Jesus summoned the crowd again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand. Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person; but the things that come out from within are what defile.”
When he got home away from the crowd his disciples questioned him about the parable. He said to them, “Are even you likewise without understanding? Do you not realize that everything that goes into a person from outside cannot defile, since it enters not the heart but the stomach and passes out into the latrine?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.) “But what comes out of the man, that is what defiles him. From within the man, from his heart, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly. All these evils come from within and they defile.”
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Have you ever wondered why the Saints tell us the path to holiness is so difficult?
It requires a slow, consistent turning away from ourselves to the point that, as Saint Paul says, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ living in me.”
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The Native Americans think about it in a similar way. They believe there are two wolves living within us.
One wolf feeds on things that are evil, which Jesus mentions in today’s Gospel: pride, selfishness, gossip, anger, judgment, and lust.
The other wolf feeds on things that are good: patience, humility, honesty, forgiveness, kindness, and love.
The question is, “Which wolf wins?”
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The one we feed.
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How do I feed that good wolf within?
Or, using Paul’s imagery, how do we feed Christ living within us?
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May we continue feeding that good wolf until it is no longer “we who live, but Christ living within us.”
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Image credits: (1) Pin on Following Christ, Pinterest (2) Verve Team (3) Jesus Christ, Biography
Jesus told his disciples this parable: “The Kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones, when taking their lamps, brought no oil with them, but the wise brought flasks of oil with their lamps. Since the bridegroom was long delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. At midnight, there was a cry, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise ones replied, ‘No, for there may not be enough for us and you. Go instead to the merchants and buy some for yourselves.’ While they went off to buy it, the bridegroom came and those who were ready went into the wedding feast with him. Then the door was locked. Afterwards the other virgins came and said, ‘Lord, Lord, open the door for us!’ But he said in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
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Today we celebrate the Feast of Saint Josephine Bakhita, a woman who lived a storied life.
Born in Sudan in the 19th century, she described her childhood as idyllic. But sometime in her youth, she was kidnapped by Middle Eastern slave traders, and was forced to walk over 600 miles barefoot to a slave trading center.
She spent the next 12 awful years being bought and sold.
Providentially, she ended up in the care of the Canossian Sisters in northern Italy while her “owners” were away on vacation.
The nuns welcomed Josephine, took good care of her, and taught her about Jesus. Josephine always had a deep religious intuition and believed all the nuns told her.
Eventually, she was freed, baptized, confirmed, and allowed to become a nun.
She spent the final 42 years of her life as a cook and doorkeeper in the convent, as well as travelling throughout the region, sharing her story with others.
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Somehow, Josephine claimed that she was grateful for her past; had she never walked that 600-mile road barefoot, she might not have come to know Jesus. That alone – her relationship with God – made it worth it.
Suffering is a mystery – and nobody enjoys it.
But Josephine reminds us that sometimes God allows us to endure particular trials because they can lead us deeper into our faith.
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What’s my own view of suffering? Has it led me closer to the Lord?
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May Saint Josephine Bakhita, pray for us.
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Image credits: (1) The Southern Cross (2) The BayNet (3) Footprints, Pinterest
While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God, he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret. He saw two boats there alongside the lake; the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” Simon said in reply, “Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets.” When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come to help them. They came and filled both boats so that the boats were in danger of sinking. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him and all those with him, and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners of Simon. Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him.
The Gospel of the Lord.
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Falling in love turns your world upside down, doesn’t it?
All of a sudden, someone else holds tremendous influence, even power over you. Everything about that person is enchanting. The way they walk, the way they talk, why they like one thing but not another.
There’s an innocence to it all.
Sometimes that love leads to marriage.
But your wedding day is just the beginning. There are years, if not decades, of commitment ahead, including highs and lows, bursts of excitement and even moments of disappointment.
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The same is true in our spiritual lives.
We don’t commit ourselves fully to God overnight; it takes time to fall in love with Jesus. Often, a lifetime.
And like marriage, there are highs and lows, even moments of failure.
Just consider four moments in the life of Saint Peter.
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In today’s Gospel, Peter is mesmerized by Jesus’ power. He’s curious to know more, so he drops his nets and follows him.
Maybe that’s some of us – we’re new to the faith; we stand in awe of Jesus and feel that tug within. We’re ready to begin the journey and follow him.
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But shortly after pulling in his miraculous catch from the sea, Peter sinks into the very same waters.
Do you remember what happened the first night he and the other disciples were without Jesus?
They were crossing the Sea of Galilee, when suddenly a large storm arrived, nearly toppling their boat!
When Jesus finally came to the rescue, he invited Peter to step out onto the water. But as soon as his foot touched those waves, he sank, crying out, “Master, do you not care that we’re drowning?”
This was, perhaps, the first time Peter’s faith was tested.
Maybe that’s some of us. We’re caught in the middle of a storm crying out, “Master, do you not care that I’m drowning?”
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After calming the storm at sea, Jesus asks the disciples, “Who do you say that I am?”
Peter pipes up, “You are the Christ! The Son of the living God!”
Maybe that’s some of us. We’ve survived a storm or two. Our doubt has given way to a stronger faith. We sing of “amazing grace.”
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But the same Peter who cried out, “You are the Christ!” soon denies ever knowing Jesus.
On the last night of his life on earth, Jesus is betrayed by Judas, arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane and abandoned by his closest disciples. Peter, curious to know what will happen, follows Jesus at a distance.
As Jesus is led into the high priest’s court to stand trial, Peter stays outside at the gates, warming his hands by a fire.
Maybe that’s some of us. We’re following Jesus, but at a comfortable distance.
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Peter’s path sounds like the story of four different men. The same fisherman who pulled a miraculous catch of fish out of the Sea of Galilee later sank into it.
The same disciple who proclaimed Jesus was the Son of God later denies ever knowing him, fearing that being associated with Jesus would cost him his life.
Eventually, it does.
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Yes, Peter dies like his Master, nailed to a cross.
But feeling unworthy of leaving this world like his Lord, he asked his executioners for one thing: to turn him upside down.
There, in the heart of Rome – in the center of worldly power – Peter finally saw the world like a man in love – upside down, right side up.
Those feet that once sank into the stormy Sea of Galilee now faced the heavens. His hands, once warmed by a fire, thrown open in surrender.
After years of stumbling, sinking, and scurrying away from Jesus, Peter finally loved him more than life itself.
Such faith took a lifetime to develop. But that’s all that mattered in the end: Peter fell in love.
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Where am I on my faith journey? Can I see myself reflected in any of those moments from Peter’s life?
Am I ready to drop my nets? Am I sinking? Bold? Comfortable? Maybe I’m in love.
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No matter where we are, our vision statement reminds us, we are, “All generations journeying together with Jesus to satisfy our hungry hearts. Come and see!”
Saint Peter pray for us.
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Image credits: (1) Saint Peter, Rubens (2) The Calling of St. Peter, Barocci (3) The Crucifixion of St. Peter, Caravaggio (4) St. Peter Praying, Matthias Stom
