trust

Do we have the faith to be still?

“Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith” (Mark 4:40)?

Jesus asked this question of his apostles after he quieted the wind and the waves. These were seasoned fisherman, so for them this must have been quite the storm. They even thought that they were not going to survive it as the waves not only tossed their boat but it also began to take on more and more water. Then looking at Jesus, they turned to thinking that he was indifferent to their need, he didn’t care that they were perishing. Jesus cared. He slept because he trusted in his Father to take care of them.

The faith of Jesus in his Father was rock solid. The visceral threat of death did not shake his faith as it did his closest followers. This is the first time that they appeal to him as teacher. They are growing in their understanding of him, but they are not yet at the point of comprehending that he is the Son of God, who could even command the seas and to obeyed.

Jesus called his apostles and brought them into his inner circle so they could not only experience his teaching, healings, and exorcisms but also to get to know him as the Son of God. As with any relationships, this takes time, and their faith, their trust in him in all circumstances was still growing. But as we read yesterday, faith as small as a mustard seed, will bring large results. This would come to pass with the apostles as well in time.

We too may find ourselves in times of trouble. Our anxieties, fears, and insecurities are a good barometer of our faith in Jesus. Our emotions are human and good as they alert us to a real or perceived threats. The challenge is to discern the real from the perceived and to determine when the threat has passed and resist the temptation to play an unending loop in our minds that keep us stressed.

Where our emotions can present a problem is when we believe in, place our faith in, identify ourselves by them, react from and stay in the endless loop. We need to resist suppressing or feeding our emotions but instead, stop, breath, stretch and identify them. From a place of feeling safer, we can then address the immediate trigger. Trusting in Jesus in the face of our trials is also good step.

The apostles judged that he didn’t care instead of wonder how he could be sleeping through all this? Would he have brought them out into the deep to let them perish? Jesus quieted the their storm and he will help us to calm the real as well as the perceived storms in our lives. He can guide and empower us to sit with our emotions, get to the source of them, identify the deeper root causes, as well as if they are perceived or real, and then work through the them and the situation.

The apostles, did the right thing. They tried everything they could do to correct their dire circumstances, they judged incorrectly that Jesus didn’t care, but they still turned to him for help. We will be better off when we too continue to turn to Jesus in every situation. Our faith and trust in him will grow. We will heal, mature, and grow through the storms in our lives.

Easier said than done? Yes, for both our real and imagined storms. As we place our trust in Jesus, persevere, claim our authority in his name to renounce any attacks of the enemy, all things are possible!

Photo: As the clouds gather, the light still shines through. Taken on the way to celebrate a funeral Mass this morning. We need not fear death, for even it does not have the final say, Jesus does.

Link for the Mass readings for Saturday, January 31, 2026

In seeing and trusting in Jesus, we can experience peace and healing.

“Lord, now let your servant go in peace; your word has been fulfilled: my own eyes have seen the salvation which you prepared in the sight of every people, a light to reveal you to the nations and the glory of your people Israel” (Lk 2:29-32).

As Simeon receives Jesus in his arms to be consecrated to the Lord, he recognizes through the gift of the Holy Spirit that this child, is the one he and Israel have been waiting for. Simeon is witnessing the prophecy of Micah being fulfilled right before his eyes: “The lord whom you seek will come suddenly to his temple” (Micah 3:1). Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ. He has come to fulfill the Law and the Prophets as well as be a light to the Gentiles and to all the Nations.

These verses, called the Canticle of Simeon, as well as in Latin the Nunc Dimittis – from the first words of the canticle – now let depart, be dismissed, as offered above by Simeon, “now let your servant go in peace” was recorded by Luke and is recited each night by those of us who pray the Divine Office or the Liturgy of the Hours. They are prayed during Compline or Night Prayer, the last prayers before going to sleep.

The gift of reading a Gospel passage again and again is that when we are open, God can speak to us in deeper ways or help us to see something we have not seen before. We too can celebrate the birth of Jesus who is our savior, our fulfillment and our light also. We can see as Simeon saw, the face of God revealed before him and so he can go in peace. A good way to go to the land of dreams each night!

