Daily Retreat 07/30/06

2006 Jul 30 SUN: SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

2 Kgs 4: 42-44/ Ps 144(145): 10-11. 15-16. 17-18/ Eph 4: 1-6/ Jn 6: 1-15

From today’s readings:  “For thus says the LORD: They shall eat and there shall be some left over....  The hand of the Lord feeds us; He answers all our needs....  Live in a manner worthy of the call you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience....  Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were reclining, and also as much of the fish as they wanted....”

Chapter Six

John 6 is one of the most crucial chapters in the entire Bible, since it provides us with the best taste of the topic which Jesus Himself saw fit to patiently preach about in savory details exactly one year before His Passion.  So, beginning today, and for the next month, the Sunday Gospel selections will progress through nearly the entire sixth chapter of John.  But for easier digestion, week by week, the chapter is broken down into smaller pieces, so that we can carefully chew on every word, to insure that not even a fragment of the Lord=s loaves goes to waste....

Now, of the many miracles performed by our blessed Lord in His public life, only one of them was recorded in all four Gospels - the multiplication of the loaves, the feeding of the five thousand.  Matthew and Mark even recalled that Jesus not only fed those five thousand, but on another occasion, He again took bread, and gave thanks (that=s what the word Aeucharist@ means, “to give thanks”), and He broke the bread, and gave it to His disciples to feed another crowd, four thousand men that time.

So the multiplication of the loaves was, in a real sense, the Lord=s most popular miracle.  And why not?  Doesn=t everyone love a free lunch?  But Jesus didn=t work that or any other miracle to be popular - quite the contrary, for when the well-fed crowd made a move to make Him their bread-king, He withdrew again to the mountain alone.  At this point, John is a bit vague, but Matthew and Mark clearly explain that Jesus even compelled the apostles to embark and get away as well.

So Jesus wasn=t seeking popularity, and He evidently wasn=t too keen about letting His apostles get carried away either by popular opinions.  So why then did Jesus multiply the loaves?  Out of compassion for hungry people?  Yes, of course, but the crowds then, just like the masses today, are hungry, not just for physical food, but for solid spiritual nourishment, and Jesus came to feed all such starving souls, and not just for the moment, but for all time!

And the time then was ripe, for the Jewish feast of Passover was near.  Jesus knew that, a year later, He would celebrate His final Passover with His disciples, and He wanted them then to call to mind, not only this miraculous moment, but also, the marvelous Eucharistic teaching that He was preparing to share.

So Jesus multiplied the loaves as a sign, as a sign to lead people to have faith, complete faith in Him.  But isn’t it interesting, that at the same time Jesus offers signs and reasons for faith in Him, He also shows His degree of faith in His own followers?  For, after considering the crowd’s hunger, Jesus asks Andrew and the other Apostles to consider the immensity of the problem.  And this Sunday too, Jesus also asks you and me to consider for a moment the immensity of the problem: the worldwide hunger for the Lord’s bread of life!   What are WE going to do about it?  Not “we,” that is, you and I without Jesus, but “WE, ” you and I with Jesus, you and I joined to the Body of Christ! 

For, the Gospel recounts, as soon as one boy came forward in a spirit of self-sacrifice, ready to share with everyone his own lunch of five loaves and two fish, Jesus took action, and performed the great sign.  And at this moment too, when you and I step forward in a spirit of self-sacrifice, ready and eager to share with everyone our Eucharistic faith and all the other blessings we’ve received from God, then Jesus again does His part, multiplying even our smallest efforts in His name, so that all can eat, and there even be some left over!

Daily Retreat 07/28/06

2006 Jul 28 Fri: Ordinary Weekday
Jer 3: 14-17/ Jer 31: 10. 11-12abcd. 13/ Mt 13: 18-23

From today’s readings:  “I will appoint over you shepherds after My own heart, who will shepherd you wisely and prudently....  The Lord will guard us as a shepherd guards his flock....  Jesus said to His disciples: Hear the parable of the sower!”

Sowing the Word of God

Why don’t people respond wholeheartedly to the Gospel?  The often disappointing results of personal evangelization are among the greatest frustrations for any zealous Christian.  And yet, in a crucial seminal parable, Jesus explained that this was only to be expected when sowing the Word of God.

For like the seed sown on the path, there have been many, and there continues to be many today who hear the Word of God without understanding and appreciating it, and so they make it easy for the Devil to steal away the precious seedling faith.  Likewise, there have been many, and there continues to be many today who hear the word of God and receive it at once with joy, but they have no follow-through and no commitment to long-term growth in their faith, so that soon dries up and dies.  There also have been many, and there continues to be many today who hear the Word of God , but worldly concerns and preoccupations continually distract them from Heavenly matters, so their spiritual development suffers and is stunted.

But over the centuries, there have been some, and there continues to be some today who hear the Word of God and understand it, and cultivate their whole life around it, and thus bear abundant fruit!  In His determination to plant seed in the rich soil, Jesus Himself suffered the frustration of some seed falling along the path, or on rocky ground, or among thorns.  In our own scattered efforts at evangelization, there’s bound to be the same frustrations, but among those who persevere to reach the rich soil, there will also be a divinely fruitful yield!

Daily Retreat 07/25/06

2006 Jul 25 Tue: James, ap F
2 Cor 4: 7-15/ Ps 125(126): 1bc-2ab. 2cd-3. 4-5. 6/ Mt 20: 20-28

>From today’s readings:  “We hold this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing power may be of God and not from us....  The LORD has done great things for us; we are glad indeed....  The Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many....”

St. James the Greater

Since there were two with the name “James” among the Twelve Apostles, it’s easy to get them both mixed up.  One of them is mentioned in Mark 15:40 as “James the less,” but this diminutive title most likely refers to his age or height, not his relative importance.  So in contrast, the saint commemorated today, the other James, the son of Zebedee and brother of John, is often called “the greater,” but again, that flattering title probably just reflects his greater age or height in comparison to the other James.

This St. James and his brother John and St. Peter were privileged to be the closest companions of Jesus among all the apostles, for  the three of them are mentioned as alone with the Lord on a number of occasions, including the raising of Jairus’ daughter, the Transfiguration, and the Agony in Gethsemane.

The Acts of the Apostles also records (12:2) that James was the first martyr among the apostles.   He was put to death by Herod Agrippa I, and since that monarch had a short reign, the year of James’ martyrdom is well established as 42 AD.

