Reflections on the Gospel Reading for the Day

“Teacher, what good must I do to inherit eternal life?”

A young man approached Jesus seeking to know what he must do to attain eternal life. Jesus shared that the key 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. Mt19:18-19). 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).

Matthew, in his Gospel account, did not engage in such subtleties. 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). The young man was so close!

Jesus saw that which was keeping the young man from following him and becoming one of his disciples. Jesus gave him the opportunity to renounce what he had, give to the poor, and receive eternal life – his original request. 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 received his answer, he now knew what he needed to do, but he was too attached to his possessions to let go. He then walked away sad, the question is, did he ever return?

I invite you to find a quiet space today, enter the stillness, read the passages over a few times and then play it out again in your mind. When you come to the ending, of the disciples and Jesus watching the rich man walk away sad, continue your observation. Watch the young man walk away, shoulders slumped, see the backs of the disciples and Jesus watching him go. Then, as they ever so slowly turn their heads and gaze at you, ask Jesus, “What good must I do to inherit eternal life?” Or, “What do I still lack?” Listen to the answer.

These are good questions for us to ask often. What are we holding onto that is keeping us from giving ourselves to the One who is truly good? What are the apparent goods that we hold onto that are preventing us from receiving the true good that God wants to share? “Jesus presents himself as the way to salvation; he is the ultimate good for which the young man” (Mitch and Sri, 247) was searching and we are searching. Jesus looks at each of us, loves us, and says, “If you wish to be perfect…” What does he ask us to let go of, to renounce, to confess, so that we can follow him?
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Painting: “Christ and the Rich Young Ruler” Heinrich Hoffman, 1889

Mitch, Curtis and Edward Sri. The Gospel of Matthew. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2010.

Link for the Mass readings for Monday, August 17, 2026

“O woman, great is your faith.”

[A] Canaanite woman of that district came and called out, “Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is tormented by a demon” (Mt 15:22).

In Jesus’ encounter with the Canaanite woman, Jesus revealed through three responses, some of the darker sides of our fallen, human nature. In his fourth response, he also identified the way to resist these three sinful tendencies.

When the Canaanite woman called out to the Son of David to have pity on her, Jesus first responded with silence. His silence can represent the indifference we feel toward those not like us. We ignore their very presence as if they don’t exist. In the early nineties, while I was in the novitiate with the Franciscans of Holy Name Province, we toured an impoverished inner-city area in Philadelphia. One of the local friars pointed up to the elevated tracks as the commuter train headed past us toward the heart of the city. He shared how the majority of those commuting had no idea of the need, pain, and struggles of those down here below, like the homeless mother and her three young children that I had met that day. Are we aware of those in need around us, or do we ride our own Elevated Train of Indifference?

We can look upon or past people with indifference, but we can also look upon them with disdain or fear. This woman was in dire need and seeking healing for her daughter. She was also a Canaanite. To the ancient Jews she was not only one of the people they considered an enemy in war, but in cultural practices. Canaanites were believed to be immersed in idolatry, immorality, and even committing egregious acts of sacrificing their children.

The disciples approached Jesus and asked that he send the woman away. Was it because they considered her a pest, unclean, a pagan, not one of them… Yet, Jesus did not dismiss her. He replied: “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Mt 15:24). Jesus’ response can represent the dangers of tribalism and nationalism, and how it can taint our perception regarding how we perceive those that are outside of our group. Those we consider as not one of us. The danger is that this perspective can grow such that we see others as less than human.

A Lakota elder, Fire Hawk, who became family to me in my early twenties shared how in his youth, he thought about being a priest. He voiced his interest and was told that it was not possible because he was Indian, and after receiving one too many baths in which he was scrubbed down in bleach and water, to wash the red out, he gave up on the idea. Do we dismiss those in need around us, do we not help, or worse crush their dreams because someone has a different national, religious, political, racial, ethnic, or gender identity?

The woman was not deterred, increased her boldness, and walked directly up to Jesus and did him homage. She may have at that point knelt or prostrated herself before and asked him directly for help. Jesus still not only appeared unmoved, but appeared to ratchet up his own uncharacteristic response: “It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs” (Mt 15:26). This derogatory statement has been hurled at people who have been different for eons. Jesus’ third response can reveal the power of our words and symbols that we use to belittle, demean, and dehumanize. When we place labels on others and begin to believe them, when we think we are superior, we begin to see others as caricatures, as less than human.

