Jesus departed to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer to God (Lk 6:12).

In the midst of a busy ministry, Jesus spent time alone with God in prayer. In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus often did so before making important decisions, as in today’s reading that recorded the choosing of his Apostles. Prayer is an important, foundational principle to experiencing and knowing God as well as discerning his will for living a fully human life.

The Mystery of God is not a problem to be solved. In our language today, we often use mystery and problem interchangeably, as, “I lost my keys, it is such a mystery.” Strictly speaking, the loss of keys is a problem that can be solved. We can backtrack our steps, and through a process of elimination, the problem becomes smaller until we solve the whereabouts of the missing keys. We cannot solve or prove God exists as if he is a problem to be solved. This is because God is not a being, not even the supreme being. God is a mystery that transcends any finite dimension of reality. We have nothing to measure him by, we cannot prove his existence, nor can we solve him as we would a problem.

Yet we can come to know God intimately just as Jesus did. Even though he is transcendent, beyond our reach and comprehension, he is at the same time closer to us than we are to ourselves. We come to know God through his invitation, and as we enter into the mystery of his reality through developing a relationship with him, we come to know him. He does not become smaller, but more vast, always beyond our comprehension. His mystery is luminous as if we were in a completely dark room and someone turned on and shined a flashlight into our eyes. We wince from its brightness, yet in time, our eyes adjust and we eventually are able to see what was beyond our ability apart from the light. Jesus wants us to experience and embrace the mystery of the radiance and warmth of his Father’s light and love.

Jesus called each apostle by name. He calls us by name too and invites us to pray with him as he prayed when he walked this earth. Since JoAnn’s death, now already two years ago, I have been spending more time in meditation and prayer.

I have not gained any insight as to why JoAnn suffered and lost her life to pancreatic cancer nor do I believe I will get an answer on this side of heaven. Over this past week of the anniversary of her death, I have experienced more sorrow regarding the pain of her loss and I believe that is a continuation of the healing of the grief and that is good. At the same time, I feel a peace that she is with God now. For me the process is like suffering an amputation, I will continue to heal but my life will not be the same. At the same time, I am more confident and aware that God is walking with me, leading and guiding me, and will bring about a greater good.

Sometimes we resist being still and spending quiet time with God because we are afraid to face the pain or aspects of ourselves that we would rather not see or admit. God sees the fullness of who we are and can be. God loves us as we are. We can be confident that as we embrace those aspects of our lives that we keep at arm’s length, we will indeed experience our suffering and pain, but we will also find healing, consolation, and reconciliation. Jesus meets us in the midst of the chaos of our lives and loves us through to the other side no matter how long the healing takes. Continuing to turn to God in prayer, we will be drawn ever deeper into the mystery of the Trinity and experience the intimacy of communion and relationship we have been created for.

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Painting: James Tissot – Jesus Goes Up Alone on a Mountain to Pray, 1886-1894

Link for the Mass readings for Tuesday, September 7, 2021

The scribes and the Pharisees watched him closely to see if he would cure on the sabbath so that they might discover a reason to accuse him (Lk 6:7).

This is an unfortunate and sad scene in the Gospel. What is even worse is that this is not an isolated incident for some of the scribes and Pharisees. They are often watching him closely to accuse him. Accuse Jesus of what? Of not honoring the sabbath and breaking the law of God. There is quiet anticipation as Jesus calls a man with a withered hand up to him.\

Jesus knows the hearts and minds of his would-be accusers, he also knows what is at stake regarding what he is about to do but because he is more concerned with the condition of the man and not his standing in the community, because Jesus seeks to express the will of God and not impress those in his midst he asks aloud: “I ask you, is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it” (Lk 6:9)? Jesus did not wait for an answer but told the man to stretch out his hand. The man did so and was healed.

These two phrases coming from Jesus in today’s Gospel are not only good to commit to memory and meditation but to also put into practice, for they are foundational principles regarding how we ought to interact with one another. First, whenever we wonder whether or not we ought to help someone, we need to ask ourselves, “Is it lawful to do good or evil, to save life or destroy it?” If more of us ask this question, we will be more ready, willing, and available to help those in need. If a law promotes evil, demeans the dignity of another in inhumane ways, we are to speak out against it and provide help to those oppressed by it.

