“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You lock the Kingdom of heaven before men” (Mt 23: 13).

Context, in any reading of the Gospels, or any scriptural text, is important, but certainly with today’s reading. Our country is already experiencing enough division, polarization, and racial unrest as it is. These comments have too often been used to fuel anti-Semitic rhetoric. We need to remember that Jesus is Jewish. “The criticisms are leveled with those of power and/or influence as in the prophetic denunciations, not against the whole people of Israel. The aberrations denounced by Jesus were also denounced by other Jewish teachers in the rabbinic tradition. The goal of the denunciations is to highlight the error, to preserve others from it, and perhaps to bring those who err to the way of righteousness” (Harrington 2007, 327).

Those who would use these verses to denounce people of the Jewish faith tradition, just for being Jewish, would be acting in the same way as those for whom Jesus was convicting. Jesus spoke to the specific actions of specific leaders he had encountered who were using their power and influence for their own means and agendas. The hypocritical behavior that Jesus brought to light unfortunately still exists in our civil and religious leadership, though not all. It is why so many people are disillusioned with our religious and civic institutions.

We seek truth, authenticity, and transparency because these qualities are foundational for building trust and relationships. St. Augustine, whose feast we celebrate tomorrow, wrote in hid Introduction to his Confessions, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and we are restless until we rest in you.” He experienced a life without God and with him, and regretted the days he had resisted his invitation. It is unfortunate how many today have not come to embrace the words of Augustine, because of their experiences with those, who in the name of Christ, have “locked the kingdom of heaven” before them.

It is very easy to point fingers at others and how hypocritical they are, but Jesus is also speaking directly to each one of us. How have we erred? In what areas of our life have we allowed past hurts and wounds, anxieties and fears, prejudicial and judgmental attitudes, to limit us from living a more authentic life aligned with the teachings of Jesus. We all fall short in living the “Way, the Truth, and the Life” (cf Jn 14:6), but the good news is that when we have the humility to be contrite, to recognize and to be sorry for the hurt we have caused, to admit when we have been wrong, we have a loving Father with arms wide open to embrace us, comfort, lead us to reconciliation, and heal us.

May we follow the lead of St Augustine’s mother, St Monica, whose memorial we celebrate today. She guided her son, convicted him, did not judge him, but prayed for his conversion. May she intercede on our behalf, that we may be open to being conformed to Jesus, while at the same time be willing to speak up, out, and against any act that diminishes or denounces the dignity of another, as we resist the temptation to do so in a way that diminishes those who inflict division and hate. Jesus invites us to convict others and hold them accountable as he and the prophets who came before him did with those not fulfilling and unfortunately also abusing their roles of leadership. The intent is to win back our brother or our sister, by leading them to a place of contrition and reconciliation.

Photo: Sanctuary of St Peter Catholic Church, early morning before Mass. St Monica, just before she died, asked her sons to remember her at the altar of the Lord wherever they may be.

Link for the Mass readings for Monday, August 27, 2018:
http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/082718.cfm

Harrington, S.J., Daniel J. The Gospel of Matthew, vol. 1, in Sacra Pagina, Ed. Daniel J. Harrington, S.J. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 2007.

Even though Jesus had fed the five thousand and they were satisfied and there was plenty more where this gift of grace came from. Even though they followed Jesus to Capernaum seeking a sign, the discourse regarding eating his Flesh and drinking his Blood was just too far of a stretch for these followers to take. In fact: Not only did many of the disciples of Jesus who were listening say, “This saying is hard; who can accept it” (Jn 6:60)?, many of his disciples walked away from Jesus at that point.

Jesus had gone too far. Even though just a day before they were ready to embrace him as the Messiah and move to make them their king, they could or would not believe because they did not fully comprehended who Jesus said he was, the One from above, who was sent by the Father. They had not yet developed a deep enough relationship with him such that, even though this teaching was unimaginable, unintelligible, as well as abhorrent, they couldn’t continue to stay with him any longer. Jesus didn’t adjust his words, recalibrate his meaning, didn’t go after them. Jesus spoke the truth with blunt force and let them accept or reject the invitation he offered.

Jesus then offered the same clear choice to the Twelve, “Do you also want to leave?” Simon Peter answered him, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God” (Jn 6:67-69). Peter’s response is one of faith and trust. I am sure that Peter and the other eleven reacted in the same way, but their relationship was on solid enough ground such that they were able to still trust in Jesus. They believed he was who he said he was, “the Holy One of God.”

