Fr Kevin Kilgore

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Matthew 12: 1-8

Jesus was going through a field of grain on the sabbath.
His disciples were hungry
and began to pick the heads of grain and eat them.
When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him,
“See, your disciples are doing what is unlawful to do on the sabbath.”
He said to the them, “Have you not read what David did
when he and his companions were hungry,
how he went into the house of God and ate the bread of offering,
which neither he nor his companions
but only the priests could lawfully eat?

Or have you not read in the law that on the sabbath
the priests serving in the temple violate the sabbath
and are innocent?
I say to you, something greater than the temple is here.
If you knew what this meant, I desire mercy, not sacrifice,
you would not have condemned these innocent men.
For the Son of Man is Lord of the sabbath.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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Some say America’s legal system has a few backward, or inconvenient, laws that need to be updated. In particular, certain laws that restrict work and commerce on Sundays.

For example, on a Sunday in New Jersey it’s illegal to purchase a car. In Massachusetts, it’s illegal to hunt. In many states, it’s illegal to purchase alcohol before noon.

These laws are known as “blue laws,” which were originally written to protect the Sabbath, allowing all Americans to attend church.

But these days, only one-third of Americans find themselves in a church pew on Sunday morning. Many are too busy attending sports games, running errands, cleaning the house, or sleeping in.

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But this idea of “blue laws,” which may seem ridiculous to us today, reminds us of the importance of time, the importance of rest, and the importance of worshiping God.

In this context, we can see why the Pharisees are so angry in today’s Gospel. They interpret the disciples’ actions to be contrary to the Sabbath, much like a person trying to illegally purchase a car or go hunting on a Sunday.

While the Pharisees are overly legalistic, they never conclude a week without acknowledging the Lord.

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Perhaps there’s a word in that for us.

Many of us lead very busy lives; time passes quickly. But can we take a moment at the beginning of each day to acknowledge the Lord?

This is why I post the “God minute” daily; not only remind myself to pray, but also to encourage others to do the same. 

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While “blue laws” may go out of style, our need to recognize the Lord, especially on Sundays, should never change.

So, when the sun rises on Sunday morning, where will you be?

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Image credits: (1) Wide Open Eats (2) Let’s Talk About Sunday, WordPress (3) The Stylus, WordPress

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Isaiah 26: 7-19

The way of the just is smooth;
the path of the just you make level.
Yes, for your way and your judgments, O LORD,
we look to you;
Your name and your title
are the desire of our souls.
My soul yearns for you in the night,
yes, my spirit within me keeps vigil for you;
When your judgment dawns upon the earth,
the world’s inhabitants learn justice.
O LORD, you mete out peace to us,
for it is you who have accomplished all we have done.

O LORD, oppressed by your punishment,
we cried out in anguish under your chastising.
As a woman about to give birth
writhes and cries out in her pains,
so were we in your presence, O LORD.
We conceived and writhed in pain,
giving birth to wind;
Salvation we have not achieved for the earth,
the inhabitants of the world cannot bring it forth.
But your dead shall live, their corpses shall rise;
awake and sing, you who lie in the dust.
For your dew is a dew of light,
and the land of shades gives birth.

The Word of the Lord.

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“My soul years for you in the night.”

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These are some of the most beautiful words written in the Bible on the spiritual life.

In this single sentence, the prophet Isaiah expresses a deep awareness of himself and his faith in God.

“My soul,” he says. Isaiah believes that he’s more than flesh and bones; he’s more than a mortal being; he’s more than the dust of the earth. 

Isaiah has a soul – an identity – that was created by God and will be redeemed by God. His soul is his innermost room; his connection to the Divine.

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And not only this. But his soul years for God “in the night.”

The “night” is directionless. It implies absence; darkness; a soul’s separation from God. Other Saints like John of the Cross and Mother Teresa have written extensively about it.

Isaiah feels this separation. But he doesn’t give up; in spite of the dryness, he “keeps vigil,” waiting for the Lord’s return.

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So, what might Isaiah say to us today?

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There are times when God seems absent to us. Whether our soul is dimmed by grief, doubt, or temptation, we can feel distant from the Lord.

But these are the moments when we really have to hang on. Desiring the Lord – especially when it feels like he’s disappeared from us – only strengthens our faith.

As Saint Paul tells us, “suffering produces endurance, and endurance proven character, and proven character, hope, and hope does not disappoint” (Romans 5:3-5).

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Image credits: (1) Katolikong Pinoy (2) Quora (3) Becky Crenshaw

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Gospel: Matthew 11: 25-27

At that time Jesus exclaimed: 
“I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
for although you have hidden these things
from the wise and the learned
you have revealed them to the childlike.
Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.
All things have been handed over to me by my Father.
No one knows the Son except the Father,
and no one knows the Father except the Son
and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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Why does Jesus insist upon “childlike” faith? What is it about children that is so important?

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Children have an implicit sense of trust. Whatever their parents tell them, they believe. A sense of skepticism only starts creeping into a child’s mind and heart once they begin interacting with the broader world. 

These days, children hear all kinds of voices – not only from their parents – but also their peers, the television, the news, and social media. 

Often these voices clash with the values and belief system instilled by a child’s parents, leading to a certain loss of innocence, and, in some cases, mistrust.

Slowly, children start wondering, “Who do I trust? How do I know what’s true?”

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What Jesus wants from us is that type of childlike faith that trusts implicitly. You might say, a type of faith that drowns out the negative and false voices of the world. As the Psalmist says, “Your Word is a lamp for our feet, and a light for our path.” 

Do I have that type of “childlike” faith in the Lord, which is capable of drowning out doubt? How strongly does the Word of God influence my thoughts and actions?

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“I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,” Jesus says, “for although you have hidden these things (the mysteries of God) from the wise and learned you have revealed them to the childlike.”

Regardless of our age and experience, may we never lose that ability to trust. The Lord will never lead us astray.

Haven’t you also found that to be true?

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Image credits: (1) Outreach Magazine (2) Wallpaper Cave (3) World Vision