Monthly Archives: September 2023

Mature Faith

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Sometimes it is good to know the “big picture” in order to more deeply appreciate the details. Let me suggest that the “big picture” of St. Paul’s Letter to the Colossians is his hopes and prayers for a maturing faith community founded on the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Paul sets the tone in the opening chapter of the letter where the message is: this is how I am thanking God for you (1:3–8), this is how I am praying for you (1:9–23) and this is what I am doing for you (1:24–2:5). All of these things Paul is doing and continues to do so that the believers in Colossae will continue to mature in their Christian faith. We see that clearly expressed in today’s first reading where two verses neatly sum up the message of the entire letter: “So, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in him, rooted in him and built upon him and established in the faith as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.” (Col 2:6-7) Continue reading →

How much forgiveness?

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This coming Sunday is the 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time. As mentioned in the previous post, we are in a part of Matthew’s gospel in which the focus is forming the community of disciples for their post-Resurrection mission to the world. Jesus has just finished speaking to the disciples about what to do if a brother sins against them. The verses leading up to our passage (vv.15-20) outline the manner in which the individual and the faith community are to deal with the incorrigible members caught in the life of sin. The focus of the teaching is about forgiveness, reconciliation, and doing what is needed to bring the brother back to the community and the fullness of the Faith. Continue reading →

The Economy of Mercy

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Today’s gospel from Luke tells of Jesus’ encounter with the scribes and Pharisees centered around what is proper action on the Sabbath. There were 913 regulations and guidelines arising from the reading of the Torah (Pentateuch). To the modern mind, it is hard to conceive how that sheer number would be a good thing for a worshiping people. But it is important to understand the intent and purpose of the Sabbath work regulations. They are rooted in the religious and spiritual significance of the Sabbath day, and while the number and nature of the regulations could be seen as restrictive, they were intended to enhance the quality of life and promote a deeper relationship with the Divine. Continue reading →

Location in Matthew’s Narrative

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This coming Sunday is the 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Lectionary Cycle A. The gospel it taken from Mt 18:21-35. There is a large jump in our Sunday gospels as we move from the 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time –Year A (Mt 16:21-27) to the 23rd and 24th Sunday – in fact, the entirety of Matthew 17 is passed over. As shown in Boring’s diagram [“The Gospel of Matthew” 117], we are in a part of Matthew’s gospel in which the focus is community. Continue reading →

The Long Walk

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It must have been some 30 years ago when I saw a film entitled “The Gods Must Be Crazy.” It was a clever comedy about a tribe that lived in the Kalahari Desert of southwest Africa. The Kalahari is a tough place in which only a community survives through its cooperation, assistance, and support of each other. The web of individual and communal relationships are a key element by which life is sustained. And so, the people work at maintaining the relationships through the cycle of seasons and over the generations. Yet the tribe also understands that the essential element for life is favor from the gods; favor that is undeserved, unearned, and all gift. These key and essential elements are what our western and Christian perspective would call a community of Grace. Continue reading →

Equanimity

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It could be said that the operation of a submarine has a certain equanimity about it. There is a general balance and harmony between buoyant forces, the surrounding waters, and its silent movement through the depths. The word is properly used to describe people. In its proper context, equanimity is a state of mental calmness, composure, and balance. It is often associated with the ability to maintain a level head in difficult or challenging situations. If you think equanimity looks like it has something to do with equal you’re correct. Continue reading →

Sins against you: what’s next?

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This coming Sunday is the 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time. The passage takes into consideration that the person has not listened to you or you and the gathered witnesses. What’s next? “If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church. If he refuses to listen even to the church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector.”  (Mt 18:17) Continue reading →

The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

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This is one of the most ancient Marian feasts. It is thought that this feast originated in connection with the Feast of the dedication of a church dedicated to Mary, now the Church of St Ann, in Jerusalem in the 6th century. Tradition holds that this is where the house of Mary’s parents, Joachim and Ann, stood and where she would have been born.  What began as a local Jerusalem celebration began to be celebrated in Rome in the 8th century. The traditional date of the celebration is chosen to follow 9 months after the celebration of the Immaculate Conception on December 8th. It is noteworthy that the tradition of the Church is to celebrate the life of a Saint on the anniversary of their death. However, in the case of Mary and John the Baptist, the celebration is on their day of birth, recognizing the special grant of holiness that was theirs from the beginning. Continue reading →

A Note from Brandon

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From time to time, with permission, I post one of the weekly reflections from Brandon Jubar, our parish youth minister. This week’s reflection is a reminder to us all on the need to be mindful of the movement of the Spirit in our lives and the goodness that surrounds us.

Parent to Parent

St. Paul, the passionate early Christian author of many influential letters in the New Testament, challenges us not to blend in with the world’s flow. Instead, he calls us to something remarkable: to transform our lives in ways that truly matter. It’s a message that holds incredible relevance for teenagers today. Continue reading →

Star Trek Day

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Happy Star Trek Day. It was September 8, 1966 that the pilot of the television series “Star Trek” was first broadcast on NBC. As you no doubt already know (or should know!) the series followed the voyages of the crew of the starship USS Enterprise, commissioner for deep space exploration by the United Federation of Planets in the 23rd century. Its mission was  “to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before”. Continue reading →