Second, “Stretch out your hand”, is another phrase we can take to heart. We can address the need of a person by providing what understanding and assistance we can. Are we the Son of God? No, but we can access the power of God through calling on the name of Jesus. Maybe we will not heal a man’s withered hand, but we can provide a smile, a cup of water, food, some money, our presence, volunteer with groups who are already engaged, and we can write to and impress upon our congressional leaders the importance of supporting the dignity of the people they represent, at every stage of development from conception until natural death. Ultimately, we just need to be open to where and to whom God sends us.

Pope Francis shared in his homily September 8, 2019, that “we Christians cannot stand with arms folded in indifference, or with arms outstretched in helplessness. No. As believers, we must stretch out our hands, as Jesus does with us.” To be a Christian is to be willing to serve as Jesus did. That means being willing; to encounter one another, to respect the dignity of each person we meet, to provide a human hand and human presence to those in need and to assist them the best we can, one person at a time.

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Photo credit: Australian Jesuits

Mass readings of the day for Monday, September 6, 2021

Those who witnessed Jesus healing the man who was deaf with a speech impediment grasped something more than just the healing when they stated: “He has done all things well. He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak” (Mk 7:37). With these words they are acknowledging the deliverance of Israel by the Lord, promised by the prophet Isaiah, when he mentioned how, “the eyes of the blind will be opened, the ears of the deaf will be cleared” (Isaiah 35:5).

The beauty of this healing may be missed by us in the modern age because of the graphic nature of the details used by Mark. Jesus places his fingers in the man’s ears, spits into his own hands and then touches the man’s tongue. Jesus is mixing his own saliva with this man in need of healing. We don’t even share drinks from the same container anymore like we used to when we were kids!

Jesus is showing the intimacy of communion that he offers us. Jesus gave his saliva and mingled it with this man’s saliva. With such human contact and co-mingling, the man was not only healed, but divinized, made like God through his participation in the healing of Jesus. This graphic encounter is also a microcosm of how the Son of God, in no way diminishing the fullness of his divinity, entered into the very real corporality of our humanity. He became one with us so that we can become one with him. This was true then and it is still true for us today!

We all suffer with physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual trials and this has only been hightened by the pandemic. But we also suffer from not being able to hear God’s word, and when we do, we are more often than not mute to speaking his word. Jesus, may or may not provide a healing or a solution to a trial or struggle we may have or are right now going through. In either case though, Jesus is present and accompanies us.

Jesus invites us to consciously resist the temptation to avoid our suffering, pain, conflicts, or challenges and instead deal with and enter into them. We are not expected to do this alone, but to bring our need for healing to Jesus. In this way we are aligning our suffering with his on the Cross. While at the same time when we also choose to offer up our pain and suffering on behalf of another, we participate in redemptive suffering. Others can experience relief and healing from our sacrifice in participation with Jesus.

This act of the will gives meaning to our suffering such that we do not endure what we are going through in vain. May we embrace, head on, that which is presented before us, actualizing the guidance of Jesus as well as the advances of modern medicine, science, and psychology, embracing a posture that engages both faith and reason. Our approach will be best if we are more mindful and balanced with our discernment. Just masking struggles without dealing with the root cause will only prolong and possibly worsen the condition.

As St. Mother Teresa has taught: “Pain and suffering have come into your life, but remember, pain, sorrow, suffering are but the kiss of Jesus – a sign that you have come so close to him that he can kiss you.”

Jesus still heals today, just as he healed the deaf and mute man. Jesus is just as intimately present with us as he was with the man he healed. Jesus does not leave us forsaken nor alone in our suffering and pain. Jesus accompanies us, he kisses us such that, our ears are opened to hear his word, our tongue loosened to speak his word, and our hearts expanded to love one another as Jesus has loved us. We love in a deeper way when we resist turning in on ourselves and instead lift up our suffering, our trials, our pain for the needs of others for their healing.

