A Manifestation of Faith

February 10, 2022 Thursday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time Readings for Today Saint Scholastica, Virgin—Memorial

Video Soon a woman whose daughter had an unclean spirit heard about him. She came and fell at his feet. The woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by birth, and she begged him to drive the demon out of her daughter. He said to her, “Let the children be fed first. For it is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.” Mark 7:25-27 Why did Jesus talk to this woman that way?  She comes to Him, probably in fear and trembling, falls down at His feet, and begs Him to help her daughter.  At first, one might expect Jesus to reach out in gentleness and compassion, ask her about her daughter, and say to her, “Oh, most certainly I will help your daughter.  Bring me to her.”  But that’s not what He says.  He tells her, that “it is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.”  Ouch!  Really?  Did He really say that?  Why would He say such a thing? First of all, we have to know that whatever Jesus says is an act of love.  It’s an act of the greatest kindness and mercy.  We know this because this is who Jesus is.  He is love and mercy itself.  So how do we reconcile this apparent contradiction? The key to understanding this interaction is to look at the final result.  We must look at how this woman responded to Jesus and how the conversation ended.  When we do this, we see that the woman responds with incredible humility and faith.  What Jesus says is true.  In a way, we can interpret what He says to mean that no one has a right to His grace and mercy.  No one, including her and her daughter, “deserve” to have God act in their lives.  Jesus knows this and, by saying what He says, gives this woman a wonderful opportunity to manifest her deep faith for all to see.  His words allow her to shine forth as a beacon of faith, hope and trust.  This is Jesus’ goal and it worked.  It worked because, when she came to Him, He was immediately aware of the fact that she did indeed have a deep faith.  He knew that she would respond with humility and trust.  The woman did and thus we are able to witness the manifestation of her faith and humility. Reflect, today, upon the beautiful faith of this humble woman.  Try to put yourself in her shoes and hear Jesus speak these same words to you.  How would you respond?  Would you respond with anger or agitation?  Would your pride be wounded?  Or would you respond with an even deeper humility, acknowledging the fact that all God gives is a gift which we have no right to receive.  Responding this way is most likely the act of faith God is waiting for from each of us and is the key to that outpouring of His mercy we so need. Lord of true humility, please humble me.  Strip away my pride.  Help me to fall at Your feet.  Help me to trust You so deeply that You are compelled, by my love of You, to open Your storehouse of grace and pour it down upon me.  Jesus, I trust in You.

Why Do We Do What We Do

February 9, 2022 Wednesday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time Readings for Today

Video “Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person; but the things that come out from within are what defile.”  Mark 7:15 Conversely speaking, that which comes from within is what makes a person holy! Often, we are more concerned about that which is on the outside than that which is on the inside.  We often worry excessively about how we are perceived by others, how we look, or what our reputation is in the eyes of the world.  This Gospel specifically addresses the charge of the Pharisees that eating certain foods defiles someone.  Jesus isn’t buying that.  He is pointing our attention to our hearts.  What is there in our hearts?  And what is it that comes forth from the heart?  This is what makes us who we are. Though this deals with the worries that certain foods will defile, it also deals with much more.  It addresses the tendency of purely external observances of God’s law. Thus, it addresses the tendency of the Pharisees to be excessively worried about how they are perceived by others.  Their external observance of the law reveals the fact that they seem to be overly concerned about what others think about them and what others say about them.  They want to look holy.  They want to look like they are beyond the smallest of indiscretions.  But it’s all an appearance and not reality. For that reason, Jesus puts the attention on the internal.  God sees what is in our hearts.  Even if no one else sees this we should never forget the fact that God sees all. That’s all that matters.  That which is in our hearts can either do great damage to us or do great good.  There are those who, in the public perception, are way off base.  But from God’s perspective they are right on target. Conversely, there are those in public opinion who are shining stars, but from God’s perspective are way off base.  There is only one thing that matters: What does God think? Reflect, today, upon that which is inside your heart.  This introspection should also challenge you to look at your motivations.  Why do you do what you do and why do you make the decisions you make?  Are they choices that come from an honest and sincere heart?  Or are they choices that are based more on how you will be perceived?  Hopefully your motives are pure.  And hopefully those pure motives come from a heart that is deeply united to the heart of Christ. Lord of all purity, please make my motives pure.  Help me to live only out of a pure heart.  Help me to always realize that holiness is found only in serving You and not in serving my public image.  I love You my Lord.  Jesus, I trust in You!

