Taking up our cross is not easy, but it frees us.
Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me” (Mt 16:24).
Jesus invites us to deny our self-centered default position which places I, me, and mine (As George Harrison sang) at the center of each of our decisions. We can deny ourselves when we resist making excuses for our sins and come to a genuine place of sorrow for the pain we have caused God, ourselves, and others. By acknowledging our sins and confessing them, we die to our selfish ways, and then we rise again through the power of Christ. Empowered by our humility and the strength of Jesus we are better equipped to resist those temptations when they rise again.
We are also in a better position to then take up our cross, which is to follow the will of God. Jesus showed us the proper orientation of surrender when he said at Gethsemane: “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me; still, not my will but yours be done” (Lk 22:42). Jesus followed his Father’s will to the cross and endured horrific suffering, excruciating pain, humiliation, and abandonment, to death and into new life!
Many a mother I have talked with has shared the struggles of labor, but also expressed the joy of giving birth; many students I have taught have been exasperated by the time and effort expended for an examination, a sporting event, art show, musical or theatrical performance and yet experienced the joy from the feat they accomplished; and how many times have we faced a challenge, trial, or cleared some obstacle and felt the exhilaration of overcoming the hurdle?
Taking up our cross and following the will of God means accepting a disciplined approach to our lives. When we follow God’s will, as opposed to our own solely, the difference is that we are not alone in our persistent effort. Seeking God’s will in the midst of our decision-making process and trials for our everyday physical as well as spiritual pursuits is the key.
In my mid-twenties, I entered the Franciscan Friars of Holy Name Province to study for the priesthood. In the year and a half of discernment, from time to time I would imagine my ordination day. To my surprise, I did not feel intense joy. I enjoyed every aspect of my experience with the friars and the ministries but there was something or someone missing. I took a leave of absence and about a year and a half later, I realized what was missing was a family.
About two years later I met JoAnn, and her three children, Mia, Jack, and Christy. Six months after that we were married and seventeen years later, I was ordained to the permanent diaconate. This is the short version of the story. There were bumpy moments as we learned to grow together by being willing to see each other’s point of view, some perspectives took a little longer than others, and we were at our best when we were willing to sacrifice for and serve one another.
The journey took its roughest lurch in the summer of 2019 when JoAnn was experiencing her final weeks with us on this side of heaven. From the beginning of JoAnn’s diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, we both prayed, not that our will but God’s will be done. This cross was the heaviest to bear, yet Jesus shouldered it with us and blessed us richly in our surrender. I am truly grateful for those final months that we had together.
Grief and sorrow have their own time frame and their expression is just as unique as each individual. One thing I miss the most is holding Joann’s hand. Over the past two months, I have been blessed to journey and experience the various wonderful people of our diocese. In experiencing their lives, I have felt as if I have been holding the hand of my bride to be – the Church. For the path of becoming a priest is a willingness to become like Jesus who is espoused to his Church.
Embracing the sorrow and allowing the tears to flow when they will, has helped me to heal and I have been better able to experience the joy and appreciation of the twenty-three years we had together. I am beginning to learn to live again, knowing JoAnn wanted me to be happy and fulfilled. Doing so is the best way to honor her life.
In embracing the cross, as Jesus did, we can participate in his death so that we can participate in his life. Death does not have the final answer, Jesus does. Each day is a new opportunity to begin again, to live life anew and to the full.
Photo: The last time we were all together, July 4th weekend of 2019 with Levi and Harley, Mia’s wee ones.
Link for the Mass Readings for, Friday, August 5, 2002
Are we willing to dig, to remove the stones in our hearts, to unearth rich soil?
The root of the message offered in today’s Gospel is what is foundational to beginning and continuing as a disciple of Jesus. This being the disposition of our hearts. Are we closed to receiving the message of the Gospel, or are we open to embracing the invitation of Jesus to become more active in living out our faith in our everyday life?
