Category: Uncategorized

***

Acts 14: 19-28

In those days, some Jews from Antioch and Iconium
arrived and won over the crowds.
They stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city,
supposing that he was dead.
But when the disciples gathered around him,
he got up and entered the city.
On the following day he left with Barnabas for Derbe.

After they had proclaimed the good news to that city
and made a considerable number of disciples,
they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch.
They strengthened the spirits of the disciples
and exhorted them to persevere in the faith, saying,
“It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships
to enter the Kingdom of God.”
They appointed presbyters for them in each Church and,
with prayer and fasting, commended them to the Lord
in whom they had put their faith.
Then they traveled through Pisidia and reached Pamphylia.
After proclaiming the word at Perga they went down to Attalia.
From there they sailed to Antioch,
where they had been commended to the grace of God
for the work they had now accomplished.
And when they arrived, they called the Church together
and reported what God had done with them
and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.
Then they spent no little time with the disciples.

The Word of the Lord.

***

***

It’s another tough day for Saint Paul. 

As it says in our first reading from the Acts of the Apostles, “They stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead.”

***

Imagine Paul barely breathing… covered in rubble… left for dead.

***

Suddenly, that pile of rubble starts shaking. A dusty and bruised Paul emerges victoriously!

Doesn’t that scene foreshadow the resurrection? Paul knows that the day will come when he will be laid in a tomb one final time.

But he also knows that – like today – he will rise from that rubble. He’s not afraid; he’s seen the Risen Christ and knows that this is his destiny, as well. 

As he later writes says, “O death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory?”

Paul is so convinced of the resurrection that he cannot help but share this news with the world, even at the cost of great physical pain. He’s a man in love with Jesus, who has to tell the world about the God who stole his heart.

So, he stands up, shakes the dust from his feet, and continues to preach the Gospel until he draws his very last breath.

***

Imagine the comfort Paul’s faith brought him. If the Lord blessed us with the same spirit, would our burdens feel lighter? Would our sorrows be turned into joy? Would our behavior change?

***

“Ask and you shall receive,” Jesus say, “seek and you will find.”

May the Lord gift us all with the faith of Saint Paul, who in spite of trial and pain, never gave up.

***

***

Image credits: (1) St. Paul Center (2) Saint Paul Stoned, Jean Baptiste Champaigne (3) Never Lose Faith poster, Keep Calm-o-Matic

***

Gospel: John 14:21 -26

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Whoever has my commandments and observes them
is the one who loves me.
Whoever loves me will be loved by my Father,
and I will love him and reveal myself to him.”
Judas, not the Iscariot, said to him,
“Master, then what happened that you will reveal yourself to us
and not to the world?”
Jesus answered and said to him,
“Whoever loves me will keep my word,
and my Father will love him,
and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him.
Whoever does not love me does not keep my words;
yet the word you hear is not mine
but that of the Father who sent me.

“I have told you this while I am with you.
The Advocate, the Holy Spirit
whom the Father will send in my name —
he will teach you everything
and remind you of all that I told you.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

***

***

I’ve always been fascinated by spies. 

They must learn how to hide themselves in plain sight; to be seen by everyone and no one at the same time.

The best spies are never captured. They only reveal themselves to those whom they choose – and trust.

In that sense, spies always in control.

***

The Risen Christ seems to have this “spy” element to him. He appears in Jerusalem and Galilee, for example, but only his disciples can see him. 

It’s like Jesus is hiding in plain sight.

***

The same is true about him today. Jesus can be seen by everyone or no one, so how do we see him?”

***

He tells us in the Gospel today, “Whoever loves me will be loved by my Father and I will love him and reveal myself to him.”

Christ reveals himself to us through loving other people.

Maybe you saw him hidden in your spouse when you needed forgiveness. Maybe you felt him in the embrace of a friend. Maybe you heard him in the jovial laugh of a child. Or you served him through someone in need.