The Danger of Hypocrisy

February 8, 2022 Tuesday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time Readings for Today Saint Jerome Emiliani, Priest—Optional Memorial Saint Josephine Bakhita, Virgin—Optional Memorial

Video “Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written: This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; In vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines human precepts.”  Mark 7:6-8 Once again, Jesus spoke the hard truth that the Pharisees needed to hear.  He told them directly that they were hypocrites and that they were the ones of whom Isaiah spoke in the quoted passage.  It most certainly was a tense scene. Setting aside the drama of the encounter, let’s look more clearly at the actual quote from Isaiah.  It says four things:  1. This people honors me with their lips. 2. Their hearts are far from me. 3. They worship in vain. 4. They present their own human laws as if they were God’s. What would the ideal transformation of these hypocritical errors look like?  If the Pharisees were to completely change, what may Jesus say of them?  Perhaps He would say the following: 1. Your worship of me is holy because you truly embrace my divine will in your life. 2. Therefore, the honor you give me with your lips flows from your pure heart of faith and love. So what is the key message we should take from this for our own lives?  We should take from it two simple facts.  First, the will of God must take hold of our lives and become the basis and foundation of everything.  His will, His law, His precepts are our rock foundation.  God has established His truth as the basis of human life and we must strive to humbly embrace His law.   His law includes all publicly revealed teachings of our faith, found in Scripture and in the Church, and it includes all that we hear God speaking to us in our own lives.  The Pharisees, in their lack of humility, could not see these truths.  Instead, they held onto their own ideas and convictions alone.  God chastised them harshly for this out of love. Secondly, we should realize that when we embrace the divine law, and His particular will for our lives, we will be pure of heart and will be freed to love Him with outward expressions.  We will worship Him from our hearts and this will flow through our words and actions.  But this will never happen if we do not start with His divine law. Reflect, today, upon whether or not you are willing to humbly embrace all of the truths that God has revealed and whether you are willing to make them the foundation of your life.  If you do this, all else will flow forth in love and worship. Lord of all Truth, help me to love Your holy and divine law.  Help me to embrace it with my whole heart.  I do believe in You and in all that You have spoken through the ages.  I believe in what You speak to my heart regarding my own life.  Give me the grace to embrace Your holy will and, in that embrace, to be transformed both interiorly and exteriorly.  Jesus, I trust in You.

‘Scurrying’ for Jesus

February 7, 2022 Monday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time Readings for Today

Video As they were leaving the boat, people immediately recognized him.  They scurried about the surrounding country and began to bring in the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was.  Mark 6:54-55 Jesus caused the people to “scurry.”  That’s an interesting word to use and an interesting response from the people.  What does “scurried” mean and what does it tell us about the people? To “scurry” means one moves quickly and intentionally with short and hurried steps.  It’s a very specific word identifying a very specific action.  The people are not just moving toward Jesus in a quick way, they are scurrying. When you think of this image of scurrying, it seems to reveal a certain intensity with which people were seeking out Jesus.  The description of them hurrying to Him with these short and rapid steps reveals that they were intent on getting to Him while they seemed to have something else on their minds.  What was on their minds?  Healing.  They knew that Jesus would be a source of true healing for those who were sick and so the people, with great intensity, brought them to Jesus wherever He was. In a sense, this must be our approach to Jesus in regard to our life of faith.  We must recognize Him as the source of all healing, especially spiritual, and we must keep our minds focused on Him as the Divine Physician.  Our longing and intensity with which we seek Him out must consume our full attention.  Reflect, today, upon this interesting image given to us in these Holy Scriptures.  Try to put yourself into this scene of the Gospel, pondering whether you need to be more intentional and intense in your desire to be with Jesus.  He is the source of all grace and mercy, and He is the Divine Physician who waits for you to come to Him with your every need.  Scurry toward Him and let Him pour forth His grace. My healing Lord, increase my longing for You and my desire to be with You.  Help me to know that You are the Divine Physician my soul desires.  Help me to trust in You always, coming to You for the fulfillment of all my needs and longings.  Jesus, I trust in You.