The exchange of Jesus with his disciples in today’s reading from Matthew comes after his sharing of the Parable of the Sower (Mt 13:1-9). In this parable, Jesus offers scenarios regarding the conditions of seeds sown. Some fell on a hardened path, some on rocky ground, some fell among thorns, and some fell on the rich soil. The seeds in the first three settings were not able either to germinate or come to full maturity. The seed that was sown in rich soil was able to germinate, sprout, mature, and bear fruit.
As disciples, we are meant to bear fruit. That means our beginning step to preparing rich soil is to have an open heart and mind to the message of the Gospel. If we have eyes to see and ears to hear, we can quickly assess when our hearts are hardened and our minds are closed. When someone makes a statement, do we immediately judge it before the sentence is even completed? If we are in touch with our emotions, are we aware of the tenseness of our body and our shortening of breath? Think back to some times when we have reacted in this way, think of some times when we have had similar reactions in prayer, or when we feel God leading us to serve in a particular way, or when a scriptural passage piques our interest and we ignore it, read on, or close our Bible. How about times when a person interrupts us with an issue, or we see someone in need and keep walking and while we walk away with feel the angst of guilt.
The good news presented in the above examples is that we are alive and our conscience is somewhat intact. Our soil may be on rocky ground, there may be some weeds and thorns, but at least there is some soil. The most difficult state and the one Jesus addressed in today’s Gospel is the heart of indifference that is closed, the seed falling on the well-trod path, that is hard and packed so nothing gets through. For these people, “they look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand” (Mt 13:13). Yet, even this soil can be broken open and tilled. Even the hardest heart can be softened if one is willing to turn to Jesus. If we are willing to dig, we will encounter, but can then remove stones and rocks, and loosen the rich soil to make it good for planting.
Jesus, in his explanation of why he spoke in parables, returned to the inaugural message of his ministry: “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Repent and believe in the Gospel” (Mk 1:15). To be a disciple of Jesus we need to be willing to repent, to acknowledge the places in our hearts and minds that are closed, those areas that are hardened from real or perceived past pain or trauma, those situations in which we choose to shut down and separate ourselves from God and others. When we allow Jesus in, we can experience his healing touch. By risking to reach out in this way for help, we can begin to heal. As we do so, we can begin to hope, to care, and to love.
Being a disciple means that we will make mistakes, we will not be perfect, we will be hurt, betrayed, and experience the injustice of this world. But if we trust in Jesus, are willing to learn from our mistakes, return to him for healing and confession, our hearts will soften and our minds will open.
We will come to experience that we are not alone, that we have not been abandoned, that there is hope because there is a way forward, there is a goal we have to attain, which is to enter into the process of becoming true to who we are and who we are called to be. We will also begin to experience our interconnectedness with one another. When we come to realize that we are not alone, that we are not an island in a sea of people, that we are loved, we may be more willing to hear other people’s stories, be more understanding of their struggles and trials, and maybe begin to have eyes to see and ears to hear our brothers and sisters that have been beside us all along. Instead of being a part of the problem, we can then begin to be part of the solution.
Photo: Breaking ground for a garden at St. Philip Benizi in Belle Glade
Link for the Mass readings for Thursday, July 22, 2022
Our relationship with God and one another improves when God is first.
What Jesus proposes is not an either/or statement, but is meant to be a both/and statement. The end goal of our life is to be in communion with God. To attain that goal, we need to not only acknowledge that God exists but also come to know and follow God’s will. As Jesus said, “For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother” (Mt 12:50). The challenge is that there is so much that pulls at us for our attention, so much that reaches out to divert us. People, activities, material pursuits are all vying for first place for our minds, hearts, and souls.
The challenge and demands of family life are tremendous. We often read, hear, and experience ourselves, how much the family is being challenged in our modern age. Many of us strive to put family first in our lives. That ought to and needs to be a priority as healthy relationships require commitment, love, sacrifice, and persistence. What Jesus offers then seems to be counter-intuitive to that reality.