We are all invited to meditate with this same passage. We can enter the scene and, like Simeon, receive this child in our arms from Mary and Joseph. We too are invited to see the salvation that is offeredus, the invitation given to us. May we not run from the light of his truth, but may we embrace it so that we can be transformed. Let us glory in the joy of knowing that Jesus came to share his forgiveness, love, mercy, and grace, with each and every one of us. He is the promise of healing that we all need to realize and actualize in our lives.

Jesus invites but does not impose. This Christmas can be just another few days in a cycle of days that pass with no change, or we can immerse ourselves in the readings of this Octave of Christmas so as to take seriously the fact that Jesus is who he said he is, the one the prophets foretold, who the Apostles claimed him to be, and who the Church still announces him to be today: Jesus is the Christ the Son of the Living God. Do we also believe this truth?

I invite you to return to the meditation we started above and to hold the baby Jesus, our savior, in your arms as Simeon did. As you hold him look into his face, see his smile, the glint in his eye, and allow that exchange to melt away any sin of pride, lust, greed, envy, sloth, gluttony, prejudice, and/or wrath. Experience the warmth of his love radiate up from the depths of your soul to be filled with his joy to overflowing.

May we allow his gentle smile to penetrate those areas where we have not wanted to let anyone else in. Those places of pain, trauma, shame, grief, fear, and/or anxiety. In sharing our poverty, our imperfection, and to be willing to take off our masks, we can be loved in places we never thought possible. Let the image of Jesus’ smile be the healing salve that we did not even know we were seeking. As we trust in him and experience his healing, each night we then can go in peace, and each day we can rise and go forth to share that same smile and so radiate the love of Christ with those we encounter.

Painting: Arent de Gelder – the Song of praise from Simeon, ca. 1700-1710

Link of the Mass readings for Monday, December 29, 2025

To heal, we need to trust.

“You will be hated by all because of my name, but whoever endures to the end will be saved” (Mt 10:22).

Why are we talking about being hated the day after Christmas? One reason could be that Jesus, this baby whose birth we just celebrated is “the light that shines in the darkness” (Jn 1:5). The very reality of Jesus’ divinity exposes darkness, he is the very embodiment of Love that exposes evil and hatred.

St. Stephen, whose feast we celebrate today, and whose death we read about in the first reading from Acts, experiences his words personally. For he is killed for the sole purpose of speaking the Gospel. While during his persecution he sees and communicates how even the heavens open for him. The reaction to those who hear his words are infuriation and they then throw him out of the city and “stone him” (cf. Acts 7:54-59).

Stephen radiated the light, love, and wisdom of Jesus and like Jesus he was put to death. His persecutors felt threatened by the light instead of welcoming it and walking out of the darkness that held them bound. Jesus exposes the truth of those dark places within our own hearts, minds, and the very depth of our being as well. What is our response? Will we also reject the light, not aware that it is an invitation to healing and to wholeness?

We may wince at the luminous brightness of Jesus’ light and resist the intimacy of the love he seeks to share. We may unconsciously do so, because we have so often faced so much of the opposite; hurt, pain, betrayal, and lack of understanding or acceptance. Because of our past experiences we don’t want to be hurt again and so we assume a defensive crouch as the best way to protect ourselves. Unfortunately, we are protecting ourselves from the very One who can heal us from our wounds.

Yet, to be fully alive, we need to embrace the light, not hide from it. When we are open to the healing touch of Jesus and receive the gift of his light in our lives, we begin to die to our false self and the lies that we have believed. Allowing ourselves to breathe and rest in God’s loving presence helps us to heal, indentify, and allow Jesus to transform our vices into virtues. Once we allow ourselves to be loved by Jesus, we begin to recognize that we are turned in upon ourselves, and then we can adjust our posture and begin to open ourselves to him. We also begin to recognize that we are not the center of the universe.

As we follow the model of John the Baptist, St. Stephen, and the other saints, we become less so that Jesus becomes more in our lives. We too will face at times the same rejection that Jesus faced. We will be labeled crazy, out of step, simple-minded, irrational, and worse. Yet we are to resist returning to a defensive posture, to refuse to react in kind, but instead, to be present, call upon and trust in the Holy Spirit to give us the words to speak, and allow God to happen. We are to remain open, accepting of the person where they are and as they are, and share the same transformative mercy, love, and forgiveness that Jesus has offered to us.

