Category: Uncategorized

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Gospel: Matthew 6: 7-15

Jesus said to his disciples:
“In praying, do not babble like the pagans,
who think that they will be heard because of their many words.
Do not be like them.
Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

“This is how you are to pray:

    ‘Our Father who art in heaven,
        hallowed be thy name,
        thy Kingdom come,
    thy will be done,
        on earth as it is in heaven.
    Give us this day our daily bread;
        and forgive us our trespasses,
        as we forgive those who trespass against us;
        and lead us not into temptation,
        but deliver us from evil.’

“If you forgive others their transgressions,
your heavenly Father will forgive you.
But if you do not forgive others,
neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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Prayer is essential to the life of a disciple. But sometimes we don’t know how to pray… or what to say.

Let me share what I prayed this morning: 

“I thank you, Father, that I’ve not been greedy; I’ve not been selfish; I’ve not been rude to my neighbor; I’ve not spoken ill of anyone; I’ve not coveted what isn’t mine.”

“But now I must get out bed!”

(I’m only kidding).

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I’m sure we all start the day with good intentions, but they become harder to keep once we put our feet on the floor, which is why Jesus gives us the Lord’s Prayer. It contains every petition we need to live holy lives.

We all know it, “Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name…” 

It’s something we’ve said thousands of times, but by virtue of routine, may take it for granted. 

Still, it’s quite profound.

Consider the final two petitions – “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”

If every Christian who prayed those words took them seriously, then our world would be a very different place. We’d have a society rooted in the virtues of love and forgiveness, with people constantly striving to be better versions of themselves.

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“I thank you, Father, that I’ve not been greedy. I’ve not been selfish; I’ve not been rude to my neighbor; I’ve not spoken ill of anyone; I’ve not coveted what isn’t mine.”

“But now I must get out bed!”

As we recite the Lord’s Prayer this morning, may we mean what we say – give us the grace to love, to forgive, and to be the best version of ourselves.

Because God will only give us what we’re willing to extend to our neighbor.

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Image credits: (1) St. Pius X First Communion, by Andrea Pruyn (2) NIV Bible (3) Common Grace

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2 Corinthians 9: 6-11:

Brothers and sisters, consider this:
whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly,
and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
Each must do as already determined, without sadness or compulsion,
for God loves a cheerful giver.
Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you,
so that in all things, always having all you need,
you may have an abundance for every good work.
As it is written:

    He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor;
        his righteousness endures forever.

The one who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food
will supply and multiply your seed
and increase the harvest of your righteousness.

You are being enriched in every way for all generosity,
which through us produces thanksgiving to God.

The Word of the Lord.

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“God loves a cheerful giver,” Saint Paul tells us in our first reading.

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But what, exactly, is a cheerful giver? Can one gift more pleasing than another?

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The medieval Jewish philosopher, Maimonides, defined eight different levels of giving. The least fruitful form is giving grudgingly, out of a sense of obligation.

I’m sure we’ve all been there before. 

For example, we’re stopped at a red light. Suddenly, a person walks up to our window holding a paper cup. While we may be tempted to look away, we roll down our window, try to smile and offer a dollar. 

Obligation: the lowest form of giving.

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The more we give from our heart, the more pleasing the gift becomes.

For example, the next highest form of giving, Maimonides says, is giving less than we should, but doing so cheerfully. 

Better than that is giving a gift anonymously.

But the highest form of giving is giving enough to make sure a person’s dignity is never compromised; meaning, their lights don’t go out, they don’t taste the twinge of hunger, they have employment, and so on.

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Essentially, this is his point: see in another person the same dignity you see in yourself. Then we can give without expecting anything in return.

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What can I give to another person today, whether it’s my heart, my time, or my treasure? 

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Whatever it may be, do it joyfully.

Because, “God loves a cheerful giver.”

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Image credits: (1) Truth For Life Blog (2) Mirriam-Webster (3) VirtueOnline

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Gospel: Matthew 5:38-42

Jesus said to his disciples:
“You have heard that it was said,
    An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.
But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil.
When someone strikes you on your right cheek,
turn the other one to him as well.
If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic,
hand him your cloak as well.
Should anyone press you into service for one mile,
go with him for two miles.
Give to the one who asks of you,
and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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I’m sure we’ve all heard the phrase, “Go the extra mile.”

I heard it a lot growing up, especially when I did the bare minimum required to get by. For example, if I vacuumed the house but didn’t move tables or light furniture, my mother would say, “Go extra mile.”

Or, if I cooked dinner for myself but not my brother, “Go the extra mile.”

Or when I had something to share but wanted to keep it all to myself, “Go the extra mile.”

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This phrase, “go the extra mile,” dates back to the life of Jesus. 

In ancient Rome, citizens were legally obligated when asked to carry messages from the emperor to distant provinces.

While there was a limit on the actual distance one was required to travel, Jesus encouraged them to go even further. “Should anyone press you into service for one mile,” he says, “go with him for two miles.”

Christians stretched this idea of going the extra mile into a spiritual practice of doing more than the bare minimum.

For example, instead of praying for five minutes, pray for ten. Instead of going to Mass alone, pick up a neighbor along the way. Instead of feeding one person in need, feed two. Instead of praying for a person once, pray for them twice.

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How can I go the extra mile today, meaning I not only do something good, but do it even more?

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“Should anyone press you into service for one mile,” Jesus says, go the extra mile.

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Image credits: (1) Sword of the Spirit, Laurie Pierce (2) Charles Stephen – Medium (3) Innovative Transport Solutions