Daily Retreat 10/01/09

2009 Oct 1 Thu:Thérèse of Lisieux, v, r, dr M
Neh 8: 1-4a. 5-6. 7b-12/ Ps 18(19): 8. 9. 10. 11/ Lk 10: 1-12

From today’s readings:  “Ezra read out of the book from daybreak until midday, in the presence of the men, the women, and those children old enough to understand; and all the people listened attentively to the book of the law....  The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart....  Jesus appointed seventy-two other disciples whom He sent ahead of Him in pairs to every town and place He intended to visit....”

Warmly Welcoming the Word of God

Imagine that you received a glowing personal letter from a Senator, or from the Pope - wouldn’t you read it eagerly, and pour over its contents carefully, so that you could share such memorable words with all your family and friends? Even if the message were lengthy or some words demanding, certainly you would do whatever was necessary to fully take to heart and understand such an important missive!

But since you and I believe that the Bible is, not just the words of some v.i.p., but the actual life-giving Word of almighty God, shouldn’t we welcome it with even more joy and enthusiasm than we would welcome a letter from anyone created by God?  Sometimes when reading or listening to Sacred Scripture, we sadly lose the sense of its specialness because of its Source, and we end up just skimming or half-listening to the most important words ever written!

The scene in chapter 8 of the book of Nehemiah portrays an unforgettable picture of the people of God, so hungry to hear His Word, listening attentively for several hours, reverently receiving the revelation, and being moved profoundly by the message.... Why aren’t you and I so tuned in when God’s Word is proclaimed in out midst? In becoming so accessible to us, hasn’t the Word of God also regrettably often become trite and commonplace in our reception?  What can we do about this?

When we come to realize and appreciate that the Bible is in actuality the Word of God, the collection of love letters from the Lord, personally and intimately addressed to His beloved children, then, and only then, will we be as the people in the day of Nehemiah - fully and warmly welcoming in every way the wondrous Word of God!

Daily Retreat 09/30/09

2009 Sep 30 Wed:Jerome, p, dr M
Neh 2: 1-8/ Ps 136(137): 1-2. 3. 4-5. 6/ Lk 9: 57-62

From today’s readings:  “Why do you look sad? If you are not sick, you must be sad at heart....   Let my tongue be silenced if I ever forget you!...  No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the Kingdom of God....”

Mission and Wherewithal

After the Babylonian captivity, around the same time that Ezra, Haggai and Zechariah were leading the people in rebuilding the Temple, a man named Nehemiah obtained royal permission to also rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Without walls, Jerusalem had no real defense, and so was scorned by all. Since God had decreed that the time had come to rebuild His Temple in Jerusalem, it followed that the city itself was also to be rebuilt to protect and worthily host the Temple.

The first chapters of the Book of Nehemiah chronicle the rebuilding of the walls, and the various obstacles that Nehemiah needed to overcome in order to complete the task. In spite of the obstacles, because God was with the builders, the wall was completed in only 52 days (cf. Neh. 6:15)!

Remember, whenever God gives anyone a mission, He also assures that the wherewithal to complete the mission will not be lacking!  Nehemiah knew this well, and so was able to accomplish what many dismissed as “impossible” – and now, you and I need to realize that the same thing is true in our lives: all we need to do is discern well our mission from God (our vocation), and then have the faith to know that He is with us to empower us to loyally fulfill our mission

Daily Retreat 09/29/09

2009 Sep 29 Tue:Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, archangels F
Dn 7: 9-10. 13-14 or Rv 12: 7-12a/ Ps 137(138): 1-2ab. 2cde-3. 4-5/ Jn 1: 47-51

From today’s readings:  “War broke out in Heaven; Michael and his angels battled against the dragon....  In the sight of the angels I will sing Your praises, Lord....  Amen, amen, I say to you, you will see Heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

All in the Name

Today we salute the three archangels mentioned by name in scripture: Michael (his name is found in the books of Daniel, Jude, and Apocalypse), Gabriel (Daniel and Luke), and Raphael (Tobit).

Michael’s name means “Who is like God?”  This is the battle cry raised against the rebellious Lucifer and his minions, who, in sinful pride, thought themselves as great as God, and for that, were expelled from Heaven by Michael and all the host of good angels.

Gabriel’s name means, “the Lord is valiant” or even “the Lord is a great warrior” - in both cases, this archangel’s name reminds all of the omnipotence of God.

Raphael’s name means, “the Lord heals” - a name of great comfort, and reminder of the Lord’s ability and desire to heal our iniquities and infirmities.

Daily Retreat 09/28/09

2009 Sep 28 Mon:Ordinary Weekday/ Wenceslaus, mt/ Lawrence Ruiz, mm, mt, & co., mts
Zec 8: 1-8/ Ps 101(102): 16-18. 19-21. 29 and 22-23/ Lk 9: 46-50

From today’s readings:  “I am intensely jealous for Zion....  The Lord will build up Zion again, and appear in all His glory....  Whoever receives this child in My name receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives the One who sent Me....”

God’s Jealousy

We tend to see jealousy as something sinful by definition, and yet that assumption is disproved by the scripture passages that affirm that God, who is All Good and even incapable of sin, is jealous Himself.  Jealousy can indeed be sinful, but it also can be neutral or even virtuous.  My dictionary defines “jealous” as meaning “fearful of loss of position or affection; positively watchful and vigilant.”  

God certainly takes pains to prevent loss of our recognition of His position (as our God!) and loss of our affection.  So, God’s jealousy is understandably ignited whenever we pretend that something or someone is more important to us than God, or whenever we inordinately love something or someone in the created order, instead of reserving our highest love for our Creator.

God is likewise “positively watchful and vigilant” in His solicitude for us.  The whole of salvation history is the eloquent proof that God is certainly looking out for us, and doing everything He can, to the point of sending His beloved Son to die for us....