Daily Retreat 07/24/06

2006 Jul 24 Mon: Ordinary Weekday/ Sharbel Makhluf, p
Mi 6: 1-4. 6-8/ Ps 49(50): 5-6. 8-9. 16bc-17. 21 and 23/ Mt 12: 38-42

>From today’s readings:  “You have been told, O man, what is good, and what the LORD requires of you: Only to do the right and to love goodness, and to walk humbly with your God.... To the upright I will show the saving power of God....   At the judgment, the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and there is something greater than Jonah here.”

Condemnation of a generation

Jesus warned His unresponsive contemporaries that since they had something greater, their generation would be condemned by people of the past who had responded to God’s word given through prophet and king.  

Our generation runs the same risk of condemnation.  For, even though we are not contemporaries of the earthly Jesus, the Holy Spirit still fills us with His abiding presence in sacred sacrament, Word, and  Church, so we do have a greater than Jonah and Solomon.   Also, our education and modern communication gives us greater access to the teaching of Jesus than all but the closest of His followers enjoyed.  

The men of Nineveh thoroughly repented at the preaching of Jonah - has our generation hearkened to the Gospel call to repent of the evils of our time?  The queen of the south came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon - has our generation shown even a fraction of that effort to embrace the wisdom of Christ?  If not, at the judgment, those from the past  will arise with this generation and condemn it, because they responded to God’s grace given through Old Testament prophet and king, but the Holy Spirit offers Someone greater to us and all generations of the New Covenant!

Daily Retreat 07/23/06

2006 Jul 23 SUN: SIXTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Jer 23: 1-6/ Ps 22(23): 1-3. 3-4. 5. 6 (1)/ Eph 2: 13-18/ Mk 6: 30-34

>From today’s readings:  “I Myself will gather the remnant of My flock from all the lands to which I have driven them and bring them back to their meadow; there they shall increase and multiply. I will appoint shepherds for them who will shepherd them so that they need no longer fear and tremble; and none shall be missing, says the LORD....  The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want....  In Christ Jesus, you who once were far off have become near by the blood of Christ....  When [Jesus] disembarked and saw the vast crowd, His heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things.”

Sheep and Shepherds

    Since I’m joining classmates today in celebrating our 20 year high school reunion, the scriptures reminded me of a day in my junior year history class at Gonzaga Prep when the teacher announced that we would be getting a  student teacher  for the rest of the semester.  At first, we were excited as we joked about all the things we now could get away with:  there would certainly be less homework, easier tests, and little or no discipline in the classroom.  On the other hand, after thinking about the matter for awhile, we started to wonder if we were being gypped:  would we learn less, and be ill-prepared for our final exams, all because a novice would now be teaching us?
    Well, the experience of helping to train a student teacher wasn't as traumatic as we had expected.  The roles of teacher and student overlapped as she taught us while learning from us, and we learned from our student teacher, while at the same time we were teaching her.  In the end, we felt rather honored to play our essential role in the education of a teacher.
    At times, when the scriptures touch upon the relation of student to teacher, of sheep to shepherd, there is also a certain blurring of the roles.  For starters, all of us sheep also have a role to play in the shepherding of the flock.  It's never safe to say, “I'm just a plain sheep - whatever happens to all the other sheep isn't my concern.”  Each of us by our actions either helps to scatter, or helps to gather the flock.  We can help our straggling neighbors catch up, or we can drive them further away by turning our backs on them.  We're bound to get lost ourselves if we do nothing but sit around complaining that we don't have enough shepherds, enough priests, or you and I can do our own part through prayer and encouragement to call forth the shepherds of tomorrow from our own community.  Yes, like it or not, we all play a part in shepherding the flock.
    The scriptures also have something to say to those whom we recognize the Lord has appointed as our shepherds.  Anyone who serves as shepherd, every student shepherd, every pastor, bishop, even the pope, must realize that he is also a sheep, a member of the Good Shepherd's flock, like all Christians of all ages.  So everyone called upon to guide other sheep (and remember, that  includes all of us to some extent) must never forget that there is only one Good Shepherd.  We must never egotistically say, “Follow me!”  Rather, we should always humbly point to the One greater than ourselves and say, “Follow Him!”
    In our weakness, when we see ourselves as just sheep, when we think “I have too many problems of my own to worry about others in need, and I'm too busy anyway,” it is then that Jesus our Good Shepherd provides us with courage and direction.  As we pass through various valleys of darkness and confront moments of loneliness and the trials of our lives, even our greatest fears can't drown out the comforting voice of this Shepherd, Who searches out all lost sheep, and calls us by name.
    And in our strength, seeing ourselves as shepherds of sort, when you and I are sharing our blessings and talents with others, we're reminded then that we too are mere sheep under the protection of Jesus, for even He, though Chief Shepherd, humbled Himself also to become the Lamb of God.
    Our Shepherd and our Lamb!  Happy, blessed are we who are part of His flock.  Happy, blessed are we whom the Shepherd leads to the Banquet of the Lamb!

Daily Retreat 07/22/06

2006 Jul 22 Sat: Mary Magdalene, disciple of the Lord M
Mi 2: 1-5/ Ps 9(10): 1-2. 3-4. 7-8. 14 or
Sg 3:1-4 or 2 Cor 5:14-17/Ps 62(63): 2.3-4.5-6.8-9/ Jn 20: 1-2. 11-18

>From today’s readings:  “Woe to those who plan iniquity, and work out evil on their couches....  Do not forget the poor, O Lord!...    On the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb.”

St. Mary Magdalene

While there are a number of things that the Gospels relate about St. Mary Magdalene, on this, her feastday, the Church focuses our attention on her Easter faithfulness: “On the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb.”  All four Gospels, in fact, mention that Mary Magdalene was among the first to discover the empty tomb.

She came to the tomb, not because she even dared hope for the Lord’s Resurrection (the empty tomb initially just made her heartbroken and distraught) , but because she had a holy and undying, “clinging” love for Jesus, even though she had witnessed His crucifixion and death.  And so, she found Him anew!

And this is the faithful love we must strive to show our risen Savior as well!  Especially when faced with distressing confusion and bitter disappointments in our own lives, you and I can do no better than to follow Magdalene’s example of going as early as possible to the place where the Lord is to be found!

