Category: Uncategorized

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Gospel: Matthew 18:1-5, 10

The disciples approached Jesus and said,
“Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?”
He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said,
“Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children,
you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven.
Whoever humbles himself like this child
is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.
And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me.

“See that you do not despise one of these little ones,
for I say to you that their angels in heaven
always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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What are angels? Why are they so important? What difference do they make today?

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Angels have two purposes: first, they surround God’s throne and worship him. As Jesus says in today’s Gospel, “the angels look upon the face of my heavenly Father.” Some of them also cross over from heaven to earth as God’s messengers, guiding our steps. 

Imagine: every person God creates has a guardian angel. You have yours. I have mine. In the bible, we can see them acting concretely in people’s lives.

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For example, in the Old Testament an angel appears to Abraham, telling him not to sacrifice his son, Isaac.

The angel Gabriel appears to Mary in the Gospels, telling her she will conceive a son and name him Jesus.

Another angel appears to Joseph in a dream, telling him not to be afraid; Mary’s child is, in fact, the Son of God. So, Joseph welcomes Jesus and Mary into his home. 

Thirty years later, an angel appears to Jesus in the desert, comforting him as he’s tempted by Satan for forty days and forty nights.

After Christ’s resurrection, an angel appears to a sleeping Saint Peter, who’s chained to the ground in prison. As Peter’s wrists are freed, the angel leads him to freedom.

Angels also act in our own lives. They guide, protect, and comfort us, even if we can’t see them. And at the end of our lives, it’s our guardian angel who leads us into paradise. 

As the priest prays at the conclusion of each funeral: “May the angels lead you into paradise. May the martyrs come to welcome you, to the new and eternal Jerusalem.”

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So, what does this Feast of the Guardian Angels say to us?

The veil between heaven and earth is far thinner than we often assume. Even while here on earth, angels – God’s messengers, our protectors – surround us. 

Turn to your guardian angel today. Pray for direction. Ask for guidance. As the Lord says in the Book of Exodus, “See, I am sending an angel before you, to guard you on the way and bring you to the place I have prepared,” today, tomorrow, and forever. (Exodus 23:20)

May the angels watch over us here on earth, and in the end, lead us into paradise, the new and eternal Jerusalem.

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Image credits: (1) Carmel of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (2) Marcantonio Franceschini, The Guardian Angel (3) AnaStpaul

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Gospel: Matthew 21: 28-32

Jesus said to the chief priests and elders of the people:
“What is your opinion?
A man had two sons.
He came to the first and said,
‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’
He said in reply, ‘I will not,’
but afterwards changed his mind and went.
The man came to the other son and gave the same order.
He said in reply, ‘Yes, sir, ‘but did not go.
Which of the two did his father’s will?”
They answered, “The first.”
Jesus said to them, “Amen, I say to you,
tax collectors and prostitutes
are entering the kingdom of God before you.
When John came to you in the way of righteousness,
you did not believe him;
but tax collectors and prostitutes did.
Yet even when you saw that,
you did not later change your minds and believe him.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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When the English author G.K. Chesterton was asked, “What is wrong with the world?” 

He replied, “Sir, I am.”

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Most of us would answer differently.

What’s wrong with the world?

Politicians. Corruption. Terrorism. Bad drivers. Torrential rain on the day of our parish golf outing!

Anything – and anyone – but me.

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So, why would Chesterton, a devout Christian, say he’s part of what’s wrong with the world?

He wasn’t taking personal responsibility for all of the world’s problems. But he was acknowledging that he’s played a role in it. 

Like the first son in today’s Gospel, Chesterton admits to ignoring his conscience at times, to saying “no” to doing his Father’s will. 

But he later repents.

That’s the essence of the Christian journey: We acknowledge our sins, we seek forgiveness, and we strive to be better.

For the last three weeks, the Gospel has focused on the theme of forgiveness – particularly our need to forgive others, just as God has forgiven us. 