The opposite of jealousy is indifference, and God certainly can not in any way be accused of that!  But, do you and I always burn with a jealous love for God, or are we too often content with virtual indifference?  In this, as in all things, we need to imitate God and His jealous love!

Daily Retreat 09/27/09

2009 Sep 27 SUN:TWENTY-SIXTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Nm 11: 25-29/ Ps 18(19): 8. 10. 12-13. 14 (9a)/ Jas 5: 1-6/ Mk 9: 38-43. 45. 47-48

From today’s readings:  “Would that the LORD might bestow His Spirit on them all!...  From wanton sin especially, restrain Your servant; let it not rule over me....  Come now, you rich, weep and wail over your impending miseries....  Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward.”

Doing Things God’s Way

It’s natural for us to want to do things our own way.  It’s even understandable (although not necessarily justifiable!) if we get annoyed when other people don’t do things our way as well.  And it is downright unsettling when God doesn’t do things our way!  In that case, we should realize that there’s something about US that needs to change, although it’s typical to first hope God will change and see things our way!

In the book of numbers, Joshua gets a bit perturbed to hear that Eldad and Medad were prophesying, and he implores Moses to put a halt to it.  In St. Mark’s Gospel, John and the other disciples are similarly annoyed to learn that someone who wasn’t a regular part of the company of disciples had been casting out demons in Christ’s Name.  Joshua and John both are then told to allow things to continue in God’s way, rather than insisting on the way they think things ought to be.

We too need to be humble enough always to allow God to take the lead, and whenever we note that His way is not our way, then, as hard as it may be at times to swallow, it’s definitely our way that needs to change!

Daily Retreat 09/26/09

2009 Sep 26 Sat:Ordinary Weekday/ BVM/ Cosmas and Damian, mts
Zec 2:5-9. 14-15a/ Jer 31:10. 11-12ab. 13/ Lk 9:43b-45

From today’s readings:“See, I am coming to dwell among you, says the LORD....  The Lord will guard us as a shepherd guards his flock....  Pay attention to what I am telling you!”

The Lord Remembers

The name Zechariah literally means “the Lord remembers” - it’s a beautiful name, quite common in the Bible, including, of course, as found in the book of the prophet Zechariah, who was a contemporary of the prophet Haggai.

While both prophets focused the people’s attention on the need to complete the rebuilding of the Lord’s Temple, their styles are quite different.  Haggai spoke in rather simple, straight-forward language, whereas Zechariah prophesied in more complex visions, using symbols and colorful imagery.

The words of Zechariah and all the prophets, especially when difficult to understand, often contain a number of “layers” of meanings: first of all, the words as understood by those who heard the prophet speaking; second, the words as prophecy (often indirect) about the coming Messiah (Jesus); third, the words as universal message from God for all peoples and places (including us!).  This concept of different “layers” of meaning (particularly evident in the prophetic books) also often applies to other words of the Bible, including the words of Christ (cf. the Gospel passage).

This does not imply, however, that the words can mean whatever we want them to!  But by considering these different layers of meanings, we can (and should!) gain more from reading prophetic texts.  The first reading, from chapter two of Zechariah, is an excellent example, so read it three times: First, think of yourself as a contemporary of Zechariah (living in the desolate city of Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile) - how would you find comfort in his words?  Second, think of the ways many of his words give us hints about the Messiah  (e.g., the idea of God literally dwelling with His people).  Finally, consider why God wants YOU to reflect TODAY on these words of His!

Daily Retreat 09/25/09

2009 Sep 25 Fri:Ordinary Weekday
Hg 2:1-9/ Ps 42(43):1. 2. 3. 4/ Lk 9:18-22

From today’s readings:  “ I will fill this house with glory, says the LORD of hosts....  Hope in God; I will praise Him, my savior and my God....  But who do you say that I am?”

God’s Perspective

After the Babylonian captivity, the weary deportees returned to the ruins of Jerusalem, and with the encouragement of the prophet Haggai and others, they rebuilt the Lord’s temple.  The First Temple, you will recall, had been built by Solomon, and it was a truly splendid edifice - several chapters of the First Book of Kings are devoted to detailing the glories of that House of the Lord.

So the Second Temple, built in the chaotic aftermath of the Babylonian exile, had understandably only a shadow of the splendor and glory of the First Temple.  But the Lord’s words through the prophet Haggai pre-empted any discouragement.  Haggai’s messianic prophecies in chapter 2, although not literally fulfilled in that building, were fulfilled when Herod the Great renovated the Temple on a much grander scale just a few years before the birth of Christ and His Presentation in the Temple (when God indeed  filled the house with the glory of His presence!).

Sometimes our best labors for God seem to bear rather meager fruit.  But that is only from our limited perspective.  God knows how things will turn out in the long run, from His eternal perspective.  As long as we are doing what God wants us to do, we can rest assured that our labors contribute to God’s glory!

Daily Retreat 09/24/09

2009 Sep 24 Thu:Ordinary Weekday
Hg 1:1-8/ Ps 149:1b-2. 3-4. 5-6a and 9b/ Lk 9:7-9

From today’s readings:  “Now thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways!...  The Lord takes delight in His people....   Who then is this about whom I hear such things?”

Who was Haggai?

In the year 520BC, the prophet Haggai appeared on the scene in Judah (he was mentioned by name in Tuesday’s reading)- he too, like Ezra, strove to focus the Jewish people’s attention on the re-building of the Temple.  Haggai had a blunt way of helping people realize the folly of putting anything else ahead of commitment to God:
 You have sown much, but have brought in little;
 you have eaten, but have not been satisfied;
 You have drunk, but have not been exhilarated;
 have clothed yourselves, but not been warmed;
 And whoever earned wages
 earned them for a bag with holes in it!

People have long sought a direct correlation between piety and material wealth (this idea is even seen in many Old Testament readings).  Faith would be such an easy thing if every time we chose God, we received a positive monetary reinforcement, and every time we turned away from God, we felt it in our pocketbooks.