May this be our response as well. When we find some of Jesus’ teachings hard to digest, hard to put into practice, we need to resist the temptation to walk away. Instead may we follow Mary’s model of pondering, as she did when Gabriel shared she would bear the Savior of the world. She did not fully comprehend what the message meant, but she trusted God and said yes. May we follow Peter, who consistently, dealing with mixed emotions and doubts, impulsive behavior, putting his foot in his mouth on more than one occasion, remained firm in his belief in Jesus because he trusted that Jesus was the “Holy One of God”.

When we do not understand, may we dialogue with each other, read commentaries and the teachings of the Church to better understand the context, but above all, go directly to Jesus, bring our concerns and questions to him. May we consistently pray and be open for his answer, even directly from Jesus himself in the silence of our hearts. Often times we experience an aha!, or eureka moment from another person sharing an insight from a different perspective. We come to understand better the teachings of Jesus through graced moments of revelation when we remain trusting and open to God.

Peter kept the lines of communication open with Jesus. He misunderstood early on more than he understood, yet, he did not leave Jesus. Peter kept coming back. The persistence of Peter and his openness, as evidenced in today’s Gospel, when he answered Jesus regarding the option to walk away from him or not, Peter said: “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (Jn 6:68), is what allowed him to also be open to God speaking through him when he replied to Jesus’ question, “Who do you say that I am?” and Peter replied that Jesus was “the Messiah, the Son of the Living God” Jesus followed with the words, “flesh and blood have not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father” (cf. Mt 16:16).

That is exactly the point. In seeking to understand Jesus, his teachings and his Way, especially when they are hard, may we trust that he will accompany us each step of the way. Jesus does not give us burdens just for the sake to bear them, nor will he leave us to carry them alone. The gospels are very clear on this. Where Jesus invites us to go and what he requires us to do, he will provide the grace, strength and perseverance we need, when we are willing to trust in him and call upon his help.

The grace of God builds on our nature, Jesus meets us where we are and leads us to actualize our potential and intellectual capacity to understand. He does not want us to be blind followers, but to be engaged critically with what he demands while at the same time trusting in the will of his Father. Our intellect and reason will take us to wonderful heights, but only so far. Jesus speaks to us in human words, but also through “spirit and life” (Jn 6:63). To come to understand the teachings of Jesus such that the Eucharist is his real presence, we need to access both our faith and reason.

Jesus is not asking us to do anything he himself has not done. Jesus requested that the cup of death his Father asked him to drink could be taken away, a hard teaching if there ever was one, but Jesus was willing to submit his human will to the will of his Father. He was able to do so because Jesus trusted his Father and knew he would bring about a greater good.

Jesus gave his life, died and in so doing conquered death, transcending the time and space of our present dimension so to be present to us in the Sacrament of the Eucharist as he promised and as is recorded that he would do in John chapter 6. May we take some time to read this chapter meditatively over this week and ask God to reveal to us the fullness of the gift that Jesus offers to us daily, himself. Jesus lives. Jesus is the first born of the new creation, and he wants to not only lead us to eternal life, but impart his life in us that we may experience the Love and Mercy of his Father now, so to be one with him in this life and for all eternity! Let us trust and believe in the Risen One, for he has the words of eternal life. Amen?

Amen. Amen.
I’m alive, I’m alive,
Because he lives.
Amen. Amen.
Let my song join the One that never ends.
Because he lives.
– Verse from Matt Maher’s song, “Because He Lives (Amen)”.

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Photo: Serving Jesus at my first Mass after ordination

Because He Lives (Amen), Matt Maher, from cd: Saints and Sinners, 2015
Link to music video: Music video by Matt Maher performing Because He Lives (Amen) [Official Lyric Video]. (C) 2014 Provident Label Group LLC, a unit of Sony Music Entertainment

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBvU7arNhQs

Link for the Mass readings for Sunday, August 26, 2018: 2018: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/082618.cfm

“The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted” (Mt 23:11-12).

Jesus warns us to resist the sin of pride, where we place our self as the focal point instead of God. This happens when we seek to be the center of the gravitational pull within our realm of influence. Through our subtle and not so subtle actions, we can embrace this temptation to live a life of, “Look at me, look at me!” Desiring to be affirmed is not a bad thing, but that ought not to be our primary motivation for our actions. Ultimately, we will be better served when we seek our affirmation from God.