Change, maturation, and growth is not easy. As disciples, we are to be disciplined and persevere, while at the same time remember that our redemption does not come from our own doing or will power alone. Our healing, restoration, and transformation comes when we are able to share our poverty, our weakness, and wounds with the divine healer. We begin to heal when we trust Jesus, even if only a little at first. When we accept his invitation to walk with him, let him in to our places of darkness, we will receive the healing salve of his love, mercy, and forgiveness.

Transformation is not a one-time event. Christmas is not just a day, it is not just a season. Christmas is a time to remember that Jesus came as an infant, as a savior that in no way is threatening. If we have not been able to trust Jesus, maybe imagine taking him into our arms as a baby and begin there. Allowing him to come close and hold him, will help our hearts and minds to soften and feel safe.

In becoming human in the most vulnerable way as a fetus in the womb of Mary, as an infant in a violent world, Jesus lived and thrived because he trusted in Mary and Joseph and his Father. When we trust in God and begin to know him as a person, we will see his guidance not as a threat, but as a way when we might experience no way. We can begin to experience peace even when in times of conflict and even persecution. We can resist the temptation to react in kind and instead follow the lead of the Holy Spirit for each thought, word, and action we choose.

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Photo: To learn to trust, we need to first learn to breathe and slow down. Christmas Eve in between Masses.

Link for the readings for Friday, December 26, 2025

Joseph and Mary trusted, followed the will of God, and gave us our Savior.

Joseph had an interesting twenty-four hour period. First, he learned that his betrothed, Mary, was “with child”. Betrothal in ancient Judaism was not what we think of today as being engaged. Betrothal is the first step in the marriage process in which the man and wife give consent to marry before at least two witnesses. The wife remains with her family while the husband builds a home for them. Once the time for the second stage of the marriage arrives, they will celebrate for about a week and then at the end, there is a procession of the husband and wife and all present that leads to their home. The couple enters their new home and consummate the marriage.

The key point is that even in the first stage of the marriage, the betrothal period, the couple is considered to be married and have formed a covenantal bond. If on the night of marriage it was uncovered that the woman was not a virgin or that she had conceived a child with another man, the punishment could be as severe as stoning. Although, by the time of the Roman occupation, it was not allowed for the Jews to enact capital punishment. This is why the Jewish leadership brought Jesus to Pilate to get permission for his crucifixion and why the crucifixion was enacted by the Roman centurions.

Providing this context may help us better understand that when Joseph hears the news from Mary that she is pregnant, and knowing that he was not the biological father he decided, to “divorce her quietly.” This could have been because he did not believe Mary, that she conceived this child through the power of the Holy Spirit. He also could have believed Mary, recognizing this was a miracle, but did not feel himself worthy to take on this roll. Either way or if there was some other thoughts swirling in his brain, before being able to act on his decision, the angel Gabriel had a few things to say.

“Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home” (Mt. 1:20). Gabriel confirmed Mary’s story and was asking Joseph to fulfill his vow to Mary and to commence with completing the second stage of their marriage. Gabriel also called Joseph, “Son of David.”

These words reveal that the royal line of David did not die out at the destruction of the Temple in 587 BC at the hands of the Babylonians. Joseph was an heir to the throne of David. Gabriel continued, “You will name him Jesus” (Mt. 1:21). In calling Joseph to name Jesus, even though he was not his biological father, meant that he was asking him to adopt him legally and that meant he was just as much his son as if by blood. Meaning that Jesus would be part of the royal lineage and an heir to the throne as Joseph was.

The end of Gabriel’s message was the most powerful. Jesus or Yeshua in Aramaic, means God or the LORD saves, and this son of Joseph and Mary was not just to be the long awaited Messiah, he is: “Emmanuel, which means ‘God with us'” (Mt. 1:23) and he be the savior of the children of God, he would save them from their sins. If Joseph did not know how to respond to Mary’s version of her account, what about now? Joseph followed Gabriel’s opening line and was not afraid. Joseph fulfilled his word, trusted in God, fulfilled the second stage of marriage, and was willing, ready and able to provide and protect his young family from the challenges that were about to unfold.

Both Joseph and Mary awaited the coming of the Messiah just as so many of their kinsmen, yet neither could believe the part they were asked to play in being the parents of the Son of God. Yet, once they were clear of the plan that God had for them they faithfully assumed their responsibility. Because of Joseph and Mary’s faith and trust in God, their ascent to follow the will of God, the second person of the Trinity, the Son of God, took on flesh and became man in the virgin womb of Mary.

