Category: Uncategorized

***

Gospel: Matthew 13: 44-46

Jesus said to his disciples:
“The Kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field,
which a person finds and hides again,
and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
Again, the Kingdom of heaven is like a merchant
searching for fine pearls.
When he finds a pearl of great price,
he goes and sells all that he has and buys it.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

***

***

What are two of the most important words any Christian can say?

“Yes, Jesus.”

In Latin, Iesu ita. 

Some say it’s from these two words, Iesu ita, that we get the word, “Jesuit.”

***

Today we celebrate the Feast of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, a man who not only founded the Jesuit religious order, but also lived his life according to those words, “Yes, Jesus.”

***

Prior to his conversion, Ignatius was a soldier in the Spanish army, who desired nothing more than glory in war. But his life changed after suffering a terrible leg injury, landing him bedridden in a hospital for months.

Reluctantly, Ignatius started reading the biographies of different Saints, as there were no other books available. But their stories inspired him so deeply that he converted to Catholicism and decided he would do his best to become a Saint, too. 

After being ordained a Catholic priest, Ignatius founded the Jesuits with a few friends and a vow to live those two simple words: Iesu ita.

“Yes Jesus.”

500 years later, there are more than 17,000 Jesuits sharing the Gospel across the globe, including Pope Francis!

***

In the spirit of Ignatius, what might saying Iesu ita, “yes Jesus” mean for me today?

***

***

Image credits: (1) Medium (2) Jesuitespao.com (3) Creative Fabrica

***

Gospel: Matthew 13: 36-43

Jesus dismissed the crowds and went into the house.
His disciples approached him and said,
“Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”
He said in reply, “He who sows good seed is the Son of Man,
the field is the world, the good seed the children of the Kingdom.
The weeds are the children of the Evil One,
and the enemy who sows them is the Devil.
The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.
Just as weeds are collected and burned up with fire,
so will it be at the end of the age.
The Son of Man will send his angels,
and they will collect out of his Kingdom
all who cause others to sin and all evildoers.
They will throw them into the fiery furnace,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.
Then the righteous will shine like the sun
in the Kingdom of their Father.
Whoever has ears ought to hear.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

***

***

The Sistine Chapel is one of the most iconic works of art ever created. Strewn across the wall where the altar stands is a depiction of the final judgment.

Angels fight for the souls of the just, while demons pull the evil ones down into the netherworld. It’s a jarring but beautiful piece, drawing its inspiration from today’s Gospel.

“Just as weeds are collected and burned up with fire,” Jesus says, “so it will be at the end of the age.” 

Michelangelo reminds us that everyone must stand before the judgment seat of God.

But why does God wait until the end of our lives to judge us? Or, using the imagery from today’s Gospel, why must the weeds co-exist with the wheat? 

***

When they first sprout, weeds and wheat look quite similar. 

Any seasoned farmer knows that it’s best to wait until the weeds and wheat become fully mature before separating them; otherwise, one may be mistaken for the other.

***

In a similar way, Jesus waits until the end of our lives to judge what we’ve become, either a weed or wheat. It’s his prayer that every soul becomes wheat. Shouldn’t we hope for the same?

Doing so means three things: 

First, that we are patient with ourselves; faith is a life-long journey. Secondly, that we’re patient with others. And, third, that we withhold judgment, never seeing another person as incapable of change.

Rather, like Jesus, we do everything we can to reveal the goodness of God.

***

Sometimes it feels like a distant and difficult truth, but the Lord’s judgment does come at the end of time. So, “whoever has ears ought to hear,” Jesus says. 

When that moment comes, may he gaze upon the world – including us – and see a field of wheat.

***

***

Image credits: (1) Parable of the Sower, Van Gogh (2) The Last Judgment, Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo (3) Wheat Field, Van Gogh

***

Gospel: Luke 10: 38-42

Jesus entered a village
where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him.
She had a sister named Mary
who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak.
Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said,
“Lord, do you not care
that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving?
Tell her to help me.”
The Lord said to her in reply,
“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things.
There is need of only one thing.
Mary has chosen the better part
and it will not be taken from her.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

***

***

I’m glad Martha lost her cool. Her frustration teaches us a lesson in discipleship. 

Imagine the scene: she’s moving around the kitchen for an hour or two, banging pots and pans, cutting vegetables while mumbling beneath her breath. Finally, she storms into the dining room to confront her sister, Mary, who’s listening attentively to Jesus.

Interrupting their conversation, Martha bursts out, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving?”

***

Martha just made several mistakes.

First, she accuses the Lord of not caring about her burdens. “Lord, do you not care?” 

Then she blames someone else for her anxiety. “My sister has left me to do all the serving.” Somehow, it’s Mary’s fault that Martha is so anxious.

Finally, Martha polishes off her cocktail of complaints by telling the Lord how to solve her problem. “Tell her to help me!”

***

Does that ever sound like us? Do we accuse the Lord of being aloof of our burdens? Do we tell God how to help us?

***

Jesus rebukes her softly, saying, “You are worried and anxious about many things.” The Lord knows that Martha is not anxious about making a perfect sauce or maintaining a clean kitchen.

Although these things may be bothering her on the surface, in her heart, she is anxious because she’s lost her focus; that day, she is motivated more by duty than by love. 

***

So it is with us at times.

Think about the ordinary tasks we do throughout the day – going to work, toting the kids across town, doing household chores, interacting with others.

When these activities are motivated more by duty than by love, they can bring the same type of anxiety that Martha experienced. Love, on the other hand, brings peace.

As Saint Paul says, “Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.”

It brings life to any situation, including ordinary tasks like hosting a meal, or whatever may be on our plate today. 

***

***

Image credits: (1) Transformations Care Network (2) Christ in the House of Martha and Mary, Diego Velázquez, 1618 (3) I am Fruitful