Not only do we refuse to help but we also make people, fellow human beings, into an enemy that must be put in their place. On April 18, 2015, I was living in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. In the next town north of us in Jupiter, three white teens were out “Guat-hunting”, their phrase, looking for Guatemalans to rob. That night they found a Guatemalan young man, 18-year-old Onesimo Marcelino Lopez-Ramos, a son and brother. After their encounter, Onesimo was bludgeoned to death with a rock. Onesimo was heading home from working extra hours. When we allow our thoughts to be poisoned, our words will then be laced with venom, and then our actions can become deadly. Are we aware that our attitudes, our words, and our actions matter?

The Canaanite woman retorted, “Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters.” Jesus’ responded: “O Woman, great is your faith” (Mt 15:28)! This final statement can reveal to us that there is an antidote to indifference, fear, disdain, tribalism, and dehumanization and that is the love expressed by the Canaanite woman for her daughter. She crossed social boundaries, side-stepped indifference, refused to be sent away, risked ridicule, and possible abuse and death because she would not be denied until her daughter was healed. She did not get defensive, did not fight back, because she did not think of herself. She thought only of the welfare of her daughter.

Jesus in his interaction with the Canaanite woman was teaching his disciples and us today a profound lesson by allowing himself to be a mirror. His first response was silence. Those around him were given the opportunity to experience their thoughts about who this woman was to them. When the disciples asked Jesus to send her away, they were revealing something of what they were thinking.

His second response that he was sent “to the lost sheep of Israel” was true. Jesus truly was sent to unite the lost tribes of Israel and unite his people, which was one of the roles of the Messiah. He also knew about the first reading for today about how foreigners who became faithful to God and were willing to follow him would be received in love and welcomed to stay in God’s “house of prayer for all peoples” (Isaiah 56:7). Jesus provides the foretaste of that universal fulfillment in this and other encounters with those outside the house of Israel.

His third and most derogatory statement toward this woman who was now honoring him as her Lord, even when Jesus called her a dog, revealed the worst of our fallen natures. Could the disciples, who he had hand picked, who he had been modeling ways of love and compassion, the same ones who were asking to send her away, now be turning into a hurtful mob at these words? If so, they would receive an incredible whip lash. She was not deterred by the degrading, she remained resolute, and replied not in kind, but with one of the greatest one liners of the Bible. “Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters.”

Were the disciples ready to pick up rocks or were their hearts finally moved to compassion? Jesus responded: “O Woman, great is your faith” (Mt 15:28). This Canaanite woman full of courage from the love of her daughter stood toe to toe with Jesus and represented the height of the faith that Isaiah was prophesying. Jesus mirrored the fallen and dark side of our human nature. Who modeled love in the face of silence, determent, and degradation? The Canaanite woman.

What does this encounter between this woman and Jesus say to us today? We are to see each other as interconnected, as human beings. What befalls one of us befalls us all. We are sacred beings created in God’s image and likeness, we are all created by the same loving God and Father. Jesus demands that we meet darkness with light, hate with love, and that in everyone we encounter, we engage them with that same love and mercy he bestows upon us. We are to will the good of the other as other, no matter who they are. We are to choose faith, hope, and the greatest of these, love, as the light that guides how we experience one another, especially those who are hurting in our midst.

It is not enough to believe in and receive Jesus, truly present in the Eucharist. If we truly believe we receive him then we need to allow him into the darkest, most wounded areas of our souls where our biases and prejudices dwell. We also must have eyes that are willing to see him present in others. May we allow our thoughts, words, and actions go through the filter of the love of the Holy Spirit. Before we think, speak, or act, let us breathe, receive, rest, and abide in God’s love and then choose to dismiss or continue that thought, word, or action. From this posture, our places of worship, gathering, and homes, in the words of Isaiah, will “be called a house of prayer for all peoples.”

Painting: “Christ and the Canaanite Woman” by Jean-Germaine Drouais

Link for the Mass readings for Sunday, August, 16, 2026

Mary was “preserved immune from the corruption of the tomb” – Pope Pius XII

There was no one on this earth closer to Jesus than Mary. He was conceived in her womb, she bore him, nursed him, raised him, initiated his public ministry, held him in her arms as he was taken down from the cross, and she was with the Apostles in the upper room when the Holy Spirit descended upon them. Mary from her own beginning, received an incredible grace from God and thus was given the title Immaculate Conception. Even with all that what allowed Mary to experience more intimacy with Jesus was that she “heard the word of God and put it into practice” (Luke 11:28). When her time came to leave this life, who better than Mary to have experienced the “singular participation in her Son’s resurrection and an anticipation of the resurrection of other Christians” (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1997, 966)?

Today we celebrate the official dogmatic constitution issued by Pope Pius XII in 1950, the Assumption of Mary, acknowledging what the Church has recognized from the beginning, the special grace she received from her Son. Jesus is the promise and Mary is the hope that we will live eternally with our heavenly Father. Mary is now where we all hope to one day be, body and soul.

