faith

“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.

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Photo:  A reminder from a mama sandhill crane and her young one to slow down and breathe.

Rahner, Karl and Vorgrimler, Herbert. Theological Dictionary. New York: Herder and Herder, 1965.

Link for the Mass readings for Saturday, August 8, 2026

Jesus took up his cross for us, are we willing to take up ours for him?

Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me” (Mt 16:24).

Jesus invites us to deny our self-centered default position which places I, me, mine (As George Harrison sang) at the center of each of our decisions. We can deny ourselves when we resist making excuses for our sins and come to a genuine place of sorrow for the pain we have caused God, ourselves, and others. By acknowledging our sins and confessing them, we die to our selfish ways, and then we rise again through the power of Christ. Empowered by our humility and the strength of Jesus we are better equipped to resist those temptations in the future.

The key in following Jesus is that as we identify and confess our sins, we are also given the opportunity to slow down and see what is at the root of our sins. In most cases, there are unhealed wounds that are activated when we are triggered or tempted. Jesus leads us with his tender chords of love to experience the wounds, pains, and traumas of the past and when we allow ourselves to be loved in those places that maybe for years and decades we have felt unlovable, then healing and transformation can begin.

Experiencing our Father’s love, mercy, and forgiveness, his healing, we are then in a better position to take up our cross daily, which is to follow the will of God. Jesus showed us the proper orientation of surrender when he said at Gethsemane: “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me; still, not my will but yours be done” (Lk 22:42). Jesus followed his Father’s will to the cross and endured horrific suffering, excruciating pain, humiliation, and abandonment, unto death… and in doing so, gave him the opportunity through the love of the Holy Spirit to conquer death and become the first born of the new creation!

Many a mother I have talked with has shared the struggles of labor, but also expressed the joy of giving birth; many students who I taught were exasperated by the time and effort expended for an examination, a sporting event, art show, musical or theatrical performance and yet experienced the joy from the feat they accomplished; and how many times have we faced a challenge, trial, or cleared some obstacle and felt the exhilaration of overcoming the hurdle?

Taking up our cross and following the will of God means accepting a disciplined approach to our lives. When we are more intentional about spending time with God each day, we will know him, love him, will better know and will be better able to follow God’s will. The enemy seeks to isolate us and tempt us to be more constricted. From there we feel more isolated and alone and are more vulnerable to seek out disordered affections and apparent goods. Resisting self-sufficiency and curving in upon ourselves and in trusting Jesus with everything that comes, we will experience instead communion and expansion and grow in his love for us.

When I was twenty-four, I entered the Franciscan Friars of Holy Name Province to study for the priesthood. In the year and a half of discernment, from time to time I would imagine my ordination day. To my surprise, I did not feel any joy. I enjoyed every aspect of my experience with the friars and the ministries but there was something or someone missing. I took a leave of absence and about a year and a half later, I realized what was missing was a family.

Three years since I discerned out of the Friars, I met JoAnn, and her three children, Melissa, Jack, and Christy. Six months after that we were married and seventeen years later, I was ordained to the permanent diaconate. This is the short version of the story. There were bumpy moments as we learned to grow together by being willing to see each other’s point of view, some perspectives took a little longer than others, and we were at our best when we were willing to sacrifice for and serve one another.

A greater challenge came almost seven years ago when we experienced JoAnn’s final weeks this side of heaven. JoAnn’s diagnosis of pancreatic cancer became the cross that was the heaviest to bear, yet Jesus shouldered it with us and blessed us richly in our surrender. I am truly grateful for those final months that we had together.

When the realization that JoAnn wasn’t coming back finally sank in about a year and a half after her death, I decided I needed to learn how to live again without her. I followed JoAnn’s advice to put all options on the table and over some months whittled eight choices down to two. Standing in our bedroom, I pondered whether to leave teaching for a year and collapse or pursue the priesthood.  I then asked God, “What do you want me to do?” A quiet voice within confirmed, priesthood. My body sank but my spirit soared.