But God does not bribe us to believe in Him!  On the other hand though, Haggai points out one of the foundational paradoxes of faith: those who relentlessly pursue wealth will never be satisfied, whereas those who relentlessly pursue God will find Him, and all they need!

Daily Retreat 09/23/09

2009 Sep 23 Wed:Pio of Pietrelcina, p M
Ezr 9:5-9/ Tb 13:2. 3-4a. 4befghn. 7-8/ Lk 9:1-6

From today’s readings:  “He has given us new life to raise again the house of our God and restore its ruins....  Blessed be God, who lives for ever....  Jesus summoned the Twelve and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and He sent them to proclaim the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick....”

A Second Chance

One of the most wonderful experiences in life is to be granted a “second chance” after making an awful mistake.  All too often, there is no “second chance” - the damage has been done, and cannot be undone.  But at times, there is indeed a marvelous opportunity to make amends, to choose anew the way we should have chosen in the first place.

After the Babylonian exile, the people of God were given such a “second chance.”  It was their sins and turning away from God that brought on the calamity of their conquest by the Babylonians.  Now they had the opportunity to choose anew, and put God first in their lives.  

Ezra’s lament and wretchedness is due to a report he just received that so many people were now ruining their second chance by ignoring God’s guidance again and mixing themselves with the pagan peoples around them (read the first verses of chapter 9, which are not part of the lectionary reading).

Today God has given us new life and a  “second chance.”   How wonderful to truly learn from sins and failings of yesterday, and to choose anew this day to put God first!

Daily Retreat 09/22/09

2009 Sep 22 Tue:Ordinary Weekday
Ezr 6: 7-8. 12b. 14-20/ Ps 121(122): 1-2. 3-4ab. 4cd-5/ Lk 8: 19-21

From today’s readings:  “The elders of the Jews continued to make progress in the building, supported by the message of the prophets, Haggai and Zechariah....  Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord....  My mother and My brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it....”

The House of God

After the Babylonian exile, one of the primary goals of Ezra was keeping the people on task in re-building the Temple in Jerusalem, the House of God.  For some people, it just wasn’t a priority.  For others, there was a desire to re-build, but interference from hostile people around them and petty government officials kept causing holdups, until King Darius finally steps in and orders an end to the delays.

Without a doubt, the Church is more than a building - it is the family of the people of God!  Yet the churches we build as places to come together and worship God should be more than just functional “gathering spaces.”  Churches must be truly sacred edifices, proclaiming the presence of God both to those worshiping inside and to those passing by outside.  The beauty of a church is meant to inspire transcendental thoughts of God’s own beauty, and to witness to the people’s priority in putting God first.

Since the first readings (and often psalms) of the next few days will continue to dwell on this aspect of the re-building of the House of God, perhaps sometime in the next week you can figure out a way to contribute to the building up and beautifying of your own local parish church, so that it too stands out as the House of God.

Daily Retreat 09/21/09

2009 Sep 21 Mon:Matthew, ap, ev F
Eph 4: 1-7. 11-13/ Ps 18(19): 2-3. 4-5/ Mt 9: 9-13

From today’s readings:  “Grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift....  The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims His handiwork....  As Jesus passed by, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post, and He said to him, ‘Follow Me.’”

Matthew’s the man!

While we certainly can chew on divine biblical wisdom one proverb at a time, in general, it’s best to have a plan and commitment to read through whole books of the Bible.  St. Matthew’s gospel is an ideal starting point, since it is the first book of the New Testament, and most people find his the most organized of the gospels.

Matthew’s text (with 28 chapters) is actually slightly shorter than Luke’s gospel (24 chapters).  Even so, it will take several hours to read through in its entirety, especially since there’s little point in just speed-reading!  Instead, set aside the time for a truly reflective reading.  Perhaps you can make the time to do that today, but if that’s not feasible, read the book over the course of a week (just 4 chapters a day!) or even over the course of a month, covering one chapter a day.

In order to get through the book, you will have to be like St. Matthew - set aside your excuses of busyness and all the rest of your business in order to respond to Jesus’ invitation to closer friendship with Him!  St. Matthew never regretted making Jesus his priority, and neither will we!

Daily Retreat 09/20/09

2009 Sep 20 SUN:TWENTY-FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Wis 2: 12. 17-20/ Ps 53(54): 3-4. 5. 6-8 (6b)/ Jas 3: 16 – 4: 3/ Mk 9: 30-37

From today’s readings:  “The wicked say: Let us beset the just one, because he is obnoxious to us.... Behold, God is my helper; the Lord sustains my life....   The fruit of righteousness is sown in peace for those who cultivate peace....  The Son of Man is to be handed over to men and they will kill Him, and three days after His death, the Son of Man will rise....”

A Crucial Connection

This year, it seems autumn fell with a thud: suddenly, we wake up, and, instead of sweltering, there’s a nip in the air, a less-than-gentle breeze rising, and more than a hint of color in the treetops.  The suddenness of it all can make one long to turn back the calendar to the long, lazy days of August.

And, reading and listening attentively, perhaps you have also noticed a similar cooling trend in the Gospel readings.  During the summer, weren’t our hearts inflamed with Eucharistic tinder during the incomparable Bread of Life discourse, when our Lord repeated over and over, “My flesh is Real food, My Blood is Real Drink - I Myself Am the Living Bread come down from Heaven - and he who eats of this Bread will have Eternal Life!”  Eternal life, a share in the Lord’s bodily Resurrection  - if those thoughts don’t warm your heart, my friend, you must already be dead!  All those succulent words of comfort from chapter six of the Gospel of St. John, and every Christian should be intimately familiar with those words of life from chapter six of John’s Gospel.

Yet the sweet aroma of those words seems now to have been blown away by the chilling wind of a new Gospel theme: beginning with the feast of the Triumph of the Cross, continuing through these last weeks, Jesus turns His gaze and our focus to His passion, the Cross, the Cross, the Cross!  Why this chilly shift? Like the suddenness of Autumn blowing away our summer, our comfort from chewing on the idea of the Lord’s Real Presence with us in the Eucharist dissipates as He Himself, having tested the wind, begins to speak insistently about the cold reality of the cross...