As Jesus would later speak during his public ministry, “Blessed are those who hear the word of God, and observe it” (see Luke 11:28). Joseph and Mary did just that and continued to do so with each thought word and deed going forward. They are models for us and Jesus their Son is more than a model, but the one who saves us, gives us the strength, guidance, and hope when we may feel weak, lost, or experiencing sorrow.

There are so many anonymous people within and without of the Church who are just like Mary and Joseph. They quietly and diligently go about their daily lives as pencils in God’s hands. They are not only open to hearing but also following the guidance of the Word of God. They ascent to the truth and follow through with their actions. They may not have even be aware of the profound effect that their choices have had on others.

Throughout the Bible, God calls those who are not necessarily worthy, but humble and willing to play their part in salvation history. Each one of us is invited to participate as well. If our heart aches about a particular issue and we may wonder why God does not intercede and correct a certain situation, he may be convicting our conscience, moving our hearts to compassion. The injustice that tugs at our heartstrings could be an invitation from the Holy Spirit to be the hands and feet of Jesus to help to make right what has gone wrong.

Mary and Joseph waited with great expectation for the Messiah, never in their wildest dreams would they have imagined that they would play a central role in his birth. Never would they have dreamed that he would be more than the Messiah, he would be “Emmanuel, God with us.” Jesus remained fully divine while he became fully human. If it were not for the care, guidance, and support of Mary and Joseph, things would have gone badly for Jesus and for us all.

May we allow our hearts and minds to be conformed to the movement of the love of Holy Spirit as did Mary and Joseph. Jesus, Mary, Joseph, and the saints have paved the way of salvation history for us to follow. We are invited to walk on, even if with baby steps in the beginning, and play our part by daily allowing each thought, word, and action to be filtered by the Holy Spirit so that we can engage in small acts of great love with each choice we make.

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Painting: “All is Calm” by Gabriel Heaton from havenlight.com

Link for the Mass readings for Sunday, December 21, 2025

May we trust the guiding light of God and follow his lead.

The Gospel of Luke and today’s first reading from the Book of Judges both continue the theme of divine intervention through angelic messengers and the message they convey is new life. The wife of Manoah, not named, and Zechariah, the husband of Elizabeth, both receive the message of an impending birth. The miraculous claim here is that both women are beyond child bearing age. These accounts also bring to mind the blessing of the conception of Isaac in the womb of Sarah, wife of Abraham.

For women of ancient Israel, being barren was a tremendous cause for shame; for many women, their worth was defined by their ability to bear children. This was in evidence in the words of Elizabeth. When she was aware she had conceived she said, “So has the Lord done for me at a time when he has seen fit to take away my disgrace before others.” (Lk 1:25). Her shame and anguish, her long period of barrenness, through the words of Gabriel were coming to an end.

Many women today feel similar anguish and shame in that they desire to have a child and are not able to. There are many reasons for infertility, but there may also be a plan that God has in place that is not readily apparent at the time. One may be God’s timing, for Mary it was too soon! For Manoah’s wife and Elizabeth it was about time! But in each case God had his plan and timing in mind. For some women there may be another way of serving other than being a birth mother.

Adoption or foster parenting of children who are in desperate need of safe, stable homes are direct options. Some more indirect ways could be assisting in caring for nieces and nephews, cousins, teaching catechesis or working with youth groups. Other ways to serve could be through more time consuming active ministries, vocations, or jobs. There can also be underlying medical conditions as well as the stress of trying too hard. I know of two occasions in which each couple adopted, shortly thereafter, both couples were blessed to conceive a child. I cannot imagine wanting to give birth to my own child and not be able to do so, nor can I imagine the inner anguish that may cause. I do believe that God has a plan for each of us and when we align ourselves with his will we will truly be happy and fulfilled.

Advent is a time of waiting and anticipation. There are periods of waiting in all of our lives and we can certainly feel impatient with God and ourselves. We have certain expectations, intentions, and plans that we would like to see fulfilled, but often are not capable of seeing far enough down the road to notice if those plans are apparent or actual goods. The light at the end of a tunnel could actually be a train!