I would be accepted into the seminary to study for the priesthood and with the support of some great people and the strength of the Holy Spirit guiding and carrying me, I made it through to my ordination day. This time I anticipated ordination with joy, but there was a lingering feeling that I was betraying JoAnn by going ahead and living my life without her. We need to be careful what voices we listen to! The Father of lies seeks to wreak havoc but the Holy Spirit invites us to experience freedom, healing, and wholeness.

Some of the doubt lingered into my ordination Mass, until the moment when each priest walked by, placed their hands on our heads while each remained silent. About half way through the progress, one priest leaned close and whispered, “Your wife has the best seat in the house.” The tears began to flow and purify the lies. During the Eucharistic Rite, for a moment, I felt JoAnn with me, helping to realize that I was actually celebrating my first Mass as a priest, concelebrating with our bishop.

A few months later, I realized that I could be happy again. I was not happy JoAnn had died (which the enemy fed me), I was happy because I was following the will of God. JoAnn told me that I would be sad but not to stay there and that she would be closest to me when I was doing that which made me happy. I have also come to realize that during the Mass, because of the presence with Jesus in the Eucharist, the veil between heaven and earth is so thin.

When Jesus calls us to “deny ourselves”, he is talking about denying those attachments and disordered affections, anything and anyone that we place before God. When we are willing to surrender all and follow Jesus, allow the purifying fire of the love of Holy Spirit to burn the dross of our sin, attachments, apparent goods, and disordered affections away, we will experience a deeper love and intimacy with God that we have been created for, as well as a freedom and consolation we never thought possible.

Jesus never calls us to do anything that he is not willing to do. He also calls us to, take up our cross. To take up our cross and follow him is possible because Jesus did just that. He was willing to give all out of love for us. He was willing to suffer, carry his cross beam, fall and get up three times, to be crucified and die that we might have a way to break free of anything attempting to keep us from growing in our communion with God. Jesus, speaking to his first apostles, was even asking them to be willing to give their lives as he did.

Jesus “demands a commitment of faith that is ready to embrace the will of God wherever it leads, even unto death” (Mitch and Sri, 212). He meets us where we are. Maybe before answering the question of whether or not we are willing to give our lives to Jesus as he gave his life for us, we might start with, are we willing to slow down enough to let him love us in our wounds, sins, and failures. As we do so, we will come to know and love Jesus in return and then have a better idea of how to serve him “wherever it leads.”

Photo: Prayerful pause with Jesus who loved us this much!

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

Link for the Mass readings for Friday, August 7, 2026

“Prayer helps us to see.”

He took Peter, John, and James, and went up the mountain to pray (Luke 9:28).

Peter, John, and James experienced Jesus’ profound teachings, his powerful signs, his wonders, and they also witnessed his healings, casting out demons, and forgiving of sins, which, alluded to the reality that he was the Son of God. Peter, James, and John, although acknowledging Jesus as the Messiah, still pretty much looked at Jesus as a human being. In the encounter of Jesus transfigured, Jesus revealed to his inner circle of Apostles not only a foretaste of what was to come in heaven but a glimpse of his actual divinity, and the miracle of miracles, the Resurrection.

Jesus is not 50% God and 50% human. He is fully God and fully man. This is the Mystery of the Incarnation; the reality that the second Person of the Trinity took on flesh and became human. This is an important reality, because in this very act of Infinite Grace, the Son of God assuming humanity, Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us, as St. Irenaeus wrote, “opened up heaven for us in the humanity he assumed.” The Son of God became one with us in our fallen and sinful state so that we can become one with him.