And yet, my friends, the true surprise, the real shock, comes not from our musing on how different are these two themes (last month’s appealing invitation to the Eucharistic banquet, this month’s numbing prophecy of the passionate crucifixion), but rather, in the Lord’s gradual yet integral explanation that they are the same!  Yes, the Lord’s gift of Himself under the appearance of Bread and Wine is one and the same with His gift of Himself immolated on the Holy Cross.  For this reason, we speak rightly of that act, that great drama of our Sunday worship, as “The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.”  For Our Lord Himself, in the Eucharistic discourse (chapter six of St. John’s Gospel), AND at the Last Supper, insisted, “The Bread I will give is My Flesh, offered for the life of the World - Take and eat, for this is My Body, Which will be given up for you!”

The Eucharist, then, truly “re-presents” the Crucifixion, yanking that holy event from the snare of time and space constraints, and making that event present at that privileged moment in your life, in my life, making us present at that singular moment in the Lord’s life.  Ponder, then, nothing earthly minded, for as we worship, you and I stand at the foot of Calvalry, sorrowful for our sins, and though we are not worthy, we place our hope in the Lord, Who even now says the Word, heals our soul, and deigns to dwell within us, as Our Eucharistic Lord!  And now, doesn’t that just blow you away?

Daily Retreat 09/19/09

2009 Sep 19 Sat:Ordinary Weekday/ BVM/ Januarius, bp, mt
1 Tm 6: 13-16/ Ps 99(100): 1b-2. 3. 4. 5/ Lk 8: 4-15

From today’s readings:  “Keep the commandment without stain or reproach....  Come with joy into the presence of the Lord....  A sower went out to sow his seed....”

Summing it up

Today’s first reading basically is the conclusion of Paul’s first letter to Timothy (actually, the five final verses are omitted from the lectionary, but you can also read them, a final exhortation to the rich to be generous, and to Timothy himself).  Perhaps you have found this letter easier to follow because it is a personal exhortation (rather than addressed to a whole community, as are most of Paul’s letters).

The solemn tone of the closing helps us to remember and consider the majesty of God.  By sending His Son among us, God became Emmanuel (the name literally means “God is with us”).  However, that doesn’t mean He ceased to be the life-giving God, all-powerful, all-knowing, “King of kings and Lord of lords.”   There is an occasional danger for us to start to think of Jesus as just another one of our friends who constantly places demands on our precious time.  When you and I remember who God is, then it’s easier to give His commandments the priority they deserve in our lives.

Daily Retreat 09/18/09

2009 Sep 18 Fri:Ordinary Weekday
1 Tm 6:2c-12/ Ps 48(49):6-7. 8-10. 17-18. 19-20/ Lk 8:1-3

From today’s readings:“Pursue righteousness, devotion, faith, love, patience, and gentleness. Compete well for the faith.....   Blessed the poor in spirit; the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs....Jesus journeyed from one town and village to another, preaching and proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God....”

What’s in it for me?

Have you ever had the shocking experience of asking a “fair weather friend” for a favor, only to be met with the blunt assertion of selfishness, “What’s in it for me?”

While we’re rightfully taken aback at the frankness of such remarks, perhaps it’s a question that you and I use (albeit, perhaps, in a more nuanced form) more frequently than we’d like to admit in our private considerations about how to spend our time and money.  In fact, in spite of its greedy overtones, maybe it isn’t necessarily an inappropriate criteria to examine, since, surprisingly enough, this question (and the perception of its answer) is what often forms the basis for a person’s attitude toward religion (good, bad, or indifferent).

Let me explain: Jesus promises eternal beatitude (Heaven) to His faithful followers.  What’s in it for me? By definition, there is nothing greater that anyone could hope for or strive after!  Timothy and all the other saints prove that a burning, overwhelming desire for the greatest good is not base selfishness, its pure selflessness! Logically then, we should “pursue righteousness, devotion, faith, love, patience, and gentleness.  Compete well for the faith!”  To lay hold of eternal life, it’s a relatively small thing to be willing to put up with any hardship or sacrifice in this life!

However, for those who dismiss Heaven as “Pie in the Sky”, it’s easy to see that the demands of discipleship are too high for any earthly kickback.  Atheists and agnostics therefore scorn religion, because they can’t see anything in it for themselves (unless, of course, they can somehow make a buck from it!).

But there are many who fall in between those two extremes.  Many believe in Heaven (or at least desperately want to believe), but it seems so far away, abstract, or uncertain.  So their lukewarm religion serves mainly as a catastrophic insurance policy, and while they profess a faith, they hazard their time and energy on various forms of fame and fortune, the “sidebets” that this world has to offer.

Take an honest look at your religion, and don’t be afraid to ask yourself, “What’s in it for me?” but then also ask, “How much of me is in it?”

Daily Retreat 09/17/09

2009 Sep 17 Thu:Ordinary Weekday/ Robert Bellarmine, bp, r, dr
1 Tm 4: 12-16/ Ps 110(111): 7-8. 9. 10/ Lk 7: 36-50

From today’s readings:  “Set an example for those who believe, in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity. ...  How great are the works of the Lord!...   So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven....”

An example in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity

Paul had great expectations of Timothy to be an exemplary Christian in all regards, and while admitting that some of his advice applies more specifically to those today, who like Timothy, hold weighty pastoral responsibilities, still, it’s plain that most of Paul’s words are meant to be an inspiration to all Christians (that’s why this letter is in the Bible, and not just tucked away in some “Bishop’s Handbook”).

Each one of us, for example, can simply ask, “Is my commitment to following Christ making an obvious difference in my speech AND conduct AND love AND faith AND purity?”

