Fr Kevin Kilgore

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Gospel:

When Jesus came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him.
And then a leper approached, did him homage, and said,
“Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.”
He stretched out his hand, touched him, and said,
“I will do it. Be made clean.”
His leprosy was cleansed immediately.
Then Jesus said to him, “See that you tell no one,
but go show yourself to the priest,
and offer the gift that Moses prescribed;
that will be proof for them.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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Leprosy was a disease that disfigured, and in some cases, slowly ate away at a person’s flesh. 

Part of why people intentionally kept their distance from lepers was because they didn’t know how leprosy was contracted.

So, when approaching the edge of town, lepers had to cry out, “Unclean! Unclean!”

A warning to others: stay away. Spotting a leper sparked panic.

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The damage caused by this disease was not only physical; it was also psychologically and emotionally devastating. 

Lepers lived entirely alone.

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Thus, the physical healing of this man’s body was only the beginning of his journey. 

Jesus did his part. He cleansed the man’s flesh.

But now the community must also do theirs. They must welcome a man they once feared, seeing him not as a leper, but as a brother. 

In that sense, the community must be healed, too; they need to be cleansed of their fear.

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It’s not easy making room in our hearts for “lepers” – the black sheep; those who’ve hurt us, but now seek our forgiveness; the recovering addict; people with whom we disagree; or those who are different from us, seeking to build a bridge.

But when God acts in their lives, initiating some form of healing, we must continue the good work begun within them – much like that early community was being challenged to welcome the leper, now cleansed.

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What might it look like for me alleviate some fear in order to make room for a “leper” in my heart?

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Image credits: (1) The Healing Trust (2) Jesus Heals a Leper by Jean Marie Melchior Doze, Fine Art America (3) Amazon.com

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Gospel: Matthew 7: 15-20

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing,
but underneath are ravenous wolves.
By their fruits you will know them.
Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
Just so, every good tree bears good fruit,
and a rotten tree bears bad fruit.
A good tree cannot bear bad fruit,
nor can a rotten tree bear good fruit.
Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down
and thrown into the fire.
So by their fruits you will know them.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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Over the last two years, I’ve developed an interest in gardening. 

This morning, I was proudly able to show off my little garden to my brother, who’s come to visit. It’s not much, but it’s a sacred space hidden behind a white picket fence, protected from the endless herds of deer who seem to eat everything in their path.

One of the first lessons I learned in gardening is that there are two types of branches: those that bear fruit and those that don’t.

We’ve all seen withering branches. They’re dark, limp, and slow to die. But even as they wither, these branches sap energy from the vine. 

It’s a fascinating truth: withering branches take energy to die. It’s why a gardener must identify and prune them quickly; they take energy away from the plant, which could be better used elsewhere.

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In the Gospel today, Jesus says, “Every good tree bears good fruit.”

It’s no secret: we all bear good fruit. Being present with the Lord today is but one example. But if we look deeper, perhaps the question for us is, “Can we bear more fruit?”

Are there withering branches within us – thoughts, habits, feelings – that sap our energy and need to be pruned?

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I don’t think twice about cutting withering branches off of my plants and trees in my garden.

But looking into my own heart and spiritual life can be different; at times, I hesitate to allow the Lord to be the Divine Gardener, to mercifully remove from me what isn’t bearing fruit.

Maybe you’ve felt hesitant, too.

May Jesus give us all the grace we need to be humble and grateful for such pruning. We’ll only be happier and healthier for it.

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Image credits: (1) Beloved Women (2) Revival Focus (3) YouTube, The Lord’s House

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Gospel: Matthew 7: 6, 12-14

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Do not give what is holy to dogs, or throw your pearls before swine,
lest they trample them underfoot, and turn and tear you to pieces.

“Do to others whatever you would have them do to you.
This is the Law and the Prophets.

“Enter through the narrow gate;
for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction,
and those who enter through it are many.
How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life.
And those who find it are few.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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Many of you know I’m traveling to World Youth Day in Portugal in a few weeks. While I’m super excited about the pilgrimage itself, one thing I’m dreading is the airport. It’ll be packed with travelers — pilgrims from our own group, included.

After hopping off the bus, checking our bags, and shuffling our way through a long line of anxious passengers, each of us will have to go through that “narrow gate” of security.

Inevitably, there will be a TSA agent there reminding us to empty our pockets, remove your jackets, belts, and shoes, and to place our luggage on the conveyor belt before walking through the metal detector.

That “narrow gate” has no room for our luggage; we ourselves can barely fit!

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Isn’t that also appropriate image for life?

We’re all just passing through. In the end, each of us will make our way through that “narrow gate” of death … with none of our possessions in tow.

All we can take with us are the good works we’ve done for others, memories of our loved ones, and the faith we’ve nurtured along the way.

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So, what acts of charity will I bring? What memories have I made? How deep is the faith I’ve nurtured? 

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“Strive to enter through the narrow gate,” Jesus says, “for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough.”

Only those who realize what matters most: love of God and love of neighbor. That’s all that remains in the end – not the things that can be seen, but those that are felt by the heart.

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Image credits: (1) Cogito (2) Wheelchair Travel (3) Nationwide Children’s Hospital