Fr Kevin Kilgore

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Ephesians 6: 10-20

Brothers and sisters:
Draw your strength from the Lord and from his mighty power.
Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm
against the tactics of the Devil.
For our struggle is not with flesh and blood
but with the principalities, with the powers,
with the world rulers of this present darkness,
with the evil spirits in the heavens.
Therefore, put on the armor of God,
that you may be able to resist on the evil day
and, having done everything, to hold your ground.
So stand fast with your loins girded in truth,
clothed with righteousness as a breastplate,
and your feet shod in readiness for the Gospel of peace.
In all circumstances, hold faith as a shield,
to quench all the flaming arrows of the Evil One.
And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit,
which is the word of God.

With all prayer and supplication,
pray at every opportunity in the Spirit.
To that end, be watchful with all perseverance and supplication
for all the holy ones and also for me,
that speech may be given me to open my mouth,
to make known with boldness the mystery of the Gospel
for which I am an ambassador in chains,
so that I may have the courage to speak as I must.

The Word of the Lord.

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Several times in his pastoral letters, Saint Paul uses military terms to illustrate our faith. Salvation is a battle that must be fought … and won. Christ has done his part – he’s defeated death – but now, Saint Paul says, we must do ours.

“Draw your strength from the Lord,” he says in our first reading. “Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the Devil.”

In particular, guard yourself with the breastplate of righteousness. In one-on-one combat, the breastplate is the most important source of armor because it protects the heart.

On a spiritual level, the heart is considered the seat of all of our intentions. It’s where we harbor sin and grace; it’s where light and darkness vie for our attention. It’s where the battle for salvation is fought… and won.

Priests are reminded of this before celebrating Mass. While putting on our vestments, there is a separate prayer attached to each garment. The alb comes first. With it, the following prayer is said:

“Cleanse me, O LORD, and purify my heart, that washed in the Blood of the Lamb, I may attain everlasting joy.”

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In what ways do I protect my heart? How do I allow the light in and cast out the darkness?

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May we draw our strength from the Lord and fight the good fight today.

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Image credits: (1) Pastor Brad Abley’s Blog, WordPress (2) Liquid Church (3) Gateway Rescue Mission

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Gospel: Luke 13:22-30

Jesus passed through towns and villages,
teaching as he went and making his way to Jerusalem.
Someone asked him,
“Lord, will only a few people be saved?”
He answered them, 
“Strive to enter through the narrow gate,
for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter
but will not be strong enough.
After the master of the house has arisen and locked the door,
then will you stand outside knocking and saying,
‘Lord, open the door for us.’
He will say to you in reply,
‘I do not know where you are from.’
And you will say,
‘We ate and drank in your company and you taught in our streets.’
Then he will say to you,
‘I do not know where you are from.
Depart from me, all you evildoers!’
And there will be wailing and grinding of teeth
when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
and all the prophets in the Kingdom of God
and you yourselves cast out.
And people will come from the east and the west
and from the north and the south
and will recline at table in the Kingdom of God.
For behold, some are last who will be first,
and some are first who will be last.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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If you’ve ever traveled through an airport, then you know the drill of going through security.

When it’s your turn, you must empty your pockets, remove your jacket, belt, and shoes, and place your luggage on a conveyor belt before walking through the metal detector.

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

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Isn’t that an appropriate image for life? 

We cannot take anything with us when we pass through the “narrow gate.” All we can bring with us are the intangibles: the good works we’ve done and the faith we’ve nurtured.

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In what ways might I grow in charity and faith?

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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.”

But, amazingly, those whose faith rests in the Son of God will squeeze through.

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Image credits: (1) Christianity.com (2) Smiths Detection (3) loveliveson.com

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Gospel: Luke 13: 18-21

Jesus said, “What is the Kingdom of God like?
To what can I compare it?
It is like a mustard seed that a man took and planted in the garden.
When it was fully grown, it became a large bush
and the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches.”

Again he said, “To what shall I compare the Kingdom of God?
It is like yeast that a woman took
and mixed in with three measures of wheat flour
until the whole batch of dough was leavened.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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Leonardo da Vinci said, “Learn how to see. Realize that everything connects to everything else.”

For example, if a spider were to spin a web three feet long by three feet wide, and I cut a hole the size of a penny into one of its corners, then the entire web would lose a certain amount of strength. 

Every inch of that web is connected. 

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Think about your spiritual life in a similar way.

Although we might not see a direct connection between every particular action and our overall sense of wellbeing, everything is connected.

If you increase your personal prayer time, then you’ll also notice a decrease in your stress level.

If you’re generous, then you’ll find a greater sense of detachment from worldly things.

If you’re involved in parish ministry, then you may find a stronger sense of peace.

If you give more time to the Lord, then you may find more time for yourself.

As Jesus says in today’s Gospel, a single pinch of yeast permeates an entire loaf. Everything works together; everything is connected.

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What’s something positive that I can do to nourish my spiritual life today?

Perhaps it’s a few minutes spent in prayer. A phone call to a friend. A quiet walk through nature.

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That single action can increase your overall sense of wellbeing. Like repairing a hole cut into a web, somehow, it’s all connected.

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Image credits: (1) PriceHealth.ca (2) Academy for Systems Change (3) Damron Chiropractic and Wellness