Fr Kevin Kilgore

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Gospel: Luke 4: 14-22

Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit,
and news of him spread throughout the whole region. 
He taught in their synagogues and was praised by all.

He came to Nazareth, where he had grown up,
and went according to his custom
into the synagogue on the sabbath day. 
He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah. 
He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written:
            The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
                        because he has anointed me
                                    to bring glad tidings to the poor.
            He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives
                        and recovery of sight to the blind,
                                    to let the oppressed go free,
            and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.

Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down,
and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him. 
He said to them,
“Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” 
And all spoke highly of him
and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. 

The Gospel of the Lord.

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As a priest, I hear confessions often. While each soul is unique, and needs to be cared for as such, there is often a common thread woven throughout. “Father, I have not prayed as much as I should.” 

When a person confesses this lack of intimacy with Christ, I ask them to imagine a large spider web. “If I were to cut a hole the size of a penny anywhere in that web, then the integrity of the entire web would be lost.”

A spider web derives its strength from every fabric working together in unison.

When we stop praying, or pray less than we ought, a hole begins forming in the web of our spiritual lives, enervating our strength, causing us to succumb more frequently to temptation.

While one thought or action may seem unrelated to another, everything is, in fact, related. On the other hand, if we pray ardently, then the force of our spirit is consistently strengthened.

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 In today’s Gospel, Luke records Jesus as entering the synagogue, “in the power of the Spirit.” Here, Jesus inaugurates his public ministry, speaking openly for the first time. Quoting the prophet Isaiah, he outlines his mission for the next three years.

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.”

The Lord will be able to accomplish these things and more because of his consistent reliance upon the Spirit. Multiple times, the Gospels record Jesus as getting up before dawn, or staying awake all night, in order to pray.

The Spirit was the source of his strength; in a sense, prayer held the “web” of his life together.

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We should see ourselves in the same way.

If we want to live holy, orderly, virtuous lives pleasing to God, then we must make time for him – of course through the Sacraments and charity – but also in those quiet moments alone where we can hear the Spirit whisper.

What is my prayer life like? 

Perhaps the Lord is inviting us to strengthen it in order to heal any “hole” in the web of our lives today.

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Image credits: (1) Harbor Lights Ministries (2) The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (3) iStock, Getty Images, Anastasia Hevko

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Gospel: Mark 6:45-52

After the five thousand had eaten and were satisfied,
Jesus made his disciples get into the boat
and precede him to the other side toward Bethsaida,
while he dismissed the crowd.
And when he had taken leave of them,
he went off to the mountain to pray.
When it was evening,
the boat was far out on the sea and he was alone on shore.
Then he saw that they were tossed about while rowing,
for the wind was against them.
About the fourth watch of the night,
he came toward them walking on the sea.
He meant to pass by them.
But when they saw him walking on the sea,
they thought it was a ghost and cried out.
They had all seen him and were terrified.
But at once he spoke with them,
“Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid!”
He got into the boat with them and the wind died down.
They were completely astounded.
They had not understood the incident of the loaves.
On the contrary, their hearts were hardened.

The Gospel of the Lord.

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Have you ever wondered what Jesus was praying about while the disciples were being tossed about at sea in the middle of the night?

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Perhaps that their faith wouldn’t fail.

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This was clearly a test. 

It’s the first time the disciples are without Jesus since his public ministry began. Previously, every moment with him was a consolation; their spirits were filled with awe and wonder.

They witnessed him cast out demons, heal Peter’s mother-in-law, cleanse a leper, multiply five loaves and two fish, forgive people’s sins, and preach to thousands.

All of a sudden, the disciples are alone, stuck in a storm so strong they fear they’re drowning! When Jesus does show up, they mistake him for a ghost intending to pass them by, causing the sea to resemble a watery cemetery.

I’m sure the disciples were on the brink of despair. Their previous cries for help seemingly went unheard. Once they reach their wits end, Jesus appears, gets into their boat and calms the storm.