Daily Retreat 09/16/09

2009 Sep 16 Wed:Cornelius, pp, mt, and Cyprian, bp, mt M
1 Tm 3: 14-16/ Ps 110(111): 1-2. 3-4. 5-6/ Lk 7: 31-35

From today’s readings:  “You should know how to behave in the household of God, which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of truth....  How great are the works of the Lord!...  Wisdom is vindicated by all her children....”

The Church of the Living God, the Pillar and Foundation of Truth!

Faith is by nature deeply personal, but it must also be interpersonal.  When someone comes to believe in God, that person soon realizes that other people also believe in God, yet there are differences (some big, some small) in what is believed!  So the person must decide: Is my faith the only right faith?  OR Are all beliefs about God right, even when contradictory?  OR Does this or that group of people have it right?

The first option (my faith is right, everyone else is wrong) is hopelessly subjective and idiotically arrogant.  God helps anyone with a rational mind and an ounce of humility to get past this option quickly.

The second option (faith is purely personal, so you can believe one thing about God, I can believe the opposite, and yet we’re both right) is appealing on the surface because being open-minded is generally esteemed as a virtue in our culture.  Yet obstinate open-mindedness can petrify into an eerie inability to commit to any truth – to paraphrase G.K. Chesterton:  “We must never forget that the reason for opening the mind is the same as for opening the mouth: so that ultimately, it can clamp down on something solid (rather than stay open indefinitely)!”  If one person believes that God cares about our personal morality (and that will affect our salvation) and another person believes that God has already arbitrarily decided who goes to Heaven, they can’t both be right.  Certainly God has made fundamental truths about Himself (and His expectations of us!) crystal clear, or there would be no reason to believe in Him!  So the second option is a dead end.

So, inevitably, in a search of faith, one must consider what groups of people believe.  For all who follow Jesus Christ, Paul’s praise of the Church as “the pillar and foundation of Truth” should give us cause to think: if the Church solemnly teaches a certain doctrine, but I believe something else, which one has the Truth?

Daily Retreat 09/15/09

2009 Sep 15 Tue:Our Lady of Sorrows M
1 Tm 3:1-13/ Ps 100(101):1b-2ab. 2cd-3ab. 5. 6/ Sequence Stabat Mater/ Jn 19:25-27 or Lk 2:33-35

From today’s readings:  “ If a man does not know how to manage his own household, how can he take care of the Church of God?...  I will walk with blameless heart....   Standing by the cross of Jesus were His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.”

Sharing the Cross

Yesterday’s feast of the Triumph of the Cross was a reminder of God’s presence and the victorious banner of His love even in the midst of sorrow, pain, and suffering.  As Christ teaches, each one of His followers has a share in the Cross - even Mary, His beloved mother, was not spared her share of the Cross.

How true it is that, often, our heaviest crosses are born when we share in the sufferings of those closest to us.  For true love,  such sharing in suffering (“com-passion”) is not an option - it’s essential!  Thus Mary’s wordless presence at the foot of the Cross reminds you and me of the importance of compassionately supporting with our own presence, in whatever way possible, those faced with sorrow and suffering.

While it’s not always possible to physically stand in the shadow of others’ crosses, our prayers and visits, timely help, favors, letters, phone calls, emails or whatever means of communication available can convey our loving commitment to, like Mary, share fully in the Cross for the sake of Christ.

Daily Retreat 09/14/09

2009 Sep 14 Mon:EXALTATION OF THE HOLY CROSS F
Nm 21: 4b-9/ Ps 77(78): 1bc-2. 34-35. 36-37. 38/ Phil 2: 6-11/ Jn 3: 13-17

From today’s readings:  “Moses accordingly made a bronze serpent and mounted it on a pole, and whenever anyone who had been bitten by a serpent looked at the bronze serpent, he lived....  Do not forget the works of the Lord!...  Christ Jesus, though He was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped....  Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life.”

The Triumph of the Cross

The Cross of Christ is such a paradox - the most barbarian instrument of torture and suffering, now converted into the Savior’s sign of hope, comfort, and ultimate victory.  God, who in His omnipotence could have saved us in any number of ways, chose, in His wisdom, to unfurl His banner of victorious love in the most least likely locale.  What does it all mean?

In the darkest hour, engulfed in deepest despair, amidst coldest cruelty and vilest villainy, surrounded even by heartless hearts, in such situations from which one would concede God Himself had been completely banished - there, even there, and especially there, the Cross of Christ alone can stand again triumphant, but only when those now charged with carrying a cross dare to raise it anew as the banner of God’s victorious love!

Daily Retreat 09/13/09

2009 Sep 13 SUN:TWENTY-FOURTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Is 50: 5-9a/ Ps 115(116): 1-2. 3-4. 5-6. 8-9 (9)/ Jas 2: 14-18/ Mk 8: 27-35

From today’s readings:  “See, the Lord GOD is My help; who will prove Me wrong?...  I shall walk before the Lord in the land of the living....  What good is it if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?...  Whoever wishes to come after Me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me. ”

The Gospel of St. Mark is the shortest (only sixteen chapters) and it also has the simplest structure. Look at the first verse of the Gospel of St. Mark. “The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. the Son of God.”  Now right in the middle of the Gospel of  St. Mark is Chapter 8, beginning with verse 27, today’s familiar passage, which leads up to the Lord’s question, “Who do you say that I am?”

Peter’s great confession of faith “You are the Christ!”  is also translated “You are the Messiah” - Messiah is the Hebrew word, “Christ” is the Greek word, both meaning “the anointed one.”  So Peter declares to Jesus, “You are the Anointed One, You are the Messiah, You are the Christ.”  Remember Mark’s first verse: “The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.”

 Now let’s look at the end of the Gospel of  St. Mark - not the very end, but very near the end, as Jesus is on the cross praying from Psalm 21, and after that He dies.  This is chapter 15 verse 39, when “the centurion who stood guard over Him and had seen the matter of His death declared: Truly,  this man was the son of God!”