Through participation in the life of Jesus Christ, we can be restored and deepen our relationship with his Father, and we too can be transformed. We can do more in this life than to survive and just get by. We can live beyond just recovery from healing from our wounds, beyond merely functioning and keeping our head above water. Jesus came to reveal to us that we are to live in the consolation and joy of being in relationship with his Father and so we can with St. Paul, “rejoice always!” With Jesus not only is recovery from wounds, addictions, sin, disordered affections possible; forgiveness, healing, reconciliation, wholeness, and a peace that surpasses all understanding possible.

“By revealing himself God wishes to make [us] capable of responding to him, and of knowing him, and of loving him far beyond [our] own natural capacity” (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1997, 52). This reality of the invitation of communion with the Loving God and Father of all creation is for all. Authentic joy and fulfillment are achieved through developing a relationship with the God of Jesus Christ.

Many may say they are happy and living a good life without having a relationship with Jesus Christ, they do not need God or his Church, and I would not disagree with them. I would only add that if we are honest with ourselves, there is more to life than the mere material and finite reality we see and what we experience with our senses. When we slow down enough, when we are actually still enough, we can experience a deeper yearning for more, and begin to see what is keeping us from the deeper reality Jesus is offering.

Even with great achievement, mastery, honor, and accumulation, there is still a lingering question, “Is this all there is?” We experience consciously or unconsciously a restlessness, we continually search to fill this unease, feeling satisfied for the moment, but eventually in short order, we are left empty, time and time again. This unease is our soul’s yearning, our transcendent nature longing for more, and that longing is for the infinite that the finite cannot provide or satisfy. St Augustine of Hippo articulated this desire and yearning so well in the opening chapter of his autobiography, Confessions: “You move us to delight in praising You; for You have made us for Yourself, and our hearts are restless until they find rest in You.”

The Feast of the Transfiguration is an invitation to embrace the fullness of what it means to be human, as the Son of God did through the Mystery of his becoming one with us, all of us, all of humanity, not just a select few. We are invited to embrace the fullness and rich diversity of our humanity; the reality that we are physical, emotional, intellectual, while at the same time, spiritual beings. Our fulfillment and joy come from a balance of nurturing the reality that each and every one of us have been created in the image and likeness of God and are to identify ourselves foundational as his beloved daughters and sons.

Peter, John, and James, as well as each of the saints, embraced the invitation of Jesus and were healed, experienced wholeness, and communion. The likeness to God that was lost in the fall of Adam and Eve was restored as they dedicated themselves to lives of prayer, repentance, service, allowing themselves to be loved by Jesus and to love in return. We can see the restoration of the likeness through such biblical imagery of Moses’ face that radiated after his intimate encounters with God and in the transfiguration of Jesus with not just his face but his whole being.

“The person who prays begins to see” (Pope Benedict). Setting time to be alone with God daily to speak with him, listen, simply rest and be still, as well as receive, hear, and follow the guidance of God will, and above all to receive his love, help us to see and experience reality, grow in holiness, and restore the glory he made us for. We embrace the gift of our common dignity when we love God, ourselves, and our neighbors as ourselves.
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Photo: Jesus transfigured reveals the fullness of our humanity as physical and spiritual.

Link for the Mass readings for Wednesday, August 6, 2025

Faith check – no, little, or the great faith of the Canaanite woman?

He said in reply, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But the woman came and did him homage, saying, “Lord, help me.” He said in reply, “It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.” (Mt 15:23-24).

Reading Matthew 15:21-28 to get the full feel of this Gospel account is helpful before proceeding (If needed, see the link below).

Jesus’ reaction in this scene does not appear to be consistent with how he has acted toward others who have approached him in the past. Is he just having a bad day and taking it out on this woman? Is his reaction because she is a woman and a Gentile at that? I don’t believe either case to be true.

Jesus has seen his disciples time and again attempting to turn people away, just as recently when the five thousand were hungry and they were ready to send them to the nearby villages, knowing the hour was late to get their food. Jesus was also tired that day too, all but spent, yet, even so, I am sure that he did not check to see who were the card-carrying Jews among those who had gathered, but instead fed all.

