, we pray especially for those who are sick and suffering on this day, entrusting them to the maternal care of the Blessed Virgin.

At another time in history, Jesus expressed his displeasure at those who would honour him with their lips but whose hearts were far from him (Mk 7:6).  Thankfully, in the Blessed Virgin, we find the example of a mother who genuinely cares for us, one who deeply wants to be close to us and to care for us, especially when we are sick.

Today, we ask her to intercede for us so that we in turn may honour our God not only with our lips but more importantly with our hearts.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Saint Scholastica

Good evening everyone,

Today, the Church celebrates the liturgical Memorial of Saint Scholastica, the twin sister of Saint Benedict of Norcia.  History tells the story of Benedict who settled at Monte Cassino.  Scholastica established a religious community for women located at Plombariola, only five miles from her brother's abode.  They would visit each other once a year, usually in a nearby farmhouse where they would discuss spiritual matters.

The gospel passage for today's Mass tells us of a moment when Jesus and his disciples came to the land of Geneseret (Mk 6:53).  As Jesus visited that land, we might say that Benedict visited the land where he established the Abbey of Monte Cassino.  To this day, that Monastery still stands and continues to welcome pilgrims who come to visit.  In his time, Jesus brought healing to those who he encountered in the land of Geneseret.  Many of those who visit Monte Cassino also find healing and answers to their prayers.

Today, we ask Saint Scholastica to intercede for us so that we too might be aware of the ways in which Jesus passes by.  These are indeed moments of grace which should be celebrated.

Have a great day.

Be salt for the earth

In a few days' time, we will celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes and the World Day of Prayer for the Sick.  In anticipation of this important day, it is fitting that we should spend some time reflecting on the lessons that we can learn from our interactions with those who are sick and suffering.  Each week, we pray for our brothers and sisters who are weakened as a result of illness, but truly being present to those who are suffering in this way is an integral part of living our faith, for in doing so, we touch the wounds of Jesus.

In the gospel, Jesus tells his disciples: you are salt for the earth (Mt 5:13) ... and you are light for the world (Mt 5:14).  These words must have sounded perplexing to those who first heard them.  Even though many years have come and gone, each time we read these words, they should sound equally as perplexing to us today.  What does Jesus mean when he says that we are salt for the earth.  Scripture scholars tell us that salt has always been important for preserving food, and for enhancing its taste.  Therefore, Jesus used these images in order to tell us that we have a duty to enhance our encounters with others by sharing our faith with them.

It may seem paradoxical that the society we live in can be filled with so much wealth and yet there are so many of our neighbours who suffer the poverty of loneliness.  Many of us are extremely tech savvy and yet we are forgetting the art of socializing.  Canadian society would have us believe that the introduction of a practice known as Medical Assistance in Dying is a matter of respecting an individual's right to choose, yet the promised inclusion of Hospice and Palliative Care as alternate options for taking care of those who have been diagnosed with terminal illnesses has yet to be enshrined with the same level of acceptance.

On 31 January of this year, the President of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops wrote a letter on behalf of all Catholic Bishops in this country in which he unequivocally affirmed and maintained the fundamental belief in the sacredness of all human life, a value which we share with many others ... including persons of different faiths and of no faith at all.

Jesus challenges us to be light for our world.  We do this by speaking out whenever the values and beliefs we have learned are being tested.  We do this by respecting the sacredness of human life from conception to natural death.  We do this by proclaiming the mystery of God, not in lofty words or wisdom (1 Cor 2:1) but rather by offering the food of our faith to those who are hungry for acceptance and by satisfying the needs of those who are truly afflicted (cf Is 58:10), especially those who cannot speak for themselves.

His Word Today: Conscience

Good morning everyone,

The gospel account for today's meditation speaks of King Herod.  When he first heard about Jesus, many people were not sure who this newcomer was.  They were trying to hypothesize about who it was.  Some said that it might be John the Baptist who had come back to life.  Many had heard about John, and those who had heard John speaking were exited about the possibility that John might have come back to life.

