Category Archives: Musings

Husbands and Wives

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You have to love the big picture… but what’s the old saying, “the devil is in the details.” The mission of the corporate executive is to reposition the company to face an evolving and changing landscape for their business – all very exciting. But the plan includes forced early retirements, restructuring, and moving work overseas. The Normandy landings in 1943 were necessary and a key first step to ending World War II, but someone has to be in the first wave at Omaha Beach. Continue reading →

Out of Place

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Have you ever been in a place where you feel as though you are out of place? Not unwelcomed in a broad sense, but a bit of an intruder. The realization can come upon you unexpectedly and you enter into a liminal space where time freezes and you quickly process what is unfolding. You are entering a party at the home of a friend and you sense these folks are not your acquaintances. You feel under dressed – too casual in a room full of fashionistas. A beer-will-be-just-fine person in a room of upscale wine aficionados whose vocabulary is foreign. Surrounded by discussions of foreign films among people for whom “the MCU” has no meaning. But it was your good friend who invited you and has warmly welcomed you. Continue reading →

The Plan of Salvation

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The first reading today is taken from St. Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians. One verse stood out for me: “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have become near by the Blood of Christ.” (Eph 2:13) … and this is “the good news?” As I read the verse for the “umpteenth time,” I wondered if St. Paul was speaking of the Blood of the Cross (which he is as v. 16 makes clear) or the Blood of Christ in the Eucharist. Either one has the possibilities of raising questions among those who are inquiring about the Faith as happens this time every year in the OCIA process (Order of Christian Initiation for Adults; also called RCIA) as they consider entry into full communion with the Catholic Church. Continue reading →

In the beginning

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The first reading today is taken from St. Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians. Ephesians is a letter about the church – not necessarily just the congregation in the city of Ephesus but rather with the worldwide church. While in other letters Paul describes the church as the Body of Christ, here Christ is referred to as the head of the Church (Eph 4:15), directing the church as the instrument for making God’s plan of salvation known throughout the universe (Eph 3:9-10). Yet this ecclesiology is anchored in God’s saving love, shown in Jesus Christ (Eph 2:4-10), and the whole of redemption is rooted in the plan and accomplishment of the triune God (Eph 1:3-14). In its own way, Ephesians might well have opened with the words “in the beginning” to describe the new age of the Church.

But unlike the creation story in Genesis, our story begins in the midst of the “age of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the disobedient.” (Eph 2:2). That description might strike you as odd, but it is a reference that would have been understood by the listeners of the age. The literal Greek describes the believer’s journey as “walking” in a time when there is something “in the air” that which people breathe – a word quite different from our understanding of sky or atmosphere. The manner in which Paul uses the word personifies “air” adding to the expression, ruler of the power of the air.” Paul paints a vivid picture: the Church is being born into a time when there is “something in the air” and its intent is of evil. Continue reading →

Your Friends Make Known

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The refrain from today’s psalm proclaims: “Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.” The words of psalm are taken from Psalm 145, verses 10-18.  The words proclaim the glory of God and the splendor of His Kingdom. They extol the justice, power and holiness of God’s works. The words announce the everlasting presence of the kingdom and the call to all to draw near. Continue reading →

Grace and Freedom

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As mentioned in reflection on last Friday’s first reading, the epistle to the Galatians, the apostles makes clear that justification does not come by works of the law: “For all who depend on works of the law are under a curse.” The Church has, from its earliest times, condemned “works salvation” as early as the 4th century AD in addressing the Pelagian heresy. The dialogue was severely muddied in the Reformation of the 16th century (and following) with the position of “faith alone” from the Reformers most severely expressed in strict Calvinism. The reformed apologist shakes the bones of St. Paul for the better argument of faith alone. The Catholic apologist shakes the bones of St. James to counter that faith without works is dead. Even that obfuscates the Catholic position: “grace alone.” It is from the grace of God accepted in the freedom of a person that gives rise to faith and works – not “of the law” but of the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. Continue reading →

Not without us

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In today’s first reading, the epistle to the Galatians, the apostles makes clear that justification does not come by works of the law: “For all who depend on works of the law are under a curse.” The Church has, from its earliest times, condemned “works salvation” as early as the 4th century AD in addressing the Pelagian heresy. Continue reading →

Lessons from Martha

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In this gospel story I think poor Martha is given a bit of a hard time. After all, Jesus says that Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be denied her. And what do we then conclude about the part that Martha has chosen. Another way to look at this is to put yourself in Martha’s shoes. Jesus shows up at your door – would you have the presence of mind and the willingness to throw open the door and invite him in? Regardless of the readiness or what’s in the refrigerator?  Maybe there is a thing or two to learn from Martha for our own spiritual enrichment Continue reading →

Finding Oneself in God

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In the first reading, we reach the end of the Book of Job. In a certain way, the story line has been a prosecution of the events that “robbed” Job of his family, possessions, and well-being. The event was well described and presented. Witnesses appeared: the four dialogue partners – or perhaps they were the prosecution team with Job acting as his own defense lawyer? In Job’s closing argument, continuing to profess his innocence of any wrongdoing, he laments that the key witness, the Lord, has not appeared. Continue reading →

An Invitation to Wisdom

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The first reading this week has been taken from the Book of Job. It is considered to be one of the scrolls belonging to the Wisdom category and is a narrative that, in its own way, attempts to address the question of suffering during one’s life. Our story began with Monday’s reading in which we learn that Job is pious and upright, richly endowed in his own person and in domestic prosperity. He suffers a sudden and complete reversal of fortune. He loses his property and his children; a loathsome disease afflicts his body; and he is overcome with sorrow. Nevertheless, Job does not complain against God. Continue reading →