Jesus and Mary have undone the sin of Adam and Eve. They, in their continual faithful life of saying yes to the will of God, opened up heaven for us. In our darkest trials, when the storm clouds of injustice, racism, violence, division, and polarization gather, when a situation or conflict does not appear to be getting any better, when death may be imminent, and/or when a loved one has died, even then, death does not have the last word because we are not alone.

St. Paul wrote to the Church in Corinth, “Christ has been raised from the dead” (1 Corinthians 15:20). Jesus is the first born of the new creation. We are invited to join Jesus in participating in his new Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven, preparing ourselves in this life for eternity in the next. How? By doing what Jesus and Mary did. We are to open our hearts and minds to God, hear and observe his word, and put into practice what we receive.

Mary was not blessed so much because she gave birth to the Son of God, not because he nursed at her breasts, but because she heard the word of God, pondered it in her heart, obeyed, and put it into practice. This is why the Church calls Mary the model of discipleship. Just as the moon does not radiate because of its own light but reflects the light from the Sun, so Mary reflects the light of her Son.

Mary radiates the light of Jesus in her thoughts, words, and deeds and we are to do the same such that when people look at us they no longer see us but the love of Jesus radiating from us. How do we radiate Christ to others? We become deified, our likeness to God is being restored through our participation in the life of Jesus. This happens when we make a daily commitment to meditate, pray, and contemplate the words that God has given to us in Sacred Scripture, so as to allow the Holy Spirit to transform us by the holy fire of his love.

A simple way to begin is to commit to a time and place every day to ponder the mysteries of Jesus as Mary did. One beautiful way is to practice the Rosary which embodies all three of the traditional forms of Catholic prayer, vocal, meditative, and contemplative. You may feel that praying a Rosary in one setting is too much of a task to undertake, then start with one mystery. Make the Sign of the Cross, take in three, deep breathes for each Person of the Trinity, announce the mystery and begin to ponder the mystery you have chosen, slowly.

Ponder the beautiful mystery of the Assumption. The Lord’s Prayer helps to quiet our minds and rest. Each Hail Mary, like background noise in a movie, helps our minds to resist distraction. Even if thoughts come, bring them to Mary and Jesus and share with them. If we remain focused with them, we are still praying. As our mind stills, we can stop the vocal part of the prayer and just imagine Mary’s final hours, maybe with the Apostle John by her side. We can imagine ourselves experiencing the peace of not only her passing but of her Assumption into heaven, body and soul. We can contemplatively rest in God’s peace that we have received from our time with Mary and the promise that she is where we hope to one day. We can remember who we are, beloved daughters and sons of our loving God and Father.

Photo: “… by her Assumption, she goes ahead like her son to prepare a way for us.” – From The World’s First Love, by Fulton J. Sheen.

Link for the Mass readings for Saturday, August 15, 2026

“And the two shall become one flesh.” United by God in covenant.

Some Pharisees approached Jesus, and tested him, saying, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause whatever” (Mt 19:3)?

The question about divorce came from an already existing debate within Jewish circles of interpretation and schools of thought. Testing Jesus arose from time to time to better understand who he would side with. Regarding the issue of divorce, there was a range of interpretations. On one end of the spectrum, there was the School of Shammai, which permitted divorce only in the event of some sexual misconduct. At the other end, was the School of Hillel, which would allow a man to divorce his wife if she cooked a bad meal (cf. Harrington 2007, 275).

The Pharisees may have sought to understand the perspective of Jesus in this debate or they may have had a more “hostile intent” (Mitch and Sri, 239). Jesus would not be trapped and seized the opportunity to clarify: “Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator made them male and female and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'” (Mt 19:4-5)? The implication here from Jesus is that divorce was never intended by God. Jesus also rejected the precept that Moses set for allowing divorce, explaining that, “from the beginning it was not so” (Mt 19:8). Jesus’ defense went back to God’s original intent recorded in the Book of Genesis, which allowed no provision for divorce.

“The definitive teacher on the Torah has just revoked the legal allowance for divorce altogether. Because the one flesh union between husband and wife is an unbreakable union in the eyes of God, it follows that divorce and remarriage are equivalent to adultery (Exodus 20:14). With these words, Jesus makes himself history’s greatest defender of the sanctity and permanence of marriage” (Mitch and Sri, 240).

