Fr Kevin Kilgore

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Genesis: 1.20 – 2:4.

God said,
“Let the water teem with an abundance of living creatures,
and on the earth let birds fly beneath the dome of the sky.”
and so it happened:
God created the great sea monsters
and all kinds of swimming creatures with which the water teems,
and all kinds of winged birds.
God saw how good it was, and God blessed them, saying,
“Be fertile, multiply, and fill the water of the seas;
and let the birds multiply on the earth.”
Evening came, and morning followed–the fifth day.

Then God said,
“Let the earth bring forth all kinds of living creatures:
cattle, creeping things, and wild animals of all kinds.”
and so it happened:
God made all kinds of wild animals, all kinds of cattle,
and all kinds of creeping things of the earth.
God saw how good it was.
Then God said:
“Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.
Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea,
the birds of the air, and the cattle,
and over all the wild animals
and all the creatures that crawl on the ground.”

God created man in his image;
in the divine image he created him;
male and female he created them.

God blessed them, saying:
“Be fertile and multiply;
fill the earth and subdue it.
Have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air,
and all the living things that move on the earth.”
God also said:
“See, I give you every seed-bearing plant all over the earth
and every tree that has seed-bearing fruit on it to be your food;
and to all the animals of the land, all the birds of the air,
and all the living creatures that crawl on the ground,
I give all the green plants for food.”
And so it happened.
God looked at everything he had made, and he found it very good.
Evening came, and morning followed–the sixth day.

Thus the heavens and the earth and all their array were completed.
Since on the seventh day God was finished with the work he had been doing,
he rested on the seventh day from all the work he had undertaken.
So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy,
because on it he rested from all the work he had done in creation.

Such is the story of the heavens and the earth at their creation.

The Word of the Lord.

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When starting a puzzle, the first thing I do is spread all of the pieces across a large table.

One piece turns into a cluster – and then several clusters – and finally a picture starts to emerge. 

When the puzzle is finally completed, it’s amazing to look back and consider the chaos that once was spread across my table.

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Over the last two days, our first reading from the Book of Genesis has described the creation of the world. It was a place of darkness – a formless waste, with mighty winds sweeping across the waters.

Then God ordered the chaos. Day by day, piece by piece, the LORD assembled the world into an orderly, habitable home.

That’s something only God can do: turn the darkness into light; chaos into order; a formless waste into a home; death into life.

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It’s what we often need God to do to in our own lives.

To make a crooked path, straight.

To turn grief into gratitude.

Doubt into faith.

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May the same God who created the cosmos bring peaceful order and inner stillness to the puzzle of our own hearts today.

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Image credits: (1) Jigsaw Puzzle, Wikipedia, Scouten (2) Earth Shaped Puzzle, Montessori Services (3) Serious Puzzles

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Gospel:

After making the crossing to the other side of the sea,
Jesus and his disciples came to land at Gennesaret
and tied up there.
As they were leaving the boat, people immediately recognized him.
They scurried about the surrounding country
and began to bring in the sick on mats
to wherever they heard he was.
Whatever villages or towns or countryside he entered,
they laid the sick in the marketplaces
and begged him that they might touch only the tassel on his cloak;
and as many as touched it were healed.

The Gospel of the Lord.

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When I think of Nagasaki, Japan, I think about the atomic bomb, which was dropped on it during World War Two, incinerating 37,000 people in a matter of seconds.

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But 350 years earlier, the people of Nagasaki were facing another tragedy. The Japanese government was trying to systematically wipe out our faith; Christians were being killed by the thousands. 

The first known group of martyrs included Saint Paul Miki and 25 of his companions, all of whom were crucified on a hill outside of Nagasaki, much like Jesus. 

Among them were not only priests…but also the elderly, women, and children. We celebrate their memory today.

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Like Jesus, Saint Paul Miki used the cross as his pulpit to preach love and forgiveness.

These were his final words: “After Christ’s example, I forgive my persecutors. I do not hate them. I ask God to have pity on all, and I hope my blood will fall on my fellow men as fruitful rain.”