Choosing our own self determination, free of God’s guidance, is the height of pride. God does not seek to limit us, but to inspire us, so that we may actualize the fullness of who he has created us to be. The spirit and council of St Mother Teresa often was not to seek to do great things but to do little things with great love. I came across a cassette tape of one of her talks during my freshman year of college. Her words started to plant a seed in my soul that urged me to look out beyond myself toward others.

Growing up with an introverted and shy nature, I spent much of my youth in my own world. In my second semester of that same year, I took a psychology course and thought it would be interesting to work in a hospital. A close friend of mine, Steve, shared with me that his mother was a nurse in a nursing home in our hometown. That summer, when the semester ended, I applied for the job as a certified nursing assistant and was hired.

The first resident I assisted was named Margaret. She rolled passed me in her wheelchair and a particular odor followed. The aide I was training with caught my eye and I realized this would be my first solo attempt of service. I redirected and guided her to the toilet, which was in a small closet sized area in between two adjoining bedrooms. It was a particularly hot day, and as I removed Margaret’s depends, I found quite the surprise. For the next fifteen minutes as I washed her midsection and perineal area, I sweat, teared up, and repeatedly fought back the urge to gag, all the while Margaret sang. Once cleaned up and in a fresh night gown, I helped her into her bed, tucked her in, and then Margaret said, “Give me a kiss lover.”

Others may have run for the door and never looked back. I stayed, and for the next four or five years, I experienced the wonderful gift of building relationships with the many residents and coworkers who drew me out of myself and into their worlds. What started out as a job became an extended family.

God presents us with opportunities daily, and often moment by moment, in which we can choose our self or we can choose to be present and give of ourselves to others. May we resist the urge to put our self first, to turn within ourselves out of anxiety or fear of risking to love, and instead pray for the courage to be open to the opportunities of grace God gifts us with. May we be willing to serve in little ways with great love, one person, one encounter at a time. I pray that you may encounter your Margaret! For Margaret helped me to live what St Mother Teresa taught me: “Love only can become our light and joy in cheerful service of each other” (Teresa 2010, 355).

Photo of St Mother Teresa accessed from: https://www.firstpost.com/living/mother-teresas-life-and-legacy-are-celebrated-in-new-collection-of-raghu-rais-photos-3464492.html

Mother Teresa. Where There Is Love, There is God. Edited by Brian Kolodiejchuck, M.C. NY: Doubleday, 2010.

Link for the Mass readings for Saturday, August 25, 2018: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/082518.cfm

But Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see” (Jn 1:46).

Many biblical scholars believe that Nathanael is the same man as the Apostle Bartholomew, who is mentioned in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and Acts. We see in today’s Gospel from John that his initial reaction to Philip’s invitation is doubt. Why? Because of where he came from. Nazareth was a small peasant village with a population of about 1,600 (Meier, 317) people. I don’t think its small size would be the main reason for Nathanael’s offering a bit of humor at the expense of Jesus’ hometown, though he must have had some reason to believe that nothing good could come from Nazareth. The more important point is that Nathanael did not allow his prejudice to keep him from following Philip’s invitation to “Come and see.”

Nathanael would not only “come and see”, but after Jesus shared how he first saw Nathanael under the fig tree, Nathanael claimed that Jesus was “the Son of God… the King of Israel” (Jn 1:49). What he was able to see in Jesus, Jesus’ own townsfolk of Nazareth were not able or willing to see. Though, like the other Apostles, Nathanael was off the mark regarding the kind of messiah Jesus would be. Jesus would not be the warrior king, but the suffering servant of Isaiah. Jesus also told Nathanael that he would “see greater things than this” (Jn 1:50). Francis Moloney articulates that: “Faith based on miracles will not suffice; something more is needed. This greater faith will enable all disciples to see the revelation of the heavenly in Jesus, the Son of Man” (Harrington, 57).

Though we do not know much about Nathanael other than the encounter described in today’s gospel, we know that he was willing to set aside his initial doubt and prejudice, was willing to encounter, follow, and remain with Jesus to become one of the Twelve. There is speculation that he traveled to India to spread the Gospel he received. Most likely he encountered those who had the same doubt that anything good could come from the One from Nazareth. There would be those who refused to believe and beheaded him. Yet, before and after his martyrdom, some, though initially doubtful, some like Nathanael, came and saw and believed.

May we follow the way of Nathanael, by resisting the temptations of our own biases, doubts and prejudices, so to open our hearts and minds to “come and see” Jesus in those we meet today. St Bartholomew, son of Tholami, Nathanael, gift of God, pray for us!

Photo: Chapel in the front of my classroom. How do we come and see Jesus today? One way is meditating and praying with his living word. Open up the Gospels, and “Come and see, Jesus the Word of God!