In God’s plan, marriage is a covenantal relationship, as is the relationship between God and his people as was vividly outlined in the first reading from the prophet Ezekiel, and Jesus and his bride the Church. A covenant is a sacred bond that is not to be broken. “Therefore, what God has joined together, man must not separate.” In the Sacrament of Matrimony, a man and a woman who give themselves freely, for life, to one another and are open to children as the fruit of their union, mirror the Trinitarian communion of the Father and the Son and the eternal love between them, the Holy Spirit.

Yet we live in a fallen world, and we do not often live up to what God has planned. Many marriages do not persist for many reasons, one big reason is that many marry for the wrong reasons and not because God has called them to be together. What they thought was love, may not have been the mature expression of sacrificial love.

There may have been attraction and genuine care, but instead mostly a mixture of ignorance, false premises, and impediments underneath that bore fruit only later. When a relationship breaks down, we need to be present to and walk with those who suffer through the pain of such a rupture. We are not to abandon one another, for Jesus does not abandon us. He instead loves and bestows his mercy upon us, which is his willingness to enter into the chaos of our lives.

Declarations of nullity are not Catholic divorces. An investigation reveals that there was a flaw or flaws from the beginning and thus not a valid, sacramental marriage, although a valid civil marriage. “Couples united in an invalid marriage are not guilty of adultery when they separate and subsequently pursue a lawful marriage” (Mitch and Sri, 242).

We are not to give up on marriage as Jesus’ disciples moaned when saying, “it is better not to marry.” Relationships are not easy, and they take commitment, hard work, and a willingness to sacrifice for one another through everything. When we seek first to establish our foundation with God, then our relationships will be properly ordered. Marriage has a chance when discerned properly, as each person trusts in Jesus and each other.

We need to learn how to pray, to worship, communicate, listen, forgive, be patient and understanding with one another. As we ground our relationships in Jesus, we will heal from the wounds from within, we will grow stronger in our relationships, and be in a better position to help those not only preparing for marriage but also to continue to mentor and guide them during their marriage.

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Photo: JoAnn and my hand on my breviary, taken seven years and two days ago. Loving God and each other helped us to respect, heal, mature, and become better together.

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

Mitch, Curtis and Edward Sri. The Gospel of Matthew in Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Edited by Peter S. Williamson and Mary Healy. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2010.

Link for the Mass readings for Friday, August 14, 2026

To forgive? Each and every opportunity.

Peter approached Jesus and asked him, “Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times” (Mt 18:21)?

Peter may have thought he was being quite generous in asking to forgive seven times because the custom of the time was considered to forgive someone three times. It may also sound pretty generous to us, because the usual question most of us ask is, “Do I have to forgive at all?” Many of us do not do forgiveness well, even if we recognize that it is a virtue.

If someone says to us, they are sorry, do we reply, “I forgive you.”? Often our automatic response is, “That’s alright”, “It’s ok”, or “No problem”. Then we may stew on the situation to different degrees. When we are called out for a mistake, error or offense, do we ask for forgiveness or operate from a defensive posture to explain or rationalize away why we did what we did, or defend that what we did as right, not willing to admit any inappropriate action?

We are very habitual creatures, and much of what I shared above is learned behavior. We are conditioned and shaped since the time of our youth and even from our time in the womb. We also may recall those cases in which we feel justified in our stance of unforgiveness. Another reason why forgiveness does not just roll off the tongue or our natural disposition is not forgiveness is because most of us are living in a chronic state of stress.

We are often in a defensive posture and aren’t even aware. We are often unconsciously in a state of fight of flight dealing with the normal stresses of daily life and that is just when things are going well. Add to the stew of stewing in our daily stresses, a wicked slider, and we slip into withdrawal mode or reaction mode.

For any of the above, Jesus will support no justification or rationalization for unforgiveness. He will instead raise the bar for us as he did for Peter: “I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times”, which can also be translated as seventy times seven. In either case, Jesus’ point is to forgive unconditionally. “If God places no limits, humans cannot place a limit. On the other hand, those who place limits on forgiving others will have limits placed on their forgiveness by God” (Harrington, 269)

We are called to be disciples of Jesus; we are to strive to forgive as our heavenly Father forgives. Forgive the same person seventy-seven times? Yes. If someone is seeking forgiveness, forgive. God has forgiven us and will do so unlimitedly. We are to do the same. Jesus does not mean that we don’t hold people accountable. He offered three steps of how to hold one accountable in yesterday’s readings (Matthew 18:15-20). Nor is he saying that we are to remain in a dangerous or life-threatening situation or enable people in their self-destructive behavior.

Forgiveness has to do with not holding on to the hurt, not allowing the offense to fester as a grudge that builds to hate, that can then build to seeking revenge, or lead us into the opposite direction of depression and despair. Forgiveness is also not a curse but a blessing. For when we forgive, we stop the cycle of hurt. Forgiveness is an antidote to the poison someone has injected. When we refuse to forgive, we allow the person who has injured us to do so over and over again. In our unwillingness to forgive we allow that poison to continue to fester.