We can do this best by resisting to run away from our pain and instead entering into it. When we do so, Jesus meets us with his arms wide open to receive all that we offer and makes our suffering redemptive. In participating in the practice of redemptive suffering, we align ourselves in a deeper way with Jesus, we draw closer to him who gave his life on the Cross, and we participate in the divine loving embrace of the Holy Trinity. Embracing Jesus in our suffering can be a means of sharing his Father’s grace and the love of the Holy Spirit with a wounded and hurting world.
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Photo: Icon of Jesus healing the deaf man who could not speak.

Link for the Mass reading for Sunday, September 5, 2021

Then he said to them, “The Son of Man is lord of the sabbath” (Lk 6:5).

The disciples were traveling with Jesus, they gathered food where they could. In today’s Gospel, they picked heads of grain and rubbed them in their hands to make them easier to chew. The critique of those Pharisees, presumably, walking along with or close by to Jesus, was that his disciples were breaking the sabbath law by working and thus not keeping it holy.

The reason for this was that pious Jews would often practice what is called, building a hedge around the Torah, meaning that they would institute practices beyond the original law so that there would be no way of breaking it. Fr. Bill Burton, ofm, shared an example that has stuck with me since my Scripture studies in seminary.

There is a prescription in Exodus 23:19, that states that you should not cook a kid (baby goat) in its mother’s milk. So as not to even come close to breaking this law, observant Jews developed the practice, which continues today, to not cook any meat and dairy together; thus the idea of building a hedge around the Torah. 

The hedge in today’s reading had to do with what constituted work and what did not to keep the sabbath rest intact and keep the Sabbath holy. Jesus settled the debate by claiming that he was the Lord of the Sabbath.

The Lord of the Sabbath needs to be the Lord of our lives. We live in a fallen world, but even at its best, we live in a finite and fragile world. We as human beings can only do so much. The best we can do is to use our intellect and ability to reason while at the same time seek to discern God’s will and direction so to have access to the spiritual resources that he offers to us in our everyday affairs, especially when tragedy strikes.

Tragedy, pain, and suffering happen in our independent lives directly and in our world collectively. Yet, in each instance, we are not abandoned, we are not alone. God works with and through us when we allow our hearts and minds to be open to his love working through us.

Why the pandemic, why such suffering, I do not know. I still cannot answer why JoAnn had to contract and suffer with pancreatic cancer. But I do know God was with us every step of the way and as JoAnn physically decreased, she continually allowed her mind and heart to be open, such that Jesus increased in her life and she shared his love with others. 

Jesus needs to be the Lord of our lives, in and out of season, during our trials as well as our joys and celebrations. As we lean on him and each other all things are possible and what may seem incomprehensible or hopeless in the moment, God will bring about a greater good through his will and timing.

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Photo: Sunset at Santa Monica Beach just about two years ago with Jack and Christy watching the sunset.

Link for today’s Mass readings for Saturday, September 4, 2021

And no one who has been drinking old wine desires new, for he says, ‘The old is good'” (Lk 5:39).

Many of us can relate to holding on to the old. It is more comfortable, it is proven to be tried and true. A favorite wine, a pair of broken-in jeans or shoes, a favorite book read time and again, these are all part of the simple pleasures of life. In Jesus’ parable, he is challenging us to go deeper. He is inviting us to recognize those things that we are holding onto that may be preventing us from more than just a mere existence or minimalist mode of living to instead actualizing the fullness of the potential of ourselves and for others. He is also challenging us to discern the difference between apparent goods and the real good.

We have created patterns in our life that may appear and feel safe, but in actuality may be holding us back from a deeper and fuller experience in life. We may be influenced by cultural or social tremors that may dictate to us that we are too old, that we are too young, that to do this or that is too much of a risk… Each of these examples can be challenging on the material plane of existence, yet while Jesus seeks the best for us in our every day activities, at the same time, he is calling us to go even deeper spiritually.

