Category Archives: Musings

Conditions of the Heart

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In a way this is a follow-on from yesterday’s reflection. The first reading again concerns itself with King Solomon. It is part of the dedication of the first Jerusalem Temple (a longer version of which you can read in 2 Chron 6) and, in a way, marks the high point of King Solomon’s reign. While the famous request for Wisdom soon follows this passage, not too long after, the long slide into disrepute begins when Solomon will abandon the rules of the King (Dt 17) collecting wives, armies and gold – things upon which he will depend rather than the covenant loyal love from the Lord. The passion of his heart moved onto other things. Continue reading →

The Temple of the Lord

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Did the first reading for today make you feel like you were dropped into the middle of a movie and you want to lean over to your friend and ask, “What’s going on?” The reading is from the 1st Book of Kings and describes a key event in the history of ancient Israel. King David wanted to build a “house” (temple, tabernacle) for the Lord, but instead God promised to build David a “house” (dynasty from which would come the Messiah). Nonetheless, King David brought the Ark of the Covenant (but not the Tent of Meeting which was still in Gibeon) to Jerusalem (1 Chron 5). There he built a “tent” to house the Ark (1 Chron 21). The building of the “house” (permanent Tent of Meeting – we know as the Jerusalem Temple) was left to David’s son King Solomon. The plans for the Temple are described in 1 Chronicles 22-28, but the construction and dedication of the Temple is one of the major topics of 2 Chronicles. And by the way, Kings and Chronicles overlap on the story line with Chronicle providing more details and information about some events. Continue reading →

Ready for another day

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While the nation celebrates Groundhog Day, we as a church celebrate the Feast of the Presentation as recounted in today’s gospel. St. Luke’s narration is of the Presentation in the Temple. The presentation that was required 40 days after Jesus’ nativity to complete Mary’s ritual purification after childbirth, and to perform the redemption of the firstborn son, in obedience to the Torah (cf. Leviticus 12, Exodus 13:12–15). It is then and there that the Holy Family encountered Simeon who had waited a lifetime. Then suddenly Jesus was there. Continue reading →

Amazement

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Today’s gospel is, in its own way, part of a thread in Mark’s gospel in which the nature of the family of God is slowly revealed.

  • In Mark 3:7-12, Jesus is calling and appointing 12 as apostles, the foundation of the family of the Church
  • In v.21, Jesus’ biological family arrives on the scene: “When his relatives heard of this they set out to seize him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.” 
  • In v.35, we hear Jesus proclaim: “Here are my mother and my brothers. [For] whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”

Between chapters 3 and 6, the “family” grows as people witness the teachings and mighty deeds/miracles of Jesus and come to believe in Jesus. Continue reading →

Fear and Trust

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In today’s gospel we encounter the well known stories of the Daughter of Jairus and the hemorrhaging woman. In the Gospel of Mark Jesus is closely involved with women nine times. Today’s gospel captures two of those interactions. with two of Jesus’ more moving encounters with women. Both stories begin with someone seeking out Jesus, the healer. Both stories end in the cure of a person who had been hopelessly sick. Continue reading →

Forgiveness

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The recent issue of the Arlington Catholic Herald, the diocesan newspaper (print and online), regularly carries a column from Mary Beth Bonacci, a syndicated Catholic columnist, who regularly writes on living out faith in everyday life.  Her recent article on Forgiveness is well worth the five minute read. Enjoy.

Image credit: Pexels

St. Francis de Sales

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Today is the Memorial of St. Francis de Sales, a priest known for his spirit of optimism, hope, freedom and confidence in God’s love both in his life and his writings.  The gospel for the memorial is well chosen for its emphasis on remaining in the love of God, the joy of following Christ, and bearing the fruit of that love and joy – fruit that remains in this lifetime and the next. Continue reading →

Helping at the Margins

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Years ago I served as a lay missionary in the Kibera slums of Nairobi. I lived and worked among some of the poorest of the urban poor in East Africa. I lived with a Pallottine priest from Ireland who was one of 18 children and the son of a working blacksmith. It is not hard to imagine that household finances were stretched very thin, yet the father had a great compassion for the “travelers” a group of Irish people with their own traditions, language, stories and more. Known as “travelers” (lucht siúil, meaning the walking people) their history is filled with stories of discrimination, mistrust, and poverty. Continue reading →

Being Family

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The gospel today is one that was a central part of St. Francis of Assisi’s way of following Christ. Those who would follow this way of following Christ needed to understand that there was a clear demarcation between the former way of sin and that of “leaving the world.” In his writing known as the Earlier Exhortation, Francis divides the world of people into two categories: “Those Who Do Penance” and “Those Who Do Not Do Penance.” In medieval writing “penance” does not refer primarily to sacramental confession, but to a life directed to conversion to Christ. Continue reading →