I wonder if Jesus was not so much testing the woman’s faith, as much as he was testing the faith and the response of his disciples. The woman was calling for help. Would the disciples offer to provide her support, following the lead of Jesus who they had observed so many times before? Jesus remained silent to her initial plea for help. What did the disciples do? They asked Jesus to send her away. Jesus appeared to support their indifference when he justified his non-response by stating that he was sent to the lost sheep of Israel, clearly, she was of another fold.

The disciples did not step up to defend the woman. Maybe they even egged Jesus on and yet the woman persisted. She came forward and knelt before Jesus imploring him to help her and Jesus met her with a degrading slur, referring to the woman as a dog. The disciples would now certainly appeal to Jesus for mercy, right? Nothing. Nada. His apostles stayed silent, or worse they may have even started to have a good laugh at her expense.

The woman did not back down. She remained resilient in her effort because her daughter needed her help and she would not be turned away. She did not react nor get defensive, but returned with her own retort, “Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters” (Mt 15:27). Jesus then upended the whole scene by stating that the woman was the one who had great faith! A woman, a Gentile, and not his disciples, who consistently exhibited little faith.

This is a good Gospel to ponder and to help us to assess our faith. Are we preventing people from encountering Jesus or are we opening opportunities for people to experience the healing and love of Jesus? This is not to be an exercise in shame but one of awareness. The disciples fell short in this case, but they did not walk away with their tails between their legs. They remained with Jesus, they learned, they too would serve others in need, and would eventually give their lives for him.

Are we as persistent as this woman was when faced with our challenges and trials? She remained firm and resolute. First, she came to Jesus because she believed he could heal her daughter. Do we believe that Jesus can help us in our situations, and do we go to him? And she wasn’t leaving until he did so. Do we have the same conviction in Jesus that he can provide for our need, are we willing to reach out to him, and persist when he appears to be silent? The Canaanite woman is a model of clear intent and persistence that we can emulate.

Again, our examination is not to lead us to beat ourselves up if we lack this clear intentionality and persistence in our faith. If we fall short, we admit that truth and strive to be more intentional in our times of prayer. We set a time each day to pray, and for whatever time we choose, we resist any distractions that would attempt to derail us. We are clear and resolute in our intention that it is just Jesus and us that matter in that moment. And even when we feel nothing is happening or that Jesus is silent, we continue to come back. For each time we show up, God will happen.

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Painting: Christ and the Canaanite Woman by Annibale Carracci

Link for the Mass readings for Wednesday, August 5, 2026

In spending time with God in silence, we come to know him and his will.

[H]e went up on the mountain by himself to pray (Mt 14:23).

Jesus sent his disciples ahead of him and went further up the mountain to pray by himself. There is a consistent record of Jesus praying in the Gospels and beyond this written record I am sure that Jesus practiced this one on one time with God often.

The goal of Jesus spending time in prayer was not to amass enough spiritual energy so that he could do miraculous things like walking on the water. Spending silent time in prayer was an example of Jesus answering the invitation of his Father to spend time with him. Jesus knew the will of his Father because of this consistent time they spent together. Jesus knew the will of his Father because he knew his Father.

If we are to come to not just know about God, or worse, have some vague image of God as an idea, it is important that we spend time with and then we will truly know him and his will for our lives. It is imperative to make consistent time, to be still and open our minds and hearts to be present with God. True, God doesn’t only speak to us in our quiet and still moments. God engages with us in our everyday activities. When we are spending consistent time with him in quiet we will be more aware of and attuned to his presence. Otherwise, we can often miss or dismiss daily happenings with God.

Setting consistent, daily time, ideally the same time each day, will help us to slow down our pace. The first thing in the morning is best. We can slow down before we even get started. Start with five or ten minutes. If this is new, even those few minutes of breathing slow and sitting still can be a challenge. Just continue to show up!

