32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time - November 8, 2009

Lectionary #155

1 Kings 17: 10-16
Hebrews 9: 24-28
Mark 12: 38-44



In 1904, a Franciscan Capuchin by the name of Solanus Casey was ordained as a priest. His journey to that moment had been difficult. He found the studies at the seminary difficult; and because his superiors judged his knowledge of theology as being weak, he was not given permission to preach or to hear confessions. After several assignments, he was assigned to a monastery in Detroit, where he was sacristan and porter. As porter, he greeted everyone who came to visit the monastery, ready to listen to their worries and concerns. He was able to offer a comforting word and a blessing. He was able to touch the hearts of hundreds of people. When Father Solanus died in 1957, about 20,000 people passed his coffin during his wake.

Father Solanus Casey was a man judged to have few talents, but he gave those talents to God and God’s children. Through grace, the Father took those talents, multiplied them and enabled Father Solanus to reach out and comfort, heal and inspire thousands of people. Each one of us has skills that we are good at, some of us are blessed with many talents, and some of us are blessed with a few. Jesus is asking us to offer them all for the glory of God, our Creator; and for the service of our brothers and sisters in Christ.

This can require courage, because it can be difficult to open ourselves and share all that we are with others. But all things are possible with God, so let us turn to him for that courage; ask that he send his Spirit to inspire us; his Son to strengthen us; so that we can contribute all that we have for the mission of the Church.

30th Sunday of Ordinary Time - October 25, 2009

Lectionary #149


Jeremiah 31: 7-9
Hebrews 5: 1-6
Mark 10: 46-52



Can anyone of us who have our eyesight, imagine what it must be like to be blind? To be living in total darkness? Imagine what it would be like in the time of Jesus; with none of the aids or support systems we have today for the blind. Some would be abandoned by their families, ashamed because they think God is punishing them for some unknown sin. Some of the blind would be like Bartimaeus, sitting on the roadside, hearing the sounds of the world going by them, calling out for some alms. They hope to hear the clatter of coins; they hope that no one will rob them of what little treasure they have.

We do not know how long Bartimaeus was blind, how long he had been sitting at that roadside. Whether he was despairing over how his life was turning out. Then one day he hears this commotion, he learns that Jesus of Nazareth, the famous healer and preacher is coming. He suddenly feels a spark of hope, and he grabs for it. He cries out, somehow inspired to call Jesus, “son of David.” Bartimaeus is brought before Jesus; he is asked what he wants Jesus to do for him. Now he has only heard stories about this Jesus; and there have so many so-called healers in Judea. But deep in his heart, he believes in this man from Nazareth, so he asks that he might see. It is that faith that saves him, he receives his sight and his world is forever changed. Now, his world is open to new opportunities, he can take any road now. He chooses to follow Jesus, who is “the Way, the Truth and the Life.”

We all suffer from some type of blindness, the blindness of prejudice, greed, hate, depression, and self-doubt. It is a blindness that keeps us from seeing the beauty of God’s creation; keeps us from seeing others as our brothers and sisters in Christ; keeps us from seeing how much the Father loves us. We all need healing; even though that healing may change us, change how we perceive the world and ourselves. And change can be scary; it can draw us out of our comfort zone. What we need then is the gift of faith. It is faith that causes us to get up and draw near to Jesus. It is faith give us that little spark of hope. It is faith that makes us ask Jesus to say, “Master, I want to see.”

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time - October 18, 2009

Lectionary #146

Isaiah 53: 10-11
Hebrews 4: 14-16
Mark 10: 35-45




One could say that James and John are the most clueless of Jesus’ disciples. And they are definitely slow learners. We have seen in the earlier readings from the Gospel of Mark, what it means to be a disciple of Jesus; what are the challenges and the sacrifices that are required. But James and John do not seem to get it, they are still looking to be above the others; they want to be Jesus’ “number one” guys. Jesus is blunt with them; he lets them know what will be required of them, what it will cost them to be his followers. James and John are still clueless; they should have remembered what Isaiah had written about the Messiah, how he was going to suffer, so that others may be saved. Jesus reminds them and the other Apostles that they are not to be like the rest of society, where everyone is continuously seeking power and prestige. No, they are to be servants to all people; that if one wanted to be the greatest of all, they would have to be “the slave of all.”

In our society today, we are constantly being bombarded with images and stories of people who are seeking fame, power, and wealth; and those who have it, are flaunting it. Our televisions are constantly showing us the lives of the rich and famous, the checkout counters of our stores are almost buried with magazines, papers, “scandal sheets,’ revealing every aspect of these “bright, young things” lives. And truth be told, all of us have a desire to be “top dog” in our own little part of the world, to have at least fifteen minutes of fame.

And there is Jesus telling us: “You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you.” We are all called to be servants, to one another, and to the rest of the world. This will require us to make sacrifices, let go our egos, give of our talents, time and treasure. We are inspired by the example of Jesus Christ; receive strength from his Body and Blood, so that we can give our lives for others.

27th Sunday in Ordinary Time - October 4, 2009

Lectionary #140

Genesis 2: 18-24
Hebrews 2: 9-11
Mark 10: 2-16


America has the reputation of being the most litigious country in the world. It seems that we need a contract, or some written document that covers every aspect of life. This is especially true of marriage, where we see pre-nuptial agreements becoming a regular practice. We see divorce attorneys becoming almost a numerous as marriage counselors. We are becoming a society where the idea of a permanent commitment to a relationship seems anachronistic.