When we remain faithful like Manoah’s wife, Elizabeth, and Mary, and resist the temptation to go off on our own, while seeking to understand God’s will, we will find fulfillment and joy better than we could ever imagine on our own. Each of us are called in our own unique way to bear Christ to a worn and weary world desperately in need of new life!

We will also enjoy the time of waiting more when we believe that God has our best intentions in mind and that following his will is the best course of action. In the remaining days of Advent, let us trust that God is preparing us for something even greater than we can ever hope for or imagine!

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Photo: God will give us enough light to see a few steps ahead. When we walk those steps, he will offer some more light for the next few.

Link for the Mass readings for Thursday, December 19, 2025

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, please help us to follow the will of God as you did.

Joseph heard the news that Mary, his betrothed, was with child. In ancient Judaism, a betrothal was the first stage of marriage in which the couple exchanged their consent before at least two witnesses. They were considered to be legally married and yet the woman would still live in her home for up to a year. The second stage happened when the bride moved into the groom’s home and they consummated the marriage.

In Matthew sharing the information that Joseph and Mary were betrothed, indicated that the child was not biologically Joseph’s. Matthew does disclose the thoughts or emotions of Joseph about what he felt when he found out this news. Whatever inner turmoil he had, he chose not to bring Mary’s case to a public hearing, he did not want expose Mary to any shame. He was not going to make a public spectacle of Mary, but instead decided to “divorce her quietly.” Before he made his final decision though, Joseph made an excellent choice regarding the discernment of serious matters. He slept on the idea before acting.

During Joseph’s sleep, the angel of the Lord delivered a message. “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins” (Mt 1:20-21). When Joseph awoke, he was obedient to the angel of the Lord. Joseph was willing to change his mind and took his wife into his home (Mt 1:24).

We may hear this so many times, we may miss the power of Joseph’s choice. He could have felt anger that the child was not his own and that Mary was unfaithful, which is what most of us go to when we read this account. There is another interpretation of the “reverential fear view,” which “was held by Sts. Thomas Aquinas, Bernard, Basil, and Ephraim. In this view, Mary told Joseph about her conceiving by the Holy Spirit and he responds with religious awe over the mystery of what God is working in Mary” (Curtis and Sri, 44). Joseph, like many of the prophets when encountering the work of God concretely do not feel worthy to follow through on what is being asked of him.

We don’t know what was going through Joseph’s mind before the angel, but we do know that he as did Mary once he was clear of God’s will trusted in God’s will, and “that has made all the difference” to quote Robert Frost’s poem, “The Road Not Taken.” Because of Mary and Joseph’s, “yes”, to God and to family, the Son of God became man and opened up heaven for us in the humanity he assumed.

God often works in the same way when dealing with us. What may appear to be absurd, unimaginable, or downright impossible, is indeed possible when we align our will with God’s will. This is the week of Joy in Advent.

The source of joy does not come from external experiences but from an encounter with and acceptance of God’s invitation. Joy is an experience of communion with the love of God. This has been given to us in greater measure because Jesus became one with us, and so upon his ascension into heaven, we too can experience the loving communion he experiences with his Father. We can also experience the love of the Holy Spirit in our encounter with family and friends, this exchange of giving and receiving of ourselves in conversation, shared experiences, and in resolving challenges and conflicts together.

Mary and Joseph both received incredible news, that neither of them fully comprehended. They could have easily responded in a different way. They could have given into very real fears. Instead, they trusted in and obeyed God, they chose family, and because they did, we can rejoice not just during this week but we can rejoice always! The same God who sought out Mary and Joseph has a plan for us as well.

Mary and Joseph followed God’s lead and were willing to allow their unborn child, Jesus, to come to full term. Because they were willing to risk public ridicule and worse, Jesus entered into our human condition. There may be a difficult situation we are dealing with, we may feel like we are on our own, and that there is no way out, and/or no help on the horizon. God will make a way when there appears to be no way, and reveal it to us through his Son. We may not understand either, but like Mary and Joseph, let us trust in God, one another.

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, please intercede on our behalf this Advent Season such that we will resist the temptation of taking each of our family members for granted, and instead give others the benefit of the doubt, appreciate and be thankful for one another. Help us to react less and breathe deeply more. Help us to be more understanding, patient, and willing to forgive, such that even though we have experienced past hurts, conflicts, disagreements, and different points of view, we may ultimately experience time and again the joy of being there for one another, through thick and thin.