God the Father is infinite and inexhaustible. Though the Gospel remains the same, there are always new ways, new means to hear the message, to go deeper, so to better be able to practice and share what we have learned. Each generation has to claim the deposit of faith passed on for generations as its own. Our faith is not some inanimate artifact passed on but an organic relationship that matures and deepens age after age.

I had heard of social media and its handful of platforms for some time but had not experienced any of it myself until a few years ago. For just over four years now, I have been sharing these reflections on the Gospels and my journey with Jesus.

I was quite happy reading, learning, and sharing within the four walls of my classroom, but I felt Jesus urging me to reach out a bit more, to go beyond those four walls, to take a risk and try some new wine. I wasn’t sure how to begin but took a few steps and I have been typing away each day to share a reflection like this one that you are reading now ever since.

There was an initial risk in adding one more thing to my schedule in that there would be less time during the school year to be with JoAnn but it helped to open up time in the evening where we began to pray together, read the daily Mass readings, and I would then share my reflection. JoAnn critiqued them and we would discuss what we learned together. So my initial concern was unfounded and in trusting the lead of Jesus, we had more intimate time together immersed in the Word that became even more precious than I would have ever imagined because now that time together is no more.

In what way is God calling you to take a step out of your comfort zone? In what way can you share your faith journey with others? As you take a look at the horizon this morning, take some deep breaths as the sun rises, realize that you have a unique gift or talent to share, a way that Jesus is inviting you to participate in building up his kingdom. A life surrendered to Jesus, lived in collaboration with him, is ever new, ever better. Let us be open to hearing his guidance and be willing to be led by him, to be engaged in a new way we haven’t experienced before, to taste some new wine from a new wineskin!

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Photo: Valentine’s Day together 2019. Blessed that we continued to grow closer together each year.

Link for the Mass readings for Friday, September 3, 2021

After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” Simon said in reply,” Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets” (Lk 5:4-5).

Faith is to trust in God and believe that what he tells us is true. On our own initiative and will power we are limited as finite beings as to what we can understand and do. Today’s Gospel reading provides an example of this. Simon had been fishing all night with no results. Simon Peter follows Jesus’ command to go back out and put into the deep, and Simon not only accomplishes what he originally set out to do, but he also did so beyond anything he had ever imagined! When we follow God’s direction and initiative all things are possible for us as well.

God’s initiative and grace enter our lives daily as Jesus entered Simon’s boat. Do we have eyes to see, ears to hear, and a willingness to listen and follow the initiative of Jesus? Remember the rich man who had followed all the commandments, but when Jesus invited him to sell all and come and follow him, he could not do it? Simon the magician saw the works of Philip, Peter, and John and wanted to buy the power of the Holy Spirit to heal but was rebuked. Turning away from Jesus’ invitation or seeking to manipulate Jesus for our own personal gain will not bring us the fulfillment that we seek.

We need to follow the example of Mary, who when the archangel Gabriel shared God’s message with her that she was to bear a child, even though she did not understand how this could be, Mary trusted. She conceived in her womb, through the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit, the God-Man, the incarnate Son of God, Jesus the Christ. Joseph also trusted. After hearing the news from Mary, he had decided to quietly divorce her. Gabriel also spoke to him in a dream and Joseph trusted.

May we also follow such examples as Peter, James, and John, who said yes to lowering their nets, even though they did not see the point, yet they followed and were amazed. Then led by Peter’s humility and contrition, they “left everything” and followed Jesus. They went on to announce the Gospel of the Lord and caught people for the Kingdom of heaven.

Do we have the humility to follow Jesus, even when we may feel or see no point in his request? Jesus has a plan for us, as he did for Mary, Joseph, and the Apostles. He will give us the means to accomplish what he calls us to do. In a quiet place in our soul, in the stillness of our hearts, Jesus is inviting us to follow him, to put out into the deep water. What we may hear may seem unbelievable, or insignificant, we may even experience anxiety, fear, or trepidation. Yet, let us take the risk and follow Jesus where he leads, where he would have us go, and what he would have us do.