But historically, that is how marriage has developed over the centuries. To many societies, both ancient and modern, marriage was seen as a contract, at first between the man and woman, then between a man and the woman’s family. It involved dowries, money, and land. Society would soon consider the woman as the man’s property. But when we read today’s passages from Genesis and the Gospel of Mark, we know that the marriage of a man and a woman is something more than just a contractual relationship, it something wondrous, awesome and holy.

I know it may not seem that way on days when we are arguing with our spouse over money, kids, and work. But despite that, the sacramental reality still exists, man and woman are one flesh, each unique, but both one. Both united to one another by God’s grace, and it is in opening oneself to that grace that can enable us to bear the troubles of life and stay united as one flesh.

26th Sunday in Ordinary Time - September 27, 2009

Lectionary #127



Numbers 11:25-29
James 5:1-6
Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48

When we hear the words from James as he rails against those rich persons who oppressed the poor, we most likely visualize persons like Bernard Madoff, the bankers with their huge bonuses, and the brokers who sold mortgages to poor people, pocketed their commissions and skipped town. We probably would say, “Preach it, Brother James, preach it!” But what if we realize that James is addressing his words to us? Then we would be thinking, “Now he’s stop preaching and gone to meddling!”

Now most of us would never act in ways that James in describing in the reading. We would never withhold wages from workers. We would never hoard wealth, never sharing it with those in need. We would never live in “luxury and pleasure,” while others live in poverty and squalor. Or have we? How often do we shop in stores that withhold compensation their workers are due? How often do we stand silently by while developers take over poor neighborhoods, building homes and condominiums, bringing in wealthy tenants and driving out the poor ones? How often do we fail to lift a finger or raise a voice for those who are oppressed in this world?

James was a prophetic voice in his time; we are called to be a prophetic voice in our times. We have seen how corporations, how people of wealth, through their political contributions, buy access to our political leaders. Their voices speak louder than the voices of those who are poor. God is calling us to be their voice, he calling us to fulfill the prophetic role we accepted when we were baptized into the Body of Christ. We need only open ours hearts to God, and he will send us his spirit, and we will prophesy.

25th Sunday in Ordinary Time - September 20, 2009

Lectionary #134

Wisdom 2: 12, 17-20
James 3: 16—4: 3
Mark 9: 30-37


“If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.”


“Numero Uno,” “Top Dog,” “King of the Hill.” It almost seems to be in our DNA, this desire to be ahead of the crowd, to be the Boss. We see it in other mammals. The “Alpha male and female” in a wolf pack. The stallions that fight each other to control the herd. The bull elephant seal, protecting his harem from all challengers. And in humans, we see this competitive streak, whether in sports, in the office, in business or politics, we all want to be recognized as the greatest.

This applies even to the disciples of Jesus Christ. They are small group, minuscule compared to the forces of the Roman Empire, or the priestly class of the Temple in the Jerusalem, yet they are arguing about which one of them is the greatest of this small group. One can picture Jesus holding his head and shaking it as he listens to this. He then sets the Apostles straight, and turns their world upside down. Contradicting everything they have experienced and learned in their society, they hear that to be the greatest, means to be the least, to be the leader means to be the servant.

This is an alien concept even in our own time. In the world of business, to be the greatest means to have the biggest office, the fanciest limo, the largest mansion, and the biggest bonus. Celebrities expect the best seating in restaurants, all their needs and desires to be taken care of. Even some leaders among the clergy expect to be treated like princes.

Jesus preached that we all are called to be servants to each other. Anyone who is called to be leaders in their fields of endeavor, need to remember that all the talents and strengths we have are gifts from God. And these gifts are meant to be used for the good of all.

24th Sunday in Ordinary Time - September 13, 2009

Lectionary #131

Isaiah 50: 4c-9a
James 2: 14-18
Mark 8: 27-35




When a charismatic leader is trying to entice people to join his or her movement, there are promises of rewards, glory, and the gratifications of desires. In Mark’s Gospel, Jesus has been acclaimed as the Messiah by Peter, but then he begins to describe the suffering he must undergo. Peter is shocked by this, and tries to let Jesus know that this is not the way to recruit and keep followers. Jesus then lets his followers know what it means to be his disciple. It means self-sacrifice for the sake of the Kingdom, even to the point of losing one’s life.

This is the challenge that Jesus lays before us, this is the question he asks, do we wish to be his disciple and follow him? To follow him means giving up our self-centeredness and loving God with our whole heart and mind, and loving others unreservedly. It means sharing all that we are, our talents, our gifts, and our wealth, with those who are in need. And it means bearing with our own weaknesses, pains, personal crises and troubles, and living the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Many people in our society today would not find this an attractive calling. They would be happy to accept the title “Christian,” and declare that they are a follower of Jesus, but continue to maintain their comfortable lives. We have seen though that many people can see through this rouse, and are turned off by the hypocrisy. Faith that is not lived is worthless, lifeless. We need to trust that God’s grace will give us the courage to really begin the gospel journey, give us the strength to pick up our individual cross’s and follow Jesus. The journey may be hard, with sacrifice called for along the way. But if we remain faithful to Jesus and his call, the journey will lead us to new life.