Category: Uncategorized

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Gospel: Luke 7: 31-35

Jesus said to the crowds:
“To what shall I compare the people of this generation?
What are they like?
They are like children who sit in the marketplace and call to one another,

‘We played the flute for you, but you did not dance.
We sang a dirge, but you did not weep.’

For John the Baptist came neither eating food nor drinking wine,
and you said, ‘He is possessed by a demon.’
The Son of Man came eating and drinking and you said,
‘Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard,
a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’
But wisdom is vindicated by all her children.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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From the moment of the resurrection onward, various governments have tried stomping out Christianity from their culture and society, beginning with the Roman Empire.

Some purges have killed tens of thousands of Christians at a time – men, women, even children.

In fact, more Christians were killed in the 20^th century than all previous centuries combined!

But, mysteriously, the Church continues to grow. In fact, it’s grown by one-million percent since the calling of the Twelve Apostles.

And all of them, with the exception of Judas and John (who died in exile), we’re martyred.

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Today we remember the 10,000 Catholics who were martyred in Korea from the 17^th century onward, including Saint Andrew Kim Taegon and his companions.

For centuries, Christians were persecuted by the Korean government because of their teaching on baptism – the idea that all are equal in Christ, a radical shift away from the traditional class-based system that bound the Korean culture and society together.

Although there was a strong push to eradicate the Christian faith, mysteriously the Church continued to grow.

In fact, it remains active in Korea – and in most parts around the world – today.

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So, what can the example of the martyrs say to us?

While we don’t actively seek to suffer for our faith, there is an incredible power that is released when we do. 

Sometimes we need to speak out; stand up; profess our faith in some way for the sake of Jesus.

“Be not afraid,” the Lord says. Anytime we bear witness to Jesus, the Church will mysteriously grow.

How might we bear witness to Him today?

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Image credits: (1) The Persecuted (2) Catholic Truth Society, Korean Martyrs (3) The King’s Corner, WordPress.com

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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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Most miracles Jesus performs are for a stranger’s good. He grants a blind man his sight; heals a leper’s wounds; forgives someone their sins. These miracles are frequently in response to a person’s faith.

But today’s miracle – bringing a dead son back to life – is different. 

It was far more personal for Jesus; it struck a particular chord in his heart. Jesus must’ve seen his own body tucked inside that coffin … and the inexhaustible grief of Mary, his mother, buried in that widowed mother’s face.

Soon enough, Jesus knows, he will be the one being carried in procession to a grave.

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Thus, this miracle is not only for the sake of the boy and his mother, but also for the consolation of Mary. As the Gospel tells us, when Jesus saw this boy’s mother, “he was moved with pity for her and said to her, ‘Do not weep.’”

Stepping forward, he touches the coffin, and says, “Young man, I tell you, arise!”

Suddenly, everyone’s grief is turned into astounding joy.

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How we wish the Lord would be moved with pity at the sight of every funeral procession, certainly ones for children.

But keep in mind, this miracle was performed before the resurrection; before Jesus conquered death forever; before the gates of heaven were opened to humanity.

Christians are called to be forward thinking; to celebrate not just a return to physical life, but also the promise of eternal life. As Saint Paul says, “Where, O Death, is your victory? Where, O Death, is your sting?”

May the same Spirit who brought Jesus to life raise us all again.

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Image credits: (1) Messages of Christ, The Widow of Nain, YouTube (2) The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (3) The Gospel Coalition

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Gospel: Luke 7: 1-10

When Jesus had finished all his words to the people,
he entered Capernaum.
A centurion there had a slave who was ill and about to die,
and he was valuable to him.
When he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to him,
asking him to come and save the life of his slave.
They approached Jesus and strongly urged him to come, saying,
“He deserves to have you do this for him,
for he loves our nation and he built the synagogue for us.”
And Jesus went with them,
but when he was only a short distance from the house,
the centurion sent friends to tell him,
“Lord, do not trouble yourself,
for I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof.
Therefore, I did not consider myself worthy to come to you;
but say the word and let my servant be healed.
For I too am a person subject to authority,
with soldiers subject to me.
And I say to one, Go, and he goes;
and to another, Come here, and he comes;
and to my slave, Do this, and he does it.”
When Jesus heard this he was amazed at him
and, turning, said to the crowd following him,
“I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.”
When the messengers returned to the house,
they found the slave in good health.

The Gospel of the Lord.

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This centurion receives the highest praise ever uttered by Jesus in Luke’s Gospel – yet the two of them never meet.

Luke gives us three reasons why this man merits such praise.

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First, the centurion communicates with Jesus through the Jewish religious authorities. Being a Gentile, not a Jew, he might have been concerned that the Lord would not enter into his home, because it would’ve rendered Jesus ritually impure.

So, the authorities vouch on his behalf, telling Jesus that he built a synagogue in their town, which was not only a gesture of good will and a sign of respect for the Jews; it also helped to preserve the peace.

This man was a wise leader, who demonstrated care for all under his authority, even those different from himself.

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As Jesus nears his home, the centurion’s friends become a vessel for his faith. 

“Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof,” they say on his behalf. “Therefore, I did not consider myself worthy to come to you; but say the word and let my servant be healed.”

These words reveal more about the centurion’s heart: he’s a man of faith and compassion, who even cares about the lowest person in society, his slave.

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Most importantly, the centurion recognizes the source of Christ’s power. This is what provokes such praise.

Just as the centurion derives his authority from a higher power – the Roman emperor Antipas, so he recognizes that Jesus derives his authority from the highest power of all, God.

“I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith,” Jesus says.

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What might this Gospel passage say to us?

The centurion reminds us that what the Lord delights in is life lived with character and faith, a faith that recognizes who Jesus is and his power to save, even today.

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Image credits: (1) Church Leaders (2) JW.org (3) Give Me Faith, First Pres Joliet