Jesus is approached, in the midst of his teaching, and told that his mother and brothers were wanting to see him. We would think he would say, “Great! Bring them right in, I have a place reserved for them here, front and center!” He instead replied, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers” (Mt 12:49), which I am sure raised a few eyebrows and hackles.
Jesus was not choosing his disciples over his family, he was clarifying that the primacy of place of God his Father is to be first and foremost. “For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother” (Mt 12:50). Families come in many different shapes and sizes, one size indeed does not fit all. Building our relationship with our heavenly Father is the foundation toward striving toward healthier relationships.
For our relationship with God to deepen, we must be willing to let of of our ego and self-centeredness. This is no overnight or easy process, but as we do so each day, we will begin to experience God’s love a little more. The practice of allowing ourselves to decrease and Jesus to increase leads to change. We will become more patient, understanding, less reactive, and more present. These qualities are very helpful in improving our relationships.
As we continue to mature in our spiritual life, we will also begin to experience the fruits of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control (cf. Galatians 5:22-23). By putting these gifts into practice, we will be more available to others and better able to foster deeper relationships with our own family members, while at the same time coming to experience a larger extended family, those beyond blood.
Who was the closest human relationship Jesus experienced? Mary. Not because she gave birth to him, but because who better than Mary followed the will of his Father? If life with some family members is a little bumpy right now or you just want to deepen your familial bonds, might I suggest that we assume the posture of Mary and say often, “May it be done to me according to your word” (Lk 1:38).
Photo: Leaning on God and each other three years ago in Los Angeles!
Link for the Mass readings for Tuesday, July 19, 2022
“I get by with a little help from my friends.”
Jesus said: “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest” (Mt 11:28).
Scripture scholar, Fr. Daniel J. Harrington, SJ, states that in this passage Jesus’ invitation was given to those who are not yet his disciples, those Jews who did not believe in him and the way that he is proposing. He also intuits that Jesus is calling them from the heavy burdens laid upon them by the scribes and Pharisees and inviting them to accept his burden that is lighter (cf. Harrington, 167). We can read this in Matthew 4:3: “They tie up heavy burdens [hard to carry] and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they will not lift a finger to move them.”
Jesus’ charge leveled against the Pharisees comes from those who have experienced the laws without the assistance and support to follow them. The demands of Jesus are even more challenging than those of the Pharisees, Sadducees, or the scribes! We can see this in another of Jesus’ teachings: “You have heard that it was said… whoever kills will be liable to judgment. But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to the judgment, and whoever says to his brother, ‘Raqa,’ will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna” (Mt5:21-22). Jesus is equating calling someone Raqa – an air-head, or calling someone a fool akin to murder. Our words can destroy or empower! We need to choose our words wisely.
The difference between Jesus and many of the religious leaders of his time is that Jesus, the Son of God in the fullness of his divinity, entered into the chaos of our humanity. As a human being, he walks among us and suffers along with us. He offers to yoke himself to us so as to carry the burden with us, making them lighter. Many impose burdens on us as we can impose burdens on others, as did the Pharisees. We also impose them on ourselves and turn away from the invitation of Jesus’ help.
A handful of injuries I have suffered through the years were because I have attempted to lift or carry something beyond my strength, instead of seeking assistance from another. I would think, “I can do it, I don’t need any help, I don’t want to bother anyone.” That is just the physical; there are also the mental and emotional burdens of anxiety, doubt, pride, fear, and worry that we burden ourselves with. This is not Jesus’ way. The Devil attempts to keep us isolated, so he tempts us with all kinds of reasons. You can do this, you don’t want to bother them, they won’t help you, others will think you are weak if you ask for help…
Jesus offers us a path to follow that leads us to experience joy, peace, and tranquility in this life and fulfillment and union with God in the next. No matter what pain, suffering, trial, and/or challenge we are facing right now, we do not have to go through it alone. We just need to remember to reach out our hand to Jesus and when we do, what we will find is his hand already extended ready to grasp ours. Many times the offering comes from those who are close to us, who are more than willing to help.