Daily Retreat 07/21/06

2006 Jul 21 Fri: Ordinary Weekday/ Lawrence of Brindisi, p, r, dr
Is 38: 1-6. 21-22. 7-8/ Is 38: 10. 11. 12abcd. 16/ Mt 12: 1-8

From today’s readings:  “O LORD, remember how faithfully and wholeheartedly I conducted myself in Your presence, doing what was pleasing to You!...  Those live whom the LORD protects; Yours is the life of my spirit....   the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

Sacredness of the Sabbath

The third commandment of the Decalogue bids us to “Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day.”  The Pharisees took that injunction seriously, accumulating, over the years, a catalog of things that were forbidden to do on the Sabbath.  But what began as common sense limitations of Sabbath work (such as the prohibition to harvest grain) deteriorated into senseless nitpicking, such as the Pharisees’ indignation that Christ’s disciples were breaking the Sabbath rest merely by picking a few stalks for their own meal.

Historically, the Sabbath was the last day of the week, Saturday.  But since “the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath,” early Christians legitimately came to recognize Sunday, the day of the Lord’s Resurrection, as the Sabbath of the New Covenant.  Over the centuries, the Christian faithfulness in keeping the Lord’s day holy established the custom of Sunday rest in numerous regions.  

So, previous generations of Christians understood that Jesus’ objection was only to the Pharisaical practice - He never advocated abolishing the sacredness of the Sabbath in itself.  But even if the Pharisees erred by trivializing the divine commandment with their nitpicking, the modern tendency has been much worse, positively profaning the Sabbath by dismissing its sacred character.  For example, many Christian people, particularly in the retail sector, work on Sunday.  However, stores would not be open on Sundays if Christians simply refrained from shopping on that day!  In so many ways, the Lord’s day has been demoted, for although Sunday was once universally observed as the solemn first day of the week; now, however, Sundays are so often seen as merely the closing hours of the heathen weekend.

It’s a simple matter to recognize the common sense exceptions legitimizing Sabbath work for police and hospital staff and others working to insure public safety.  But most Christians of this time and place need to re-examine their Sunday practices, for it’s Pharisaical to call Jesus “Lord of the Sabbath” if one capitalizes on Sunday as another workday, or spends more time and money in malls then in God’s House, or skips church altogether for other weekend plans.

Daily Retreat 07/20/06

2006 Jul 20 Thu: Ordinary Weekday/ Apollinarius, bp, mt
Is 26: 7-9. 11. 16-19/ Ps 102: 13-14ab and 15. 16-18. 19-21/ Mt 11: 28-30

From today’s readings:  “O LORD, You mete out peace to us, for it is You who have accomplished all we have done....  From Heaven the Lord looks down on the earth....  Come to Me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest!”

Comfort and Rest

Earlier in this 11th chapter of Matthew, Jesus gave a stern warning of the woes that were to come to unrepentant cities.  Then, in these final verses of the chapter, Jesus speaks some of His most memorable words of comfort to those who come to Him for His rest and easy yoke.

Towards the end of the 10th chapter, Jesus explained that He had come to bring, not peace, but division.  The contrasts of Chapter 11 illustrate the extent of the division: for those who refuse to repent, there will be nothing be eternal woes.  For those who repent and turn to Christ, there will be eternal comfort.

The martyrs and many saints since the time of Christ have endured heavy labors and toils, and yet their joy and perseverance attested to awareness of Christ’s easy yoke, even in the midst of the apparent hardships.  That’s rest worth working for!

Daily Retreat 07/19/06

2006 Jul 19 Wed: Ordinary Weekday
Is 10: 5-7. 13b-16/ Ps 94: 5-6. 7-8. 9-10. 14-15/ Mt 11: 25-27

From today’s readings:  “Thus says the LORD: Woe to Assyria!...  The Lord will not abandon His people....  No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal Him.”

Why Wise?

Often enough, Holy Scripture affirms that God’s revelation is the light of wisdom to guide human lives.  And yet, Jesus praised the Father for hiding things from the wise and the learned, and revealing them instead to the childlike.  So, the question arises, why strive for wisdom if God hides things from the wise?

We must distinguish between worldly wisdom and divine wisdom.  Some who have set out to advance in human knowledge and wisdom have thought it necessary to deliberately ignore divine revelation in their musings, in order to abide by a strictly secular standard.  Now, the light of human reason alone would lead such people to great truths, such as an appreciation for the principles of natural law.  But still, much would remain hidden to such people.

When we discern God’s revelation and embrace it, we are following divine wisdom.  That doesn’t mean that we can’t or shouldn’t still use human reason - on the contrary, that’s part of what it means to love God with all our mind, and that’s a point that Jesus Himself added when He taught about the Great Commandment (cf. Matthew 22:37).  But, just as a child instinctively turns to its parents for answers, aware that they know more, so Jesus reminds us that the Heavenly Father gladly shares answers with those who humbly remember that He always knows best!

Daily Retreat 07/18/06

2006 Jul 18 Tue: Ordinary Weekday/ Camillus de Lellis, p
Is 7: 1-9/ Ps 47(48): 2-3a. 3b-4. 5-6. 7-8/ Mt 11: 20-24

From today’s readings:  “Unless your faith is firm you shall not be firm!...  God upholds His city for ever....  Jesus began to reproach the towns where most of His mighty deeds had been done, since they had not repented.”

Missing the Boat

How amazing that, in spite of His miracles, in spite of the patent wisdom of His teaching, in spite of the living love that emanated from Jesus, so many people of His day and place found reasons to not believe in Him, to ignore Him, and even to persecute Him.

Jesus warned that there would be dire consequences for rejecting His call to repentance.  For the sake of comparison, Jesus mentioned that the pagan peoples in Tyre and Sidon would have responded more enthusiastically to Him than did the Jewish towns of Chorazin and Bethsaida, and even the sinful city of Sodom would have recognized the miracles of Jesus and their implications better than Capernaum, which was the veritable base of Christ’s operations in Galilee.

Today, nothing is left of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum, except a few archeological ruins.  But the fate of the towns is inconsequential - what matters most is the eternal destiny of the people who lived there!  

Some of the cities and nations of our time will no longer exist, either, after a few hundred years.  And none of them will last beyond the day of judgment!  But each one of us, and all the past, present and future people of every city and country will come before Christ one day, to undergo judgment on the basis of the response to grace received....