***

Herein lies the wonderful difference between the Risen Lord and a spy. 

Spies intend to hide. But Jesus longs to be seen. 

He’s visible whenever we love and serve our neighbor.

***

***

Image credits: (1) The Appearance of Christ to Mary Magdalene, Alexander Ivanov (2) Market Watch (3) Crosswalk.com

***

Gospel: John 13: 31-35

When Judas had left them, Jesus said,
“Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him.
If God is glorified in him,
God will also glorify him in himself,
and God will glorify him at once.
My children, I will be with you only a little while longer.
I give you a new commandment: love one another.
As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.
This is how all will know that you are my disciples,
if you have love for one another.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

***

***

One of the best-known columnists in America today is David Brooks. He’s written several insightful books on character and morals, his most recent being, “The Second Mountain.”

Recently, I searched for it on Amazon and after pushing that button, “Buy now with one click,” it arrived safely at my door. 

Brooks’ basic point is that there are two mountains that most people encounter in their lifetime.

***

The first is quite obvious – it’s the mountain of success.

Get out of school, start a career, climb the company ladder. Accomplish all those things that our society considers important.

But countless studies have shown that when we get to the top of that first mountain and look around, the view is ultimately…unsatisfying. 

While it’s important to succeed – it’s important to put bread on the table – if we place all of our eggs in that one basket, then we’ll never satisfy our hungry hearts. Something is missing.

Deep down, we know we were made for more. 

***

Enter the second mountain. 

Brooks calls this the “eulogy mountain.” What will people say about us when we’ve reached the end of our journey? 

They won’t consider the car we drove, the things we had, or the suits we wore. 

They’ll ask whether or not we led a meaningful life. Were we generous to those in need? Did we show up to our children’s practice or plays? Were we a reliable friend? Did we run the race of life and keep the faith?

***

In the Gospel Jesus tells us, “Love one another the way that I have loved you.” You might say he’s moving our attention towards that second mountain, which of the two, is the only one he climbed. 

He never accumulated wealth, status, or property. He was only concerned about showing us how to love.

Yet his example of love can be difficult to follow.

***

For example, if we examine some of our deepest relationships, we may find there’s still an element of selfishness or fear at work. Often – perhaps unconsciously – we ask ourselves, “What am I going to get out of this relationship?” 

We consider the benefit that we’ll receive if such a relationship works… Or, conversely, the loneliness we may suffer if it ends.

On some level that’s natural. But it’s not how Jesus commands us to love. 

“Love one another the way that I have loved you.” In other words, do not think about what you can take from someone else; rather, focus on what you can give. 

That’s how Jesus spent his life. He was total gift. 

“But he was God!” you may be thinking. Yes. But he was also fully human.

***

Like Jesus, how much of myself do I give away? And how much of myself do I keep? How much of me is hiding behind a protective wall?

***

Let’s take this one step further.

Christ teaches us that love doesn’t always lead to instant happiness. Sometimes it’s quite painful. For Jesus that meant carrying a cross and bearing our sins… But for us? 

Love may demand that we accompany our spouse through an addiction … or journey with a friend who’s battling cancer. 

Love may urge us to give someone a second chance, or to accept a family member for who they are – not who we want them to be.

Love is not blind; it sees clearly. It accepts people’s strengths, weaknesses, even their quirks and habits.

That’s the way Jesus loves us – just as we are – and it’s how we should love one another, without an ounce of judgment.

Who is one person in my life that can I try to love a little more? Is it my spouse, a friend, or even someone that I barely know? 

***

Love can be thrilling … and, at times, exceptionally painful. But the more we climb that second mountain the more fulfilled we become, because love is what satisfies our hungry hearts.

After all, when someone else speaks about us at our eulogy, that’ll be what matters; not the office we held or the letters after our name, but whether or not we loved them.

***

***

Image credits: (1) The Second Mountain, NY Times (2) AnaStpaul (3) DTN/Progressive Farmer