Photo: Blessed to spend time with the Holy Family each evening for my holy hour.

Link for the Mass readings for Thursday, December 18, 2025

“I will give you rest.”

Verses that we read, such as: “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest” (Mt 11:28) really hit the spot, they arrive at the right time. I am sure that if you are reading these words you may also welcome Jesus’ invitation. Yet what is the labor and burden that we need to rest from? Teachers, administrators and students, of which I was a part for decades are coming into crunch time now as the end of the quarter or term is so much closer. Those in other occupations also work long hours, and sometimes, two or three jobs, just to get by.

Many also who oversee and care for their home, others with children, elder parents, family members, and dealing with family issues that can be enormous, especially at this time of year. Add to the above Christmas preparations: decorating, putting up lights, shopping, buying presents, cooking, baking, writing and mailing Christmas cards can also add to feeling weighed down.

Unfortunately, there are way too many who are not so much burdened by work but the lack of access to gainful or meaningful employment. They are burdened with keeping the bills paid and a roof over their heads as the temperatures fall. Some have no home or family, they are burdened with getting from day to day, seeking ways to get food, clean clothes, a place to wash and relieve themselves. Christmas cards are a distant thought. Many others are burdened and living in fear that they or their family member or members may be deported.

Speaking of fear, how many of us are burdened by fear, anxiety, stress, and strain from a myriad of swirling reasons? Concerns about our family, community, country, and the world are a burden that can also weigh heavily. Advent and Christmas, even when life is more stable, are still times in which many buttons can be pressed and many stressors can be triggered. What is the adage that is offered when family and friends gather? Resist talking about politics, religion, and… we all can add a few others.

If you are feeling weary and worn as we draw close to the midway point of this Advent Season, it is a good opportunity to make some time to just stop and take a slow, deliberate breath. Notice your shoulders coming out of your ears. Embrace the invitation of Jesus and rest in him. Allow the burdens to come to mind, then visualize yourself giving them to Jesus, open yourself to his guidance, ask for his help for the day to day challenges, and seek who may be best able to assist you in any particular situation. Slowing down may help us to become more aware of any sins that we feel burdened by. This is a good time to rest and trust in the forgiveness of Jesus and confess to him in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Jesus will forgive you and bring you a lightness and fresh start!

Our God “does not faint or grow weary, and his knowledge is beyond scrutiny. He gives strength to the fainting; for the weak he makes vigor abound” (Isaiah 40:28-29). We do not have to deal with anything alone. We have help and support. My friend, Pastor Jerry Scott, taught me years ago a life lesson which I still return to, more often now as I begin my sixth decade. When a person is chopping down a tree, exerting a lot of energy and effort, but finding the results insufficient, he or she needs to realize that they need to step back, take a breath, and sharpen their ax. With a little rest, renewal, and a sharpened blade, the job can be accomplished sooner.

Let’s figuratively do the same daily with each of our endeavors. Let’s resist just putting our heads down and plowing through with blinders on and instead take some time to stop and assess from time to time what we need, where we need help, and yoke ourselves to Jesus for his guidance and strength. Sometimes, making time to breathe and plan, we can use our time more efficiently.

When we choose to intentionally breathe more, we can react less. We can bring our challenges to Jesus and he will help us to carry the burden, as we follow his will, we can work smarter instead of harder. In developing a pattern and place of trust and hope in him, seeking his guidance and direction this Advent, we will renew our strength and soar as with eagle’s wings; we will run and not grow weary, we walk and not grow faint (cf. Isaiah 40:31)!

Photo: Spending time outside, taking some breaths, and trusting in God, can do wonders.

Link for the Mass readings for Wednesday, December 10, 2025

“In no one in Israel have I found such faith?” How about with us?

Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith. I say to you, many will come from the east and the west, and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the banquet in the Kingdom of heaven” (Mt 8:10-11).

Nowhere else in the Gospel of Matthew is Jesus recorded as being amazed. Jesus was amazed with this man’s faith. Could he also have been amazed with his humility and his willingness to seek help for his slave? This Roman centurion, an occupying presence in Israel, clearly embodied the teachings of Jesus! We echo this centurion’s own words at each Mass just before we receive the glorified Body of Christ in the Eucharist: “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.”