Link for today’s Mass readings: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/082418.cfm

Meier, John P. A Marginal Jew, vol. 1 : The Roots of the Problem and the Person. New York: Yale University Press, 1991.

Moloney, S.D.B., Francis J. “The Gospel of John, vol.4.” In Sacra Pagina, edited by Daniel J. Harrington, S.J. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 1998.

“The Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son” (Mt 22:2).

Throughout the gospels Jesus not only talks about feasts, but is recorded as often celebrating table fellowship with others. Those he eats with, range from people who are considered sinners to the religious elite among the Pharisees.

There are a wide range of reactions to the invitation offered from the king through his servants. There are those caught up in their own lives, not able or willing to break away, there are those who reject the message outright and do so violently, by mistreating and even killing the servants of the king. Then others, the good and bad alike, say yes to the invitation.

God invites, but we must be willing to change our hearts and minds to see the invitation for what it is, an eternal gift. Those who refused, were unwilling to change their plans, as well as others who, with hearts of stone, were outright hostile, willing to abuse and even kill the servants.

Then there was man the king found who was present without the proper attire. This is not a literal indictment of not having the proper clothes, but the wedding garment imagery may be a recognition of a willingness to receive the benefits of the invitation without a yes to the responsibility involved with the invitation of transformation.

Our first reading from Ezekiel may be of help. God speaks through Ezekiel: “I will sprinkle clean water upon you to cleanse you from all your impurities, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. I will give you a new heart and place a new spirit within you, taking from your bodies your stony hearts and giving you natural hearts” (Ezekiel 36:25-26). We are invited to change, to repent, to turn away from those idols, that which we have placed or put before God, to have our heart and spirit renewed. We are invited to be a part of God’s new creation by participating in the life of his Son, the first born of the new creation.

God the Father offered an invitation to an eternal banquet through his prophets, like Ezekiel, and it is being fulfilled through Jesus. This is an invitation that we can begin again. We can give up our old ways, we can receive a new heart and a renewed spirit. But we need to be willing to let go. We must be willing to be transformed, to change our hearts and minds, so to be perfected through our participation in the life of Jesus and perfected through the purifying fire of the Holy Spirit.

Our yes demands accountability, we can’t just show up, and take up space. As we are transformed, we must at the same time be willing to devote our time, discipline, talent and treasure to serving at the banquet and inviting others to attend. “Many are invited, but few are chosen” (Mt 22:14). The first step is saying yes to the invitation. Letting go, embracing change, and being willing to be transformed is not easy, but we are not alone. Jesus accompanies us, as we are to accompany one another.

We have now been handed the invitation. How will we respond?

Photo by Kaboompics .com from Pexels

Link for the Mass readings for Thursday, August 23, 2018: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/082318.cfm

Jesus told his disciples this parable: “The Kingdom of heaven is like a landowner
who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard… (Mt 20:1).

At dawn, nine, noon, three, and five o’clock the landowner hired day laborers to go into the field to work to bring in the harvest. Many, familiar with this parable, find themselves a bit bemused or even bewildered at the ending, when they read or hear that the landowner had his foreman pay everyone the same pay. The immediate cry is, “That is not fair!” Those, more often than not, who respond this way are focused on the hired hands who started at dawn, worked all day, and were paid the same as the laborers who started at five o’clock.

The workers who started at dawn agreed to a certain wage and the owner paid that agreed amount. The landowner explained, “to one of them in reply, ‘My friend, I am not cheating you. Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage” (Mt 20:13)? What is missed, if someone is feeling as perplexed as some of the dawn laborers, is the generosity of the landowner.

We see this similar scene of generosity given and played out in some of Jesus’ other parables. The older son who refused to listen to his father’s invitation to come in to share in the celebration of the feast when his wayward brother had been lost but now was found (Lk 15:11-32); the man who was forgiven his entire debt from the king and then when he had the same opportunity to forgive one who owed him, did not (Mt. 23-35); and in parable of the Good Samaritan the priest and Pharisee left the man on the side of the road yet the Samaritan did help (Lk 10:25-37).

Each of these parables are dealing with the generosity and mercy of God. There is a reason Jesus shared this parable after warning about the dangers of riches. Jesus is inviting the disciples and us to be generous with our time, talent, and treasure. He is also calling us out of our group think or tribal mentality. He is showing us that God’s invitation is for all.