In aligning ourselves with God’s will, life isn’t necessarily going to be easier, but he will give us the strength and peace of mind not only to endure but to experience a peace that surpasses all understanding while doing so. Let us take our first step together today, hand in hand with Jesus, and so find rest in knowing that we are not alone!
Also, may we be kind to those in our midst with our words, actions, and faces. Among those who may be abrupt or rude, we need to resist the temptation of reacting and instead be present and understanding; for we are not aware of the burdens others are carrying. Offer instead a simple smile as a start, which can make a heavy load just a little lighter.
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Photo: Mass and evening with newly ordained Fr. Daniel Donahue and my brothers, who have been a tremendous help and support this summer!
Harrington, S.J. Daniel J. The Gospel of Matthew. Vol. 1 of Sacra Pagina, edited by Daniel J. Harrington, S.J. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 2007.
Link for the Mass readings for Thursday, July 14, 2022
Each of us have a unique way to share the love of Jesus.
“Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give” (Mt 10:8).
We cannot buy the grace of God and we do not earn our way into the kingdom of heaven. God’s grace and presence are freely given, without cost and without our effort. As with any gift, the joy and fulfillment come from the willingness to receive and open the gift.
God has given us the gift of his Son. We have the choice to say yes or no to receiving him in our life, each and every moment, each and every day. When we say yes to his offer of relationship, Jesus does not come to dwell with us for our sake alone. We are invited to freely share him with others. The Second Vatican Council renewed this call for evangelization. We are to, as did the Apostles, his disciples, and each following generation, say what he said, do what he did, and live how he lived, yet through our own unique and individual expression. As a bright light that shines through a prism, depending on the unique angle of the cut, a different color will emanate forth. Just so are we to reflect the light of God in our daily experiences with our own unique color.
We say what Jesus said when we use our words to empower, affirm, heal, and to convict but not condemn. We do what Jesus did: when we build relationships and engage in respectful encounters and dialogue with one another. This also happens when through our acts of hospitality, mercy, forgiveness, healing, and being present, we attend to the needs of others, especially the most vulnerable.
We are to live as Jesus did. We are to be holy ourselves in every aspect of our conduct, as St. Peter wrote, “for it is written, ‘Be holy because I [am] holy’” (cf. 1 Peter 1:15-16). We begin to grow in holiness when we recognize, repent, choose no longer to be governed by, and seek healing from our own pride, selfish and ego-centered ways of living. We grow in holiness when we say yes to receiving the gift of the purifying fire of the Holy Spirit who will then heal and transform us so that we become aflame with love. In this way, we will shift our posture from the stiff arm of keeping others at a distance and instead open our arms wide to embrace each other, to love one another by giving of ourselves without cost.
Sr. Norma Pimentel, M.J., executive director of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley, provides an example for us today of how we can live a life dedicated to “giving without cost”. She continues to allow Jesus to minister through her as an advocate for the voiceless along the Texas/Mexico border. Sister Norma has been working with asylum seekers, immigrants, and refugees since the 1970’s by providing welcome, hospitality, and shelter, showing those seeking aid, that hope is still possible and that Jesus does care for their plight. Sr. Norma reflected recently on the beginning of her vocation by stating that, “During those first years of my religious formation, I quickly learned the importance of living out our faith by how we welcome and protect those that need us, especially the vulnerable stranger in our midst.”
Jesus may or may not be calling us to the border, but he is inviting all of us to be open to receive the touch of his embrace, to be loved by him. In our willingness to receive the gift of his love, we will begin to see each other with his eyes, to see each other as human beings, created in the image and likeness of his Father. Jesus is calling us to love each other, to draw close as he has done with us, and accompany one another and see the value of human dignity in each person.