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The Japanese continued trying to stomp out the Catholic faith until all traces of it were lost.

In fact, missionaries would not return to Japan for another two hundred years…

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But when they did, they discovered there were thousands of Christians living underground in Nagasaki and beyond, revealing that Paul Miki’s prayer was answered.

The Church never dies.

It continues to spread for God’s glory and for the salvation of souls. 

You and I are invited to share in this victory by spreading our faith in Jesus. How might I do that today?

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Image credits: (1) Archdiocese of Malta (2) Go!Good News Network, St. Paul Miki and Companions (3) Blog Archives, Verbum Dei Philippines

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Gospel: Matthew 5: 13-16

Jesus said to his disciples:
“You are the salt of the earth.
But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned?
It is no longer good for anything
but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
You are the light of the world.
A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden.
Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket;
it is set on a lampstand,
where it gives light to all in the house.
Just so, your light must shine before others,
that they may see your good deeds
and glorify your heavenly Father.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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Snacking is a popular American pastime. According to a recent survey, 94% of Americans admit to snacking at least once a day.

50% claim to snack three times per day!

I spoke to someone recently who said, “Father, I suffer from lack-a-snack-a-phobia!”

“Lack-a-snack-a-phobia,” I said. “What’s that?”

“The fear of not having a snack when you want one. So, I always carry a bag of chips in my purse!”

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The key ingredient to most snacks is salt.

Just a pinch of it goes a long way.

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In today’s Gospel, Jesus says, “You are the salt of the earth.” Not, “You should be.” Not, “You might want to think about it.” 

“You are.”

We flavor the world around us much like salt flavors a chip. 

A little love – a dash of faith – goes a long way.

Think about how children feel when they open their lunchbox and find a note from mom or dad within. 

How you feel when someone offers you a compliment. Or the weight lifted from your shoulders when someone says, “I’m sorry.” Or a phone call, text, or visit from a friend when you’re sick or lonely.

Just a pinch of love goes a long way.

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Salt also preserves. Certainly, in the ancient world, salt was essential for keeping bacteria out of food. Without it, people could’ve gotten terribly sick.

So, if we are salty Christians, then what must we preserve? 

Our faith. 

We live it, learn it, and hand it on to the next generation. I think about our catechists, in particular, who labor week after week to preserve their faith and to teach it to our children.

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And salt facilitates thirst. Whenever you polish off a bag of Rold Gold pretzels, you’re thirsty. 

Similarly, Christians are meant to inspire a thirst in others for Christ, who calls himself, “the living water.”

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In what ways do I inspire faith – a thirst for Christ – in others?

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“You are the salt of the earth, the light of the world.”

Salt flavors. Light dispels the darkness. 

Darkness is often associated with fear, chaos, the unknown. I remember as a child always wanting to sleep with a light on. I was afraid there might be something under my bed or in my closet…thankfully, there never was!

But just that tiny nightlight made me feel secure.

That’s the power of light – and by extension, the power of a Christian. We dispel the darkness. We order the chaos. We brighten the world around us. And make others feel loved and secure. 

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The nature of light is to burn bright. But it always comes at a cost to itself. 

Think about the sun and the stars. They warm and brighten the earth … and will continue to do so until they have no energy left.

That’s the type of person each of us is called to be – to give without counting the cost.

I think of parents who gladly tote their kids around town; who work all day to put bread on the table; grandparents who joyfully babysit the kids; parishioners who offer their skills, happily volunteering their time to help our parish grow.

And, above all, Jesus who on the last night of his life on earth gave us the only thing he had left, his Body and Blood.

So, in what ways are we the light of the world? How do we spend ourselves for others?

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“You are the light of the world, the salt of the earth,” Jesus says.

Bright and salty.

What might that look like for me this coming week?

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Image credits: (1) Christian Liberty Academy (2) Pastor Daniel Flucke, WordPress (3) Medium, Christopher Hoskins