As we begin to slow down more consistently, turn off the automatic pilot, set aside the gadgets, and step away from our harried pace, we will begin to discern and come to know God’s voice which he speaks in the silence of our hearts.

God invites us to move beyond our mere survival instinct and disposition of defense and reactions or settling into a comfortable and protected cocoon. God encourages us to be fully alive and to be engaged in the lives of others. How this takes shape will be different for each of us. We each have a particular and unique role to play in our collaboration with God, which we will come to know when we set aside and show up for some consistent time to pray just as Jesus did, by himself and in the quiet.

Photo: Experiencing God’s invitation to be still and rest awhile.

Link for the Mass readings for Tuesday, August 4, 2026

Keeping our eyes on Jesus will help us to walk through any storm!

“It is a ghost,” they said, and they cried out in fear. At once Jesus spoke to them, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” Peter said to him in reply, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus. (Mt 14:26-29).

This is one of my favorite Gospel accounts. I never tire of reading, praying and meditating with it. My spiritual director about a year ago gave me this reading to pray with during my holy hour. I stayed with the opening lines – “he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When it was evening he was there alone” (Matthew 14:23) – for about a month. I would go back to read the verse again at the beginning a few times and then just sit for the remaining hour in silence on the mountain top with Jesus. The time was a blessing as are those quiet hours with Jesus in whatever way he leads.

When you get past the initial verses, many times, many people focus on the fact that Peter quickly started to sink, but for that brief moment, a la, Wile E Coyote, … he “began to walk on the water toward Jesus.” Peter was walking on the water and I do believe this, as with the other miracles of the Bible happened. Often times, while I was still at the seminary, there was a great pond by the library. I often thought of seeing if I could walk across on those evening Rosary walks. Didn’t ever make the attempt. Oh me, of little faith!

The gift of this reading as well as with each of the readings of the Bible, are living and alive such that they can have an incredible impact on our lives when we read, meditate, and pray with them. Life is a struggle. Challenges, fears, trials, and conflicts pound at us like turbulent waves kicked up by strong winds. We may be tempted to be paralyzed by indecisiveness and begin to sink because of the weight of the pounding. Yet, when we trust in and keep our eyes on Jesus, who is present in the midst of our storms, we will overcome.

In many a top ten list of fears, I would guarantee that speaking in public consistently makes the top three. This is an area I have struggled with for much of my life. One incident happened about thirteen years ago as I had the opportunity to share my first reflection during my acolyte year of formation for the permanent diaconate. I must have prepared for three to five hours, writing and rewriting well into the wee hours of the morning the night before, most likely not getting to sleep until about “the fourth watch”.

Just before the morning liturgy, our director of formation informed me that there had been a last-minute change of plans and we were going to have different readings than what I had prepared for. He offered to give the reflection in my place, as well as gave me the option to continue and incorporate what I had planned into the new readings.

I chose to remain on course and offer the prepared reflection. As we processed in, I immediately regretted my choice. The winds and waves of anxiety started to batter me and continued their assault as I came up to read the Gospel. As I came to the end of the reading, a quiet peace settled over me. I then began to preach extemporaneously, ignoring my notes. There was an unexplainable feeling of peace and joy that welled up within me, and like Peter, for that brief moment, it was as if, I too was walking on water. Halfway through the reflection though, my mind directed me back to my prepared notes, and I lost the connection that I had just experienced. I sputtered a bit to the end but finished free of any major catastrophe.

After the service ended, I remained in my seat quietly for a second to catch my breath. My classmates Dennis, Hank, and Pete, who all knew how nervous I was going into this, swarmed around me like I had just touched home plate after a walk-off home run. I can still feel their group, bear hug.

JoAnn had appendicitis during her first-grade year of school. She missed a lot of her reading lessons but worse became very self-conscious from that time forward about reading aloud. During our husband/wife retreats each year, wives were given the opportunity to proclaim the reading during the Liturgy of the Hours and Mass. JoAnn did not feel comfortable nor did she want to do so but accepted the invitation. We prepared, she practiced ahead of time, and then she prayed to the Holy Spirit just as she approached the ambo. JoAnn felt faint and nervous but as she began to read, she felt a deep sense of peace fill her whole body. She was no longer fighting back nerves but tears of joy experiencing God’s presence.