The Deep Waters of Faith

February 6, 2022 Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C Readings for Today

Video “Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.”  Luke 5:4 It’s interesting to note that Jesus did not simply tell Peter and the Apostles to put out into the water; rather, He told them to put out into the “deep water.”  This is significant. At the close of the great jubilee year of 2000, Saint Pope John Paul II wrote an apostolic letter, Novo Millennio Ineunte in which he began by quoting this Gospel passage.  This passage set the tone for the rest of his letter in which he called for a new evangelization for the coming millennium. “Put out into the deep!”  What should we take from this?  What should we hear Jesus speaking to us?  We should hear Him calling us to “lower our nets” in a tireless and committed way so as to draw many others to the Gospel.  When Peter and the Apostles did this in the boat, they caught so many fish that their nets were tearing and they were greatly astonished.  This is a prophetic action given to us to tell us that we must evangelize with the utmost enthusiasm and zeal, searching far and wide for God’s lost sheep. The world we live in can be brutal at times.  So many people are lost and confused.  Sin is rampant and despair is prevalent.  Our world is in desperate need of a Savior and we are the ones Jesus desires to use to gather a huge catch and to find those in greatest need.  Jesus desired the Apostles to catch the fish that were in the deep waters as a way of saying that there are countless souls in our world who are far from God.  There are many people “swimming” in an ocean of confusion and pain.  It is these people, in particular, that Jesus wants to draw in.  It’s our responsibility to heed the command of our Lord and to seek them out. Reflect, today, upon these words of Jesus: “Put out into the deep water.”  In what way is Jesus asking this of you?  How is it that He is calling you to go out of your comfort zone and “lower your nets?”  What is it that He wants of you and how does He desire to use you to further the mission of evangelization.  Heed His command and you, too, will be amazed at the good fruit that is born! Lord of infinite mercy, I desire to give myself to You for Your service and glory.  I desire to go forth, at Your command, looking for the souls in most need of Your abundant mercy.  Give me the grace I need to be faithful to the calling You have given to me so that Your loving mercy will reach those most in need.  Jesus, I trust in You.

The Heart of Jesus

February 5, 2022 Saturday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time Readings for Today Saint Agatha, Virgin and Martyr—Memorial

Video When Jesus disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.  Mark 6:34 It’s important to see the heart of Jesus.  In this passage, Jesus and His disciples had taken a moment to get away from the vast crowds so that they could be alone and rest for a while.  But the crowds are aware of their departure by boat and they quickly make it to the other side of the lake, arriving before Jesus and the disciples so as to meet them as they do arrive. What is Jesus’ reaction?  Does He look at them with frustration?  Does He think to Himself, “Oh my, these people do not leave me alone even for a little while?”  Most certainly not.  His response is one of heartfelt mercy and compassion.  He is moved with pity for them and He continues to teach them many things. This happened for a number of reasons. First, it happened as a result of the deep longing that so many people felt.  They were drawn to Jesus, to listen to Him and to learn from Him.  Secondly, it happened because Jesus also had a deep longing to be with His people.  He desired to share His heart with them and to shepherd them, leading them into the many truths He came to reveal.  Jesus was a true Shepherd who loved His sheep and welcomed them continually. The same must be true for each one of us.  We must all seek to be with Him, love Him and follow His commands.  We must diligently and tirelessly seek Him out no matter how difficult that may be.  We have a duty, in love, to seek and find our Lord.  And Jesus, for His part, will fulfill His duty toward us to shepherd us and teach us many things.  He will allow His heart to be moved with mercy and compassion toward us and He will draw us close to Himself. Reflect, today, upon the merciful heart of Jesus.  See His heart, long for Him and go to Him.  Know of His burning love for you and accept Him as your Shepherd. My loving Lord, I do love You and I give my life to You.  I pray that You will always fill me with a burning desire to seek You out, each and every day.  I thank You for Your mercy and for Your shepherd’s heart.  May I rest close to Your heart every day.  Jesus, I trust in You.

