Author: admin

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Gospel: Luke 7: 11-17

Jesus journeyed to a city called Nain,
and his disciples and a large crowd accompanied him.
As he drew near to the gate of the city,
a man who had died was being carried out,
the only son of his mother, and she was a widow.
A large crowd from the city was with her.
When the Lord saw her,
he was moved with pity for her and said to her,
“Do not weep.”
He stepped forward and touched the coffin;
at this the bearers halted,
and he said, “Young man, I tell you, arise!”
The dead man sat up and began to speak,
and Jesus gave him to his mother.
Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, exclaiming,
“A great prophet has arisen in our midst,”
and “God has visited his people.”
This report about him spread through the whole of Judea
and in all the surrounding region.

The Gospel of the Lord.

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Today we celebrate the feast of Saint Monica, the patroness of mothers, married women, and alcoholics.

Hers was a difficult life, sustained by faith and grace. Like many parents today, Monica’s greatest cross was the wellbeing of her child, Augustine, who was a wayward youth.

Although he was immensely gifted, Augustine first used his gifts to better himself. Spiritually, he was dead like the son in today’s Gospel.

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For 17 years, Monica prayed for Augustine’s conversion. I’m sure she shed enough tears to fill the sea, storming heaven in prayer day after day, night after night. 

But she never gave up. Love never does. 

Thankfully, her prayers were answered.

Augustine not only became Catholic; he was also ordained a priest and later a bishop. Finally putting his gifts at the service of the Church, he became one of the most influential thinkers the Church has ever known.

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On her deathbed, Monica asked Augustine for one thing: “That you remember me at the altar of the Lord wherever you may be.”

That’s something each of us can do for our loved ones, especially those who struggle in any way – with faith, temptation, or any particular cross. 

We remember them at the altar of the Lord, trusting that, through Monica’s intercession, our prayers will also be answered, even years from now.

Saint Monica, pray for us.

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Image credits: (1) Pastor Charles Finny, WordPress (2) The Raising of the Widows Son in Nain, Jan Verhas, 1860 (3) Womenofgrace.com

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1 Thessalonians 2: 1-8

You yourselves know, brothers and sisters,
that our reception among you was not without effect.
Rather, after we had suffered and been insolently treated,
as you know, in Philippi,
we drew courage through our God
to speak to you the Gospel of God with much struggle.
Our exhortation was not from delusion or impure motives,
nor did it work through deception.
But as we were judged worthy by God to be entrusted with the Gospel,
that is how we speak,
not as trying to please men,
but rather God, who judges our hearts.
Nor, indeed, did we ever appear with flattering speech, as you know,
or with a pretext for greed–God is witness–
nor did we seek praise from men,
either from you or from others,
although we were able to impose our weight as Apostles of Christ.
Rather, we were gentle among you,
as a nursing mother cares for her children.
With such affection for you, we were determined to share with you
not only the Gospel of God, but our very selves as well,
so dearly beloved had you become to us.

The Word of the Lord.

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Some of us know what it’s like to have our name slandered, or a false charge presented against us. It’s painful not only because it questions our reputation, but also because it can undo the impact of our work.

Such is the case for Saint Paul in our first reading.

His First Letter to the Thessalonians is the oldest book or letter in the New Testament, pre-dating the Gospels. His cause for writing to these early Christians was two-fold. 

First and foremost, Paul had to answer the question of death. These early Christians didn’t meet Jesus, but they believed Paul’s preaching, that they, too, could enter the kingdom of God if they were faithful. 

Still, they wanted to know, “Can we still enter God’s kingdom if we die before Jesus returns?” The answer was a resounding, “Yes.”

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But, secondly, Paul must clear his name.

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Beneath his words of encouragement and teaching, Paul laments the suffering he endured while preaching the Gospel.

People resistant to the Gospel message threw multiple accusations at him, including everything from being a criminal on the run, to being delusional, impure, a liar, and a thief seeking to profit from his labors.

But he understood that people resistant to change – or to the Gospel message – often turn to lies to discredit what they dislike.

“We grew courage through our God to speak to you the Gospel of God with much struggle,” he says. “But we were judged worthy by God to be entrusted with the Gospel.”

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Thankfully, Paul never gave up.

In spite of the troubles he faced – from slander to physical abuse – he ran the race to the finish and kept the faith. In so doing, he spread the Gospel with great success.

Like Paul, may nothing stop us from preaching and living the Truth. Jesus Christ has loved us and given himself for us. 

So, how might we share this truth with others today?

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Image credits: (1) Medium (2) Saint Paul Delivering the Aeropagus Sermon, Raphael (3) Redbubble

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Gospel: Matthew 23: 13-22

Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples:
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.
You lock the Kingdom of heaven before men.
You do not enter yourselves,
nor do you allow entrance to those trying to enter.

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.
You traverse sea and land to make one convert,
and when that happens you make him a child of Gehenna
twice as much as yourselves.

“Woe to you, blind guides, who say,
‘If one swears by the temple, it means nothing,
but if one swears by the gold of the temple, one is obligated.’
Blind fools, which is greater, the gold,
or the temple that made the gold sacred?
And you say, ‘If one swears by the altar, it means nothing,
but if one swears by the gift on the altar, one is obligated.’
You blind ones, which is greater, the gift,
or the altar that makes the gift sacred?
One who swears by the altar swears by it and all that is upon it;
one who swears by the temple swears by it
and by him who dwells in it;
one who swears by heaven swears by the throne of God
and by him who is seated on it.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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Someone once said, “You may be the only bible a person ever reads.”

As Christians, you and I are meant to digest the Word of God so deeply that it becomes part of who we are.

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In today’s Gospel, Jesus accuses the religious authorities of doing the very opposite. They’ve essentially hijacked religion, turning it into a system of rules, leading people to believe that God cares more about the purity of their hands than the purity of their hearts.

“Woe to you!” Jesus says.

The meaning of this word, “woe,” in Greek not only carries a sense of deep wrath, but also sorrow. The fact that the religious leaders of his day have prevented people from encountering the love and mercy of God made Jesus sorrowfully angry.

So, he condemns them with seven different “woes.” Some have called this Gospel passage, “Christ’s rolling thunder.” 

Nowhere else does Jesus issue such a strong, sustained rebuke. In fact, the religious leaders are the only ones whom Jesus condemns in the Gospels. A hard truth to swallow, considering the fact that Jesus prayed for – and even forgave – his executioners! 

But this is how seriously the Lord holds religious figures accountable – and, for that matter, anyone who claims to know and follow him.

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“You may be the only bible a person ever reads.”

As believers in Christ, how has the Word of God come alive in your heart? How is the compassion of Christ revealed in your speech? How does the love of God reveal itself through your actions?

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As Teresa of Avila reminds us, “Christ has no body on earth now, but yours.” May we use our eyes, our voice, our hands and feet to reveal the infinite love and mercy of God, lest Jesus cry out, “Woe to you!”

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Image credits: (1) Timothy Eberly, Open the Bible (2) Woe To You, Chantal LaFortune (3) Pinterest