We cannot be indifferent to the cries of the vulnerable and the poor. We may be called to work for an end to the abhorrent and inhumane treatment of our brothers and sisters on our southern border, to stand up and speak out against racial injustice in all of its overt and covert forms, to speak up for the unborn, to speak out against violence in all its forms. Each of us are to construct our own unique bridges of encounter and accompaniment helping to restore dignity where it has been taken. “Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give” (Mt 10:8).
Photo: Sister Norma with Zuleyka, Lucrecia, and Camilo Lopez, Guatemala taken by Peter Yang, accessed from Texasmonthly.com
Link for the Mass readings for Thursday, July 7, 2022
Jesus affirms each one of us and we are to do the same.
“As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Mt 10:7).
Empowered by Jesus, the Apostles were sent to proclaim that the Kingdom of heaven is at hand, that the God of all creation is present in their midst, and seeks to restore a relationship with his fallen creatures. The Apostles are to continue Jesus’ saving act of healing, restoring, and reconciling humanity’s relationship with God, through word but more so in and through deed.
Salvation history has been experienced through God’s encounter and interaction with individuals. At the appointed time, Jesus was sent to open the doors to a deeper communion with his Father. Jesus devoted himself to people, “accepting them, receiving them into fellowship with him and granting them forgiveness of sins. The power of his affirmation is to be found in his attention to the concrete individual, in particular to the despised, the abused, the sinner, but also involving himself with people in a very personal way… in giving himself away to them” (Gnilka 1997, 111).
We, as the Apostles, are called to do the same. Empowered by Jesus, we are not to bring about some abstract utopian ideal, but we are sent to enter into the chaos of the lives of real, concrete individuals in our midst and on the margins in our own unique and personal way. The Gospel is not just for a select few but for everyone. This is just as true today in our polarized climate of 2022. We need to resist the temptation to be led by our prejudices and pride such that we embrace an, us verses them mentality. For God, there is no us and them.
Just as the sun rises on the good and the bad alike (cf. Mt 5:45), we are to examine ways in which we have contributed to division and separation instead of promoted invitation. May we get in touch with our sorrow for the hurt we have caused others, for our actions and omissions, and for failing to reach out in love. Jesus was sent by his Father and he sends us to proclaim the Gospel. We do so by building relationships in and beyond our comfort zones. We do so when we are more present, accepting, understanding, kind, and forgiving as well as sharing person to person the light, love, mercy, and invitation of fellowship that we have received from Jesus.
Photo: Afternoon last week with Fr. Raul at St Mary’s Catholic Church in Pahokee, FL.
Gnilka, Joachim. Jesus of Nazareth: Message and History. Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, 1997.
Link for the Mass readings for Wednesday, July 6, 2022
The Shepherd calls, will we follow?
“At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd” (Mt 9:36).
There is much that pulls at us for our time and attention. Jesus witnessed the anxieties, struggles, pain, and feelings of being lost regarding those in his midst. Are we so different today? Jesus knows the Father, he knows the joy and fulfillment of what being in a full relationship with him entails. Jesus saw then and sees in us now how lost we are, how easily distracted and diverted we are, how many things we put before our relationship with God, and he “is moved with pity.”
Jesus’ heart goes out to us, he yearns to be one with us, he loves us, but in that very act of love, he risks. He loves us so much, that he is willing to let us choose ourselves, others, or a myriad of other pursuits over him. Jesus invites us to the joyful experience of developing a relationship with him so we can come to know his Father, while at the same time he does not impose himself on us. We are given the whole world to choose from or we can choose him. Who do we put first? Is God a priority in our life? If we find that God is at best an after-thought, or at worst a no thought, instead of getting to know God better, what is it that we are choosing over him?