The Effects of a Guilty Conscience

February 4, 2022 Friday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time Readings for Today

Video   But when Herod learned of it, he said, “It is John whom I beheaded. He has been raised up.” Mark 6:16 Jesus’ fame had become widespread among the people and many were talking about Him.  Some thought He was John the Baptist raised from the dead, others thought He was Elijah the prophet, others simply thought He was a new prophet.  They were all trying to figure out who this incredible man was who spoke with such wisdom and authority. It’s interesting to note that Herod, who had beheaded John the Baptist, immediately concluded that Jesus must be John raised from the dead.  He speaks this conviction not so much as only a hunch, but as if he knew it to be a fact.  This is his definitive conclusion about Jesus.  Why does Herod arrive at this mistaken conviction? Of course we do not know for certain why Herod arrived at this conviction, but we can speculate and arrive at a likely conclusion.  It appears that Herod felt very guilty about beheading John the Baptist and this guilt led him to this conclusion. Oftentimes, when someone sins, as Herod did, and feels deep guilt without repenting of that sin, there arises various unhealthy effects such as a certain paranoid thinking process.  Herod is most likely paranoid, and he most likely is so as a result of his sin and his refusal to repent of his sin. We can see this same tendency within all of us.  The refusal to repent of our sins often causes many other problems in our lives.  Unrepented sin can cause paranoid thinking, anger, self-justification and many other emotional and psychological issues.  Sin, though spiritual in nature, has an effect upon our whole person which is what we have a glimpse of in the person of Herod.  This is a good lesson for all of us. Reflect, today, upon any similar tendencies you have in your life.  Do you find yourself getting paranoid about what others say or do?  Do you enter into a self-justification of your actions?  Do you get angry and project that anger on others who do not deserve it?  Reflect upon any of these tendencies you see and then look deeper at the source of them.  If you see that the root cause of these unhealthy tendencies is some unrepented sin in your own life, then repent of it honestly and completely so that our Lord can free you of the effects of sin. Most gentle Lord, I do repent of all sin.  I pray that I may see my sin honestly and sincerely.  And as I see my sin, help me to confess it to You so that I may be free not only of the burden of my sin, but also of the effects of that burden.  Jesus, I trust in You.

A Three-Step Process

February 3, 2022 Thursday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time Readings for Today Saint Blase, Bishop and Martyr—Optional Memorial Saint Ansgar, Bishop—Optional Memorial

Video Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over unclean spirits.  Mark 6:7 The first thing that is worth pointing out in this passage is that Jesus “summoned” the Twelve.  This means He brought them to Himself.  Sure, we can read this as simply meaning that He, in a sense, called a meeting with them.  But we should look deeper.  We should see in this summoning the fact that Jesus was not only calling a meeting, but rather, He was drawing them to His very person.  In this act of summoning, the Apostles were personally encountering Jesus, receiving His grace and power, and being changed themselves. From there He sent them out two by two.  This is also significant.  Jesus knows our human weakness.  He knows that by ourselves we will most likely fail, but with the Christian support of another we are greatly strengthened.  This is because Jesus’ mission is not only something we do ourselves, it’s something that is communal as well.  We are each one piece in His mission. However, to fulfill that mission, we need the love and support of others.  We need to go two by two into the battle. So what about this authority that Jesus gave them?  It’s often not appreciated for what it is.  Jesus very much does want to give us authority over the evil one and his minions since they are far more powerful than us.  So, if we are to have a chance in the battle, we need Jesus’ authority.  This is not only some supernatural power to cast out demons; rather, it’s much more extensive.  So what is this authority and how do we exercise it? First, it’s the power of true Christian charity.  Charity, or love, overwhelms the evil one and renders him powerless in our lives.  Selflessness, sacrifice, humility, faith, truth, etc., are among the most powerful weapons in our battle.  The evil one does not know what to do with these.  We do not necessarily have to engage in some sort of dramatic spiritual warfare to do battle.  Simply love God and live that love in your daily life and you will, in a sense, be casting out demons left and right!  We will have the victory in our Christian living because God will take care of all the rest.  It’s His mission and He is the one summoning and sending us.  So do not be afraid to follow His lead! Reflect, today, upon this three step process that Jesus initiates with His Apostles and know that He desires the same with you:  1) He summons you, daily, to Himself; 2) He sends you forth to bring His love to others; 3) He gives you the authority and power you need to fulfill His will.  Be open to this process and our Lord will use you abundantly. My summoning Lord, give me the love, courage and strength I need to live out Your divine plan.  I hear You summoning me and I choose to respond with generosity.  I willingly accept the authority of that grace into my life so that You can accomplish all that You desire.  Jesus, I trust in You.