Daily Retreat 07/17/06

2006 Jul 17 Mon: Ordinary Weekday
Is 1: 10-17/ Ps 49(50): 8-9. 16bc-17. 21 and 23/ Mt 10: 34 – 11: 1

From today’s readings:  “Wash yourselves clean! Put away your misdeeds from before My eyes; cease doing evil; learn to do good....  Why do you recite My statutes, and profess My covenant with your mouth, though you hate discipline and cast My words behind you?...  Whoever receives you receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives the One who sent Me.”

Mission Command

Chapter Ten of the Gospel of St. Matthew forms a set of missionary instructions for the Apostles, and for modern disciples as well!   Note that these instructions are more than mere recommendations and suggestions, for the discourse ends with the note, “When Jesus finished giving these commands to His Twelve disciples....”

Authentic Christian faith is, quite frankly, necessarily missionary, as is clear from a summary review of Chapter Ten, for Jesus instructed His Apostles to confront and cast out spirits of evil, to bring healing in His Name, to proclaim the Kingdom, to share their blessings freely and fully, to avoid worrying about material things, and to persevere boldly  in spite of the worst persecutions imaginable.

The faith that you and I treasure has been passed on to us by the Apostles and succeeding generations of Christians.  If they had not fulfilled the Lord’s mission command, fewer people (including ourselves!) would have received the faith!  Likewise, if each one of us do not in turn fulfill the mission command, living and sharing our faith with the people to whom God sends us, then the Church will be curtailed and deprived in coming generations.

Daily Retreat 07/16/06

2006 Jul 16 SUN: FIFTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Am 7: 12-15/ Ps 84(85): 9-10. 11-12. 13-14 (8)/ Eph 1: 3-14/ Mk 6: 7-13

From today’s readings:  “The LORD took me from following the flock, and said to me, Go, prophesy to My people Israel....  I will hear what God proclaims....  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens....  The Twelve drove out many demons, and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.”

The Divine Benefits Plan

From a worldly point of view, the Bible is not an apparent success story.  Amos, for example, is typical of many of the Old Testament prophets, and in fact, the Book of Amos is the oldest prophetic work in Scripture.  Well, not only was his prophetic message scorned, but he himself was rejected and despised.  The second reading is the beginning of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians - a beautiful and upbeat work, and one of the most profound reflections in all the Bible on the mystery of faith.  But Chapter 3 of the letter attests that it was written by Paul during one of his numerous imprisonments on account of his faith.  In the Gospel, Jesus specifically instructs His Apostles what to do when they are not welcomed or listened to - when, not if they are not welcomed, but when that happens, for Jesus evidently knows it is a sure thing!

So the Bible is not, nor never pretends to be, an infallible guide to earthly success.  In anything, there’s quite a bit of evidence that Sacred Scripture presents an amazingly reliable formula for worldly failure!  Yet paradoxically, the Bible is the best selling book of all time, so how do we account for that?  Is Scripture simply scripted for simpletons, the original Dummies’ Guide to, well, being a dumber dummy?  Or, is the Bible, in spite of its worldly worthlessness, truly the record of the divine success story, how the Celestial C.E.O. is leading His company, not from rags to riches, but from sinners to saints?

Since I never took any classes in marketing, I certainly would have no idea how to “sell” Scripture to the cynical, since it says nothing tempting about “what’s in it for me,” in this world, at least.  Nonetheless, I stake my life on the Word of God, as do all faithful followers who, as Paul says,  “were sealed with the promised holy Spirit, which is the first installment of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s possession, to the praise of His glory!”  As the psalm reminds us, “The LORD Himself will give His benefits,” and the Bible does reveal quite a bit about the divine benefits package, which, as it turns out, is the only package guaranteed to be truly out of this world!

Daily Retreat 07/15/06

2006 Jul 15 Sat: Bonaventure, bp, r, dr M
Is 6: 1-8/ Ps 92(93): 1ab. 1cd-2. 5/ Mt 10: 24-33

From today’s readings: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts!... The
Lord is king; He is robed in majesty.... Do not be afraid of those who
kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, be afraid of the one who
can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna. ”

Association with Christ

Jesus made it pretty clear to His Apostles about what they could expect
from the world on account of their association with Christ. Basically,
the way the world treated Jesus would be the pattern for the way the
world treated His disciples. Just as Jesus, for example, was accused
with being in league with the spirit of Evil, so would His Apostles be
similarly maligned.

But, Jesus also made it clear why His Apostles shouldn’t fear
denunciation by the world. The Providence of God extends to even the
smallest tings, such as the hairs of one’s head. This being the case,
nothing that happens can escape divine scrutiny, and this awareness must
always inspire and govern our actions and attitudes.

Which means, for example, that commitment to Christ must permeate the
entire person - it’s not sufficient to just do a list of external tasks
that give some witness to faith, if one’s thoughts and hidden actions
undermine or even contradict the faith.

Daily Retreat 07/14/06

2006 Jul 14 Fri: Bl Kateri Tekakwitha, v M
Hos 14: 2-10/ Ps 50(51): 3-4. 8-9. 12-13. 14 and 17/ Mt 10: 16-23

From today’s readings:  “Straight are the paths of the LORD, in them the just walk, but sinners stumble in them....  Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness; in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense....  Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves.”

What a deal!

One of the most amazing things about Christian discipleship is its cost!  Jesus certainly was forthright in warning His followers that He was sending them “like sheep in the midst of wolves,” and that their faithfulness would lead to their persecution and hatred.

The Apostles experienced the literal fulfillment of Christ’s prophecy, as was attested by many a martyr’s death.  The religious freedom which most of us take for granted shields us from martyrdom and bodily suffering for the Name of Jesus, but the modern religious indifference fosters a more subtle form of persecution.  As long as a person quietly keeps his faith to himself, there are no problems.  But, when Christ and His Gospel is embraced in everyday life, there will necessarily be clashes with the secular mindset.

And that’s when we have the opportunity (and obligation!) to stand up for our faith, and follow in the footsteps of the Apostles - they were cautioned by Christ Himself about the cost of Christian discipleship, but also taught by Him who made it all worthwhile!

Daily Retreat 07/13/06

2006 Jul 13 Thu: Ordinary Weekday/ Henry, mm
Hos 11: 1-4. 8c-9/ Ps 79(80): 2ac and 3b. 15-16/ Mt 10: 7-15

>From today’s readings:  “Yet, though I stooped to feed My child, they did not know that I was their healer....  O LORD of hosts, look down from Heaven, and see....   Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give!”