The parable that Jesus offers may be a bit confusing upon a first reading. How can God be so harsh after being so merciful? “The parable presumes Jewish concepts about God’s mercy and justice. God is willing to show mercy to sinners, but they must be prepared to show mercy to other people. To those who refuse to be merciful God will show strict justice” (Harrington, 271). It is in our best interest physically, in that forgiveness helps our stress levels and blood pressure to decrease, as well as spiritually, as forgiving helps us to experience reconciliation and healing between our relationships with God and each other.

Struggling with holding onto a grudge and/or past hurts? Next time someone apologizes, resist the knee-jerk reaction of saying, “It’s ok.” If it was ok, there would be no need to apologize. Instead say, “I forgive you.” This offers healing for both involved. Another approach is to visualize yourself approaching the person you have the issue with and saying to them, “I forgive you for…” and insert the concrete thing that was done. You may also find it helpful to visualize Jesus standing beside you while you do this exercise. Repeat the process each day in your time of prayer until you start to feel yourself coming to a place of forgiveness and can imagine that reconciliation is indeed possible.

If you find visualizing difficult, sit down and talk with Jesus. Be honest with him, tell him the situation and share with him that you do not want to forgive the person. Then ask for Jesus to help you. Embrace the sacrament of Reconciliation and confess your unwillingness to forgive. When ready, determine how best to reach out to the person to say that you forgive them; a phone call, email, text message, or in person.

A third idea that may work is to write the person a letter, whether you send it or not. Each of these practical ways provides an opportunity to approach the great gift that Jesus offers us, to forgive seven, seventy-seven, or four hundred-ninety times, which is to say, to forgive each and every time we are given the opportunity to do so. There may be situations so abusive or horrible, or the person may no longer be alive, that a direct communication is not possible or wise. In that case, the healing journey of forgiveness still offers a path to healing deep pain, even without confronting the person directly.

We don’t do forgiveness well. But with Jesus, a daily practice we can begin is to say each morning, “Please forgive me, God or name” of the person from whom we seek forgiveness, and think of a few thoughts, words, or actions we need to be forgiven for. Then, “I forgive you (insert name) for…” and think of a few words, actions, or inactions to insert toward the one who has harmed us.

In the evening, call to mind that which we are grateful for, where we said, “Yes,” to God and where we said, “No.” Where we said, “Yes,” offer thanks, and where we said, “No,” we can ask for forgiveness and help to do better the next day.

Jesus also gave us a pretty good line to pray: “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” We are not alone. Remember, Jesus asked God to forgive those who crucified him. We can ask God to forgive those who have offended, hurt, or abused us. Then we can move to the point where we begin to develop the freedom of heart to say to others, “I forgive you”, and “Please forgive me.”

Photo: As God forgives us without limits, we are to do the same. An evening moment and prayerful pause, offers us a good moment to ask for forgiveness and to forgive.

Daniel J. Harrington, The Gospel of Matthew, ed. Daniel J. Harrington, vol. 1, Sacra Pagina Series (Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 2007).

Link for the Mass readings for Thursday, August 23, 2026

May we resist reaction and gossip and instead seek understanding and reconciliation.

Gossip is a seductive and enticing poison. Many of us fall for its lure and its intoxication to greater or lesser degrees. There are many different reasons we engage. We may think we feel better about ourselves by pointing out and pontificating about other’s faults true or imagined, we may be jealous, envious because we wish someone ill, maybe someone just rubs us the wrong way, or there is a sense of intimacy with another in the commonality of talking about someone else. We may even feel justified to do so when someone has hurt, offended, or wronged us, or someone close to us, in some way. Even in that instance, Jesus offered a different approach in today’s Gospel.

Jesus said to his disciples: “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone” (Mt 18:15). Jesus is drawing on his Jewish heritage. Leviticus 19:17 warns against holding hate in your heart and instead encourages seeking to reason with your brother. Jesus is redirecting us from disparaging, gossipping, adding fuel to the fire by seeking revenge or stewing in our own hurt, which will build resentment and hate. Instead, he is inviting us to seek reconciliation.

The wisdom of approaching someone with an issue sooner rather than later, also helps to get the issue out of our minds and hopefully provide and opportunity for resolution and reconciliation. By churning the negative over in our minds and talking about it with others exacerbates the issue, distorts it out of proportion, and fuels a greater emotional angst. Doing so also keeps another other, keeps them at a distance, and less human.