I would imagine that those around Jesus and the centurion were amazed as well. Here comes this commander of an occupying army of their land and he asks Jesus for this favor. Then if this is not unthinkable enough, he asks Jesus to heal a slave, and with his word from afar. Jesus recognizes the faith of this man and said, “You may go; as you have believed, let it be done for you” (Mt 8:13). The slave was healed. Jesus, in this generous gift of healing, showed that he came, yes, to the Jews, but also to the Gentiles and the slaves as well.

God chose the people of Israel not for themselves alone, but that they would be a light to all peoples. As Isaiah said, all nations shall stream toward mount Zion and “from Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem” (see Isaiah 2:1-5). Jesus echoes Isaiah’s prophetic words as is recorded in today’s Gospel: “Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith. I say to you, many will come from the east and the west, and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the banquet in the Kingdom of heaven” (Mt 8:11). The centurion’s act of faith is the beginning movement, like a drop of water that is the beginning of a majestic waterfall.

The first point we can learn from the centurion is that he was aware that his slave was in need. A slave held no dignity, value, or worth, and yet, he was not invisible to the centurion. Nor was the centurion indifferent to his suffering and pain. Are we aware of those in our midst who are in need? Let us resist the temptation to walk around, over, or by others and be willing to come close as Jesus did time and again.

Second, like the centurion, let us embrace humility and acknowledge our own sinfulness, and when we do that, we are better able to see the needs of others. None of us are perfect. No one person is above any other and all of us fall short of the glory of God. We all have gifts as well as shortcomings. We need each other because we complement one another and we are stronger together than apart.

Third, we cannot stand on our own. The centurion recognized his limitations. He acknowledged that he needed help. He needed Jesus. As do we. We cannot accomplish our salvation on our own merit or will power. We need a savior. Apart from Jesus, who we prepare to encounter this Advent season, we can do nothing, but with Jesus all things are possible.

Jesus is the Truth and the Fulfillment that we seek. He has sent out a universal invitation of communion, to Israel first and then to those from east and west, north and south, Jew and Gentile, slave and free, male and female. The Roman centurion modeled our response to Jesus’ presence when he recognized and acknowledged his own unworthiness before Jesus. He was also aware of and sought healing for his slave. The centurion had faith and hope that Jesus could and would provide healing with just his word.

May we follow his example this Advent as we take time to examine our conscience, have the humility to confess our sins, to acknowledge that we need help from Jesus and others. May we be willing to seek forgiveness and be willing to forgive. May we be willing to resist the temptation of fearing that we are unable and unworthy, close ourselves off, and be indifferent to the plight our own needs and needs of others, but instead, seek Jesus for help for ourselves and others.

Jesus was amazed with the faith of the centurion, is he amazed with our’s? We have so much to offer one another when we are willing to work together instead of apart from or against one another. May we who have received the forgiveness, healing, and grace of Jesus and felt the embrace of his love, reach out to provide hope to those of our family and friends, as well as those Jesus is calling us to draw closer to, those we may have kept at arm’s length.

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Painting: A quiet moment in between Masses Sunday, God coming close. “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.”

Link for the Mass readings for Monday, December 1, 2025

No matter what is on the horizon, Jesus will guide us through.

While some people were speaking about how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings, Jesus said, “All that you see here– the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down” (Lk 21:5-6).

As we read yesterday, Jesus observed the widow donating her two coins. Today Jesus observes those who are commenting about the wonders of Herod’s temple. Jesus responds by sharing, as did Jeremiah, that the temple will fall, and not a stone upon another stone will be left. The reality of this statement would come to pass in 70 AD when the Romans destroyed the temple and crushed the Jewish rebellion during the Jewish War from 66-70 AD. The only significant remnant of the temple still to this day is the outer retaining wall, also known as the Wailing Wall.

The people of the ancient Near East certainly witnessed and passed on tales of the rise and fall of mighty kingdoms beginning with Egypt’s impressive reign from about 3,000 to 721 BC, followed by Assyria who then gave way to Babylon. The Babylonian army would destroy Solomon’s temple as predicted by the prophet Jeremiah. The Persians would then overtake the Babylonians and push west only to be repelled by the unification of the Greek city-states under the Macedonian Philip and then his son Alexander the Great who would continue south and east all the way to India. The massive Greek empire would then give way to Rome. Rome would then fall in 476 AD.

