Author: admin

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Ezekiel 34: 1-11

The word of the Lord came to me:
Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel,
in these words prophesy to them to the shepherds:
Thus says the Lord GOD: Woe to the shepherds of Israel
who have been pasturing themselves!
Should not shepherds, rather, pasture sheep?
You have fed off their milk, worn their wool,
and slaughtered the fatlings,
but the sheep you have not pastured.
You did not strengthen the weak nor heal the sick
nor bind up the injured.
You did not bring back the strayed nor seek the lost,
but you lorded it over them harshly and brutally.
So they were scattered for the lack of a shepherd,
and became food for all the wild beasts.
My sheep were scattered
and wandered over all the mountains and high hills;
my sheep were scattered over the whole earth,
with no one to look after them or to search for them.

Therefore, shepherds, hear the word of the LORD:
As I live, says the Lord GOD,
because my sheep have been given over to pillage,
and because my sheep have become food for every wild beast,
for lack of a shepherd;
because my shepherds did not look after my sheep,
but pastured themselves and did not pasture my sheep;
because of this, shepherds, hear the word of the LORD:
Thus says the Lord GOD:
I swear I am coming against these shepherds.
I will claim my sheep from them
and put a stop to their shepherding my sheep
so that they may no longer pasture themselves.
I will save my sheep, 
that they may no longer be food for their mouths.

For thus says the Lord GOD: 
I myself will look after and tend my sheep.

The Word of the Lord.

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Today is a day to pray for priests – that we may be worthy shepherds, that we may lead our communities to Christ, that we may stand humbly before the judgment seat of God, ready to offer an account for our ministries.

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In our first reading from the Book of Ezekiel, the Lord condemns the shepherds of Israel. 

“Woe to the shepherds of Israel,” he says, “who have been pasturing themselves! … You did not strengthen the weak nor heal the sick nor bind up the injured. You did not bring back the strayed nor seek the lost, but you lorded it over them harshly and brutally.”

These religious leaders were out to serve themselves. 

And consider the result.

“My sheep were scattered for the lack of a shepherd, and became food for all the wild beasts.”

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These words remind me of two things:

The responsibility that the Lord places on the shoulders of priests – to act in His name, to celebrate the Sacraments, to lead, to govern, to heal, and to serve. 

And the trust that the sheep – God’s people – rightfully place in their leaders.

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Let’s pray for all who serve God’s people, myself included, that we may devote ourselves to what matters most: leading souls to Christ, the Shepherd of us all.

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Image credits: (1) St. Catherine of Siena Academy (2) ShareCatholic.com (3) Psephizo

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Gospel: Matthew 19:23-30

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Amen, I say to you, it will be hard for one who is rich
to enter the Kingdom of heaven.
Again I say to you,
it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle
than for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God.”
When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and said,
“Who then can be saved?”
Jesus looked at them and said,
“For men this is impossible,
but for God all things are possible.”
Then Peter said to him in reply,
“We have given up everything and followed you.
What will there be for us?”
Jesus said to them, “Amen, I say to you
that you who have followed me, in the new age,
when the Son of Man is seated on his throne of glory,
will yourselves sit on twelve thrones,
judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters
or father or mother or children or lands
for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times more,
and will inherit eternal life.
But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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Samuel Johnson, an 18^th century author, once visited a friend’s estate in the English countryside. After seeing all of the ornate rooms, Persian rugs, and priceless paintings on the wall, he said:

“These are the things which make it difficult to die.”

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Jesus never says it’s impossible for the rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Riches are not a sin.

But Johnson reminds us that riches are a danger, because we can easily become attached to them, valuing earthly things more than heavenly things.

For example, think about how we might feel if we woke up tomorrow morning and our house was downsized; our closet cut in half; our bookshelves emptied; and our car ten years old older.

It’d be shocking! Some of us might be saddened by it. I know I would be. I like my little home and creaturely comforts.

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Meanwhile, there are families who cannot make ends meet; refugees seeking shelter; children who haven’t eaten since yesterday. 

Or even the day before.

This doesn’t mean that we have to turn our lives upside down and sell everything we have. But we should do what we can.