This was before the resurrection of Jesus and the centurion, a pagan, has this beautiful confession of faith: this man was the son of God!  Remember how the Gospel begins: “The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” The first eight chapters lead up to Peter’s declaration “You are the Christ , the Messiah!” The second half of the Gospel of St. Mark lead up to the centurion’s declaration: “Surely this man  was the son of God!” So, it’s very clear that the Gospel of St, Mark is structured around the question of “who is Jesus?”

Who is Jesus? Start to read the Gospel of St. Mark and pretend you don’t know who Jesus is and see how Mark methodically takes you through experiences in the life of Jesus that little by little build the pieces for you, for me, and for those who are reading about who Jesus is. That’s why at the middle of the Gospel, at the center, at the focal point, Jesus Himself asks the question, not just to His disciples, but also to us who read the Gospel, “Who do you say that I am?”  And Peter, as spokesman for all the apostles, but also, at this moment for you and me, declares “Thou art the Christ, You are the Messiah!”

Now it turns out, Peter didn’t understand at that moment fully what he was talking about. Because right after that, Jesus starts to explain to him and to all disciples what that means - being the Christ, being the Messiah, when “He began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.   He said all this quite openly.”

Now Peter, who just had this great insight about "You are the Christ, you are the Messiah!"  doesn't get the implication at all and so starts to rebuke Jesus, and so Jesus has to reprove Peter, "Get behind me Satan - you are talking as man talks and not as God!"  The first half of the Gospel led to Peter's affirmation, "You are the Christ!" but that wasn't enough, it was a type of faith without works, because Peter and the others didn't really understand the sacrificial mission of the Messiah, in fulfillment of the words of Isaiah and the other prophets.  So the second half of the Gospel of St. Mark incarnates and draws out the implications of Peter's insight, which leads to the complementary confession and full recognition of Jesus as the Son of God.

And so the Gospel of St. Mark can be summed up as the answer to that question of: Who is Jesus?  That can, in fact, be read as the most important question of our life!  How we answer that question sets the course both for how we live our earthly life, and ultimately, what trajectory we give for our eternal life as well!

Daily Retreat 09/12/09

2009 Sep 12 Sat:Ordinary Weekday/ BVM/ Holy Name of Mary
1 Tm 1:15-17/ Ps 112(113):1b-2. 3-4. 5a and 6-7/ Lk 6:43-49

From today’s readings:“This saying is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance:  Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners....  Blessed be the name of the Lord for ever....  Why do you call me, `Lord, Lord,' but not do what I command? ”

Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners

Why did Jesus, truly divine, eternal Word of the Father, humble Himself to take on human flesh, and offer Himself on the cross?  In an emphatically blunt manner, Paul insists the answer can be summed up: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners!

Jesus Himself asserted this clearly (cf. Mark 2:17), so we shouldn’t forget it.  Why does Paul so forcefully emphasize this point?  Because there’s always been a temptation to think of Jesus merely as the champion of our favorite cause, as a political, socio-economic, intellectual, emotional, or psychological “savior,” but that misses the point.  True Christianity insists that 1) Sin enslaves and 2) Christ liberates.  

Many modern “empty, seductive philosophies” (cf. Col 2:8) owe their popular appeal to the denial or mitigation of the seriousness of sin, claiming, in effect, that sin does not really enslave.  Paul, however, realized the reality and gravity of his own sinfulness, and so he could appreciate fully the patient mercy of God revealed in Christ Jesus.  

For those of us who have fallen like Paul but now have discovered God’s mercy, there is a personal experience that sin REALLY enslaves, and Christ REALLY liberates.  Even if, thanks to the mercy of God, you have not fallen as seriously as Paul, still, all are nonetheless in need of God’s mercy, and everyone can look to Paul as an example of the abundance of that mercy.

Daily Retreat 09/11/09

2009 Sep 11 Fri:Ordinary Weekday
1 Tm 1:1-2. 12-14/ Ps 15(16):1b-2a and 5. 7-8. 11/ Lk 6:39-42

From today’s readings:“I am grateful to him who has strengthened me, Christ Jesus our Lord....  You are my inheritance, O Lord....  Why do you notice the splinter in your brother's eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own? ”

Time for Timothy

Timothy (his name means “he who gives honor to God”) was a beloved and faithful co-worker of Paul.  For the next week (except Sunday and Monday), the first reading will come from Paul’s first letter to Timothy, so I encourage you to spend a few minutes to read through the six short chapters today.

Paul’s gratitude to God is mentioned in all his letters – his remark here is appropriate for each of us to adopt in appreciation for our own vocations: “I am grateful to Him who has strengthened me, Christ Jesus our Lord, because He considered me trustworthy in appointing me to the ministry.”  Paul never fails to mention that his vocation is a grace from God, and not due to Paul’s own merits.

So it is with each one of us!  Whatever state of life God calls us to  reflects God’s trust in us, and His assurance to strengthen us to faithfully fulfill that vocation.  While there is never a reason to dwell continuously on sins and failings of the past, it doesn’t hurt occasionally to bring up the past (as Paul does here) in order to recall fully how “the grace of our Lord has been abundant” in our lives as well!

Daily Retreat 09/10/09

2009 Sep 10 Thu:Ordinary Weekday
Col 3:12-17/ Ps 150:1b-2. 3-4. 5-6/ Lk 6:27-38

From today’s readings:  “And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him....  Let everything that breathes praise the Lord!...  To you who hear I say, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you....”

Christian Attitude and Gratitude

Faith is intended to enlighten our perspective about everyone and everything, so Paul’s warm words to the Colossians urges them (and us!) to “put on heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do!”  

Admittedly, there are times when putting into practice such attitudes demands heroic resolution, for living the virtue of Christian love is not easy, especially when it comes to deliberately extending that love to enemies.  And yet, that is precisely what the Christian creed calls for!

