November 3, 2019: 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time

Ever since humans first turned away from God into sin, He has been out to bring us back into right relationship with Himself.

The reading from Wisdom has rich, insightful words about how God rebukes sinners so they will turn from sin and back to Him, because He has created all, and so loves all.

That is on display in the Gospel reading, the story of Zacchaeus.  As a tax collector, working with the hated Roman authorities, and amassing wealth selfishly, the Jewish people consider him on the wrong side.  Yet there's something so compelling about Jesus that Zacchaeus goes to great lengths to see Jesus, even going out on a limb literally.

Yet Jesus is after Zacchaeus, too, as the first sentence of the reading indicates that Jesus has a definite purpose for going into Jericho, which is to invite Zacchaues to open his home, and his life, to Jesus.  This encounter compels Zacchaeus to repent of his ways and make things right.

Truly, a relationship with Jesus is meant to be life-changing.  Like Bishop Casey spoke so insightfully in his homily at St. Martin de Porres Parish at their Feast Day Mass today, we are not to be stuck in our limitations, but are called to go out on a limb and embrace a new perspective.  Jesus comes to us even today, telling us He must come into our homes and lives today, as He invites us to change our perspective on ourselves and others to a way that leads us closer to God Who loves us so much.

November 2, 2019: All Souls' Day

Christ's redemptive work in death and Resurrection has totally transformed our existence.

No longer does death have power over us the way it did before.  Death now serves God's redemptive purpose, for those of us who abide in Christ's righteousness.  The faithful departed are in the hands of God, entering into the full reality of the Resurrection.

And in Christ, we remain connected with all those who have gone before us.

November 1, 2019: All Saints' Day

What a great feast it is that we can celebrate all the saints in Heaven, known and unknown, even as we celebrate our call to holiness.  This call leads us to Heaven, where we will join a great multitude in praise of God, Who has lavished His love upon us, and called us His children.  We experience such love even now, and this call to holiness also gives us the opportunity to live as saints in our lives now.

God has called us His children, lavishing His love upon us, and we can show that love through holy living, displayed through humbly serving others, striving courageously through any challenges in life, because we live in glory even now.

October 27, 2019: 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Consistently in our Scriptures and Tradition, God grants special attention to the lowly and those in need.  There's incredible imagery in the reading from Sirach about the prayer not withdrawing until answered by the Most High, in a just way.

As Deacon Kevin mentioned in his homily at Ascension Parish, the interior disposition of the heart is important in prayer.  We can be lowly in the way we offer our prayer from the heart, as we acknowledge God is God, and we are not.  That's why Jesus says the tax collector, a despised sinner in ancient Israel, went home justified from his time of prayer at the Temple, rather than the Pharisee, because the tax collector was lowly enough to recognize his erring ways and his need for God's mercy, just as we do at Mass.

It is in a state of lowliness that we can be confident in God's action.  St. Paul humbly lived out his faith in striving to do God's work, and in the 2nd reading from 2 Timothy, recognizing the end of his life draws near, he reflects in stirring words, saying he has "fought the good fight...finished the race...kept the faith", with "the crown of righteousness" in store for him.  Even when all abandoned him, God stood by him so that he could boldly proclaim the message of God all the way through.  My family felt those words reflected my Grandpa Martin's path through life, and put them on his headstone, in accordance with something akin to the NIV translation of that passage.

Indeed, when we live life with a mesure of lowliness, we open ourselves to God's ability to act in and through us, and God will justify us now and at the end with great reward.

October 20, 2019: 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

History has demonstrated the power of persistence.

For with persistence the Israelites conquered the Amalekites who attacked them.

With persistence, the judge in Jesus's parable finally granted the widow's request for a just judgment.

If a judge who doesn't fear God can give in, imagine how much more, Jesus says, God will grant our requests through persistence.

We poise ourselves to continue persistently by growing in relationship with God, continuing in what we have learned from our encounters with Him in Holy Scripture, doing it, as St. Paul writes, in season and out of season.  It is from Scripture that we are equipped for the work of faith, and persist in it.

October 13, 2019: 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time

God has revealed to the nations His saving power, as Psalm 98 proclaims.

It happened when Naaman came to Israel seeking a cure for his skin disease.  After the disappointment of being told by Elisha to bathe in the Jordan River, he praises God for curing him, and devotes his life to praising God alone.

So it happens with a Samaritan in a group of lepers.  He alone returns to Jesus to offer praise and thanks for his healing.

Jesus commends this Samaritan for the faith which he expresses in giving thanks.

It is a faith that God has brought ultimate healing through the salvation that comes in Jesus Christ, Who heals us from our sins.  Free from sin, we can devote our lives to living for His praise.

October 6, 2019: 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time

God has given us faith as a great gift.  And it has so much potential, as Jesus says that even a small amount of faith can accomplish greatly.

That is why it is important for us to have the right attitude about faith, not using it to gain something for ourselves, but letting it guide us to magnify God day by day, Who created and loves us, calling us to love Him above all.

God doesn't guarantee abiding in faith will bring us a life of ease, but He guarantees it will grant us assurance that will help us face whatever we encounter in life.

As St. Paul writes in 2 Timothy, the Holy Spirit, which we receive in faith, will aid us in guarding the faith, as we "stir into flame" that gift, and strive to uphold it.