About fifteen years ago, I took a leave of absence after teaching in public school for five years. After some time, I thought about returning but instead of returning to the public school system, I explored the idea of teaching in a Catholic school. It was mid-year, so I was just looking for a substitute teaching position. After a handful of inquiries, I received no bites. JoAnn recommended that I reach out to Rosarian Academy, a school about 25 miles from us. I initially hesitated as did Peter. I resisted because of the length of the commute, but JoAnn persisted, I followed her lead, received an interview, and not only received a first-grade teaching position for the remainder of the year, I was hired back full time at the middle school level for the following school year and taught at Rosarian for another wonderful eight years.

Jesus can guide us directly as he did with Peter or he can guide us through others as he did with me through JoAnn. When we allow our hearts and minds to be open to where God is leading us, we will not only be happy, but we will find fulfillment and meaning in our lives, such that it overflows to others. I thank JoAnn for her twenty-three years of encouragement, support, guidance, and love which have been an instrumental and integral part of helping me to be who and where I am today.

Photo: My first class teaching at Rosarian Academy!

Link for the Mass readings for September 2, 2021

But he said to them, “To the other towns also I must proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God, because for this purpose I have been sent” (Lk 4:43).

Jesus himself, the Son of God incarnate, fully divine and fully human, is the foretaste of heaven. His work of preaching, teaching, healing, and casting out demons, shows that the divine flow of the Father’s Love is infused into our fallen human condition. Jesus came to restore unity to that which had been divided and once he began his public ministry he was ever on the go.

Through our Baptism, we have been conformed to and indelibly marked by Christ and for Christ. We are nourished by his Body and Blood in the Eucharist and were empowered through the laying on of hands by the bishop at our Confirmation. We have been divinized, grafted into the life of God through our participation in the life of Jesus the Christ. We too then are priests, prophets, and kings as we participate in his life. We also are, to preach and teach the same Gospel, to be his healing and comforting presence, to make Jesus present to those in our midst, and yes we too are called to cast out all demons, and to shine the light on negativity, dehumanization, and division in his name. As James teaches, we are to “submit [our]selves to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee” (James 4:7).

Jesus did not travel very far during his three and a half year public ministry, yet his teachings have touched all the corners of the world. That is because of those who have encountered him, said yes to his invitation, submitted to the will of his Father, continued to spread his teachings and life, so as to be transformed into his saints.

We are also called to surrender our life to Jesus moment by moment, in each circumstance and situation, so as to build up our relationship with him, and embrace the gift of the unique vocation by being holy and by becoming his saints ourselves. Let us ponder what Jesus’ inaugural message means to us: “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the Gospel” (Mk 1:15).

We cannot share what we do not have. By developing a life of prayer and meditation we deepen our relationship with Jesus and begin to experience the love of the Holy Spirit and are more able to let go of that which holds us back from a more intimate union with God. As we let go of that which keeps us bound, we can then replace what we have let go of with the Holy Spirit so as to then proclaim with joy this Good News through our everyday experiences.

Each day is a new opportunity to follow Jesus and be on our way to proclaim through word and deed the Good News in the unique expression he would have us share!

Photo: Stefan Lorenz from Pexels

Link for the Mass readings for Wednesday, September 1, 2021

Jesus returned to his hometown of Nazareth, as we saw in yesterday’s reading, and that did not end so well, with his fellow Nazoreans running him out of town (Lk 4:29). In today’s reading, Jesus was teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum. The initial reaction to Jesus’ teaching was similar in both accounts; the people were “amazed” and “astonished” with his teaching. But no one in either group makes the bold statement that arises today: “I know who you are – the Holy One of God” (Lk 4:34)! This phrase was professed by a demon. He who taunted Jesus.

