Category: Uncategorized

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Gospel: Matthew 8:28-34

When Jesus came to the territory of the Gadarenes,
two demoniacs who were coming from the tombs met him.
They were so savage that no one could travel by that road.
They cried out, “What have you to do with us, Son of God?
Have you come here to torment us before the appointed time?”
Some distance away a herd of many swine was feeding.
The demons pleaded with him,
“If you drive us out, send us into the herd of swine.”
And he said to them, “Go then!”
They came out and entered the swine,
and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea
where they drowned.
The swineherds ran away,
and when they came to the town they reported everything,
including what had happened to the demoniacs.
Thereupon the whole town came out to meet Jesus,
and when they saw him they begged him to leave their district.

The Gospel of the Lord.

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From a Jewish perspective, this might be the most ritually impure scene in all of the Gospels.

There are demons, dead bodies, and pigs, all present in Gentile territory, the sworn enemies of the Jews.

Why would Jesus lead his followers into such a dark and filthy place?

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By entering into “forbidden” territory, Jesus reveals concern for everyone.

While the Jews held a very exclusive idea of God – he belonged only to the ritually pure, Jesus reveals that God is the Good Shepherd, who seeks out all of his creation, even those who are lost in the darkness. 

Then Jesus reveals the depths of this power.

He not only has the ability to still stormy seas or to heal leprosy; he also has power over evil. “If you drive us out,” the demons say to him in today’s Gospel, “then send us into the herd of swine.”

“And he said to them, ‘Go then!’”

And off they went.

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So, what does this mean for us?

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Jesus is not afraid of any area of our life, even parts of ourselves that, at times, we may want to hide. 

Unlike the villagers in the Gospel, who begged the Lord to leave, may we embrace the Lord, allowing him to cast out what doesn’t belong to Him, to heal us, and to set us free.

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Image credits: (1) Mary-Medium (2) Christian Art (3) PngTree

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Gospel: Matthew 8: 23-27

As Jesus got into a boat, his disciples followed him.
Suddenly a violent storm came up on the sea,
so that the boat was being swamped by waves;
but he was asleep.
They came and woke him, saying,
“Lord, save us!  We are perishing!”
He said to them, “Why are you terrified, O you of little faith?”
Then he got up, rebuked the winds and the sea,
and there was great calm.
The men were amazed and said, “What sort of man is this,
whom even the winds and the sea obey?”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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This is the only moment in the Gospels where Jesus is found asleep.

Surely, he slept most nights. His days were long and often tiring. So, why would Matthew insist on telling us that Jesus fell asleep that night, as opposed to any other night?

Because he fell asleep in the middle of a storm – a storm so strong that it terrified the disciples, who were also professional fishermen.

Imagine them staggering like drunkards, struggling to find their balance… meanwhile, Jesus is fast asleep on a cushion.

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Did Jesus fall asleep knowing the storm was coming? Was this all a test of the disciples’ faith? 

What if they were right where God wanted them to be – staggering uncomfortably on a boat, learning how to trust? 

Even if asleep, Jesus was right next to them. 

Perhaps God was inviting the disciples to remember the words of the Psalmist: “The floods of water may reach high, but you they shall not overcome. You are my shelter, O LORD; you guard me from distress.” (Psalm 32)

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We’ve all had that sinking feeling in our stomach like we’re going to drown – not necessarily in water, but in debt, in fear, in temptation, in grief, in doubt, or in loneliness.

While our prayers can – and often do – awaken a “sleeping Jesus,” perhaps the deeper invitation in today’s Gospel is to imagine the disciples drifting uncomfortably in the storm, doing their best to trust that all will be well, even if they don’t see the end in sight.

Jesus is with them. They will not drown. They did not drown. Nor will we.

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“The floods of water may reach high, but you they shall not overcome.”

Awake or asleep, Jesus is with us.

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Image credits: (1) Storm on the Sea of Galilee, Rembrandt (2) Ibid. (3) Unsplash

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Gospel: John 20: 24-29

Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve,
was not with them when Jesus came.
So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.”
But Thomas said to them,
“Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands
and put my finger into the nailmarks
and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”
Now a week later his disciples were again inside
and Thomas was with them.
Jesus came, although the doors were locked,
and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.”
Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands,
and bring your hand and put it into my side,
and do not be unbelieving, but believe.”
Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me?
Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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This was the first time the Apostle Thomas saw Jesus after Jesus was raised from the dead.

You can imagine how overwhelming that moment must’ve been – a combination of grief, shock, and surprise. Death seemed so permanent. Then, all of a sudden, it wasn’t.

Making the scene even more intimate, Thomas slides his finger into the hands and side of the Risen Lord reinforcing the seemingly impossible truth – Jesus is alive again, causing Thomas to shout out, “My Lord and my God!”

In that moment, Thomas is forced to think outside of the box; Jesus is God. And God is far greater than Thomas had ever imagined.

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As beautiful as this scene is, it only happened after something – or better said, someone – had changed.

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After Christ’s crucifixion, the Apostles went into hiding. We know they were huddled somewhere in Jerusalem, but as the Gospel reveals, “Thomas was not with them when Jesus came.”

Until now, the Lord has only appeared to Mary Magdalene, who was rewarded by going to the empty tomb first, and to the community of the Apostles while they were gathered together. Since Thomas wasn’t with them, he missed his opportunity.

What does this reveal to us?

That Jesus waited for Thomas to re-join the community of the Apostles before he had his chance to “see.”

Meaning, faith is not something meant to be lived alone; God wants us to gather together as a community in worship. It’s why we come together every Sunday at Mass.

When the community is present, God is present.

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Perhaps there’s an invitation here for us: we all know someone who, like Thomas, has yet to re-join the community of faith.

Why don’t we invite them to “Come and see” this week? 

Who knows, the Risen Lord may also appear them, causing them to rejoice that He is Risen! Alleluia!

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Image credits: (1) Doubting Thomas, Caravaggio (2) New Ways Ministry (3) Doubting Thomas, Caravaggio