Christ established a firm foundation for His Church on Earth, doing so through Saints Peter and Paul, who both led the Church and proclaimed the Gospel boldly.
May their example inspire us to stand firm in the foundation Christ has laid us, holding fast to the confession of faith that keeps Christ ever before us as we journey to the place where He has promised to bring us, as we open ourselves up to the power of God in us.
Friday, June 29, 2018
Sunday, June 24, 2018
June 24, 2018: Nativity of St. John the Baptist
Nearly six months from the last celebration of the Lord's Nativity, and 6 months until the coming celebration, we have the opportunity this day to celebrate the birth of St. John the Baptist, who heralded the coming of Christ.
Even from before birth, God announced that John would be set apart for a special purpose, and at his birth, those present recognized this child was special, especially his father Zechariah whose tongue was loosed from muteness to proclaim God's praises.
Indeed, God has been working in us even before birth, wondrously fashioning us. (I think about how my brother was able to part of history before he was born, as he attended the first night game at Wrigley Field 30 years ago this summer.)
And like St. John the Baptist, we are specially chosen by God to fulfill a purpose, living lives that proclaim that God is present in the world to save people, even as we rejoice in our own encounter with God's salvation.
Even from before birth, God announced that John would be set apart for a special purpose, and at his birth, those present recognized this child was special, especially his father Zechariah whose tongue was loosed from muteness to proclaim God's praises.
Indeed, God has been working in us even before birth, wondrously fashioning us. (I think about how my brother was able to part of history before he was born, as he attended the first night game at Wrigley Field 30 years ago this summer.)
And like St. John the Baptist, we are specially chosen by God to fulfill a purpose, living lives that proclaim that God is present in the world to save people, even as we rejoice in our own encounter with God's salvation.
Sunday, June 17, 2018
June 17, 2018: 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Something I am aware of as a Religious Education catechist, and what I seek to emphasize to my students, is that growing in faith is a process.
In His own time, God does marvelous deeds. It's just like a tiny mustard seed that becomes a huge plant. And just as seed is planted in a field and then becomes a bountiful harvest, God does His work, producing in us abundant fruit of faith, though we may not quite understand how, nor be able to detect the slow process of how a plant grows from a seed to bearing fruit. Yet, over time, we see the process of work, as we view growth from a different kind of perspective. Even the transformation of what was devastated to being restored reminds us how great God's power is that works in us.
So we remain faithful, walking by faith even if we can't see nor understand how it happens, as we wait upon God for His timing of the harvest when the work of growing in faith bears fruit. As we remain faithful, we notice that we flourish like an abundance of crops as we do our part and let God do His. We do it to be faithful to the God to Whom we will give an account for our deeds in this life. And ultimately, by our faithfulness, we recognize that God alone is the One Who has the power to do the extraordinary work of making us the people He desires for us to be.
In His own time, God does marvelous deeds. It's just like a tiny mustard seed that becomes a huge plant. And just as seed is planted in a field and then becomes a bountiful harvest, God does His work, producing in us abundant fruit of faith, though we may not quite understand how, nor be able to detect the slow process of how a plant grows from a seed to bearing fruit. Yet, over time, we see the process of work, as we view growth from a different kind of perspective. Even the transformation of what was devastated to being restored reminds us how great God's power is that works in us.
So we remain faithful, walking by faith even if we can't see nor understand how it happens, as we wait upon God for His timing of the harvest when the work of growing in faith bears fruit. As we remain faithful, we notice that we flourish like an abundance of crops as we do our part and let God do His. We do it to be faithful to the God to Whom we will give an account for our deeds in this life. And ultimately, by our faithfulness, we recognize that God alone is the One Who has the power to do the extraordinary work of making us the people He desires for us to be.
Sunday, June 10, 2018
June 10, 2018: 10th Sunday in Ordinary Time
When I looked over the Gospel reading for this Sunday, I immediately thought of something that happened on June 16, 1858: Abraham Lincoln referred to this quotation of Jesus when he talked about the division between slave and free states in the United States.
