Articles for Ordinary Time
“Jesus went up the mountain and summoned those whom he wanted.” “Summoned those whom he wanted” may sound like a sort of whim. But in St. Luke’s account in chapter 6, we read: “In those days he departed to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer to God. When day came,…
“Those who had diseases were pressing upon him to touch him.” On this day in our nation when Mother Church wants her children to pray for human life to be held sacred, these words from the Gospel assigned for today can serve to encourage us to press upon Jesus the need our nation has…
“The battle is the LORD’s and he shall deliver you into our hands.” This cry of young David, facing the giant, the experienced fighter, Goliath, can be for us an image of the enemies of our interior life – thoughts of all kinds that plague us. Whether these thoughts be judgmental, sexual, jealous, fearful,…
When Samuel comes to Bethlehem, the elders greet him as “Seer.” “’Is your visit peaceful, O seer?’” It is ironic that Samuel is called “seer” because he does not see as God sees! The Lord tells Samuel, “Not as man sees does God see” – a line echoed in any number of places in…
“… new wine is poured into fresh wineskins.” The newness which the Gospel of Christ Jesus brings us is a continually new invitation to allow ourselves to be changed. This is conversion, the metanoia. The Holy Spirit calls us to it. It is a call into new levels of intimacy with the one who…
“The Lord said to me: you are my servant, Israel, through whom I show my glory.” The revelation made to ancient Israel and fulfilled in Jesus, is not about destiny but glory! God’s People were taught that we are not guided by empty dreams, or the stars or other impersonal forces. But each of…
We often find ourselves asking why. Sometimes the question is innocent and leads us to discover: Why do the seasons change? At other times, the question comes from pain: Why do bad things happen to me? And sometimes the question is a statement of judgment: Why would you do something like that? The Scribes…
Before the Israelite people had kings, they were led by judges, individuals that the Lord empowered for leadership. They came from different tribes and backgrounds. For instance, Samson’s parents were childless in their old age until the Lord answered their prayers, Jephthah was rejected by his own family as illegitimate, and Samuel was consecrated…
Leprosy was not only a painful illness in the ancient world but also a communal affliction because its victims were excluded from normal society. It was so dangerous and so contagious that those who had it were forced to keep their distance from others in case they should infect someone by accident. It is…
Our lives are fragile. We have bodies that can be harmed, that grow old, and that will eventually fail. All the same, our bodies are gifts. We experience the many wonderful things God has made in this world through our bodies, and even the pains that undergo reveal to us the greater truths of…
Jesus wastes no time once he begins his public ministry. The time has come for him to reveal himself to the people in word and deed, which is made evident when he preaches with authority and drives out demons. The great scholars of the time would always refer to the teachings of their predecessors,…
Now that the Christmas season has concluded, we return to the “ordinary” life of Jesus, the public ministry he performed as an adult before his sacrifice on the cross. In the Gospel today, Jesus calls his first disciples to come and follow him. It is an invitation to know him more deeply and, eventually,…
Tomorrow is a new year. Tomorrow, we begin to anticipate the celebration of the Nativity of our Lord. His Advent is upon us, but we must first move on from what came before. If we wish to meet our Lord with confidence, we should cleanse ourselves of our faults through the Sacrament of Reconciliation.…
Sometimes we can lose vigilance in our religious practice when we repeatedly hear about the end of the world but it never happens… Except, it does happen. Over and over again. The world is completely different than it was 2,000 years ago. Empires rise and fall, philosophies change, and technology alters how we live.…
The word “Eucharist” means “Thanksgiving.” Every time we celebrate the Mass, we are giving thanks to God. As a matter of course, we should enter the celebration with particular things in mind for which we are thankful, but our salvation through Jesus Christ is always at the forefront of that thanksgiving. It is the…
We often only come to appreciate our trials some time after the experience, when we can see the fruit that they produced. It is like athletes who challenge their bodies to run faster, jump higher, endure longer, or lift more. They experience pain in the moment, knowing that it will help them in the…
As human beings, our natural perspective is very limited. We tend to see the world around us in terms of what we have individually experienced. This is especially so for young people who generally have less experience than those who have lived through more events, but we are all prone to view everything in…
Yesterday we celebrated the Feast of Christ the King, acknowledging Jesus as rightful ruler of all creation. Our first reading today describes the exile of the Israelites from the Promised Land after their kings had failed to lead them in the ways of God. Whereas Jesus exercised true power by submitting his will to…
Power is the enemy of those who seek it. Many start out with such good intentions, wanting to make a difference in the world, so they seek to become important in order to have influence over people. But the pursuit of power enslaves us. You know the saying: power tends to corrupt, and absolute…
Monks are said to live the “Angelic Life,” because we anticipate heaven, forsaking marriage for the sake of the Kingdom of God and devote ourselves to prayer. We, therefore, point to the resurrection in Christ with our whole lives. The most important aspect of this life is the part that lasts into eternity and…