Pope Francis, in his September 9, 2016, General Audience was very clear: “[G]ossip is a ‘terrorist’ who throws a grenade – chatter – in order to destroy,” he added. “Please, fight against division, because it is one of the weapons that the devil uses to destroy the local Church and the universal Church.” Let us refuse to be a weapon of the devil in his plot to divide us with our thoughts or our words. Instead, let us seek to be a disciple of Jesus by advocating for forgiveness and reconciliation.

St. Paul guides us to let no evil talk pass our lips and to say only the good things people need to hear (see Ephesians 4:29). May we meditate upon and pray with this verse as well as put it into practice. With our words, we can cut, wound, and destroy, or we can convict, reconcile, and heal. We can commit to being more discerning with our thoughts and tongue, and choose to lift up and empower one another.

Pope Leo XIV encouraged the youth at Rate Field in Chicago last year on June 14: “To share that message of hope with one another – in outreach, in service, in looking for ways to make our world a better place – gives true life to all of us, and is a sign of hope for the whole world.” We can share messages of hope and make our world a better place when we take time for a prayerful pause and discern well what we are going to say before letting the words fly.

Yes, it is easier to grumble about someone than to approach them in love and work for reconciliation. But this only perpetuates division. It is worth the time and energy to be more intentional with our thoughts, words, and actions. When needing to hold another accountable, it is important to do so directly and with respect. It is also helpful to step out of reactive mode, by taking some breaths, seeking the help of the Holy Spirit, and thinking before we speak. If we just aren’t there yet, maybe we can start with a slow breath and a simple smile. We will all be better for the effort.

Photo: For guidance in conflict, let us, “seek what is above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God” (Colossians 3:1).

Link for the Mass readings for Wednesday, August 12, 2026

When we are willing to become like children, we take a few steps closer to the Kingdom of heaven.

“Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven. Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me (Mt 18:3-5).

The above response Jesus gave was to the disciple’s question regarding, “Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.” Jesus offered an unexpected response, as children had no esteem, honor, let alone greatness in the cultural realm of his time. Jesus was also not pointing out so much the innocence of children, but emphasizing that children were completely dependent on others for their very survival.

If we are to embark or stay on the journey that will lead us to the Kingdom of heaven, we need to do the same. Jesus is inviting us to give up our control, our apparent self-sufficiency, and surrender all we are to God and place our dependence on him alone. We are to depend on God as would an infant or young child depends on his or her parents.

Very young children also have not developed a defensive filter and they say what is on their mind, often with precise insights! They also provide good insights about what we say and do in their presence when they mirror us!!! How often do we access our default defense mechanisms by reading and automatically responding, or if we do pause, thinking about how we will be received or fearing an ulterior motive from the question? Jesus taught us that our yes is to be yes, and our no is to be no, and anything more is from the evil one (cf. Mt 5:37). We grow as his disciples when we accept this simplicity.

We grow in humility when we depend on God and place our trust in him. Doing so, we will experience more of the truth and see through our own rationalizations for accepting apparent goods instead of that which is truly good. Having turned away from the false promises and turned toward the truth, we will begin to discern between what St. Ignatius of Loyola calls the competition of goods – choosing between those things that are indeed good and those that align with God’s will for our unique station in life.

Trusting in God and depending completely on him for everything will also make our lives much simpler because we will no longer be chasing after that which is really not helpful or healthy. We will also come to accept that what we have, is a gift from God. Getting in touch daily with what we are grateful for, we will experience more peace and more rest, and as St. Jane de Chantal’s shared: “How blessed is the person who, in tranquility of heart, lovingly maintains the sacred sense of God’s presence! For this person’s union with divine Goodness will continue growing perpetually, though imperceptibly, and will fill her whole spirit with its infinite sweetness…”

Photo: Catching the sunset out of the corner of my eye, followed God’s invitation to sit outside and share my dinner with my Father!

Link for the Mass readings for Tuesday, August 11, 2026

In dying to ourselves, we can be better advocates of love and reconciliation.

Jesus said to his disciples: “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit.(Jn:12:24).

In reading this verse, I was transported back to Middle School. Our sixth-grade class was dismissed to head to the cafeteria for the Science Fair. As I drew closer, I could hear some unintelligible chanting going on. Of course, I was curious and craned my neck to see over the other students filing in as we entered our destination. As I drew closer and saw a circle of kids taunting and circling someone, I stopped. I heard muffled groans and then saw one of my friends standing in the center of the circle, his forearms pulled up to cover his face. No one was laying a hand on him, but the heckling was inflicting enough damage. I froze not knowing what to do or how to act.