Jesus invites us, but too often we miss, ignore, or do not follow through on his invitation. Too often we choose other pleasures, distractions, diversions, temptations, and/or apparent goods. With time and experience, we may come to see the emptiness of the lure of these worldly promises, as well as see that our attachments to these often lead to many of our troubles, trials, stresses, and anxieties. We may also get in touch with our feelings of unfulfillment, abandonment, and being alone, because there is only one answer to our innermost longing, and that is God.
I am not advocating for a rejection of the material world. All that God has created is good. We are human beings and a part of God’s glorious creation. Nor do I believe that we are souls trapped in this body waiting to be released upon our death. As human beings, we are a unique unity of body and soul. The key to our fulfillment is choosing to put God first and then we can better discern that which needs to fall away or how to reorder that which will stay so they are in their proper place and purpose.
Fr. Thomas Dubay writes that the “one who seeks delight in God alone finds peace and joy no matter what happens” (Dubay 1989, 154). Today might be a good day to take a moment to be still and evaluate where we are in our lives and to ponder whose we are. Jesus offers to lead us, just as he has led his disciples through the ages. Those of every age have experienced trials and tribulations and found the promises of this world fleeting. What made the difference for the saints was that they said yes to the call of the Shepherd. How will we answer the Shepherd’s invitation today?
Photo: by Kat Jayne from Pexels
Dubay, S.M., Thomas. Fire Within: St. Teresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross, and the Gospel on Prayer. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 1989.
Link for the Mass readings for Tuesday, July 5, 2022
“If only I can touch his cloak, I shall be cured.”
Today’s reading is one of my favorite Gospel accounts. This is a miracle story within a miracle story. The account begins with an official requesting that Jesus come to bring back to life his daughter who has died. Jesus “rose and followed him”, and while on the way, a woman comes and touches the tassel of Jesus’ cloak, is healed, and the story continues on to describe how Jesus brings the daughter of the official back to life and there is no more mention of the woman.
What stands out for me is not the raising of the officials daughter, but the healing of the woman. Her whole life is changed by her encounter with Jesus. She had been suffering with her condition and seeking help but received none for twelve years. And for that whole time, she was also considered ritually unclean because of her ongoing hemorrhaging. She must have also been very weak resulting from the continual blood loss and to many she was considered all but dead.
This woman must have been on the verge of losing all hope, when Jesus drew close. She was quite aware that to approach a male in public was forbidden and what was even worse, because of her condition, she was not allowed to come close or to touch anyone. Yet, she moved forward. She must have experienced such anxiety and fear arise with each step. If she was caught she could be ridiculed, admonished, or even stoned to death, or worse, nothing about her condition would change. Step by faithful step, she drew closer to Jesus and reached out to touch the tassel of his cloak.
She could have slipped away, just as she came. Yet, “Jesus turned around and saw her, and said, ‘Courage, daughter! Your faith has saved you.’ And from that hour the woman was cured” (Mt9:22). Jesus felt the healing power go out from him to the woman and instead of admonishing or correcting, he acknowledged the courage and faith she displayed. Because she was willing to come close despite all the inner and outer turmoil that whirled around her to the contrary, this woman who was all but the walking dead was given new life!
This woman’s encounter with Jesus is a wonderful one for us to meditate upon. She did not stop seeking a way for healing. She persisted, and when the moment came, she moved forward to come close to Jesus. May we too, no matter what we face have the courage of this woman to reach out to Jesus for his healing power and strength.
True freedom comes when we trust in Jesus’ daily invitation to say yes to his Father and no matter what anxieties, fears, doubts, challenges, trials, or tribulations swirl about us, be as persistent and as courageous as this woman and trust in Jesus so as to be healed and empowered by the love of the Holy Spirit to live our life to the full, today and all days!!!
Happy Fourth of July everyone. My prayers are with you.
Photo: Accessed from usml.edu
Mass readings for Monday, July 4, 2022
Spiritual Stepping Stones 