Missionary Theme

Chapter Ten of Matthew’s Gospel begins with the naming of the Twelve Apostles, those whom Jesus sent forth with the mission of proclaiming His Gospel.  In fact, the word “apostle” is derived from the Greek verb “to send,” and also the word “mission” is the Latin derivative, again from the verb “to send.”

So, in this and all of their other missionary work, the Apostles were agents of Christ, doing things the way He wanted them done.  If they had insisted on doing things their own way, they would have shaped a much different church, one of merely human origin.  But because they were given and followed the Lord’s specific directions, the Church will forever glory in the four divine trademarks:  One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic.

Jesus specified that the heart of His missionaries proclamation should be, “The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!”    This was, in fact, the theme of His own preaching (cf. Matthew 4:17).  Without doubt, there is much entailed in faithfully preaching and living the full Gospel, but every evangelistic effort must be centered on the practical consequences of that cardinal Christian insight: The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!

Daily Retreat 07/12/06

2006 Jul 12 Wed: Ordinary Weekday
Hos 10: 1-3. 7-8. 12/ Ps 104(105): 2-3. 4-5. 6-7/ Mt 10: 1-7

 

From today’s readings:  “Sow for yourselves justice, reap the fruit of piety; break up for yourselves a new field, for it is time to seek the LORD, till He come and rain down justice upon you....  Rejoice, O hearts that seek the LORD!...  The names of the Twelve Apostles are these: first, Simon called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus; Simon the Cananean, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus.”

 

The Twelve Apostles

 

Here’s a little trick for remembering where a list of the Twelve Apostles can be found in the Bible: St. Matthew’s Gospel is the first book of the New Testament, and since Matthew was one of the Apostles, it would make sense that the list of all twelve original Apostles could be found in the that book.  Everyone knows that “10 + 2 = 12” and by a happy coincident, the roster of Apostles can be found beginning with Matthew 10:2!

 

The word BAPTISM can also be used as an acronym to help one memorize the names of the Apostles, since the letters of that word include the first initials of all of the Apostles.

B - Bartholomew
A - Andrew
P - Peter, Philip
T - Thomas, Thaddeus
I - James, James, John, Judas
S - Simon
M - Matthew

 

Note that the letter “I” legitimately stands for all the “J” Apostles, since “J” was introduced in the Roman alphabet only in the 16th century, precisely in order to alert readers when the letter “I” was to be pronounced as a consonant.   Also, as variations in the acronym, “Peter” could be listed under his original name (“Simon”), and St. Thaddeus could be listed under “I” with his other name, “Jude” (as we find in Luke’s listing). 

Daily Retreat 07/11/06

2006 Jul 11 Tue: Benedict, ab, rf M
Hos 8: 4-7. 11-13/ Ps 114(115): 3-4. 5-6. 7ab-8. 9-10/ Mt 9: 32-38

 

From today’s readings:  “How long will they be unable to attain innocence in Israel?...  Our God is in heaven; whatever He wills, He does....  The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few....”

 

Asking the Lord of the Harvest

 

Jesus, despite being true God, was also true man, so He had human limitations during His earthly life - He couldn’t be two places at once, for instance.  The burgeoning needs of the crowds who followed Him proved the divine foresight in preparing His apostles to be effective laborers for the Lord’s harvest.  In His omnipotence, God could have devised some other system for shepherding souls, but He chose to elevate human dignity by entrusting and empowering His apostles to share substantially in Christ’s pastoral care of people.

 

Jesus, however, was not only moved with pity for the people of His own day, for there continues to be crowds of troubled and abandoned people, like sheep without a shepherd.  And so the good Lord continues to call men of this time and place to serve as His priests, whom He sends out as laborers to His ripe and abundant harvest.

 

Yet still, these laborers are few!  St. Francis de Sales once remarked that a single soul was a big enough diocese for a bishop - this is certainly true, for every imperiled soul is worthy of a shepherd’s lifelong efforts to lead to the Lord’s salvation.  And on a personal note, although I myself am the pastor of only one small parish, I’ve never felt that there’s not enough for me to do here - on the contrary, at the end of everyday, it seems I have made but little pastoral headway, so I pray continually that the Lord will send more laborers to His harvest.

 

And it’s a sacred duty for all of God’s people to pray and thereby take to heart the Lord’s words, “The harvest is plenty, but laborers are few.  Ask, therefore, of the Lord of the harvest, that He send out laborers for His harvest.”

Daily Retreat 07/10/06

2006 Jul 10 Mon: Ordinary Weekday
Hos 2: 16. 17c-18. 21-22/ Ps 144(145): 2-3. 4-5. 6-7. 8-9/ Mt 9: 18-26

 

From today’s readings:  “I will espouse you to Me forever: I will espouse you in right and in justice, in love and in mercy; I will espouse you in fidelity, and you shall know the LORD....  The Lord is gracious and merciful....  Courage, daughter! Your faith has saved you.”

 

Getting God’s Attention

 

Especially in our busy world, it’s an essential courtesy to others to be considerate of their own engagements and responsibilities before trying to get their attention and help for our own issues.  No doubt, each one of us can call to mind disruptions in our life when we busy in the middle of addressing one task, and someone approached us for help with some other routine issue that really had no urgency to warrant an interruption. 

 

I recall, for instance, a few weeks ago, I was perched on a 12 foot ladder, installing a new light for the choir loft in my parish church.  A man wandered in, whom I had never met before.  He had a question about a Latin translation, and had heard that I knew some Latin, and so, with apparent disregard for the fact that I literally had my hands full at the moment, he asked if I could look over a particular text that he had.  Although in general I’m happy to help in such cases, I had to explain to the man what should have been obvious:  that I was occupied at the moment and so unable to help until sometime later.  My deferral was expressed  in a polite tone, but I can’t say I successfully concealed every  trace of exasperation as well!

 

From similar personal experiences, all of us realize how rude it is (except, of course, in cases of emergency) to expect someone busy with something else to drop what he’s doing in order to attend to us.  However, some people actually shy away from “bothering” God because they consider Him too busy with other people and bigger issues.  While it is indeed an essential courtesy to take into account the preoccupations of other people before approaching them for help, for God, the rules are different: He wants us to involve Him in the small and big things of our lives, and so we needn’t ever worry that our prayers might be interrupting His work elsewhere. 

 

In the Gospel, the woman with the hemorrhage saw Jesus on His way to help someone else.  But it was faith, not selfishness, that impelled her to grab His cloak and His attention.  And praising her faith, Jesus cured her, and then went on, without any hint of annoyance, to complete His original errand of mercy....