I don’t remember how the situation was resolved, but I do remember how badly I felt that day, and still do for not doing anything. I also withdrew from my friend when I saw him later because I felt so bad for not speaking up or stepping in. I wasn’t there for him as he was harassed nor did I provide comfort later because I was still only thinking of myself, my shame, and not his feelings or his need.

That day, I remained just a grain of wheat that did not fall to the ground and die. I was unwilling to die to myself, unwilling to stand up for my friend, and unwilling to provide any comfort. Having a better understanding of what happened now, I realize that I allowed myself to listen to the whispers of the enemy. I curved in upon myself and focused on my self. Though I felt the pain of my friend, I was not willing to apologize for not stepping nor willing to reach out to provide some kind of comfort.

When we find ourselves in situations when another human being’s dignity is being diminished, Jesus implores us to resist loving our life and assessing first our own self-interest, or we will lose it. Instead, we are to “hate our life” in this world (cf. Jn 12:25) by thinking of others first, instead of ourselves. Challenging.

We start where we are. Resist seeking some abstract ideal of changing the world in some utopian way. Jesus worked person to person, encounter by encounter, and invites us to do the same. We start with family and friends. Where there might be some tension or conflict, we can look at where we might be contributing and make some adjustments. Instead of crouching into a defensive posture, let us be more open, understanding, patient, and ask more questions. Leading with listening and loving goes a long way.

Jesus, please grant us the courage to love, to will the good of each other. Give us the eyes to see and the ears to hear the pain of another, even those we feel hurt by. Holy Spirit, inspire us to be that grain of wheat that dies to our own self-centered posture. Loving God and Father, empower us to be more patient, understanding, to listen first, and speak from the foundation of your love.

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Photo: Daily moments and times of quiet with Jesus provide a good time to reset, to receive his love, and love in return.

Link for the Mass readings for Monday, August 10, 2026

“Take heart, I am.”

“Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid” (Matthew 14:27).

Jesus speaks these words at the fourth watch, sometime between three and six a.m. The disciples are in the middle of the Sea of Galilee, some four miles from shore. He is walking to them in the midst of a storm at sea, on the water. Because of the ferocity of the storm, there most likely is no moon, no stars. It is dark, the wind is howling, the waves are rising and falling, and it is dark – can barely see hand in front of face dark. In the midst of this tumultuous scene, being pelted by rain and waves, deafened by the wind, somehow the disciples see a figure approaching.

That they could see anything implies that some light was emanating from ghostly image. Jesus is assuring them that he is no ghost. He is providing comfort to his band of followers in the midst of their fear. The intensity of the storm may have waned a bit for them to hear Jesus speak. Emboldened by Jesus’ words, Peter then addressed him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to the water.” He said, “Come” (Matthew 14:28).

The storm roared again. Peter was undeterred and fixed his gaze on Jesus. He got out of the boat, and walked toward the light that was overcoming the darkness. As he walked on and got closer to Jesus he realized how far away he was from the boat, maybe realized what he was doing, then the strength of the wind led him to turn his gaze away from Jesus, and sank. “Lord, save me!” Jesus immediately grasped him and pulled him up. Peter may not have realized how close he was to reaching Jesus. Together they then walked back and “got into the boat and the wind died down. Those who were in the boat did him homage, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God.” (Matthew 14:32-33).

Just the day before, Jesus had multiplied five loaves and a two fish and fed thousands. They all rose up to make them their king. He removed himself from their sight and told his disciples to go ahead of him. Jesus was not the messiah the people sought. A military king or great prophet from their frame of reference. Jesus was and is so much more. He is the Son of God incarnate come to love us and help us to build a foundation of security and safety so that we can move beyond our defensive postures, heal from our wounds, and confess our sins. Jesus is the light that shines in our darkness and the darkness will not overcome it.

When Jesus said, “Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid”, he was not only encouraging the disciples in the boat, he was revealing to them his divinity. A clearer translation of the Greek is egō eimi, meaning “I am.” A more literal translation of Jesus’ statement is, “Take heart, I am.” This could have been the source of Peter’s courage to step out of the boat. More than his impetuousness, he would have remembered “I am” as how God spoke to Moses, God said, “I am who am.”

Peter recognized Jesus as God and so boldly stepped into the turbulent sea and walked toward Jesus. He was able to do so through the power of Jesus as long as he was connected to him. Once he turned his eyes away and focused on the wind, then he sank. The good news is that he immediately called out to Jesus and Jesus saved him.

Once, they returned to the boat, Jesus calmed the sea and all “did him homage”. The Greek word proskyneō is better akin to each of them fully prostrating themselves before Jesus. An act only offered for God. The disciples recognized the Son of God, I am who am, was in their midst. This account is just as powerful an account as the transfiguration moment we read a few days ago.