When Jesus came, he underscored the division that exists within us of striving toward God, yet being held back by original Sin that has been present since our ancestors turned away from God in disobedience. Indeed, the Gospel messages starts with the reality of how sin has totally wrecked us and our relationship with God. Only in Jesus do we have hope, for He is the One Who has tied up the strong man and plundered the house, which one commentary on the Gospel reading in Mark I read indicated is Jesus's tying up Satan so that He can set everything right.
And so we have hope that although our bodies and our world are decaying due to the effects of sin, our life-giving relationship with Jesus sustains us for Eternity, even as we abound in graces now, so that we strive to live in the way Jesus has taught, and truly enter into the relationship of being His family.
When Jesus came, he underscored the division that exists within us of striving toward God, yet being held back by original Sin that has been present since our ancestors turned away from God in disobedience. Indeed, the Gospel messages starts with the reality of how sin has totally wrecked us and our relationship with God. Only in Jesus do we have hope, for He is the One Who has tied up the strong man and plundered the house, which one commentary on the Gospel reading in Mark I read indicated is Jesus's tying up Satan so that He can set everything right.
And so we have hope that although our bodies and our world are decaying due to the effects of sin, our life-giving relationship with Jesus sustains us for Eternity, even as we abound in graces now, so that we strive to live in the way Jesus has taught, and truly enter into the relationship of being His family.
Friday, June 8, 2018
June 8, 2018: Feast of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
How wonderful to encounter once again an image on this day that Father Hurlbert used as a driving force in his homily on Ash Wednesday, as this Feast comes toward the end of a collection of feasts whose dates are determined by when Resurrection Sunday falls.
As we pondered throughout Lent, so this day we marvel at the immense love God shows us in Christ, Who bestows on us immense mercy that flows forth from His wounds at the Crucifixion. Although His love is so great and almost unfathomable, the marvel is that He brings us into a relationship with Him so we can better comprehend His powerful love that passionately pursues us, so that we draw toward Him just as passionately.
As we pondered throughout Lent, so this day we marvel at the immense love God shows us in Christ, Who bestows on us immense mercy that flows forth from His wounds at the Crucifixion. Although His love is so great and almost unfathomable, the marvel is that He brings us into a relationship with Him so we can better comprehend His powerful love that passionately pursues us, so that we draw toward Him just as passionately.
Sunday, June 3, 2018
June 3, 2018: Feast of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ
As I scaled up to Charles Mound, the highest point of elevation in the state of Illinois, yesterday, I thought about how the Eucharist is the source and the summit of Christian Life, as we are drawn to God, and sent forth from God in this feast at Mass.
The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ gives us reason to rejoice, because they are signs of the covenant by which we enter into relationship with God.
As Father Hurlbert so insightfully shared in his homily, God established this covenant first with Abraham, then put into laws in the time of Moses, and then made it Eternal and brought it into flesh in Jesus.
God has come so close to us. And we so rejoice and give thanks to God, walking with Him, like the Psalmist, all our days.
What a beautiful scene it was to join a group of people processing with the Body of Christ in a canopy-covered monstrance walking around the blocks near St. Odilo Parish in Berwyn this afternoon. It shows us how we encounter Christ in the Eucharist and are transformed to be His Body, and then we carry His Presence into the world by living holy.
The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ gives us reason to rejoice, because they are signs of the covenant by which we enter into relationship with God.
As Father Hurlbert so insightfully shared in his homily, God established this covenant first with Abraham, then put into laws in the time of Moses, and then made it Eternal and brought it into flesh in Jesus.
God has come so close to us. And we so rejoice and give thanks to God, walking with Him, like the Psalmist, all our days.
What a beautiful scene it was to join a group of people processing with the Body of Christ in a canopy-covered monstrance walking around the blocks near St. Odilo Parish in Berwyn this afternoon. It shows us how we encounter Christ in the Eucharist and are transformed to be His Body, and then we carry His Presence into the world by living holy.
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