Are we aware of how generous and merciful God has been with us? If not, may we give some thought to the blessings we do have in our life, instead of focusing on what we do not have. If we are aware of God’s grace active in our lives, will we begrudge the generosity he shows another? Do we fall into the camp of the laborers who worked all day for their fair share but were begrudging those who received the same pay for an hour’s work, the older brother unwilling to be grateful for the return of his brother, the servant unwilling to show mercy to a debtor, and/or the priest and Pharisee that took the long way around the wounded man on the Jericho Road? Or will we rejoice today in the glory our Father shines upon us, seek opportunities to share our joy, fruit, and gifts with others, and be thankful when God bestows his generosity and grace upon others, even at the eleventh hour?

Photo: from pexels.com

The link for the Mass reading for Wednesday, August 22, 2018: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/082218.cfm

“Who then can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “For men this is impossible, but for God all things are possible” (Mt 19:25-26).

The disciples are “greatly astonished” about Jesus’ comments about how difficult it would be for the rich to enter heaven. Their astonishment came from the belief system that those who had wealth did so because they had been blessed by God for following his commandments. Just remember the rich young man’s attitude from yesterday. He had followed God’s commands and was blessed with riches, but Jesus turned his world upside down when he asked the man to give up all he had to follow him.

Jesus attempted to help the man and his disciples to understand that what we have is a gift from God, starting with our life, our very existence. He is our very sustenance and fulfillment. A problem arises when we place our security in material things instead of God who provides them for us. If our security is dependent on that which is finite, we are always going to be left unfulfilled, attached, and/or at worst addicted, and so like the rich man, unwilling to give of ourselves to those in need, because we are afraid we won’t have enough. Also, when we look to our own effort and work ethic, we can build a reliance on our self alone, we are putting our self as the supplier of our security instead of God. Pride then becomes a dangerous idol. We think and start to believe that we don’t need God because we can do well enough on our own.

The disciples question can then very easily be our own, “Who then can be saved?” If we can’t buy, earn, or achieve our way into heaven, how will we get there? Jesus is clear. For men this is impossible, because there is no means for us to get there on our own merit. But for God all things are possible. Our salvation is a free gift.

May we then be grateful for what we have been given as we recognize the source of what we have been blessed with comes from God. In this way, we can share freely from what we have, because God, who is our source, is unlimited. What is primary then is deepening our relationship with him and collaborating with him. As we do so, we will have the proper orientation to encounter one another in love.

What is essential in our life is not what we have, but that we recognize that God is the source of what we have, he will provide for us and be present with us. Time goes fast. This life we have been given is good, but it is also finite, and fragile. Let us not take each other for granted, let us make the time to love God and each other as he loves us. “Let us encourage one another while it is still today” (Hebrews 3:13).

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Photo: One of the gifts from God I am most thankful for, talking walks with JoAnn and enjoying God’s creation. Visit from a Red Shoulder Hawk about a month ago on one of our walks. Think about what you are thankful to God for.

Link to the Mass Readings for Tuesday, August 21, 2018: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/082118.cfm

A young man approached Jesus seeking to know what he must do to attain eternal life. Jesus shared that the key to entrance was to keep the commandments. The man asked which ones he was to follow, a reasonable request as there were 613 commandments to choose from! Jesus gave him six: do not kill, commit adultery, steal or bear false witness; do honor his father and mother, and love his neighbor as himself (cf. 19:18-19). The man affirmed that he had followed them all. Then he asked that next question, “What do I still lack” (Mt 19:20)? I can feel the disciples wince, see the mouth of Jesus curl into a smile while his left eyebrow raises. Mark is more eloquent than me: “Jesus looked at him, and loved him…” (Mk 10:17).

Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor,
and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” When the young man heard this statement, he went away sad, for he had many possessions (Mt 19:21-22). He was so close!

Jesus saw the one thing that was keeping this man from following Jesus, and gave him the opportunity to renounce what he had, give to the poor and have eternal life, which was what his original request was. It is what we have all been created for, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you” (St Augustine, Confessions). The young man knew what he needed to do, but was too attached to his wealth to let go, so he walked away sad.

