FrNikola

10th Week of Ordinary Time, Tuesday, Year II

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The widow in today’s First Reading shows great faith that her act of charity toward Elijah will not cost her life or the life of her son. The effects of the drought that Elijah announced on the Lord’s behalf in yesterday‘s First Reading are now taking effect, and Elijah himself no longer has a source of water as a result. Sometimes we believe that the Lord’s service shouldn’t have a personal cost, but circumstances put it directly on our lap. Elijah and the widow have to make a decision, and they decide to believe in the Lord. As a result, both are provided for, as well as the widow’s son.

The simple belief and trust that God will provide is enough make our lives like the salt and light Our Lord describes in today’s Gospel. When we trust in God to provide we are more generous, and that generosity is a great light in a world that is at times darkened by those concerned about their immediate interests and future. No one knows their future, but if we work with God, we know it will be a bright future.

Let’s pray today for the generosity to be a light in the world of hope.

Readings: 1 Kings 17:7–16; Psalm 4:2–5, 7b–8; Matthew 5:13–16. See also 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B and 10th Week in Ordinary Time, Tuesday.

10th Week of Ordinary Time, Monday, Year II

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In the Beatitudes of today’s Gospel Our Lord encourages those suffering persecution for being witnesses to him, comparing their mission in adversity to that of the prophets. Even today Christians have a prophetic mission, described by the constitution Lumen Gentium (n. 35):

“Christ, the great Prophet, who proclaimed the Kingdom of His Father both by the testimony of His life and the power of His words, continually fulfills His prophetic office until the complete manifestation of glory. He does this not only through the hierarchy who teach in His name and with His authority, but also through the laity whom He made His witnesses and to whom He gave understanding of the faith and an attractiveness in speech so that the power of the Gospel might shine forth in their daily social and family life. They conduct themselves as children of the promise, and thus strong in faith and in hope they make the most of the present, and with patience await the glory that is to come. Let them not, then, hide this hope in the depths of their hearts, but even in the program of their secular life let them express it by a continual conversion and by wrestling ‘against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness.'”

Elijah in today’s First Reading prophesied a lack of rain and went into hiding at the Lord’s command with the promise of the Lord’s support. There are many Christian refugees in the world simply because they let the power of the Gospel “shine forth in their daily social and family life.” Let’s pray and work to aid our persecuted Christian brothers and sisters and also be bold in proclaiming the Gospel in our daily life.

Readings: 1 Kings 17:1–6; Psalm 121:1b–8; Matthew 5:1–12. See also All Saints and 10th Week in Ordinary Time, Monday.

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9th Week of Ordinary Time, Saturday, Year II

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In today’s First Reading Paul encourages Timothy to proclaim the word, and not just in favorable conditions. Timothy would face adversity; people would prefer easier, apparent truths to the truth they needed for their salvation.

This mission is a question of attitude as much as it is duty. In today’s Gospel one person gets it right: the widow, who is generous and gives her very livelihood. The scribes do things for the prestige involved, and the rich to a certain degree as well, since they are only giving out of their surplus. We may not have the same mission as Timothy, but we can have the same attitude as the poor widow: sharing our talents with sacrifice and devotion to those who need them.

Let’s ask Paul and Timothy to intercede for us today so that we can use out talents boldly for the cause of the Gospel.

Readings: 2 Timothy 4:1–8; Psalm 71:8–9, 14–15b, 16–17, 22; Mark 12:38–44. See also  34th Week in Ordinary Time, Monday, 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B, and 9th Week in Ordinary Time, Saturday.

 

Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Cycle C

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In today’s Gospel today Our Lord reminds us that he doesn’t want to leave even one soul unturned. He encourages us to go out from the ninety-nine sheep even to find one lost sheep. When someone is conducting a search, as the expression goes, they leave no stone unturned. Our Lord is telling us that we must leave no soul unturned. The word “conversion” literally means, in the original Latin, “turning around.” Every soul that turns back to him causes a celebration in Heaven, because, as Our Lord describes it in the words of the Prodigal Son’s father: “your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.”

The First Reading reminds us that this is so important to God that he personally takes charge of leaving no soul unturned. The first part of the prophecy of Ezekiel laments that the shepherds of Israel (the kings), had watched over their stomachs more than their flocks, so the Lord takes charge. A little later in this prophecy the Lord says, “I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd. And I, the LORD, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them; I, the LORD, have spoken.” When we put this into New Testament language, we are talking about a Father and Son operation. The Holy Spirit is involved too, inspiring Ezekiel, and pouring God’s love into our hearts, as the Second Reading reminds us today.

The Second Reading also reminds us that there is only one motivation for being our shepherd and laying down his life for us: love. The hired hands run for it when the wolves start showing up. Vigilantes leave no stone unturned and take personal charge of justice when they search for a criminal, but Our Lord does something incredible with the “criminal” instead: he dies for that criminal to be reconciled to God. He takes the penalty, the scourges, the death sentence. If the sheep is far away from the flock, Jesus throws himself right into the jaws of the wolf so that someday that sheep may live. If a soul doesn’t turn after that, nothing will turn it.

The Song of Songs reminds us, “love is strong as death, … Its flashes are flashes of fire, a most vehement flame. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it. If a man offered for love all the wealth of his house, it would be utterly scorned” (Songs 8:6-7). You cannot put a price on love—no paycheck, no bounty. Knowing this makes the words of the Psalm our own: The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want. Even if we have a part in helping lead sheep back to the head Shepherd, we remain sheep and he remains our Shepherd. That should fill us with gratitude and trust in him. Even when we walk in the dark valley filled with fear of evil. We must lead others to him, and let ourselves be led by him in everything we do. Conversion is a life-long process for us all. Jesus doesn’t just come running by to give us directions when we’re lost and then speed off to the next lost sheep. He gathers us together and leads us to rest and greener pastures and through those dark valleys, so we have to let him continue to turn our souls toward him. Let’s help him leave no soul unturned.

Readings: Ezekiel 34:11–16; Psalm 23:1–6; Second Reading Romans 5:5b–11; Luke 15:3–7. See also 31st Week in Ordinary Time, Thursday and Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

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9th Week of Ordinary Time, Thursday, Year II

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In today’s First Reading Paul reminds us that while you can imprison bearers of the truth, the truth itself can never be contained. The truth that remains free in Paul’s mind, even while he sits in prison, is to remember Jesus Christ, that he has risen from the dead, and that he is the Messiah, descended from King David. In these few words he reminds us of the truth on which we should focus and to which we should bear witness: Jesus Christ is the Savior and has conquered death. No prison can diminish that truth. Paul endures everything because of that truth, because it translates into his mission as well, and his mission continues even in chains when he offers his sufferings for others, just as we can.

Due to this truth we are the beneficiaries of promises. If we die in Christ, we will live in him too. Through fidelity to the truth in his service any trials and difficulties we face will one day draw to an end. Our core mission is to give witness to him; he watches over and cares for his own, even when they fall away from caring about him. The Gospel message is simple. It can be difficult, but by adhering to its core we will help spread the Good News and not get bogged down in debates. The measure of that is recalled in today’s Gospel: love for God and love for neighbor.

Examine your life today and see whether you’ve denied Christ in some way or lost your Gospel focus. He is always faithful and will welcome you back on track with open arms. Trust in his promises.

Readings: 2 Timothy 2:8–15; Psalm 25:4–5b, 8–10, 14; Mark 12:28–34. See also 9th Week in Ordinary Time, Thursday and 20th Week in Ordinary Time, Friday.