The Lord has given us another year of growth. Throughout the world, the people of God have grown both in width and in depth. How many more children have been born and baptized this year? How much deeper is our knowledge and love for God? Christ Jesus came into the world to testify to the truth, and more have chosen to listen to his voice and belong to it.
Today we hear a type of Scripture called apocalyptic. The last book of the Bible, the Book of Revelation, is also apocalyptic, but in the Gospel of Mark we find a condensed version of it right here in Jesus’ words as he speaks with his disciples. This year, humanity has experienced many terrible events: most recently the terrorist attacks in Paris, but also the failure of our culture to protect God’s universal plan for marriage. Some Christians believe there will be a single terrible event that is coming, the great tribulation, but rather, could it be that all tribulation is united to Christ’s own that he faced on the cross? By speaking to his disciples this way, Jesus prepares them, prepares us, for a history of tribulation, a great tribulation which he has already conquered himself. Through Apocalyptic scripture, God expresses his concern that we are ready for difficult times, and that we help one another through them. (more…)
How is $10 more than $100? We can’t see how this can be, but God always sees deeper than us. Today’s Gospel is an example of this. The rich offer large sums, but the widow who is poor offers more than them. We must go beyond what we can see in order to get at the truth which God shares. Yes, God calls us to support the work of the Church with money, but money is not the final result God is seeking. Regarding the small sum the widow offers, Jesus says, “She gave her whole livelihood.” The money was only a symbol of what was taking place in her heart. She was offering her whole being to God. (more…)
Apparently there are 7.4 billion people in the world, and we are the servants of all of them. It can be a bit overwhelming to think about. If we gave one penny to each person, we would need 70.4 million dollars. If we gave each person one second of our time, we would need to live 14,400 years. The temptation is to consider it impossible and to give up before getting started. If God had made us purely physical beings, it would be impossible. But because we are spiritual beings, a single work, for example a prayer, has the capacity of reaching all.
Many of us don’t know what truly makes us happy, and even if we know, we are tempted to choose other things. Take for example the choice of food at each meal. How many of us are tempted to put more on our plate than we should eat? Some of us make the same mistake thousands of times in our lives. That is why we have the expression, “Our eyes are bigger than our stomachs.” When we put more in our plate than can fit in our stomachs, instead of feeling “fed” and energized, we feel bloated and tired. That’s the temptation of the amount, but what about the temptation of type? Which foods do we put on our plates? When there are vegetables, fruits, and meats; which do we choose? Whatever has the most grease? Whatever has the most sugar? We know that to truly feel good at the end of a meal, we have to eat a properly ordered diet; is this true with the totality of our lives?
Every life is worth living. This is the message for this Sunday, Respect Life Sunday. Today at every parish throughout our nation, priests and deacons are preaching on one topic, this topic. Let’s hope that it has an impact on our hearts and minds.
Sometimes Christ’s words are very strong, right? When we hear strong words, they make us wonder. If God loves us, why would he warn us with such vivid imagery? These shocking statements stop us in our tracks. But sometimes we need to stop, pray, and think. Sometimes we need strong words, and God knows this.
Have we ever had to listen to someone’s accomplishments or the things they have, to listen to them honor themselves, as we are tempted to have a little bit of jealousy or at least feel a little insecure? Our youth brag about the sports they played, the toys they have. Later on, our teens brag about the parties they went to; boys, the number of girls they kiss; or girls, how old their boyfriend is; not a good thing. As adults we brag about the money we make, the college degrees we have, or the vacations that we take. Even grandmas, sorry grandmas please don’t drive me out, even grandmas get into the habit of bragging about their grandchildren. We brag about worldly success, even our sins. Are these the sources of our self-esteem; do these make a life truly great? (more…)
Why aren’t there more Christians, more Catholics, in the world? Is it because our faith is false, is it because our faith isn’t rational, is it because God only calls a portion of us to come to belief? No, God calls all to know and believe in him. Also, he isn’t mean, he doesn’t ask us to abandon our rationality, our intellects. Jesus spends time explaining to his disciples the will of God. Yes, God’s Word enlightens the human mind, but it also elevates human love. Through faith we see how it is good to suffer for the sake of another. God teaches us to see things how he sees them, God asks us to do things which he has already done. This higher form of love includes carrying our cross; but this we do not like. We are tempted to reject our cross, and therefore Jesus, never embracing the higher love to which he calls us, divine love.
All of us have had some pain or some illness in life. This is part of our human experience. Ever since the first sin, the sin of the first humans, God has allowed us to suffer and die. We do not suffer by God’s hands, but he allows the fallen angels who hate him and his creation to introduce sufferings for us. He allows this because suffering actually helps us draw close to God and turn to him for salvation. One day he will take away all suffering, and this will happen when Christ comes again.