If you grew up in the South in the 1950s and 1960s and were Catholic, you were someone who needed to be saved, at least in the estimation of your Reformed, Protestant and Evangelical brothers and sisters. Anytime was the right time to ask “Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior” – at the post office, the gas station, or the local Piggly-Wiggly (and “yes” it is a real store and not a fictional name created for the movies). Continue reading
We continue with our consideration of the Letter of James that comprises our first readings this week. In today’s reading the community is being reminded (perhaps admonished) that the meaning of “all are welcomed” is to not make distinctions between the poor and rich members of the community. I am sure that dynamic remains a part of parish life to some degree large or small. But the problem of “partiality” that is more prevalent in our times is welcoming the stranger, the visitor, the person not known to us that joins us in Sunday worship. Continue reading
My Franciscan brother, Casey Cole OFM, has a great video (actually, lots of great content) on his YouTube channel that takes a look at second part of the great commandment about love. It begins with a TikTok video in which a very cute little girl, on camera, is asked by her mom if the little girl thinks of herself as smart (Yes!), strong (Yea!), brave (Yea!), pretty (Yea!), kind….. and then the little girl pause, looks away, and responds, “Not really.” The moment is unexpected, honest, and a challenge to us all. Take a pause this morning and watch Fr. Casey’s video. Better yet subscribe to his YouTube channel!
In today’s first reading we read: “If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, his religion is vain” (James 1:26)
The tongue, speech more broadly in our understanding, is a mighty thing. We are people driven by very strong reactions and emotions. The tongue can become unbridled. It can teach, counsel, praise, bolster, speak words of love, give comfort and assurance, offer peace, forgive and more. It can gossip, slander, criticize, condemn, and more. It is fueled by emotion, shock, hurt and other events. Continue reading
The first reading all week is from the Letter of James. Today’s “installment” is just one of many insights the letter carries about the human condition: “Blessed is he who perseveres in temptation” (James 1:12).
Temptation: no one wants it, no one can avoid it, and it isn’t going away. When St. Paul refers to the “thorns in his side” (2 Cor 12:7) I think, in part, he is talking about temptation. When Paul asked God to take them away, the answer was simply “My grace is sufficient for you” (2 Cor 12:9) Continue reading
This week all the first readings are from the Letter to James. The book is less letter and far more a work akin to the Wisdom literature of the Old Testament. Consider the opening of James which is from the first reading for today: “Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you encounter various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. And let perseverance be perfect, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:2-4) Continue reading
In today’s gospel we encounter Jesus outside the Galilee in the area of Decapolis, an area of Hellenistic thought and faith practice. Jesus meets someone, “a deaf man who had a speech impediment”
“he looked up to heaven…and said…’Ephphatha! (that is, ‘Be opened!’) And immediately the man’s ears were opened, his speech impediment was removed, and he spoke plainly.” (Mark 7:34-35)
In terms of the mission of Jesus and the later mission of the Apostles and disciples, it is touchstone and summary: be willing to leave the comfort of your neighborhood, persistent when encountering people not initially open to hearing the Word of God, look to heaven in prayer for ways to remove the barriers, and empower the listener to speak plainly the Word of God to others. Continue reading
Yesterday’s reflection began: What lies in the heart of men? If we would rely on the introduction from the popular radio series the Shadow, our answer would be – “Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows!” In a way the history of the reign of King Solomon is a story that connects to that ominous question.
Our first readings for a while now have been from 1 Kings. As we had heard in 2 Samuel the story of King David, our foray into the Book of 1 Kings continues the narrative of the Kings of Judah and Israel, the one charged with ensuring the people of the nation were faithful to the covenant of God. The narrative begins with the transition of kingship from David to Solomon, a story of ambition, betrayal, assassination, but eventually Solomon ascends the throne. Here is a synopsis of the this week’s first readings: Continue reading
What lies in the heart of men? If we would rely on the introduction from the popular radio series the Shadow, our answer would be – “Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows!” Given that we were created in the image and likeness of God, washed clean in the waters of Baptism, we began so hopeful, so innocent. What’s going on in the human heart? “More tortuous than anything is the human heart, Beyond remedy; who can understand it?” (Jer 17:9) In the language of the Bible “heart” means the core of the self, the deepest center of who we are, that place from which our thoughts and actions arise. Today’s gospel is none too hopeful about what lies in the heart of men:
“From within the man, from his heart, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly. All these evils come from within and they defile.” (Mark 7:20-22)
This is not a lone passage from Scripture which echoes such sentiment. St. Paul notes the same problem and locates it a failure to believe in and honor God. There are consequences: “God handed them over to their undiscerning mind.” (Romans 1:28) He goes onto describe the result of people looking to themselves for a moral compass:
“They are filled with every form of wickedness, evil, greed, and malice; full of envy, murder, rivalry, treachery, and spite. They are gossips and scandalmongers and they hate God. They are insolent, haughty, boastful, ingenious in their wickedness, and rebellious toward their parents. They are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless.” (Romans 1:29-31)
If we are honest, each one of us can see something of ourselves in the list even if it is limited to envy and gossiping. What are we to do? St. Paul saw the root of the problem – the solution lies there, in your heart. Awake each day look into your heart to rediscover your love for God and give Him glory in prayer. Start each day in prayer. Each evening, examine your day and with hope pray:
Have mercy on me, God, in accord with your merciful love; in your abundant compassion blot out my transgressions. Thoroughly wash away my guilt; and from my sin cleanse me…wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. (Ps 51:3-4,9)
Let these be your treasure: “For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be” (Mt 6:21). And in the morn, begin again.
Today is the feast day of St. Josephine Bakhita. Born in Darfur-Sudan, she was kidnapped as a child at the age of 7 and was enslaved. She was bought and sold several times before arriving in the Sudanese slave market. Along the way, she forgot her family name, and was given a name by the Arab slave traders: bakhīta, Arabic for ‘lucky’ or ‘fortunate’. She was forcibly converted to Islam. Her life enslaved was horrific. Continue reading
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