For it is simply gratitude owed to God which is the basis for such saintly responses, for, as Christ and St. Paul remind us, when we remember what God has done for us - His love, mercy, compassion, and many blessings - then we cannot refuse to share likewise with others, filling our thoughts, words, and actions with Christian attitude and gratitude.

Daily Retreat 09/09/09

2009 Sep 9 Wed:Peter Claver, p, r, ms M
Col 3: 1-11/ Ps 144(145): 2-3. 10-11. 12-13ab/ Lk 6: 20-26

From today’s readings:  “Put to death, then, the parts of you that are earthly: immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and the greed that is idolatry...anger, fury, malice, slander, and obscene language out of your mouths....  The Lord is compassionate toward all His works....  Blessed are you who are poor, for the Kingdom of God is yours.....  ”

Seek what is above!

The first verses of the first reading are my favorite lines of this entire epistle, and the most familiar (they are proclaimed as the second reading on Easter Sunday):
    If you were raised with Christ, seek what is above,
    where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
    Think of what is above, not of what is on earth!

One of the most important things about our faith is the higher viewpoint it gives us.  Christ wants us to look at life from His vantage of eternity, not temporality.  So St. Paul exhorts us to raise our sights to Heaven and all that is heavenly... (cf. Phil. 4:8-9).

This is not to say, however, that we become ungrounded in reality – only that we become aware of greater reality.  This higher viewpoint, however, is impossible for those who are blinded by sin.  Paul thus lists a number of vices which we must “put away” and even “put to death.”  As we read Paul’s list of sinful attitudes and deeds, the temptation is to see ourselves in a good light (after all, we’re not guilty of all or most of those evils!), but Paul insists that we make an honest and complete examination of conscience, and ask the Lord to help us purge ourselves thoroughly of ALL immorality.

Daily Retreat 09/08/09

2009 Sep 8 Tue:Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary F
Mi 5: 1-4a or Rom 8: 28-30/ Ps 12(13): 6ab. 6c/ Mt 1: 1-16. 18-23

From today’s readings:  “We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to His purpose....  With delight I rejoice in the Lord....  She will bear a Son and you are to name Him Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins....”

The Real Face of Mary

It's easy for Mary and the other saints to fade into abstract images in our lives - people we read about in history books, but hardly connected at all to our modern lives. The Church reminds us, however, that all members of the mystical Body of Christ are alive and united in Christ -and those in Heaven with God are more alive and united than we on earth are!  So, those who denigrate the blessed Mother of Christ to the role of a superfluous appendix in the Body of Christ, are at the same time myopically missing the whole vision of the full stature of the mystical Body of Christ.

Today's feast of the Birth of Mary presents us with a motive to concretize our image of Mary, imagining the day of her birth and the mirth of her own parents, an event which actually occurred, even if omitted from every history book and excluded from any surviving archeological evidence. Was Mary actually born on September 8th?  In all honesty, the calendar odds are against it, just as the odds are against December 25th as the actual, factual birthday of Christ.  But the accident that those dates weren't specifically recorded in history does not preclude us from celebrating such joyful days in the history of salvation, for those days did occur, and a variety of traditional and devotional factors have established September 8th as the day for the whole world to say, "Happy Birthday Mary!"

Daily Retreat 09/07/09

2009 Sep 7 Mon:Ordinary Weekday
Col 1: 24 – 2: 3/ Ps 61(62): 6-7. 9/ Lk 6: 6-11

From today’s readings:  “I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake....  In God is my safety and my glory....  I ask you, is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?”

Labor & Suffering

The mother who lovingly endures the great pains of labor to give birth, the rescue worker who risks his own life to save others, the missionary who embraces the most primitive living conditions to lead others to Christ, the doctor who painstakingly brings a critical patient through the most delicate surgery - all such examples prove that the fruits of labor can make even the most toilsome work well worthwhile.

But one of the most amazing claims of the Christian faith is that all human labor and suffering, whenever united to Christ’s labor and suffering, is valuable and salutary for that very reason, even when more concrete fruits are not apparent anywhere.  Embracing the truth of this mystery, St. Paul had the audacity to write, “I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ on behalf of His Body, which is the Church....”

Quite simply, the full Gospel cannot be preached without addressing  the reality of human labor and suffering.  St. Paul and Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta (the anniversary of whose death was observed last week - see  www.ewtn.com/motherteresa/life.htm) both knew this well, and that’s why their lives were inspirational echos of the answer that Christ Himself lived in confronting sin and suffering.  

The loving and saving passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ is thus THE answer to human pain and suffering, but that can never be reduced to a superficial or glib answer - a trite sign that reads “Jesus is the answer!” neither comforts nor converts anyone, but a humble life of love and solidarity that proclaims and reveals Jesus in big ways and small ways is the most beautiful thing on earth, and even thus eternally, something beautiful for God!

Daily Retreat 09/06/09

2009 Sep 6 SUN:TWENTY-THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Is 35:4-7a/ Ps 145(146):7. 8-9. 9-10 (1b)/ Jas 2:1-5/ Mk 7:31-37

From today’s readings:  “Then will the eyes of the blind be opened, the ears of the deaf be cleared; then will the lame leap like a stag, then the tongue of the mute will sing....  The LORD gives sight to the blind; the LORD raises up those who were bowed down....  Show no partiality as you adhere to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ....  Again Jesus left the district of Tyre and went by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, into the district of the Decapolis....”

Leaving nobody out

Since I live in the small town of Mt. Angel Oregon, when people inquire where I live, when I give the answer, the one asking will frequently give a blank stare, so as not to be so rude to directly inquire “Where in the world is Mt. Angel?  Why would anyone go there?”

Some places mentioned in Scripture are equally obscure.  Not many people could point out “district of the Decapolis” on a map of the holy land.  This was a league of 10 rather insignificant non-Jewish cities in eastern Palestine.  Not much reason for anyone to go there!  Since Jesus generally confined His mission to the Jews (e.g., Matt 10:6, Mark 7:27), His brief excursions into pagan territory are remarkable.  What did He do there, and why?

