August 28, 2022: 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Jesus Christ is the ultimate example of humility, offering Himself on the cross.

He instructs all His disciples to do the same.  He uses the setting of a meal to indicate that it's best to humble oneself and then have others exalt us.

It's also telling that he instructs the host to invite those who can't repay him, for he will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.  Following the way of CHrist, we are called to pour ourselves out by meeting the needs of the poor.

Faith is a gift that calls us to act in ways of service to others, pointing us to the reality of Heaven that awaits us through Jesus Christ, Who offered Himself so that we could draw close to God, unlike the theophany at Sinai. He has mediated a new covenant that cleanses us completely and equips us for the work of advancing His Kingdom through humble service to others.

August 21, 2022: 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time

It's notable that once again, the 21st Sunday is on August 21, as God manifests another important message about the life of faith, with a challenging Gospel message: Jesus indicates there is a narrow gate that opens to salvation, and some won't be strong enough to enter, and will be cast away when they knock at the door.

It's in the spirit of the 2nd reading, when the author reminds us that discipline is unpleasant at the time, yet eventually bears good fruit, so it's worth it to step up and strive through the difficulty of it.

God recognizes we all have the potential to make it through the narrow passageway, because He extends this invitation to all people.

The first reading, and even the Gospel, speak of people from all over the world striving toward God's holy dwelling as His Chosen People.

So we have great encouragement, each one of us, to strive toward God.  Rather than fixate on the worthiness of others and who will be saved, we are called to ensure we're doing our part to make much of this gift of salvation, being transformed now to be more like Christ as we live out the faith we have through the Paschal Mystery.

I once again recall the first Mass I attended at St. Teresa's as I began my time at ValpU was on the 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time.  It was an important moment in my journey that still calls me to make something of the gift of salvation I have.

August 15, 2022: Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Christ has risen from the dead, and as St. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15, that necessarily means there will be a resurrection of the dead, body and soul, all the way into Heaven.

As the first disciple, Mary was assumed into Heaven, body and soul.  With her and all the saints, we hope to experience the fulfillment of that promise after living a life as she did, accepting God's will for her and magnifying the Lord with her whole being.  In so doing, she helped bring about the salvation so that we can have assurance of the Resurrection.  And we can live each day in that hope.

August 14, 2022: 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Proclaiming God's message can lead to opposition for those of us who faithfully take up this work.

The first reading describes the suffering Jeremiah experienced when people opposed Him for speaking the words of God.  Jesus stirred up trouble, leading to His Crucifixion.  Yet He acknowledged that coming to proclaim the truth of God would lead to division, even in families.  Ultimately, even the agony of His suffering and death yields Resurrection and New Life.

For those of us who commit to living by this Truth, we have consolation that it is leading us to God, even in the face of the challenges we encounter from those who oppose it.  We see the example of so many saints before us, "a great cloud of witnesses", cheering for us to attain the goal of faith.  With courage and perseverance, we strive on in faith toward Jesus, Who gave it to us through the salvation won for us by the Paschal Mystery.

St. Peter's Chruch in the Loop of Downtown Chicago marked the conclusion of its 175th Anniversary Year with a special Mass this day, celebrated by Cardinal Cupich.  It is truly reason to celebrate that this church, set amidst tall buildings of commerce, law, and government in the Loop, proclaims the powerful reality of God that towers above those buildings.  It's this kind of occasion that reminds us of how we're called to proclaim this reality in the world by our living out faith in action.

August 7, 2022: 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time

We have been entrusted with the great gift of faith because God has saved us.  Because of it, we can be sure of what God says, and that He will fulfill His promises in His timing.  We live beyond what we perceive by senses to acknowledge that our God is real, recognizing what He has done for us.

So we are called to act and live by faith, ready to welcome God's presence entering into our lives, all the while growing in relationship with Him Who has granted us a share in His Kingdom.  We wait upon Him, as did our ancestors in faith, like Abraham, and the Hebrews in Egypt as they awaited deliverance.  It wasn't blind faith, because they went beyond what they could perceive physically and acknowledged God as real.  As we wait, we live in a state of readiness, demonstrating how real our faith is by living out our faith in a way of service to others, for this is pleasing to Him.

Indeed, God has done so much for us, and so we are called to act by stewarding faithfully all that we have been given so we can keep living by faith with great purpose.

In that spirit, I recall officially becoming a Knight of Columbus 4 years ago today.  It has been an honor to be part of a fraternal organization that acts in the spirit of our founder, Blessed Father Michael McGivney, who sought to steward the faith and empower others to do the same, especially in service to the needs of the world.

August 6, 2022: Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord

There is no mistaking the reality that God has revealed His glory among us in His Son.  He is the One Who fulfills the plan foretold by the prophets to save the world, and lead us to glory.

So let us heed the words of the Father, when He told the three apostles that Christ is the Chosen One, and they should listen to Him.  Indeed, let us listen to the Son as we seek to so carry forth the glory revealed to us, that makes God real to us, and that gives us purpose in putting faith into action, living out the mystery.