There will be times when Jesus invites us to come out of our boat and step onto the water, he will call us to move out of our comfort zones. There are challenges much more intense than reading in public. No matter what waves arise though, may we trust Jesus and step out as Peter did. This will be a risk, and yes, there will be times that we will sink, just as Peter had done. But even when we sink, remember to do as Peter did, immediately call out to Jesus and he will immediately reach out and pull us up! Jesus was there for Peter, he has been there for JoAnn and me, and he will be there for you.

“Times of testing and adversity can show us where we are in our spiritual development and where we need to improve if we are to grow in Christian maturity” (Mitch and Sri). Whether we fail or succeed is not the end goal. It is that we trust in Jesus and grow in our faith and relationship with him. Doing so, we will then adjust and learn from our mistakes, and also learn to bring the distractions, diversions, anxieties, and fears that we may experience to Jesus as we keep our eyes on Jesus!

There may be something that you have been feeling led or encouraged to attempt, to start, to do, yet mental winds and waves have been rocking the stability of your boat. You may be in the midst of the storm as were the apostles. “Be not afraid! Come.” Step out of your boat, take the risk, keep your eyes on Jesus, and walk on the water!
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Photo: Wonderful memories walking around this lake each night while at St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary, even without walking on the water.

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

Link for the Mass readings for Monday, August 3, 2026

May our hearts be moved with the compassion of Jesus’ heart.

When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, and he cured their sick. (Mt 14:14).

The feast of the feeding of the five thousand was quite different from the birthday feast of Herod Antipas (Mt 14:1-12) that we read yesterday. Herod’s focus was on himself, not the welfare of the guests attending his banquet. Herod’s pride was on full display, and it culminated in his ordering the head of John the Baptist to be served up on a platter.

Jesus focused instead on those who gathered around him; “his heart was moved with pity for them”. Jesus “peered out across the vast human see of hunger and heartache that pressed in around him. However fatigued, Jesus made himself available to the sick and suffering” (Mitch and Sri, 189). Jesus was aware of their need, their hunger, not only for something to eat but a deeper spiritual hunger. He made himself available to them. Jesus taught, healed, and when that time ended instead of sending them off to fend for themselves, in the multiplication of the bread and fish, he met their most basic need for nourishment.

There is a stark contrast between the attitude of Herod and Jesus (cf. Mt 14:13-21). We can certainly see these two scenes playing out clearly in our country and the world today. The question for us is do we close ourselves off, embrace an indifference to those who are in need, and let others fend for themselves, or do we make an effort to be aware of the needs of those around us and attempt to be of help.

Mother Teresa said: “People are hungry for God. People are hungry for love. Are we aware of that? … Do we have eyes to see? Quite often we look but don’t see. We are all just passing through this world. We need to open our eyes and see” (Mother Teresa, 56).

We do not have to feed five thousand. The effort of putting our love into action for one person is a good way to begin. People often yearn for more than material need. They hunger to be seen, heard, and loved. Jesus, please grant us the eyes to see and to be more aware. Please help us to have compassionate hearts, and set our souls on fire with the Holy Spirit to put into practice acts of love. May we recognize with St. Mother Teresa that: “We are collaborators with Christ, fertile branches on the vine” (56).

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Photo: When we bring all we experience to Jesus and Mary, we will have a better chance to be moved with compassion.

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

Mother Teresa. No Greater Love. Edited by Becky Benenate, Joseph Durepos. Novato, CA: New World Library, 2001

Link for the Mass readings for Sunday, August 2, 2026

Who will we serve? Makes a difference.