Fulfilling Our Mission

Wednesday, February 2, 2022 Presentation of the Lord—Feast Readings for Today

Video “Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in the sight of all the peoples: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.”  Luke 2:29-32 We celebrate, today, the glorious event of Jesus being presented in the Temple by Mary and Joseph.  Simeon, a “righteous and devout” man, had been waiting for this moment throughout his life.  The passage above is what he spoke when the moment finally arrived. This is a profound statement that came from a humble and faith-filled heart.  Simeon was saying something like this: “Lord of Heaven and earth, my life is now complete.  I’ve seen Him.  I’ve held Him.  He is the one.  He is the Messiah.  There is nothing more I need in life.  My life is fulfilled.  I am now ready to die.  My life has reached its purpose and culmination.” Simeon, like any other ordinary human being, would have had many experiences in life.  He would have had many ambitions and goals.  Many things he worked hard for.  So for him to say that he was now ready to “go in peace” simply means that the purpose of his life was fulfilled and that all he has worked for and striven for has come to culmination in this moment. That’s saying a lot!  But it’s really a great witness for us in our daily lives and gives us an example of what we should strive for.  We see in this experience of Simeon that life must be about encountering Christ and fulfilling our purpose in accord with God’s plan.  For Simeon, that purpose, revealed to him through the gift of his faith, was to receive the Christ Child in the temple at His presentation and to then consecrate this Child to the Father in accordance with the law.   What is your mission and purpose in life?  It will not be the same as Simeon but it will have similarities.  God has a perfect plan for you that He will reveal to you in faith.  This calling and purpose will ultimately be about you receiving Christ in the temple of your heart and then praising and worshiping Him for all to see.  It will take on a unique form in accord with the will of God for your life.  But it will be as significant and important as Simeon’s calling, and will be integral to the entire divine plan of salvation for the world.   Reflect, today, upon your own calling and mission in life.  Don’t miss your call.  Don’t miss your mission.  Continue to listen, anticipate, and act in faith as that plan unfolds so that you, too, may one day rejoice and “go in peace” confident that this calling has been fulfilled. Lord, I am Your servant.  I seek Your will.  Help me to respond to You in faith and openness and help me to say “Yes” to You so that my life will achieve the purpose for which I was made.  I thank You for the witness of Simeon and pray that I, too, will one day rejoice that my life has been fulfilled.  Jesus, I trust in You.

Extraordinary Faith

February 1, 2022 Tuesday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time Readings for Today

Video “If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured.” Immediately her flow of blood dried up. She felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction.  Mark 5:28-29 These are the thoughts and experience of the woman who had suffered greatly for twelve years with hemorrhages.  She sought out many doctors and had spent all she had in an attempt to be healed.  Sadly, nothing worked. It’s possible that God permitted her suffering to continue all those years so that she would be given this particular opportunity to manifest her faith for all to see.  It’s interesting that this passage actually reveals her interior thinking as she approaches Jesus.  “If I but touch his clothes…”  This interior thinking is a beautiful illustration of faith. How would she have known that she would be healed?  What was it that led her to believe this with such clarity and conviction?  Why, after spending twelve years working with every doctor she could come by, would she suddenly realize that all she needed to do is to touch Jesus’ clothes in order to be healed?  The answer is simple.  Because she was given the gift of faith. This illustration of her faith reveals that faith is a supernatural knowledge of something that only God can reveal.  In other words, she knew she would be healed, and her knowledge of this healing came to her as a gift imparted by God.  Once imparted, she had to act on this knowledge and, in so doing, she gave a wonderful witness to all who would read her story.  Her life, and in particular this experience, should challenge us all to realize that God also speaks profound truths to us, if we only listen.  He is constantly speaking and revealing the depth of His love to us, calling us to enter into a life of manifest faith.  He wants our own faith to not only be the foundation of our lives, but also to be a powerful witness to others.   Reflect, today, upon the interior conviction of faith that this woman had.  She knew God would heal her because she allowed herself to hear Him speak.  Reflect upon your own interior attentiveness to the voice of God and try to be open to the same depth of faith witnessed by this holy woman. My compassionate Lord, I love You and I desire to know You and to hear You speak to me each and every day.  Please increase my faith so that I may know You and Your will for my life.  Please use me as You wish to be a witness of faith for others.  Jesus, I trust in You.