As each empire fell, and especially during the fall of Rome, there was a great concern that the end of the world drew nigh. Throughout the ages up until the present day, nation has continued to “rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom…” and the world has experienced “powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues from place to place” (Lk 21:10-11). Each made their historical impressions on those who lived through them. There has also been a plethora of end of the world predictions from the ancients up to the more well known modern prognosticators such as Jeane Dixon, Pat Robertson, a handful of predictors around 2000, and more recent but also slipping into the rearview mirror of doomsday prophesies, Harold Camping. He caught a lot of attention with his prediction of the end of the world that was to have happened on October 21, 2011.

As of this typing, we are still here. The Gospels of Mark and Matthew record Jesus addressing the same concern of those questioning him: “But of that day or that hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (see Mark 13:32 and Matthew 24:36, RSV translation). In Luke’s presentation from today’s Gospel, he moves further away from Mark and Matthew’s eschatological or end of times talk and spoke more toward the destruction of the temple.

We have a few more days of Luke and Ordinary Time to go before the end of the liturgical year. Kingdoms have and will continue to rise and fall (hopefully not in these next few days). Abuse of power continues to lead to many who are displaced from war, terrorism, violence. Many reach out to provide compassion and support but there is never enough help. Many are enamored by our technological ingenuity and advancements, as were those who were admiring the adornment of Herod’s temple. Are we in the final days? Only the Father knows.

Yet, we are not to be anxious about tomorrow as Pope Francis encouraged those in his homily when he spoke at Tokyo Stadium in Japan a few years ago. We are to seek first the kingdom of God and “to re-evaluate our daily decisions and not to become trapped or isolated in the pursuit of success at any cost… [that] leave us profoundly unhappy and enslaved, and hinder the authentic development of a truly harmonious and humane society”.

When we place our hope and trust in Jesus, the Son who knows the Father, he will guide us through any challenge and strengthen us against any storm. Let us risk feeding the temptations of anxiety and worry. Instead may each thought, word, and action pass through the filter of a deep slow breath and seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit. As we do so, we will know Jesus, his voice, and the will of the Father better. We will be able to abide and rest in God who is our refuge and strength no matter what comes.

Photo: Jesus Christ, our King, fights for us.

Link for the Mass readings for Tuesday, November 25, 2025.

She gave all.

In the Gospel of Luke, we return to the widow we read about recently. She came to the Temple in Jerusalem as others came to share their offerings. These offerings were placed in the Shofar-chests in the Court of Women near the Temple. Scholars recognize that there were thirteen chests and each one was for a specific offering that ranged from annual dues, sacrificial offerings, and freewill offerings.

As Jesus pointed out, most of those who were giving, gave out of their excess, but this widow, who most likely had no support as her husband had died, gave all that she had in giving her last two coins. What her offering was for or why, we do not know, but in doing so, she showed a radical trust in God. She did not even hold back one of the coins. She instead gave all.

The widow sacrificed all she had, as did another, the widow of Zarephath, who gave her last oil and flour to Elijah (see 1 Kings 17:7-24). Each of them as well as all those who have trusted and been faithful to God throughout the ages followed the commandment of Jesus to love God with their whole heart, mind, soul, and strength and their neighbor as themselves. They resisted the temptations that could have lead them astray and instead placed all their trust and faith in God.

There are many distractions and diversions that can lead us astray, temptations from without and within. A false security in wealth is one Jesus talks about often. Jesus himself would give even more. He gave all of himself, holding nothing back as he gave himself on the cross. Jesus died for us so that we can be free to give.

There are those of his followers that were willing to do the same such as St. Andrew Dung-Lac and 116 others whose memorial we celebrate today because from 1820-1862 they were willing to give their lives in Vietnam. May they and those who have gone before us, the triumphant saints who now reign with Jesus Christ our King, who is seated at the right hand of the Father, intercede for, guide, and empower us. May we allow ourselves to be drawn by the tender chords of the Holy Spirit’s love to grow in trust and be as faithful to God as they were.

Painting: “The Widow’s Mite” by James C. Christensen

Link for the Mass readings for Monday, November 24, 2025