Herod the tetrarch heard of the reputation of Jesus and said to his servants, “This man is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead; that is why mighty powers are at work in him.” (Mt 14:1-2).

After the death of Herod the Great (4 BC), one of his sons, Herod Antipas, was given a portion, a fourth, of his father’s kingdom by the Roman Emperor Augustus. Thus, Herod Antipas was the tetrarch of Galilee and Perea from 4 BC to 39 AD. Herod, like, Pontius Pilate, would hold power as long as he was a faithful servant to Rome.

News of the ministry of Jesus got back to Herod and he believed Jesus to be John the Baptist raised from the dead. What followed in today’s Gospel were some reasons why Herod arrested and unjustly beheaded John the Baptist. John was killed for speaking truth to power, as happened often in the long line of prophets before him. Jesus continued John’s ministry of calling for repentance, encouraging those who would listen to turn away from sin and turn back to the will of God. John suffered capital punishment at the hands of Herod Antipas and Jesus at the hands of Pontius Pilate. The Apostles and martyrs of the early Church followed John and Jesus, lived and proclaimed the truth publicly and courageously.

How are we living today? Are we faithful to the Gospel values that Jesus and the Apostles taught and were willing to die for? Do we serve Herod Antipas and Pontius Pilate or Jesus the Christ? Do we assume a defensive posture or open ourselves to love? Most of us are somewhere in between. The hope is that we are moving closer to knowing, loving, and serving God, being people of prayer and practice, allowing God to love us so we can heal, getting in touch with the particular charism and gift that God has given us, and loving one another as he has loved us.

It is important to stop and reflect on questions such as these, to examine our thoughts, words, and actions and determine who it is that we are truly serving. It is not easy living the teachings of Jesus. We will fall short but we must remember that God loves us more than we can ever mess up and it is through his love and power that we will fulfill his will. We just need to remember that we are his children and as his children we need to ask for his help. When we let go of holding onto our self reliance and instead surrender to God our Father, we strengthen the relationship we have been created for.

When we are also humble enough to allow the Holy Spirit to reveal to us our mistakes, failures, and sins, we will experience his forgiveness and mercy, we will become more open to truly knowing his will and how best to serve him and each other. Embraced by and participating in the Trinitarian Communion of love, let us recommit ourselves today to living as Jesus’ disciples, so we will grow in courage, follow his way, experience healing, so to better think, speak, and live his truth by promoting forgiveness, justice, love, mercy, and reconciliation in and out of season.
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St. Mother Teresa knew who she served – “I belong entirely to the heart of Jesus.” Photo credit: 1979 CNS/KNA and accessed from NCRonline.

Link for the Mass readings for Saturday, August 1, 2026

May we open ourselves to the wonder of God, creation, ourselves, and each other.

“Where did this man get such wisdom and mighty deeds? Is he not the carpenter’s son?” (Mt 13:54-55).

Jesus most likely worked as a carpenter. This was rough, menial work, and as a day laborer, a position that was looked down upon. We can even see evidence of this in the Gospel accounts. Mark describes Jesus as the carpenter, the son of Mary, Matthew in today’s account portrays Jesus as the carpenter’s son, and Luke and John just refer to Jesus as Joseph’s son, leaving out any reference to carpenter altogether. Most scripture scholars believe Mark was written first and if following that understanding, we can see a progression in the biblical tradition moving away from identifying Jesus as a carpenter.

Many people wonder what Jesus did from the age of twelve until he began his ministry around the age of thirty. Today’s reading can offer some insight into that question. Most likely, Jesus did nothing extraordinary, he was just as ordinary, if that, as any other first-century Palestinian Jew living in the small town of Nazareth, with a population of about 250 to 500 people.

Jesus’ return to his hometown and his teaching was first met with astonishment. The question then arose, “Where did he get such wisdom and how did he work such mighty deeds?” That the response to change moved to judgment so quickly could lead one to think that “the astonishment is not an expression of admiration but of suspicion and anger” (Curtis and Sri, 185). Who is he? Isn’t he just the carpenter of Nazareth, no better than any of us? In effect, “Who does he think he is?” Not only does this show that Jesus probably lived a very simple peasant life, but that Jesus’ social status was not very high.