The healing of the deaf/mute man is one of the few actions of Jesus recorded on this trip.  In literal fulfillment of Isaiah’s Messianic prophecy mentioned in the first reading, Jesus makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.  While the pagan onlookers are not so dense that they miss the miracle in their midst, being ignorant of Isaiah’s prophecy, they are likewise ignorant of the significance of its fulfillment.  Their astonishment and their praise (“He has done all things well!”) are ultimately too tame of a reaction - no mention of a single person being moved to conversion and full discipleship!

Yet that doesn’t mean we can conclude that Christ’s actions were superfluous or pointless - rather, His presence among pagan peoples was personally purposeful and poignantly prophetic.  Purposeful, because He brought the comfort of His presence (which caused the tongue of the mute to sing!) and thus already He was certainly sowing the seeds of stirring to faith among the Gentiles (the fruition of His work would be seen after Pentecost); prophetic, because His actions were meant to be reflected upon and interpreted in their fullest intent, viz., if even the pagan peasants of the Decapolis were open to the blessings of Christ’s presence, then surely no one is meant to be excluded from the Messianic joy of the Gospel!

St. James develops this theme: when we give warm welcomes only to the wealthy, we’re wallowing in worldliness!  But if we deliberately share our Christian faith and love with the oppressed, the hungry, the captives, the blind, the stranger, those who are bowed down, the fatherless and the widow (leaving no one out!), then we’re doing things God’s way (as is also extolled in the Psalm)!

As surprising as it may be, Christ comes to our own insignificant towns today, and again His presence is personally purposeful and poignantly prophetic.  Since we’re no longer ignorant of the significance of His fulfillment of Messianic prophecy, it would be too tame of a reaction for us to merely nod knowingly and say smugly of our Savior “He has done all things well!” Rather, His command shatters the deafening silence of our complacency, pealing out to you and to me, “Ephphatha!”– “Be opened!”  Let our ears and hearts be opened then to the Good News Christ set out to bring us this day - let our tongues sing His Gospel, and let no one be left out!

Daily Retreat 09/05/09

2009 Sep 5 Sat:Ordinary Weekday/ BVM
Col 1:21-23/ Ps 53(54):3-4. 6 and 8/ Lk 6:1-5

From today’s readings:“God has now reconciled you in the fleshly Body of Christ through His death....  God Himself is my help....  The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.... ”

Haunted by the Past?

Despair is a subtle but deadly weapon in the Devil’s backup arsenal.  Even after, through God’s grace, completely turning away from evil deeds, people are often haunted by memories of the past, and can be led to discouragement and despair because of the weight of sins committed long ago.

Christ’s antidote to despair does not work by blithely dismissing or mitigating the seriousness of past sins.  In fact, Scripture somberly insists on the gravity of all sin – as Paul puts it, “You once were alienated and hostile in mind because of evil deeds!”  Remember, if sin were no big deal, then Christ’s redemption would be no big deal.

But since sin is something sinister, then Christ’s conquest of sin is something stupendous!  Paul asserts that Christ’s victory is so complete, that, in spite of the hideousness of past sin, “God has now reconciled you in the fleshly Body of Christ through His death, to present you holy, without blemish, and irreproachable before Him....”

Since Christ so overcomes sin that He now presents us to God as “holy, without blemish,” then there’s no reason to be haunted by the past - despair is always caused by lack of faith and understanding of the completeness of Christ’s victory over sin.  So, “persevere in the faith,  firmly grounded, stable, and not shifting from the hope of the Gospel that you heard!”

Daily Retreat 09/04/09

2009 Sep 4 Fri:Ordinary Weekday
Col 1: 15-20/ Ps 99(100): 1b-2. 3. 4. 5/ Lk 5: 33-39

From today’s readings:  “Christ Jesus is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation....  Come with joy into the presence of the Lord....  The days will come, and when the Bridegroom is taken away from them....”

The Big Picture of Who Jesus is

We think of Jesus as Savior, Brother, Friend, Teacher, etc.  Certainly, He is all these for us, but Paul reminds us that Jesus must also be considered in His universality (i.e., beyond His relationship with us).  And so the first reading is a beautiful hymn extolling Jesus as the center of the universe!

Such a reflection on the majesty and grandeur of our Lord can usually help us realize we’ve definitely been undervaluing and shortchanging Him in our lives.  The sun is the center of our solar system, and it’s natural that we should take it for granted, yet never to the point of thinking we can live without it!  Likewise, the Son is the center of the universe - we take Him for granted, knowing that none of our actions have earned His presence in our lives, but perhaps we can in little ways and big ways recognize, honor, and love Him truly as the center of our lives!

Daily Retreat 09/03/09

2009 Sep 3 Thu:Gregory the Great, pp, r, dr M
Col 1:9-14/ Ps 98:2-3ab. 3cd-4. 5-6/ Lk 5:1-11

From today’s readings:  “From the day we heard about you, we do not cease praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of God’s will....  The Lord has made known His salvation....  Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch....”

Ongoing prayer

Sometimes, we think of praying on an “ad hoc” basis - asking God for some particular help, or turning to Him for some other momentary reason.  But God is more than an “on call” serviceman, and so our prayer with Him should be ongoing....

Paul, writing to the Colossians, confirmed that his prayer was continuous, for “...we do not cease praying for you....”  And, far from praying for a “quick fix” for the Colossians, Paul’s prayer was for their whole lives to fit God’s plan, that they may be filled completely (through all spiritual wisdom and understanding!) with the knowledge of God’s will, so that they would live in a manner worthy of the Lord, thereby bearing the fruits of good works and growing in the knowledge of God.

Of course, there’s nothing wrong with turning to God with a special intensity of prayer in time of great need, as we all can and should do, for instance, in response to the recent hurricane and other catastrophes.  But our prayer for ourselves and for others needs to reflect our ongoing relationship with God, whose love and care for us is continuous!