August 25, 2019
21st Sunday in Ordinary Time

Have you ever seen a celebrity? Have you ever met a political representative? Did the encounter leave you with newfound acting or musical abilities? Did it give you a grasp of the intricacies of the latest city ordinance or controversial law? Talents, expertise, and skill are hard-won traits, not rewards that spread by contact. Our life of faith is also not so easy.

“We ate and drank in your company and you taught in our streets!” In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus notes that it requires moral strength to enter the kingdom of God. It’s not mere proximity to righteousness that saves. Rubbing elbows with the righteous is not the same as being truly holy ourselves. Unfortunately, we can have this attitude in many areas. It’s easy to see who may seem “first” in the eyes of the world. This occurs in our workplaces and among our public figures. It can also happen in our schools, local parishes, and the larger Church. For some of us, the temptation to have the popularity and prestige rub off on us can be fairly strong. If only we are in the right place with the right people, surely others will associate us with what they possess!

But salvation is worked out in each individual life. It is our task not merely to show up, but to be transformed. And the truly transformed may not be everyone we expect. “People will come from the east and the west and from the north and the south … some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.” Some who seem first in reputation now may be last in the kingdom of God. Others who appear now on the furthest fringes of society — but better imitate the lowly holiness of Jesus — will be first in his kingdom. What are your concerns? Proximity and reputation? Or prayerful righteousness?

Live the Liturgy: Inspiration for the Week 
Humility is often misunderstood as feeling inferior about ourselves and carrying around feelings of unworthiness. For many, humility is not considered a strength of character but a negative attribute and sign of weakness. Conversely, in fact, authentic humility is found in the person who is firmly grounded in reality, able to be honest with him or herself, and in right relationship with others and God. A humble person understands his or her place in life and who they are. While placing themselves at the service of others, they are comfortable in their own skin and able to step aside and let others go first. Knowing our proper place in life, offering appropriate respect, and looking to the needs of others are things that will enhance our lives and the lives of our brothers and sisters. Are you humble? 

August 18, 2019, 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time 
The Prince of Peace wants to set the world on fire? This Sunday's Gospel can sound more intense than what we may be accustomed to. It's a passage of contradictions. Jesus so clearly prays for unity, yet here he speaks of division. Why would our God who comes as an offering of love speak so frankly about causing relationships to be torn apart?
 
The sobering truth is that Jesus is divisive. We see this throughout the Gospels, as the Pharisees critique him, the Romans condemn him, and not everyone in the crowd is enthusiastic about his words. Jesus has not come for the purpose of dividing, but what he does is so radical that it upends the status quo. And it doesn't end with his preaching and miracles! "There is a baptism with which I must be baptized." Jesus isn't talking about his baptism at the Jordan River, which has already occurred, but the passing through the waters of death on the Cross and rising again to new life in the resurrection. This is divisive stuff! Christ's spiritual fire turned the "fathers" - the Jewish people and Pharisees - against the "sons" - the common people. Not everyone wants the Gospel Jesus is preaching. Not everyone wants to be set on fire with the desire to love others. Some prefer to put on a warm sweater and curl up in front of the TV.
 
In living and loving as Jesus did, we, too, might ruffle some feathers. In disciplining our teenage child for sneaking out, we may cause some division (temporarily, we hope!). In standing up to gossip and the spread of cruel rumors in our workplace, we might cause division. In emphasizing the dignity of both the desperate mother and the unborn child, we might cause division. Not everyone wants the Gospel Jesus is preaching. Not everyone wants the Gospel we are invited to live. But that's no excuse not to live it.

Live the Liturgy: Inspiration for the Week
Our baptismal rite instructs the parents and godparents of the newly baptized children, "May they keep the flame of faith alive in their hearts." Faith has often been associated with fire. While fire can be useful and welcomed as a source of light and warmth, it can also be devastating and destructive. The Gospel is very much like this. On the one hand, Jesus speaks of healing, liberty, mercy, and forgiveness. On the other, he challenges the secular mindset and ideology, risks opposition, and pushes people out of their comfort zones. We are more attracted to things that make us feel better about ourselves. Equipped with the flame of faith, are we willing to see the bigger picture and risk popularity and self-preservation in favor of the kingdom of God?

August 11, 2019, 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time 
Tickets booked, packing list double-checked, itinerary set - how do you know you're prepared for a trip? Being ready requires plenty of practical preparation. Do we give the same care to our spiritual preparedness? "Your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom," Jesus tells us. In this Sunday's Gospel, Jesus reminds us to have the right attitude for the gifts and callings he wants to give us!
 
Clear out your clutter! "Where your treasure is, there also will your heart be." Jesus reminds the disciples that earthly standards of security and success will wear out in time. If our lives are structured around values that don't align with the kingdom of God, we'll miss opportunities to receive God. If we're so concerned with our child's success in sports that we miss Sunday Mass for their tournaments, we're missing out receiving the sacraments and building a consistent community of faith. If our quest for the promotion takes us away from family commitments, we won't be able to fully receive the love intended in our closest relationships.
 
Set faith-based priorities. "Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival." Our conflicting commitments can cause any routine to slip from time to time. All the more reason to make sure faith is a priority. Pray as a family before meals. Bring your children regularly to the sacrament of confession. Make room in the schedule for faith enrichment activities offered by your parish. Volunteer once a month. "At an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come." When will the call come to care for an ailing parent? To take on a new leadership position? God speaks to us through the circumstances of our lives. He calls each of us to greater love, sometimes in very concrete ways. This week, take some time to consider: Will you be ready?
 
©LPi

August 4, 2019, 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time
 
The cake is frosted, the guests have arrived, and the gifts are piled high. One by one, the packages are opened, and one by one, the child reaches for another. Who among us hasn’t seen a child who appears crestfallen when the gifts run out? Even the abundance isn’t quite enough. Today’s Gospel tackles a key question in the spiritual life — grateful or greedy?
 
“There was a rich man whose land produced a bountiful harvest.” We all recognize the need to be practical. Raising a family, there’s need to save for all sorts of things beyond normal day-to-day costs — medical bills, family vacations, private school, rainy day funds, retirement. Jesus doesn’t critique the rich man for simply having an abundant harvest. It’s his mentality. Does the rich man sell off the extra to make the needed repairs to the back fence or to invest in some additional livestock to grow the business? Perhaps donate some of the excess to the poor? No. “You have so many good things stored up for many years, rest, eat, drink, be merry!” The man wants to hoard and indulge with no concern for others.
           
Jesus doesn’t condemn prudent saving or owning necessary items. He calls us to purify our attitudes. “Guard against all greed … one’s life does not consist of possessions.” We are called to be good stewards. This means being practical. It also means remaining open to God’s invitation with our resources. Are we tithing to our parish? Do we give alms to the poor? Does our weekly entertainment far outstrip what we offer to others? Life is not about “stor[ing] up treasure for [our]selves.” The more we grow in gratitude and generosity, the more we become “rich in what matters to God.”

Live the Liturgy: Inspiration for the Week
We are asked to be vigilant until our Master returns. Even though our faith tells us that Christ will come again and that our purpose and destiny is an eternal one, it is hard not to lose heart, grow weary, and become distracted. Remembering the stories of our faith and what God has done throughout history is one way of remaining fresh and focused. Celebrating, recalling, and making real and tangible again what God has done is what our community does liturgically each time we gather. As the author of Hebrews reminds us: Faith makes real what we hope for and is the evidence of things we cannot see. Let us take this time once again to remember and participate in what God has done and continues to do.
 
©LPi