Daily Retreat 07/09/06

2006 Jul 9 SUN: FOURTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Ez 2: 2-5/ Ps 122(123): 1-2. 2. 3-4/ 2 Cor 12: 7-10/ Mk 6: 1-6

 

From today’s readings:  “You shall say to them: Thus says the LORD GOD! And whether they heed or resist—for they are a rebellious house— they shall know that a prophet has been among them....  Our eyes are fixed on the Lord, pleading for His mercy....  My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness....  A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and among his own kin and in his own house.”

 

Selective Hearing

 

All parents have observed in their children the phenomenon of “selective hearing.”  For, when the call goes out, “Dessert time!” all the kids, no matter how far away, come running immediately, because their sharp ears have picked up the good news.  On the other hand, if the announcement is “Time to get started on chores!” or “Bedtime now!” it’s amazing how often the message simply fails to register, and if threatened with punishment for disobedience, the child will protest, “I just didn’t hear you!”

 

Parents have different strategies for addressing the problem of “selective hearing,” but no one seems to have yet discovered a sure remedy for that malady.  In fact, if they’re honest, parents might have the courage to admit to their own bouts of “selective hearing,” such as when a spouse voices an untimely inquiry in the middle of an engrossing TV show, or one of the kids raises a natural but embarrassing question, or the adult’s parents hint at  broaching a delicate subject that was ostensibly settled long ago.

 

Upon investigation, it’s clear that  “selective hearing” goes all the way back to Original Sin, for after the Fall, when Adam and Eve first heard the voice of God approaching, they hid themselves, evidently hoping to just quietly lie low for awhile, so that maybe God would just pass them by without any awkward questions about what they had eaten for lunch.

 

But God refused to let His children get away with their “selective hearing,” and so He did get the message through to Adam and Eve about their new chores and dolors, and the definitive bedtime of their earthly life.

 

Unfortunately, though, all sons of Adam and daughters of Eve have inherited that tragic trait of “selective hearing,” not just when listening to one another, but especially when listening to God.  For written between the lines (or sometimes even spelled out explicitly!) on nearly every page of the Bible is the repeated message from the heavenly Father: “You know, I’ve told you this before already.  Try listening more closely this time!  Once again, I’m going to make Myself crystal clear to you.  I’m only telling you these things for your own benefit, so it’s to your own advantage to listen up and obey what I say!” 

 

The prophet Ezekiel, for instance, was warned that people to whom he was sent were not just hard of hearing, but “hard of face and obstinate of heart.”  But whether the rebellious house heeded or resisted, they would know that a true prophet had come among them, shouting the Word of the Lord so loudly and clearly that no one could pretend any longer not to have heard.

 

Even St. Paul, with his abundance of divine revelations, found it hard to hear the Lord’s answer about the thorn in his flesh.  Three times he begged the Lord about it, until finally God’s repeated reply started to sink in, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness!”

 

In that little town of Nazareth, when Jesus preached in the synagogue, the start of His word at least was heard: His wisdom, His miracles, His charisma.  Oh yes, the townsfolk managed to hear about all of that, but in the end, they decided that they themselves were older and wiser than that “Jesus of Nazareth,” who couldn’t possibly have anything worthwhile to teach them that they didn’t already know about.

 

If we’re honest, all of us, children and adults, men and women, sinners and saints,  might have the courage to admit to our own bouts of “selective hearing,” especially when it comes to the Word of the Lord.  Whenever He adverts to heavenly desserts, our ears perk up, for we presume that our own “above average” conduct in His household has surely entitled us to a permanent place at the table.  But when He mentions anything about Hell and its just deserts for those who ignore Him, our “selective hearing” assures us that such dire warnings must, of course, be intended for someone else.

 

Did you hear anything I just said?

Daily Retreat 07/08/06

2006 Jul 8 Sat: Ordinary Weekday/ BVM
Am 9: 11-15/ Ps 85: 9ab and 10. 11-12. 13-14/ Mt 9: 14-17

 

From today’s readings:  “Yes, days are coming, says the LORD, when the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the vintager, him who sows the seed....  I will hear what God proclaims; the LORD—for He proclaims peace to His people....  Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the Bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast....”

 

Not So Fast

 

Since ancient times, fasting has been recognized as a beneficial spiritual and bodily discipline.  Christians associate fasting especially with the penitential season of Lent, but as I mentioned a few weeks ago, as a way of calling to mind Christ’s sacrificial death on the Cross, Fridays throughout the year should also reflect a penitential spirit, for example, with a personal commitment to abstinence from meat and limiting oneself to simple meals (both mild variations of fasting).  This is a practical application of the Lord’s own recommendation: “The days will come when the Bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast!”

 

Jesus, however, explained that, just as it would be inappropriate for wedding guests to sour their joy in the company of the bridegroom, so it would be inappropriate for His disciples to let anything sour their joy at His presence.  Since every Sunday is the Lord’s Day, an observance of His Easter victory over death and celebration of His resurrected presence, Christians do not fast on Sundays (even during Lent).  The commandment to “Remember to keep the Lord’s day holy” thus means the whole day should be marked with the type of pervading  festive joy which one shows, for instance, when receiving a visit from a long absent friend.  Something to remember for tomorrow!

Daily Retreat 07/07/06

2006 Jul 7 Fri: Ordinary Weekday
Am 8: 4-6. 9-12/ Ps 118(119): 2. 10. 20. 30. 40. 131/ Mt 9: 9-13

 

From today’s readings:  “Yes, days are coming, says the Lord GOD, when I will send famine upon the land: not a famine of bread, or thirst for water, but for hearing the word of the LORD....  Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God....  Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do.”

 

Calling All Sinners!

 

The Gospels are clear: a self-righteous person is worse off than a confessed sinner.  For the whole message and ministry of Jesus extends to all sinners a warm but firm call to redemption, repentance and reconciliation.  And many sinners, miserable in their present state of life, are looking and listening for Jesus, and thus ready to respond when they encounter Him.

 

But the self-righteous are generally not looking or listening for Jesus, for they don’t see much need for Him in their lives.  So they don’t respond to His call for redemption, repentance, and reconciliation because they find it difficult to relate such notions to themselves.

 

At the time of Jesus, the self-righteous Pharisees considered themselves “on track,” and everyone else “off track.”  Nowadays, many of the self-righteous are more generous, because, by mitigating the reality of sin, not only do they consider themselves “on track,” but practically everyone else as well!  As long as they’re not terrorists, or child molesters, or whatever the worst sinner is in this week’s headlines, they consider themselves and most others as “basically good people.”