But instead of feeling relived, “their hearts were hardened.”

Soaked and scared, Peter and the others must’ve had an unhealthy thought or two about their wonder-worker companion who almost let them drown.

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So, what was it that Jesus wanted the disciples to learn?

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In spite of darkness, hardship, or even flat our terror, the Lord will never abandon them or us. 

In the words of the prophet Isaiah: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; through rivers, you shall not be swept away. When you walk through fire, you shall not be burned, nor will flames consume you. For I, the LORD, am your God.”

At times, the flood waters may reach high – we may be up to our neck in stress or trial – but the Lord is interceding for us, that we may stay calm and trust. Eventually, every storm will be stilled, and every tear shall be dried.

Until then, be at peace, trusting in Christ’s words: “Do not be afraid. I have overcome the world.”

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Image credits: (1) Jesus Walking on Water, Julius Sergius von Klever (2) The Storm at Sea, Rembrandt (3) Sea Tow

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Gospel: Mark 6: 34-44

When Jesus saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them,
for they were like sheep without a shepherd;
and he began to teach them many things.
By now it was already late and his disciples approached him and said,
“This is a deserted place and it is already very late.
Dismiss them so that they can go
to the surrounding farms and villages
and buy themselves something to eat.”
He said to them in reply,
“Give them some food yourselves.”
But they said to him,
“Are we to buy two hundred days’ wages worth of food
and give it to them to eat?”
He asked them, “How many loaves do you have?  Go and see.”
And when they had found out they said,
“Five loaves and two fish.”
So he gave orders to have them sit down in groups on the green grass.
The people took their places in rows by hundreds and by fifties.
Then, taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven,
he said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to his disciples
to set before the people;
he also divided the two fish among them all.
They all ate and were satisfied.
And they picked up twelve wicker baskets full of fragments
and what was left of the fish.
Those who ate of the loaves were five thousand men.

The Gospel of the Lord.

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Often when we think about the Saints, we honor their courage; their willingness to suffer; or the extraordinary lengths they’ve gone to in order to spread the Gospel.

Think of people Saint Paul, Saint John of the Cross, and Saint Teresa of Calcutta.

Today’s feast, honoring Saint André Bessette, challenges that notion of “greatness.” We might place André in the category of the “little” Saints, who did nothing extraordinary in the eyes of this world … but are extraordinary in the eyes of God and the Church.

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André was orphaned at age 12. He grew up in very poor health with almost no formal education. 

But by the age of 25, he discovered his purpose: God was calling him to religious life. After initially being rejected, André was admitted into the Society of Holy Cross Priests. 

He was never ordained a priest, but became a religious brother, who spent his days as a doorman at Notre Dame College in Montreal. Aside from opening doors and greeting visitors, he prayed for all of those who were ill.

Miraculously, thousands were healed through his intercession during his lifetime. André credited the healings to Saint Joseph, to whom he held a deep devotion.

Wanting to thank Joseph for his intercession, Brother André built him a humble shrine in 1904 worth $200. André saved up the money by giving haircuts for 5 cents each… that’s 4,000 in all!

On January 6, 1937, he died at the age of 91. During the week his body lay in state, an estimated 1 million people braved the Canadian cold to pay their respects. 

Though humble in its beginnings, Andrés shrine has since grown into a massive basilica, welcoming tens of thousands of pilgrims each year; his intercession is still sought by many today. 

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If you or a loved one are in need of healing, ask Saint André to intercede:

Saint André,

I come to you in prayer for healing.

(state your intention)

You were no stranger to illness.

Plagued by stomach problems,

you knew suffering on a daily basis,

but you never lost faith in God.

Thousands of people have sought your healing touch

as I do today.

Pray that I might be restored to health

in body, soul and mind.

With St. Joseph as my loving Protector,

strengthen my faith and give me peace

that I might accept God’s will for me

no matter what the outcome.

Amen.

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Image credits: (1) Listverse (2) Saint André Besset (3) Saint Joseph’s Oratory