From the very beginning of Jesus’ ministry opposition was present. In Nazareth, the fallen nature of our humanity reared its head. The people he grew up with were unwilling to see beyond the ordinary Jesus they always knew. Wasn’t he just the son of Joseph, just the carpenter? Jesus was safe when he merely worked a quiet life, participated in the life of the synagogue, even when he returned from surrounding territories amidst words of praise, and even stepping up to read in the synagogue from the words of Elijah: he was the hometown boy making good. But once Jesus began to equate himself in the line of the prophets and share how God was working beyond the people of Israel, with his accounts of Elijah going to the Gentile widow, and Naaman, another Gentile, going to Elisha, highlighting that God worked beyond the people of Israel, even his own had enough. Jesus had to go (Lk 4:29).

In today’s account, another source of opposition is the taunting demon. Jesus rebuked the demon immediately and called him out of the man. Jesus faced time and again the fallen nature of humanity, disbelief, lack of faith, as well as the opposition of demons, and soon the failure of religious and civic leadership. Sound familiar?

Where do we find our self in the scenes of Jesus’ ministry and teaching, in our own time today? Following Jesus is a day to day commitment and we must be willing to face the same challenges that his disciples did. We need to be willing to face our weaknesses, our woundedness, and our own shortcomings and conform our lives to the will of Jesus. By doing so we will be confronted with the darkness and sin within ourselves. With true humility, we will be better able to resist defending and rationalizing where we fall short of the glory of God and instead be willing to repent, to turn away from our sin, to turn back to God, and be willing to be healed.

We also need to resist dismissing Jesus’ encounter with the demon in today’s Gospel too quickly. Demons do exist and play a role in the principalities and powers that influence us and our world. We ignore this reality to our own peril, for they will tempt and subtly attack us at our weakest and most vulnerable points. This is not a cause for anxiety and fear. The weakest Christian is stronger than the devil himself but we must be aware and vigilant. When faced with temptation by Satan or his demons, we just call on the name of Jesus and those of the dark will flee from the radiant light of Christ. This is why it is so important to regularly examine our conscience, to be aware of, and to confess our sin. In doing so, we will be free, otherwise, they can and will be used against us.

The closer we draw to Jesus, the more we experience his light and the more of our own sin we will see. This is not a cause to run and hide but to humbly embrace the truth so that healing will be possible. This also means that we will see more clearly the dark influences that plague us and our world which we are blinded to when we turn in upon ourselves and feed our own selfishness, embrace our own pride, and turn away from God.

May we instead place our trust and belief in Jesus today and each day, spend time in meditation, prayer, in his word, examine our conscience, and be willing to be led by him to serve one another, speak up for one another, and stand strong against the temptations and darkness of this world. When we fall short, fail, as we will, as did the apostles, we need to follow, not Judas, but Peter: repent, confess our love for Jesus, and begin again. Together, with our Loving God and Father, may we hold one another accountable, support, and lift one another up in love, for Jesus is at our right hand, and, even when we find ourselves in our darkest moments, turn to Jesus and we will stand firm because we will know that we are not alone.

A quiet moment as dusk approached about a month ago.

Link for the readings for Tuesday, August 31, 2021

He said to them, “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing” (Lk 4:21).

Jesus sat down after speaking these words to his hometown congregation in Nazareth who had just heard him read the passage from the prophet Isaiah. Jesus proclaimed that he was the one to whom Isaiah was talking about. Luke chose to place this event as the starting point of Jesus’ public ministry, of bringing glad tidings to the poor, proclaiming liberty to the captives, recovering sight to the blind, letting the oppressed go free, and proclaiming a year acceptable to the Lord (cf. Lk 4:18-19).

This is a message of universal healing for all of humanity. Restoration and reconciliation would come and Jesus would be the vehicle to bring all the nations, all people, back into communion and relationship with his Father. The poor mentioned were not just in reference to those experiencing material poverty but to those finding themselves on the margins of society, the outcasts, those on the peripheries. The captives were not only those imprisoned for debts or crimes but those bound in the chains of their own sin and addiction. The blind were not only those who could not physically see but those who experienced the spiritual blindness of pride and arrogance. The oppressed were not just those under the iron fist of totalitarian and dictatorial regimes but those pressed down through their own self imposed anxieties and fears.