 

While the Gospel affirms the intrinsic goodness of all human life, that does not negate the tragedy of Original Sin and the reality of personal sin, so these must be recognized and addressed as well.  Just as earnestly as ever, Jesus today still calls all sinners to redemption, repentance, and reconciliation, and the self-righteous still ignore Him, simply because they figure He’s talking to someone else....

Daily Retreat 07/06/06

2006 Jul 6 Thu: Ordinary Weekday/ Maria Goretti, v, mt
Am 7: 10-17/ Ps 18(19): 8. 9. 10. 11/ Mt 9: 1-8

 

From today’s readings:  “The LORD took me from following the flock, and said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to My people Israel.....’   The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever; the ordinances of the LORD are true, all of them just....  But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins....”

 

Bringing Others To Christ

 

In introducing the Lord’s proclamation of the forgiveness of the paralytic’s sins, the Gospel clearly reads, “... Jesus saw their faith.”  Not just “his” faith, but “their” faith!  In other words, what warranted Jesus’ attention was not just the faith of the paralyzed man, the one who would directly receive the blessing of forgiveness and healing, for evidently, Jesus was also touched by the faith of those who brought the man to Him. 

 

In fact, we can legitimately speculate a bit about the faith of the paralytic - did he himself hear about Jesus, and then beg his friends to bring him to the Lord, and insist that they promise to do everything possible to get him close to the Lord?  Or did his friends first hear about Jesus - were they the ones to initially tell the paralyzed man about Jesus, maybe even needing to overcome the sick man’s skepticism?  On this point, scripture is not clear: perhaps all strong in their faith, but then again, maybe one or more of them were weak in faith, but dragged along willy nilly by the fervent faith of the others.

 

And so, while each person’s faith by itself must be addressed and nurtured, the issue shouldn’t be reduced to just “your” individual faith and “my” individual faith - the Lord Himself considers (and wants us to also consider) our collective faith, which could very well be more than just the sum of its parts!

 

For whenever we come to Jesus in prayer, we should also bring others with us, carrying them if necessary, at least through our prayer!  We should bring all those who can not come to Jesus and His Church on their own because of illness or other handicaps - sometimes this means physically assisting those in need of transportation, or with other special considerations.  We bring them to Jesus, that He may fill their lives with hope and healing, strength and comfort!

 

But when we come to Jesus in prayer, we should also bring all those who do not come to Jesus and His Church on their own because of ignorance, doubt, confusion and other difficulties, those who perhaps haven’t even thought much yet of issues of faith in their lives.  We bring them to Jesus, that He may fill their lives with faith and the Sanctifying Grace of His Presence!

 

And when we come to Jesus in prayer, we should even bring all those who deliberately will not come to the Jesus and His Church on their own because of alienation, anger, fear, or other troubles, so that our patient God may fill their lives with charity as He draws them ever nearer to Himself and His Mystical Body, the Church!

Daily Retreat 07/05/06

2006 Jul 5 Wed: Ordinary Weekday/ Anthony Mary Zaccaria, p, rf
Am 5: 14-15. 21-24/ Ps 49(50): 7. 8-9. 10-11. 12-13. 16bc-17/ Mt 8: 28-34

 

From today’s readings:  “Seek good and not evil, that you may live; Then truly will the LORD, the God of hosts, be with you as you claim....  Why do you recite My statutes, and profess My covenant with your mouth, though you hate discipline and cast My words behind you?...  When Jesus came to the territory of the Gadarenes, two demoniacs who were coming from the tombs met Him.”

 

Pigs or Persons?

 

When Jesus exorcized the demoniacs in the territory of the Gadarenes, the demons, at their own request, were sent into a herd of pigs, which were then driven to drowning by the mad monsters.  But when the townsmen heard of the miracle, they frowned on it as a catastrophe, for the Gospel mentions that they came out en masse to beg Jesus to leave their district.

 

Presumably some of the townsfolk had stock in the herd, and so, they were naturally upset at their loss.  However, any herd of pigs, which Jews consider “unclean,” would have been an unwelcome aberration even in the Hebrew hinterlands.  One would have expected the majority of the people to have appreciated Jesus both for curing the demoniacs and for getting rid of the pigs!

 

But rather than recognizing any good that Jesus had done, the residents resented Jesus, for whatever reasons, and so begged Him to leave their district (and more importantly, to leave them alone!).  The same annoyed attitude can certainly be found in our own times, probably even in our own communities, and possibly even in our own hearts.  For, in order to fully welcome Jesus, one must evict evil entirely - and that always entails a cost!  For some people, the attachment and concern for the unclean things of life outweighs the grace that Jesus brings, so they tragically continue to beg Him to just leave them alone.

Daily Retreat 07/04/06

2006 Jul 4 Tue: Ordinary Weekday/ Elizabeth of Portugal, mw
Am 3: 1-8; 4: 11-12/ Ps 5: 4b-6a. 6b-7. 8/ Mt 8: 23-27

 

From today’s readings:  “Hear this word, O children of Israel....  Lead me in Your justice, Lord....  Lord, save us! We are perishing!”

 

The Disciple as Learner

 

When Jesus calmed the storm, the disciples found themselves wondering in awe, “What sort of man is this, whom even the winds and the sea obey?”  Recall that since this incident occurred rather early in the public life of Jesus, the disciples hadn’t yet recognized the divinity of Christ.

 

But the important thing was, the disciples were reflecting about who Jesus was and learning from what they saw Him do and heard Him speak.  Thus, they proved themselves “disciples,” which is another word for “students.”

 

Too often today, however, that essential nature of discipleship gets forgotten.  For everyone who glories in the name “Christian” ought to be a true disciple of Christ, one who commits himself to lifelong learning from the greatest teacher of all.  But too many “Christians” obliviously act as if they already know enough about God and religion!  For, they don’t regularly read the Bible at home, they don’t study catechism lessons, they don’t utilize parish libraries and other resources, they ignore magisterial efforts to catechize, they don’t pay attention during homilies, and they don’t reflect about who Jesus is and learn from what He did and taught.

 

Here’s a simple test: What have you learned in the past week from Jesus or about Him or anything about your faith and morals? Or in the last month?  Or year?  If you find yourself hard-pressed to mention anything in particular, that’s a sure sign of a need to take Christian discipleship more seriously!