Today we celebrate the Presentation of the Virgin Mary in the Temple at Jerusalem. It comes from the tradition describing Mary as the miraculous child of Sts. Joachim and Anne, from a long line of blessed elderly people who had been unable to conceive in the Bible. Like the parents of Samuel, they dedicate…
This reading from the Book of Maccabees is likely hard for many of us to stomach – let alone understand why it’s in the liturgy. Suffice to say, that the extinction of right worship by an aggressive power left few options for an oppressed people. In our own time and country, freedom of speech…
This reading from Maccabees is particularly hard to hear: the martyrdom of the seven brothers under the evil King Antiochus. The gruesome narrative speaks to the heroic endurance of martyrs. The brothers make clear that they know the one they should fear. According to Jesus much later: “Do not be afraid of those who…
Our readings present us with two examples of holiness. The first is Eleazar, the elder scribe martyred for his faith in the Book of Maccabees. The other is Zacchaeus, the tax collector who converts at Jesus’ invitation. The former is the example of steadfast witness and the latter the repentant. Sometimes when we hear…
The story of the Books of Maccabees is that of the Jewish people holding on to their religious practice against a dominant culture seeking to stamp it out. Most distressing, as we find out today, is that many Jews themselves “sold out.” They figured the material benefits of taking on Greek customs and pagan…
In today’s second reading, we hear the saying of St. Paul, “Brothers and sisters; You know how one must imitate us. For we did not act in a disorderly way among you.” This speaks to a great truth that dwells within each and every spiritual life, and St. Paul refers to it with the…
Will the Son of Man find faith on earth when He comes again? When you look into your soul in reflection, do you find faith? What does your faith look like? More often than not, we struggle to have faith! Unshakeable faith in the Lord is difficult in this world because we have no…
People often ask me how they can know God is real. Usually my answer sounds like this, “have you looked outside recently?” This is my answer because God reveals Himself every day through the Beauty of His creation. Today’s first reading points out the grandeur of creation and how it is so easily missed.…
Jesus tells us in today’s Gospel, “When you have done all that is commanded of you, say ‘We are unprofitable servants, we have only done what we are obliged to do.’” I don’t know anyone who would speak like that, but I do know a phrase that has a similar meaning and is used at…
The readings from today are about the mercy of God towards the lowly. In the Gospel, ten lepers approach Jesus to be healed. But they ask him in an interesting way. Instead of asking outright to be healed, they ask him to have pity. To have pity means to be aroused by another’s suffering…
As a seminarian, I can feel as if I barely have time in a day to fulfill all that’s asked of me. Even with the best effort I can muster, I feel like I’m always lagging just behind where I should be. Jesus’ words in today’s Gospel seem to add even more pressure to…
“The Spirit of the Lord fills the world, and that which holds all things together knows what is said” (Wisdom 1:7). These words echo the wonder of Psalm 139 “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?” There is something both overwhelming and intimate in knowing that the…
You may have recently heard, as did I, that the penny has been excised as a currency option in the United States. I even received an ominous warning in an email titled “the end of the penny.” Not dissimilar to that of the prophets of Israel in the Old Testament. In today’s readings, we…
“No servant can serve two masters.” (Luke 16:13a) Jesus’ words are direct and searching: “You cannot serve both God and mammon.” There’s no middle ground, no polite compromise. We must choose what controls our hearts. Sometimes I find that decision is made quietly, in small moments. How I spend my time, what I cling…
“Because of the grace given me by God.” (Romans 15:15b) St. Paul speaks not from pride but from gratitude. He knows that everything fruitful in his life—his preaching, his perseverance, his hope—comes from grace. He is not the source of his strength; he is its steward. “Because of the grace given me by God.”…
“Each of us shall give an account of himself to God.” (Romans 14:12) Every life, every choice, every thought, will one day meet the gaze of God. There is no act too small, no gesture too fleeting, no silence too insignificant. Each step is part of our journey, and each moment will be seen…
“Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another.” (Romans 13:8) In the Christian life, to love is a commandment, an obligation. In monastic life, to love one another has a particular resonance. We live in a rhythm of prayer, work, and shared life where each brother depends on the other. We try not…
“We are one Body in Christ.” (Romans 12:5) St. Paul uses the image of a human body to describe the interdependence of believers. Christian life is never a solo endeavor. Faith draws us into communion. Each member’s gift sustains the whole. In a world that prizes self-sufficiency, being dependent on others can be hard.…
“The gifts and the call of God are irrevocable.” (Romans 11:29) God does not take back what He has given. St. Paul reminds us that God’s fidelity is not like our human moods or passing affections. Once God has called, He does not un-call; once He has gifted, He does not reclaim. Even when…
“Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and I will not reject anyone who comes to me.” (John 6:37) All Souls’ Day draws me into a quiet space of remembering my departed relatives and those I never knew. The Abbey grounds are beautiful this time of year, the trees turning color,…