As Saint Paul says, “God loves a cheerful giver.”

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In what ways do I share my blessings with others?

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Riches are not a sin. But they are a danger.

Like Samuel Johnson, if we find ourselves feeling a little too attached, then perhaps it’s time to part with some of our riches, sharing them with those in most need. 

After all, God loves a cheerful giver.

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Image credits: (1) LinkedIn (2) Architectural Digest (3) SoulFully You, WordPress

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Gospel: Luke 12: 49-53

Jesus said to his disciples:
“I have come to set the earth on fire,
and how I wish it were already blazing! 
There is a baptism with which I must be baptized,
and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished! 
Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? 
No, I tell you, but rather division. 
From now on a household of five will be divided,
three against two and two against three;
a father will be divided against his son
and a son against his father,
a mother against her daughter
and a daughter against her mother,
a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law
and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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Almost 12 years ago to the day, the entrance to a mine in northern Chile collapsed, leaving 33 men trapped 2,300 feet beneath the surface of the earth. Suddenly, they were enveloped in darkness… a darkness that would prevail for 69 days.

News of their situation went viral as they became known as, “Los 33”… “The 33.”  

An international team of doctors, scientists, and engineers worked around the clock to save them. And, miraculously, they did.

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When “the 33” were being extracted out of the earth, one of the primary threats to their health was light. 

Although light is necessary for survival, if we are deprived of it long enough – as those miners in Chile were – then instant exposure to it can feel like fire. 

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In today’s Gospel, Jesus uses strong – and strange – language. “I have come to set the world on fire,” he says, “and how I wish it were already blazing!”

What exactly is this “fire” that he’s referring to? Does Jesus want to set the world ablaze? Or burn us like miners coming out of a cave? 

Of course not.

But there is something which he came to burn away: the darkness – the sin – that separates us from God. 

This is why he describes God’s love as a “fire.” When God is with us, his love for us burns like a fire, purifying our lives.

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If you are in a good place spiritually, then that love feels like a “fire” in the best sense of the word – it warms you and illumines your path.

As the Psalmist says, “Your word is a lamp for my path and a light for my steps.” 

God’s love can also fill your heart with fiery passion. As the prophet Jeremiah reminds us, “Your WORD is like a fire in my bones; woe to me if I do not preach it!” 

We see this divine fire at work in the lives of all the Saints, who put God first in their lives.

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But, if you’re not in a good place spiritually, then that same divine “fire” can feel painful as it purifies.

For example, the first day of sobriety can feel like fire to an addict. God is burning away an addiction.

Telling the truth can feel like fire to someone caught in a lie. God is burning away dishonesty.

Forgiving a deep-seeded wound can feel like fire to someone who’s been nursing a grudge. God is burning anger away.

An act of humility can feel like fire to our ego.

Honesty, self-control, forgiveness, and humility … these are all good things! They’re necessary for spiritual growth and healthy relationships. They’re the fruit of God’s Spirit working in our lives!

But, in order for these virtues to grow, God must melt away our pride. That’s hard. It burns.

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Think about those Chilean miners stuck inside a cave for 69 days. They were deprived of light for so long that immediate exposure to it would’ve singed their eyes and skin. They needed gradual exposure before returning to the light.

Similarly, the more distant we are from God, the more his love can burn like a purifying fire when we are exposed to it. But the suffering it causes is meant to lead us to salvation.

As the Book of Wisdom reminds us, “The souls of the just are in the hand of God…because God tried them and found them worthy of himself. As gold in the furnace, he proved them.” 

As we emerge from various trials in life, we may find that our faith in God was tested – and strengthened – as gold in the fire.

So, what has my spiritual journey been like? 

Am I ever tempted to shy away from the light, to retreat back into the cave, as it were? Are there parts of me that the Lord still wants to purify out of love?

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“Let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us,” the Letter to the Hebrews says, “and persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus,” who came to set the world on fire with God’s salvific love.  

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Image credits: (1) RobertCliftonRobinson.com (2) Aleteia (3) Ask for the FIRE of God, WordPress