I bear the marks…

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In the first reading today for the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, St. Paul writes: “From now on, let no one make troubles for me; for I bear the marks of Jesus on my body.” (Gal 6:17).  Over the centuries many hold that St. Paul is referring to the beating and other physical assaults he has endured. Others hold that Paul had received the stigmata. Stigmata, from the Greek word, generically points to a “brand” or a “mark.” It is the common word to describing branding of cattle. In the Christian context it refers to the bodily marks resembling the wounds of the crucified Christ. St. Francis was the first person, historically recorded, who bore the marks of the crucified Christ in his hands, his feet, and in his side. Continue reading →

Buona Festa!!

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Today is the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi. Many blessings to all Franciscans and all those of a Franciscan heart.

The Lord bless you and keep you.
May He show His face to you and have mercy.
May He turn His countenance to you and give you peace.
The Lord bless you!

Happy Feast Day!

In Private

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This coming Sunday is the 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time. In the privacy of a house, the disciples question Jesus about “this” – presumably, “what God has joined together, no human being must separate.”  Jesus has taken the question back to the divine intent. One way to understand the unstated question is that the disciples are not asking about divorce per se, but the broader question of all the things that cause the separation of what God has joined. Jesus declared without qualification that a man who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her. The use of the word “adultery” directs the disciples back to the absolute command of God (Ex. 20:14) and clarifies the seriousness of the issue. But to be clear, Jesus is not saying that divorce and remarriage is the only circumstance that lead to adultery, but it is of the same gravitas. Continue reading →

Through Death to Life

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In Western Christianity, the Transitus (translation from Ecclesiastical Latin: crossing or passing over) refers to “the time of passage through death to life”. The Christian theologian German Martinez writes that: “The idea of death in the Latin transitus … represents a unique Christian terminology linked to the paschal mystery. It consecrates the passage of the dying to eternal life. Offering the sacrifice of his or her personal life, the believer shares in the paschal transitus of Christ himself. Each year on the evening of October 3rd the Franciscan family throughout the world pauses to celebrate the solemnity of our Holy Father Francis’s Transitus, passing over from this life to the next. Continue reading →

The Transitus of St. Francis

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In Western Christianity, the Transitus (translation from Ecclesiastical Latin: crossing or passing over) refers to “the time of passage through death to life”. The Christian theologian German Martinez writes that: “The idea of death in the Latin transitus … represents a unique Christian terminology linked to the paschal mystery. It consecrates the passage of the dying to eternal life. Offering the sacrifice of his or her personal life, the believer shares in the paschal transitus of Christ himself. Continue reading →

God’s Creative Intent

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This coming Sunday is the 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time. Thus, Jesus moves the dialogue to a deeper question and asks about what God intended in the creation:  “But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female. 7 For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother (and be joined to his wife), 8 and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. 9 Therefore what God has joined together, no human being must separate.” Continue reading →

Spiraling

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We are in the middle of an extended conversation between Job and three friends. The basic message his friends deliver is (1) God does not make mistakes, (2) God punishes sinners, (3) you are being punished, (4) admit your sin, ask forgiveness, and be restored. Job has been defending himself in that he knows not his sin but his friends essentially say he is in denial and prideful. Slowly Job is spiraling downward. The great expressions of faith in the beginning chapters are gone. Continue reading →

Guardian Angels

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Today is the Memorial of the Holy Guardian Angels. You can find the readings for the memorial celebration here. I thought it would be interesting, instructional and fun to use Catholic.Chat to see what the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) provides about guardian angels. The CCC emphasized their role as protectors and guides for individuals. According to the teachings found in the Catechism, guardian angels are personal, spiritual beings assigned by God to watch over and assist each person throughout their life. Continue reading →

Questions and Response

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This coming Sunday is the 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time. As noted in the preceding section, the question is none too genuine. Both Jesus and the Pharisees – and anyone listening in on the dialogue – know that Dt 24:1, part of the Torah (Law), is the basis for the practice of divorce: “When a man, after marrying a woman and having relations with her, is later displeased with her because he finds in her something indecent, and therefore he writes out a bill of divorce and hands it to her, thus dismissing her from his house.” As ever, the Pharisees’ question has little to do with marriage or divorce, but concerns teaching authority (and their desire to trap Jesus so that they will be able to bring charges against him). Continue reading →

Lessons from Suffering

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In the first reading, Job was nearly crushed by the pain of suffering. He tore his robe, shaved his head, and fell to the ground when he heard that his children had died (Job 1:20). He then cries out in despair:

“Job opened his mouth and cursed his day. Job spoke out and said: Perish the day on which I was born, the night when they said, “The child is a boy!” (Job 3:1-3) Continue reading →