The people’s hearts and minds of his hometown were closed to Jesus. THEY KNEW who he was and there was no way someone like him could do what they had heard, so they “took offense at him… And he did not work many mighty deeds there because of their lack of faith” (Mt 13:57-58).

How many times have we judged someone? Have we said to ourselves, “I know who he or she is.” We box them in, not as they are, but as WE see them, as we define or label them. We look at another individual not as a person with dignity, but as a two-dimensional caricature to satisfy our own prejudgments and lack of vision. We also do this to ourselves by limiting our potential when we say we can’t do this or that. Husbands and wives, having been married for years, can fall into the routine of everyday and not allow themselves to be surprised by one another, to wonder at what about each other they still don’t know!

Maybe we have had a similar experience as Jesus did in returning to his hometown, in that we have sought or are seeking to move beyond our particular social status, or follow a dream or career out of the norm of familial or community expectations. No matter our age, through no fault of our own, by pursuing this path some or many may feel threatened. Thus, not willing to accept our vision, those who are not willing to grow beyond what they have always known may meet us with misunderstanding, wariness, or even disdain.

I read an account from the writer/producer Stirling Silliphant regarding how one day Bruce Lee challenged him to run five instead of his usual three miles. Into their fourth mile, Stirling said, “if I run any more I’m liable to have a heart attack and die.” [Bruce] said, “Then die.” And then he ran off. Stirling was enraged at Bruce’s statement, that he finished the five miles. Afterward, Stirling approached Bruce and asked him why he said that.

Bruce replied, “Because you might as well be dead. Seriously, if you always put limits on what you can do, physical or anything else, it’ll spread over into the rest of your life. It’ll spread into your work, your morality, into your entire being. There are no limits. There are plateaus, but you must not stay there, you must go beyond them. If it kills you, it kills you. A man must constantly exceed his level” (p. 23).

Jesus consistently rebukes limiting attitudes and perspectives. His Father has a plan for our lives and so he invites us to open our minds and hearts, to see the potential he sees in us. Jesus, the carpenter, invites us to embrace the infinite possibilities that will arise when we participate in his life and love. With God there are no limitations. The villagers of Jesus’ hometown are said to have had a lack of faith or unbelief, and because of that limitation, Jesus “did not work many mighty deeds there” (Mt. 13:58). When Jesus challenged his disciples, he said that they had “little faith” (Mt. 14:31).

The disciples struggled to understand Jesus, but they were open to learning from Jesus. We just need a little faith to let Jesus in. If we are closed, if our hearts are hardened, Jesus will respect the boundary we have set. He will not go against our free will. If we give him just a little faith though, just as he was given and few loaves and fishes he fed thousands, Jesus will do wonders in our lives.

The Holy Spirit seeks to free us from the shackles that bind us, the limitations imposed upon us from without, as well as those we impose upon ourselves from within. Let us cooperate with the urgings of the Holy Spirit, to be free with each breath and step we take into embracing the freedom of the love of God. When willing to follow the lead of the Holy Spirit, receive and abide in the love of God, healing will begin, trust will arise, limiting attitudes can then give way to see ourselves and each other as beloved daughters and sons of our Father.
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Photo: At the end of each day, God gives us the invitation to pause, breathe, ponder the gift of his creation, and call to mind what and who we are grateful for.

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

Stirling Silliphant story accessed from Bruce Lee: The Art of Expressing the Human Body, compiled and edited by John Little. North Clarendon, VT: Charles E. Tuttle, Co., 1998.

Parallel Gospel accounts: Mark 6:3, Matthew 13:55, Luke 4:22, and John 6:42

Link for the Mass readings for Friday, July 31, 2026