But today the focus shifts back on us; at times, we need to repent.

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Most of us would admit that we’re generic sinners. We often repeat the same sins over and over again. As the old saying goes, “Nobody’s perfect.”

But we shouldn’t take comfort in that old adage. Nobody wants to live in an imperfect world. Too often it leaves us bruised and broken. And sometimes God – not us – gets the blame.

As Christians we’re challenged to be the light of the world; the salt of the earth; to leave our sins behind; to love God with all of our heart and our neighbor as ourselves.

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Key to such spiritual growth is not only practicing virtue, but also naming our vice.

Maybe it’s pride; greed; envy; anger; laziness; or lust. 

We must be honest with ourselves – and with one another – about what we struggle with in order to shine brightly, effecting real change within ourselves and beyond.

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Alcoholics understand this truth well.

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Whenever a person speaks at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, they must begin by stating their name and the reason why they’re there. 

For example, “Hi, I’m Ted and I’m an alcoholic.”

“Hi, Ted!”

Only then will the others present listen.

That’s the type of rigorous honesty and accountability we should practice as Christians. “Hi, I’m Kevin and I’m an imperfect believer.”

“Hi, Kevin!”

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So, “What’s wrong with the world?”

At times, “I am.”

I can be like that first son in today’s Gospel who ignores his conscience and says “no” to doing his Father’s will, but later repents.

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What’s the alternative?

To see ourselves like the second son. To say “yes” to doing God’s will but failing to carry it out.

For example, Jesus teaches us to love our enemies; to turn the other cheek; to forgive without limits; to see Christ in every person.

These are some of the core tenets of our faith, and every Sunday we profess our willingness to put these beliefs into practice.

But how often does our faith fizzle out somewhere between Monday morning and Saturday night?

Maybe someone hurt us last week and, stubbornly, we refuse to forgive them. Maybe we turned on the news and found our blood boiling over politics.

Maybe we find ourselves constantly judging others with whom we disagree. Maybe we’ve purchased more than we need or have given less than we can.

Faith is a full-time commitment – and, at times, a very difficult one to keep. If we’re honest, it’s easy to say “yes” to Jesus, but much harder to follow him moment by moment. 

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So, “What’s wrong with the world?” 

At times, “I am.” 

This week I’ll strive to be better.

How about you? 

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Image credits: (1) Pete Santucci, God & Life & Stuff (2) Aaron McHugh (3) Side-by-Side Educational Consulting

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Gospel: Luke 9: 7-9

Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was happening,
and he was greatly perplexed because some were saying,
“John has been raised from the dead”;
others were saying, “Elijah has appeared”;
still others, “One of the ancient prophets has arisen.”
But Herod said, “John I beheaded.
Who then is this about whom I hear such things?”
And he kept trying to see him.

The Gospel of the Lord.

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The fact that King Herod remains haunted by the death of John the Baptist is a sign that Jesus’ public ministry is working. 

In the verses prior to this Gospel passage, Jesus gave his authority to the Twelve Apostles to cast out demons and to cure diseases of every kind. 

Meaning, the Apostles are not only preaching about the kingdom of God; they are also performing miracles – a sign they’ve been given divine authority.

Thus, preaching and healing go hand in hand. 

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This is one of the first lessons we derive from the ministry of the Apostles: our words must be supported by our actions.

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For example, I ran a bible study in a prison in Rome for three years. Week after week, I’d teach a handful of inmates about our faith.

One day, one of the inmates complained about being cold, so I gave him the hat off of my head. When one of the guards asked me why I’d do such a thing, I simply responded:

“How can you believe in God with a cold head?”

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Much like the Apostles who not only spoke about the kingdom of God, but also did something about it, our faith must always be supported by our actions. As Saint James tells us, “Faith without works is dead.” (James 2:14)

So, how will you put our faith into practice today?

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Image credits: (1) Cornerstone Community Church (2) Ticket Tailor (3) Daily Bread, Pastor Mike Anderson