This truth is not just for Peter and the disciples. The reality that Jesus is both fully God and fully man is just as relevant for us today. For we too experience our own storms and Jesus comes to us as he came to his disciples being tossed about at sea. The challenge is, do we have the eyes to see him and the ears to hear his voice when he calls out to us, “Take heart, I am.” Will we have the courage of Peter to take the risk and come to Jesus and even when we fall, to call out for Jesus’ help?

We are able to develop the ears to hear when we do as Jesus at the beginning of this account. When we too make time to go off by ourself alone to pray. When we come to a place of stillness and quiet, God speaks in the silence of our hearts. When he speaks, he speaks words of encouragement. God’s words throughout scripture has always been one of – be calm, do not be afraid, trust in me, and let me fight for you. Let us come to a place of quiet today, trust in Jesus, brings our trials and challenges to him, walk on the water with him by rising above our posture of fight or flight and instead experience God’s peace.

Photo: May Jesus also be our light in the darkness that calms or guides us through any storm.

Link for the Mass readings for Sunday, August 9, 2026

Even with a little faith, when we trust in Jesus and allow him to love us our faith will grow.

Then the disciples approached Jesus in private and said, “Why could we not drive it out?” He said to them, “Because of your little faith.” (Mt 17:19-20).

How do the disciples get from this recurring theme of having little faith in the Gospel accounts to Peter healing a crippled beggar by saying with boldness, “I have neither silver nor gold, but what I do have I give you: in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean, [rise and] walk” (Acts 3:6)? And the man did just that!

A helpful definition “is to say that faith always entails a relationship between persons which stands or falls with the credibility of the person who is believed” (Rahner and Vorgrimler 1965, 164). Faith is not just an intellectual exercise, it is a lived experience. Christian faith is not an impressive idea or ideology, philosophy, or theology. Christian faith is the conviction, belief, and relationship experienced with Jesus the Christ.

The disciples learned from Jesus but more importantly developed an intimate relationship with him, such that the love they received and shared became so strong that there was no more room for doubt, distraction and/or fear, such that they would align themselves with the will of God and do what Jesus did. Jesus referred to the disciples as having “little faith” which is different than them having no faith at all. This faith would grow as the disciples continued to be faithful to Jesus and continued to follow him, even when others walked away.

The disciples did have some moments of doing as Jesus had done, but it was not until Jesus ascended and the Holy Spirit descended upon them at Pentecost that everything changed. Jesus had tilled the soil, he helped to unearth the rocks of the hardness of their hearts, he forgave them, and healed them. But it was not until they let him go after his Ascension that they were able to receive the Holy Spirit and by his power working through them they would do even greater deeds than he (cf. Jn 14:12-14)!

We are invited to do the same. If we only read the Gospels or hear them read we may know something about Jesus, but our life will for the most part remain unchanged. When we read, meditate, and pray with the Gospels and put into practice what we read, we will encounter Jesus as did his disciples. We too will come to know and develop a relationship with Jesus, we will experience his love, and our hearts and minds will be transformed. In this way, we are not just reading a dead letter but encountering the living Word, the Son of God, who invites us to share in the infinite dance of Love that he participates in with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit.

The enemy will do everything in his power to distract, divert, and tempt us from setting aside time to pray with God each day. And when we actually begin to discipline ourselves, enter into quiet time daily, we are invited not to stay there but to go deeper, to move beyond only reading, meditating, and praying. There will be times Jesus invites us to set aside our Bible, notes, journal, prayer cards, and/or vocal prayers of petition, and to just be still, to listen, and receive the love that Jesus and the Father experience, the Holy Spirit.

The same Holy Spirit who empowered the Apostles to fulfill what Jesus had begun with them is quietly nudging us on each day. Please listen! He is inviting us to see more clearly those subtle ways we are being distracted, tempted, and diverted from his guidance and what has been inhibiting the growth of our relationship with God. The love and light of the Holy Spirit will reveal, when we are willing to remain still, where and how, in minute and massive ways, we are refusing to follow the will of God.

One of the reasons that we have also “little faith” is that we rely too much on ourselves. We are invited to stand in the presence of the Holy Spirit and let his fire burn, to purify us from our own misguided thoughts of self-sufficiency. As gold and silver are placed in a crucible and heated, the dross is purified. We are purified in the crucible of our meditation, prayer, and contemplation by the love of the Holy Spirit. Through the purifying love of the Holy Spirit we will see that we cannot save ourselves, that we need a savior, Jesus, with his arms wide open ready, willing, and able to embrace, forgive, and love us unconditionally and continually.