In what ways are we in need of Jesus’ healing and restorative power? What is keeping us on the peripheries, apart from communion and fellowship? What sins and addictions keep us bound, what fears and anxieties keep us oppressed? Jesus invites us in today’s Gospel to be healed and to align ourselves with his will and ministry of loving service to others. The same words he spoke to his own hometown he is speaking to each one of us today. Will we hold on to our biases and prejudices and run Jesus out from our midst to hurl him over a cliff because he is not only offering his healing hand to us but also to others outside our group, racial or ethnic makeup, nation, or political party? Or will we come to Jesus, kneel before him, acknowledge our need for his healing and make him the Lord of our life?

JoAnn recognized her need for Jesus and accepted the invitation of his love and relationship. She often found rote prayers hard to do. She was much more comfortable speaking with Jesus as she spoke with our kids and me. JoAnn was also willing to admit her mistakes and confess her sins, which she was blessed to have had the opportunity to do twice in the final month prior to her death. JoAnn often told us as her condition declined further that her death would not be an end but just a change of address and that she would be close to us and love us forever and ever.

Life is too short to allow our pride to get in the way. Examining our conscience and coming to Jesus with a contrite, sorrowful heart for what we have done and what we have failed to do is a healing practice. As we do so today, may we experience his healing hands on our bowed heads and the warmth of his love pouring through us and purging us of our sin and pride. JoAnn has been at her new address for what will be two years this Thursday, September 2. May she intercede for us such that we are open to the guidance of Jesus so as to participate with him in bringing the invitation of healing, reconciliation, and love to others, that we may bring about an “acceptable year of the Lord” (Lk 4:19).

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Photo: Swan ride together at Echo Park in Los Angeles.

Link for the Mass readings for Monday, August 30, 2021

“But what comes out of a person, that is what defiles. From within people, from their hearts, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly. All these evils come from within and they defile” (Mk 7:20-23).

We unfortunately see the words of Jesus today on full display in our country, on almost every level imaginable, politically, culturally, and religiously. What Jesus is calling for from his hearers then and us today is not to look or act the part, but to actually live a life with a heart dedicated to God with humility and integrity.

May we resist the temptation to be despondent or give in to despair, may we also resist contributing to the negativity that seems to have a megaphone right now. There are many people doing very good things, living their lives quietly and faithfully. Let us do the same. May we follow the guidance of St James and “put away all filth and evil excess and humbly welcome the word that has been planted in [us] and is able to save [our] souls” (James 1:21).

May we resist being shaped and conformed to the present culture of division, polarization and death, and instead be willing to be transformed by the renewal of our minds that we may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect (cf. Romans 12:2). To do so, may we turn our hearts and minds over to Jesus this day so that he will renew them with his love and grace.

Let us align ourselves with the will of our heavenly Father through examining our conscience and discerning with Jesus such that we come to know that which is truly good, pleasing and perfect, so that we may cloak ourselves in the mantle of integrity. May we be willing to hold ourselves and others accountable with justice and mercy by standing up for the dignity of the person in each and every situation.

We are not to be hearers of the word only but doers of the word. For: “If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, his religion is vain. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unstained by the world” (James 1:26-27). Putting our faith into action means we are challenged to resist standing by silently witnessing or worse participating in the poison of gossip or engaging in demeaning, belittling, or dehumanizing words and/or actions. Instead, we are to shine a light of truth in the darkness.

We do so by putting the guidance we hear and read from Scripture into practice, we speak truth to power no matter who the person is because we serve Jesus not a political party. We are to stand up for each other with understanding and compassion and offer opportunities for reconciliation. We will be a guiding light when we keep our self in check, continue to be willing to have our heart and mind conformed to Jesus, meditate and pray daily, commit to respecting the dignity of each person we encounter within our homes and in our realms of influence such that what we think, the words that we speak, as well as our deeds, affirm, convict not condemn, empower, and heal.

Photo: Lighthouse from Pexels.com

Link to the Mass readings for Sunday, August 29, 2021