Daily Retreat 07/03/06

2006 Jul 3 Mon: Thomas, ap F
Eph 2: 19-22/ Ps 116(117): 1bc. 2/ Jn 20: 24-29

 

From today’s readings:  “You are fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the capstone....  Go out to all the world and tell the Good News....  Have you come to believe because you have seen Me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed!”

 

Doubting Thomas

 

St. Thomas the Apostle is popularly known as “Doubting Thomas” because he refused to believe the testimony of the other ten apostles to whom Jesus had appeared on the evening of Easter Sunday.  Even though the “doubting” appellative generally evokes a negative connotation (the chastisement for lack of faith), we shouldn’t overlook the positive aspects of Thomas’ incredulity.

 

In fact, his initial disbelief established a firm anchor for our own belief!  You may have heard of those imbecilic biblical interpreters who deny the historicity of Christ’s resurrection, claiming instead that the apostles merely suffered the delusion of “wishing thinking” and therefore had some fantasy or psychotic experience of Jesus as “living again” in their own minds and hearts. 

 

But the irrationality of such a fabrication is exposed by the very rationality of the doubt raised by Thomas!  The death of Jesus was a crushing blow for all of the apostles - none of them possessed such an unrealistic obstinate optimism that they needed to, or would have even been able to, somehow collectively dream up the resurrection to “prove” that their messianic hopes were not unfounded. 

 

On the contrary, when Mary Magdalene and the other woman witnesses initially reported the empty tomb and the angelic testimony, the apostles completely dismissed their account and refused to believe.  In fact, in addition to Thomas’ doubt recorded in the gospel of St. John, the natural initial skepticism of all the apostles is also clearly attested to in the other three gospels: Matthew 28:17; Mark 16:11-14; Luke 24:11,37.  Such doubt could only be overcome by the most convincing of proofs!  While the details are given only about what Thomas demanded (and received) in order to believe, in His resurrected glory, Christ evidently provided each apostle with the undoubtable evidence needed to establish the redoubtable faith that gave birth to the indubitable, irrefutable testimony of martyrdom!

Daily Retreat 07/02/06

2006 Jul 2 SUN: THIRTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Wis 1: 13-15; 2: 23-24/ Ps 29(30): 2. 4. 5-6. 11. 12. 13 (2a)/ 2 Cor 8: 7. 9. 13-15/ Mk 5: 21-43

 

From today’s readings:  “By the envy of the devil, death entered the world, and they who belong to his company experience it....  Sing praise to the LORD, you His faithful ones, and give thanks to His holy name....  May you excel in this gracious act also.... Do not be afraid; just have faith!”

 

Doing Our Part

 

In general, our noisy and hectic world can make it hard to think straight sometimes, and thus, peace and quiet are rare and prized commodities in our day. And yet, even so, there are times when stillness can be alarming, as when a pulse is so faint it can hardly be felt. 

 

The same dangerous extremes can be observed in the spiritual life.  Consider first the detriment of noise and commotion:  In the Gospel reading, as Jesus makes His way to Jairus’ house, He is surrounded by a chaotic crowd.  Now we can presume these were good people, for they evidently wanted to be close to Jesus and follow Him.  But, by and large, they were meshed in a mob mentality, and they were caught up in the emotion of the moment, and probably just looking for a little excitement - that’s why they were pressing on Jesus!  Not because they sought to know Him personally, not because they were listening much to His words of life, not because they were open to His sacrificial love for each of them, not because they had any intention of following Him for more than a few blocks - none of those good reasons were driving the throng to follow Jesus, but simply because there was a crowd, and the rabble wanted to be part of the crowd, and hang out with the crowd, and so that particular day, they happened to crowd around Jesus.

 

But in the midst of the multitude, there’s one person who manages to tune out the din and think and act clearly and deliberately.  So the woman with the hemorrhage approaches Jesus, not just to be in the “in” crowd, but because she recognizes His saving power, and so she touches Him in faith.  Streams of people are physically brushing against Jesus, but just in the non-personal way that you or I might unintentionally bump into another in a crowded concourse.  Only one elevates the encounter to the level of personal contact.  As St. Augustine said, “Multitudes are they who throng about Him, but few are they who by faith touch Him.”  And yet what a difference it made for that woman, and for all who want to do more than just crowd around Jesus, those who recognize His saving power, and touch Him in faith!

 

And it’s the same story with the next miracle:  Jesus arrives at the official’s house, and there’s this commotion of weeping and wailing, people too caught up in their own sorrow to even listen to the Lord’s good news, “She’s just asleep!”  So Jesus puts them all out, so that finally His own words can be clearly heard and felt: “Talitha koum!”  In our lives too, Jesus insists that you and I take action, and put out the distractions of our lives, especially on Sunday and in our daily prayers, so that His words of life can be clearly heard and felt....

 

Yes, we need to do our part too, and that insight returns us to the second danger, for not only do people fail in Christian discipleship when misled by chaotic distractions, but also when paralyzed with morbid inaction.   This is a form of the sin of presumption, and the heresy of quietism, which perhaps is more prevalent in our day than most realize.  “I’ll just let God do it all.  If I don’t get around to daily prayers, if I miss going to Church on Sunday, if I don’t bother to read the Bible or study my faith, if I just ignore my pastors, if I worry more about sports scores than I do about eternal salvation, well, God’s big enough to handle all that stuff without my help.”

 

But, quoting St. Augustine again, “God who made you without your cooperation, will not save you without your cooperation.”  The Lord is too polite to bodily force us to be with Him, so if we decide to crowd Him out of our lives, He doesn’t compel us to make room for Him.  Are you content with crass “Crowd Christianity,” following Jesus every once in a while for a short distance when you’re in the mood and there’s promise of a little excitement?  But that’s not enough!  You can’t just drift with the crowd that hangs out occasionally with Jesus - you need to make a personal commitment, and hang on religiously to Jesus, like the woman who touched the Lord in fullness of faith!

 

When we hang on faithfully to Jesus, His power touches us, and transforms us.  And then there’s so much we learn from His words and actions.  Did you ever consider, for instance, that if Jesus could raise Jairus’ daughter from the dead, He certainly could have raised her with a full stomach as well?  And yet, after the miracle, Jesus told her parents to give her something to eat, saying, in effect, “I will do My part, but you still need to do your part!”  That’s what Jesus tells each of us today:  He will do His part, but you and I also need to do our parts!