Herod too had encountered John.  In fact, he had issued the command to behead him (cf Mk 6:26-29) but in secret he was intrigued by John's words.  Herod could not afford to speak of his admiration for John, but deep down, he longed for the possibility of John's return.  This may be the reason why, when he heard about Jesus, he said: It is John who I beheaded.  He has been raised up (Mk 6:16).

Is there a part of us that is like Herod?  Is there someone who we regret having lost contact with?  Is there someone we long to see again?

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Saint Paul Miki and companions

Good morning everyone,

The gospel for today's meditation presents us with a moment when Jesus was instructing his disciples.  He summoned the twelve and began to send them out two by two ... having instructed them to take nothing for the journey (Mk 6:7-9) but that which was absolutely essential.  These words, first spoken to the twelve continued to be spoken to us as well.  We who endeavour to live our faith in modern times are also encouraged by Jesus to take only that which is absolutely necessary with us for the journey.

Today, the Church celebrates and prays with Saint Paul Miki, a Japanese Jesuit priest, and his companions who were martyred by crucifixion in 1597.  Christians have faced persecution everywhere in the world, so the threat that they would be put to the test was nothing new, yet it has consistently been an essential part of God's plan that where the faithful are persecuted, the seeds of faith are most often planted and most fruitfully flourish.

Even in places where there is the threat of persecution, Jesus continues to send his disciples out ... instructing us to take nothing for the journey except for that which we absolutely need: faith in Him, trust that He will never leave us alone and a willingness to serve.  The reward that comes with such commitment is the gift of joy, the joy of knowing that we are faithful servants with many ancestors in faith - who we call martyrs and saints - to help us.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Saint Agatha

Good morning everyone,

Today, the Church celebrates and prays with Saint Agatha, a virgin and a martyr who is most highly venerated as the Patroness of Sicily.  She is believed to have been born either in Palermo or Catania around 231 A.D. and completed her earthly pilgrimage around the year 251 A.D.

From her very early years, this very beautiful girl dedicated her life to God and chose to become a consecrated virgin: choosing to remain celibate and to give her life entirely to Jesus in a life of prayer and service ... but this did not stop men from desiring her.  One of those men was Quintianus, a high-ranking diplomat who thought that he could force her to marry.  Despite persistent proposals, arrests, physical torture, imprisonment and starvation, she remained faithful to her promise.  In fact, she endured all the taunts and torture with a sense of cheer.

The gospel passage for today's Mass places Jesus in his own hometown at the moment when he confirmed: a prophet is not without honor except in his native place (Mk 6:4).  These few words have been proven to hold truth, not only in the case of Jesus but in the life of Agatha and many others of the saints.  May this young saint intercede for us today and help us to remain steadfast in our belief.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Long suffering

Good morning everyone,

Today, the gospel passage mentions a woman who had been afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years (cf Mk 5:25).  Like all the people mentioned in the gospels, this woman also provides us with an opportunity to reflect on the situation that faces at least some of us.

If we want to understand the suffering of that woman, perhaps we can look to modern-day examples. I think for example of all those who suffer from addictions: to alcoholism, to coffee, to shopping, to food, to so many substances.  Those who look upon such situations from the outside might be tempted to think that the addicted persons should be able to simply do without the objects of their addictions, but that is precisely the point - addictions are controlling and they are unforgiving.

Addictions lead many in our world to live long suffering lives.  Even if they are aware of their weaknesses, and even if they may want - with every breath they breathe - to be able to better the control that the addictions can hold upon them - to be free of their addictions, in reality, they truly suffer.

Do we know of someone who suffers because of addiction?  At some level, are we too being held or controlled by some kind of addiction?  In the case of the woman with the hemorrhages, she came to Jesus.  What will it take for us to come to Jesus?

Have a great day.