I invite you to find a quiet space today, enter the stillness, and draw up the image of the disciples and Jesus watching the rich man walk away sad. Slowly, they turn their heads and gaze at you. You then ask Jesus, what it is that you need to let go of. What are you holding onto that is keeping you from giving yourself to the One who is Good? Jesus looks at you and loves you, and says, “If you wish to be perfect…” How does he fill in the blank for you?
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Painting: “Christ and the Rich Young Ruler” Heinrich Hoffman, 1889

Link for the Mass readings for, Monday, August 20, 2018: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/082018.cfm

Painting by Heinrich Hofmann

All that Jesus has been building up to in chapter six of John’s Gospel and as we have been reading these past few Sundays is now coming to a climax. Any silent shock of disbelief or quiet murmuring has now escalated. The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his Flesh to eat” (Jn 6:52). Jesus hears the growing concern and disbelief. If he was speaking in a figurative or symbolic way, this would be the moment to clarify his point.

Jesus does speak, but he does not walk back or qualify his comments. Jesus doubles down: “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood, you do not have life within you” (Jn 6:53). Jesus does not only repeat that his disciples are to eat his Flesh but he also adds and insists that they are to drink his Blood as well. Drinking or even eating meat with the blood of an animal was inconceivable for devout Jews. Also, the Greek used here in John’s Gospel for eat is trogein, which is used to describe how an animal eats, by gnawing and tearing at the flesh. The imagery that Jesus is using here is more graphic than the customary use of phagein, which would be used for chewing, as a human would chew their food.

Jesus continues to make his point that whoever does eat his flesh and drink his blood, will not only remain in him, but also Jesus will remain in them, and they will have eternal life. A wonderful end goal, but would any be able to make the leap of faith to get there?

Almost two thousand years later, we continue to have the opportunity to celebrate daily the person of Jesus in our midst. This happens through participating in the source and summit of our faith, the Mass. Our hearts have the opportunity to be set on fire as we hear the word proclaimed during the Liturgy of the Word, and then Jesus is made known to us in the breaking of the bread in the Liturgy of the Eucharist. We are invited to experience an intimate encounter with the Son of God, as we consume him, Body, Soul, and Divinity.

These words may sound as bizarre as when Jesus’ words were first presented to those who heard him say that they would have to eat his Flesh and drink his Blood. The term we have for this miraculous transformation of bread and wine is transubstantiation. What happens during the words of consecration and the calling down of the Holy Spirit is that the substance, the reality, of the bread and wine is transfigured into the Body and Blood of Jesus, while the accidental form, or appearance, remains the same. So we consume Jesus’ acceptable sacrifice.

Jesus is giving all of who he is of himself corporally, fully, holding nothing back of himself so we can receive all of him. We become what we eat. In consuming Jesus, we become divine through our participation with him. We are then dismissed at the end of the Mass to go, like Mary, to bear Jesus Christ, to love others as Jesus loved us, by giving of ourselves to others. We are called to proclaim the Good News. Jesus is risen, he has risen indeed, and he has not left us orphans but remains with us now and for all ages! We are alive, because the Bread of Life lives within us! Amen. Alleluia!

Photo: Our tabernacle in the chapel at Cardinal Newman High School. Jesus is present to us in the consecrated hosts within.

Link for the Mass readings for Sunday, August 19, 2018: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/081918.cfm

“Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the Kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” (Mt 19:14).

Again we see the disciples refusing access to Jesus. The scriptures are not clear why they are consistent in acting in this way. We see them doing so with the blind man Bartimaeus, the tax collector Zacchaeus, and the Canaanite woman. In today’s reading, they are refusing access to children. The consistent characteristic of each who are being refused is that they are considered to be on the periphery of Jewish society.

Children, paidia in Greek, especially so. Paidia could represent a child from infancy to twelve years of age. In ancient Palestine, children were particularly vulnerable, had no status and were completely dependent on their family for survival. Luke goes even further than Mark and Matthew by using, brephē, meaning infant, to describe the children. It is to these children and infants that Jesus states the Kingdom of heaven belongs.

Jesus is consistent in his ministry of paying particular interest to the individual person. He welcomes the children and blesses each one of them. Jesus continually acknowledges and affirms the dignity of each person he meets, especially those neglected and ignored. Those who have been on the periphery, those who have been on the other side of the glass looking in, Jesus gives admittance to. Jesus bridges the divide of separation through his healing touch.

To enter the Kingdom of heaven, we must be willing to trust and accept Jesus’ invitation. We must place, like children, even more so, as infants, our total dependence on him, not on our own initiative or effort alone. There is nothing we can do to earn our way into heaven. Entrance into the Kingdom of heaven is a free gift of God’s grace. We just need the humility and the recognition of our dependency on God to accept the invitation. God must be the total center of our life.

Photo of Jesus with children accessed from turnbacktogod.com

Link for the Mass readings for Saturday, August 18, 2018:  http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/081818.cfm