Author: admin

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Gospel: Luke 1: 5-17

In the days of Herod, King of Judea,
there was a priest named Zechariah
of the priestly division of Abijah;
his wife was from the daughters of Aaron,
and her name was Elizabeth.
Both were righteous in the eyes of God,
observing all the commandments
and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly.
But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren
and both were advanced in years.
Once when he was serving
as priest in his division’s turn before God,
according to the practice of the priestly service,
he was chosen by lot
to enter the sanctuary of the Lord to burn incense.
Then, when the whole assembly of the people was praying outside
at the hour of the incense offering,
the angel of the Lord appeared to him,
standing at the right of the altar of incense.
Zechariah was troubled by what he saw, and fear came upon him.
But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah,
because your prayer has been heard.
Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son,
and you shall name him John.
And you will have joy and gladness,
and many will rejoice at his birth,
for he will be great in the sight of the Lord.
John will drink neither wine nor strong drink.
He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb,
and he will turn many of the children of Israel
to the Lord their God.
He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah
to turn their hearts toward their children
and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous,
to prepare a people fit for the Lord.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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Nearly every birth in the Bible is about the reaction of the parents as much as it is the destiny of the child.

Consider the difference between Mary’s reaction to the angel Gabriel versus Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, whose feast day we celebrate today.

Both births are foretold by the Angel Gabriel and both seemed highly unlikely: Mary, a virgin, and Zechariah’s wife, Elizabeth, was elderly and barren.

While Mary believed what Gabriel told her, Zechariah’s heart was clouded by doubt. “How can this be?” he says. “For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in years!”

Zechariah didn’t believe in the impossible. So, the angel strikes him mute, preventing him from saying another word until he holds his child, John, in his arms.

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This is a lesson learned throughout scripture: God can do extraordinary things. Yet how often do we question the Lord like Zechariah did, favoring human logic over the power of the divine?

“Lord, time is running out. Will you answer me?”

“How can I carry this cross? My health is declining.”

“How can I climb this mountain before me? It looks daunting.”

I asked a similar question upon arriving here at St. Pius X. “Lord, how can I renew this parish? We’re small in number … and we’re in the middle of a pandemic!”

Yet look at what the Lord has done – and continues doing today. Our ministries are expanding; Mass attendance is growing; faith and excitement are oozing out of many.

Like Zechariah, we’re being invited to trust that God can do the impossible… through us and for us, too.

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What seems impossible in my own life? Where have I doubted God’s power to do something new? 

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With God, all things are possible… but everything is made easier by belief. As the Psalmist reminds us, “Trust in the Lord and he will act…because they trust in him” (Psalm 37:5, 40).

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Image credits: (1) Woman’s Day, WordPress (2) Andrey Shishkin, Simeon (3) God With Us, Pinterest

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Gospel: Matthew 7:15-20

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing,
but underneath are ravenous wolves.
By their fruits you will know them.
Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
Just so, every good tree bears good fruit,
and a rotten tree bears bad fruit.
A good tree cannot bear bad fruit,
nor can a rotten tree bear good fruit.
Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down
and thrown into the fire.
So by their fruits you will know them.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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Over the last two years, I’ve developed an interest in gardening. 

This morning, I was proudly able to show off my little garden to my brother, who’s come to visit. It’s not much, but it’s a sacred space hidden behind a white picket fence, protected from the endless herds of deer who seem to eat everything in their path.

One of the first lessons I learned in gardening is that there are two types of branches: those that bear fruit and those that don’t.

We’ve all seen withering branches. They’re dark, limp, and slow to die. But even as they wither, these branches sap energy from the vine. 

It’s a fascinating truth: withering branches take energy to die. It’s why a gardener must identify and prune them quickly; they take energy away from the plant, which could be better used elsewhere.

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In the Gospel today, Jesus says, “Every good tree bears good fruit.”

It’s no secret: we all bear good fruit. Being present with the Lord today is but one example. But if we look deeper, perhaps the question for us is, “Can we bear more fruit?”

Are there withering branches within us – thoughts, habits, feelings – that sap our energy and need to be pruned?

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I don’t think twice about cutting withering branches off of my plants and trees in my garden. But looking into my own heart and spiritual life can be different; at times, I hesitate to allow the Lord to be the Divine Gardener, to mercifully remove from me what isn’t bearing fruit.

Maybe you’ve felt hesitant, too.

May Jesus give us all the grace we need to be humble and grateful for such pruning. We’ll only be happier and healthier for it.

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Image credits: (1) revivalfocus.org (2) Sant Cruz Permaculture (3) My Days Well Lived, blogpost

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Gospel: Matthew 7: 6, 12-14

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Do not give what is holy to dogs, or throw your pearls before swine,
lest they trample them underfoot, and turn and tear you to pieces.

“Do to others whatever you would have them do to you.
This is the Law and the Prophets.

“Enter through the narrow gate;
for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction,
and those who enter through it are many.
How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life.
And those who find it are few.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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“Do not give what is holy to dogs, or throw your pearls before swine.”

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There are a few phrases in the Gospels that seem lost in translation. This may be one of them.

So, what exactly did Jesus mean?

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To the early Christians, these words had an implicit exclusiveness; an “us versus them” mentality.

Jesus makes the distinction here between what is holy versus what is unholy; between what is thrown to dogs versus what is kept; between pearls and pigs. 

Christians saw themselves as the “holy” ones; the pearls; the ones who were saved. If they were to follow Christ faithfully, then they needed boundaries to protect themselves.

Associating with non-believers and giving into temptation watered down their faith. 

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You and I are no different. We must work hard to nurture our faith.

What boundaries have I erected to guard my heart? How do I protect the pearl of my faith?

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“Do not give what is holy to dogs, or throw your pearls before swine.”

Protect it, lest you lose it.

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Image credits: (1) Scott on Scripture, WordPress.com (2) Justice Versus Conscience (3) Theworldlyrice