Saturday

8th Week of Ordinary Time, Saturday, Year II

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In the doxology, a prayer of praise at the end of today’s First Reading, Jude describes the Lord as the one who is “able to keep you from stumbling.” It evokes the image of a loving father staying close to his toddler trying to take his first steps. The father remains close, and steps in when needed to avoid a tumble. Jude encourages us to keep in mind that the Lord is always close, ready to help us get our footing should we start to totter.

Paul teaches that whoever thinks he is standing secure should take heed, lest he fall (see 1 Corinthians 10:12). Before the doxology Jude shows how important it is for us to help others who waver, helping them regain their footing or saving them from falling. We’ve all wavered or stumbled at some point of our lives, and the Lord has taken us by the hand in his mercy and guided us back onto our feet. We’re expected to do the same as well when our footing is sure. We don’t rely on our own footing, but on the Lord who, like a loving father, stands at the ready to help keep us from tottering.

Let’s ask Our Lord today for the grace to stand firm by abiding in him and to help others stand firm as well.

Readings: Jude 17, 20b–25; Psalm 63:2–6; Mark 11:27–33. See also 3rd Week of Advent, Monday and 8th Week in Ordinary Time, Saturday, Year I.

7th Week of Ordinary Time, Saturday, Year II

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At the beginning of today’s First Reading James tackles how we should face suffering, illness, and good times: prayer. Prayer is not just for when we’re down; our prayer simply changes based on our circumstances. In good times we praise God, the source of all blessings. In times of suffering, we pray for strength to endure our trials and for healing. However, we don’t just pray for ourselves; our prayer in time of suffering is very powerful, which is why the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick (alluded to in this passage), when administered, is a consecration of its recipient’s sufferings for the spiritual benefit of others, as well as a moment when the whole Church commends him or her to the Lord. Even if physical healing does not result, the afflicted person receives spiritual healing.

James also reminds us of the effectiveness of a righteous man’s prayer. The secret to effective prayer is to seek God’s will, to ask that it be done and to collaborate in its accomplishment. Elijah proclaimed a drought at the Lord’s command to punish Israel for its sins, and, when the Lord willed it, summoned the rain to end the drought. It wasn’t just his agenda. It is through this union of wills that we are able to seek out those who stray from the truth and sin so that they too can be spared spiritual death.

Whether physically healthy or not, spiritual health is the most important and we must strive to ensure everyone’s spiritual health. Let’s offer up our sufferings today and help anyone spiritually ill to be restored to health through our prayers, the sacraments, and a holy life.

Readings: James 5:13–20; Psalm 141:1–3, 8; Mark 10:13–16. See also 19th Week in Ordinary Time, Tuesday.

6th Week of Easter, Saturday (2)

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In today’s First Reading Apollos teaches us that the truth is something very powerful, and the tools Our Lord has given us for evangelization can have a great influence if we use them well. Apollos did not have all the truths at his disposal or all the means of sanctification; he was not sacramentally baptized, just gifted with a Jewish upbringing, knowledgeable about Sacred Scripture, catechized, a good public speaker, and good at reasoning things out for himself and for others. He didn’t consider himself an armchair catechumen or a neophyte; he went out and tried to share the Word of God.

In comparison with Apollos we have a veritable arsenal at our disposal: a sacramental life, catechesis, the whole canon of Scripture, the teachings and inspiration of so many holy men and women down throughout the centuries, and, for some, a society founded on Christian principles and culture. As Christians it’s not just about what we have, but the fire with which we use it. Everyone can agree that today, even though there is an arsenal at our disposal, there are not enough Christians truly on fire for sharing the Word of God.

We need to stoke that fire. Easter reminds us that we can breathe new life into the deadest situations. On Pentecost the Holy Spirit made the fire of the first apostles flare up into an impulse for evangelization that swept across Asia Minor and into Europe. Let’s ask the Spirit to kindle in us that fire as well.

Readings: Acts 18:23–28; Psalm 47:2–3, 8–10; John 16:23b–28. See also 6th Week of Easter, Saturday.

 

5th Week of Easter, Saturday (2)

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In today’s First Reading there is a momentous new person, place, and pronoun that show the Acts of the Apostles are starting to head in our direction, geographically and historically. We hear of Timothy for the first time, a Jewish-Gentile convert whom Paul takes with him on his missionary voyage. Timothy would later be the recipient of two letters by Paul that form part of the canon of Scripture: 1 Timothy and 2 Timothy. These Pastoral Epistles by Paul show Timothy years later continuing Paul’s work of caring for the Churches, and in Paul’s advice we see the Church taking shape as we live in it today.

Paul today has lots of ideas for where to go next in his missionary voyage, but the Spirit reins him in. Little does he know the Spirit is saving him for something big: Macedonia. The difference between Macedonia and most of the places mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles is that Macedonia is in Europe: by going to Macedonia Paul goes from Asia Minor, where most of his missionary work took place, into a new continent, and for those of us with a European background, the Acts of the Apostles start heading in our direction.

Lastly, there is a momentous change of pronoun: Luke suddenly goes from speaking of “they” to speaking of “we”: though it can’t be definitively confirmed, this “we” seems to indicate that Luke is actually accompanying Paul for the rest of the mission. Paul’s story draws closer to us, historically and geographically, but that “we” also leaves room for us to get involved. Where can we go to continue the work Paul started? How can we help to care for the Churches today? Let’s ask St. Paul, St. Timothy, and St. Luke to intercede for us and help us to see how we can help build on what they started.

Readings: Acts 16:1–10; Psalm 100:1b–3, 5; John 15:18–21. See also 5th Week of Easter, Saturday.

4th Week of Easter, Saturday (2)

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In today’s First Reading Paul and Barnabas are enjoying what every apostle hopes for: results. Our Lord warned his disciples that their message would be rejected by some, and they should just keep working where they can. This happens twice today for Paul and Barnabas: first the Jewish officials don’t want them speaking with the Jews, then they make waves and force Paul and Barnabas to leave the area entirely. We should pity any town that an apostle leaves while shaking the dust off his feet. The disciples, as the First Reading reminds us, “were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.” Those who rejected them were not.

As disciples we should not be concerned about popularity contests. Believers are not popular today in many circles. We should be concerned about being filled with joy and the Holy Spirit. That will exercise the force of attraction to which open hearts will gravitate, aided as well by the Holy Spirit.

Readings: Acts 13:44–52; Psalm 98:1–4; John 14:7–14. See also 4th Week of Easter, Saturday