Daily Reflections

  In today’s gospel, Jesus accuses the Pharisees: “You clean the outside of cup and dish, while inside they are full of plunder and self-indulgence.” The cleaning of the outside of the bowl refers to such things as the various ritual washings the Pharisees are known to have required, along with the tithing of mint,…

  Today we celebrate the feast of St. Bartholomew, one of the Twelve Apostles, and someone especially chosen by Jesus to be close to him and to receive special teachings. Bartholomew is named as an apostle in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. John’s gospel does not name Bartholomew but does name a disciple…

  In today’s gospel, Jesus questions his disciples about their thoughts of who he is. It is Simon Peter who jumps in immediately: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God!” Jesus is quite pleased with this answer and immediately renames Simon as Peter (Petros or Rock) and asserts that he will build…

  Called to Serve “The greatest among you must be your servant.” Jesus warns His disciples not to imitate leaders who seek honor while neglecting the humility that gives authority its credibility. Titles, recognition, and places of distinction mean little if they are not matched by lives of faithful service. St. Benedict understood this well.…

  Law of Love “You shall love the Lord, your God… and your neighbor as yourself.” When asked which commandment is the greatest, Jesus does not hesitate. Love of God comes first, and love of neighbor follows naturally from it. Everything else—the law, the prophets, and the Christian life—depends upon these two commandments. In his…

  Receiving the Invitation “Invite to the feast whomever you find.” In the parable of the wedding feast, Jesus reveals the surprising generosity of the Kingdom of heaven. The first guests disregard the invitation. Some are too preoccupied with their own affairs; others respond with hostility. Yet the king will not allow the banquet hall…

  Responding to His Call “You too go into my vineyard.” The landowner goes out repeatedly throughout the day to hire workers for his vineyard. At dawn, at midday, and even in the final hour, he is seeking those who are still standing idle. I get the sense that his concern is twofold: that the…

  Trusting in God “For human beings this is impossible, but for God all things are possible.” After the rich young man walks away, Jesus turns to His disciples with a sobering lesson: “Amen, I say to you, it will be hard for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven.” His words…

  Letting Go “Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?” At first glance, this seems like a commendable question. The young man approaches Jesus sincerely, eager to know what more he must do. He desires eternal life and assumes there is one final task to complete. But is there? We often think…

  Salvation for All Today’s readings contain several rich themes, but I think there is one thread that weaves through them all: God’s salvation has always been universal, even when it unfolds through particular people. Israel is chosen as the instrument through which all nations will come to know God. Jesus’ encounter with the Canaanite…

  It was 17 years ago today that I made my first profession of monastic vows. The picture below is from my solemn profession; I drew it as a mosaic at Marytown, the National Shrine of St. Maximilian Kolbe. My friend Dr. Claude Foster who wrote an extensive book on St. Maximilian Kolbe called, “Mary’s…

  “Jesus said to the Pharisees, ‘have you not read that from the beginning the Creator made them male and female and said, For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh?’” “I have a wife and children! What will…

  Peter approached Jesus and asked him, “Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus answered, “I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times.” As the day approaches when Fr. Maximilian will receive his red crown of martyrdom, as he has worn…

  Today I can see prisoner number 16670 in a starvation bunker, his fellow inmates receiving the Divine Mercy of the Lord by being “released” by death, but not before prisoner 16670 heard their confession. It is said that St. Maximilian Kolbe’s jail cell was turned into a chapel. S.S. guards, after shutting the door…

  Today is not only the feast of St. Clare of Assisi, but it is also the feast of St. Philomena! In our Alleluia verse today, we hear, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart.” Life is hard, and both Sts. Clare and Philomena knew…

  Today is a great feast day! The feast of St. Lawrence, who died for the faith, being burned alive on a grill. As my mom would say, “St. Lawrence is the patron saint of football because he died on the gridiron.” Jesus said in the gospel today: “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless…

  In our readings today, one word comes to mind: “simplicity.” In the first reading, we have all these big, powerful, and God-fearing elements while Elijah was waiting for the Lord to pass by. You would think our almighty Lord would do something powerful to say, “I AM here!” But no, it was just a…

  St. Dominic, the founder of the Order of Preachers, began his itinerant evangelizing in response to a threat to the Catholic Church. This came through the Albigensians who set up a rival church. They were Gnostics, a term that comes from the Greek word for “knowledge.” Gnosticism says there is a secret wisdom that…

  Does God care? This is a perennial question by most that are open to belief in God. And for atheists, the existence of evil – despite the very fact that we Christians proclaim a good God who made the world good – is reason enough to believe there is no God.       …

  Since Pope St. John Paul II composed and instituted the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary (Virginis Mariae 2002), these particular Christ events are contemplated on Thursdays. The Fourth Luminous Mystery is the Transfiguration of the Lord. It is therefore appropriate that we consider Mary and her Son’s glorification in the flesh at Mount Tabor…

  When the Israelites set out on the Exodus from slavery in Egypt, they left behind more than oppression. The land of enslavement did not just have meat, it had overflowing fleshpots (cf. Ex. 16:3); it had tasty vegetables (Numbers 11:5). The hardscrabble nomadic life in the Sinai desert was another story. So even when…

  Being offended is not a moral virtue. Yes, being sensitive and empathetic to the plight of God’s little ones who suffer injustice and marginalization is right, but only if it rouses us to work for concrete solutions to help them. If we are merely offended and pay lip service to justice and conversion, then…

  The prophets Hannaniah and Jeremiah represent two types: the prophet of hope and the prophet of doom. The content of Jeremiah’s book is bad news. This is not by choice; in fact, he laments that he would rather not speak these words but feels compelled by God (cf. Jer. 20:7-9). The Lord chose Jeremiah…

  If you live in a family or an institutional setting (like a monastery), there is one thing you don’t want served: leftovers. However, if you live on your own and you cook what you like, leftovers are another thing entirely: an abundance of ever-remixable versions of your favorite food. When I was a pastor,…

    Like a good prophet, Jeremiah speaks the message the Lord has told him to speak. He is telling the leaders and general populace they are to amend their ways. They are to give up their old ways and seek to follow the way of goodness lest they suffer persecution and the wrath of God. As usually happens when someone tells us or anyone that…

    The stories of the saints are filled with fascinating details and interesting anecdotes. They sometimes include how the individual first came to faith, turning away from an old way of life and now following a new way, a new path that opened vast new horizons to them. Sometimes there were stories of people who were already faith-filled and now experienced…

    Somewhere in the early years of my monastic life, I discovered the potter’s wheel. I had always admired the wonders of the instrument and how such beautiful creations could come from it. I was also aware of the role pottery had in the history of cultures and the evolution of humankind. It was not just…

  We Benedictines add Lazarus to the names of his sisters Mary and Martha and recognize them all as Hosts of the Lord. This seems to be a place where Jesus could rest and be at ease. This is the household that offered hospitality to the Lord as he made his way, bringing his message and healing…

  I confess, I wonder what Jesus meant when he said that we all must become like children if we want to enter the kingdom of God. I think that some of it may be just the wonder in the child’s eye and heart. In the exploration of the wonders in creation, the child is awestruck by the discovery…

  I can’t remember when I first heard this quotation from Scripture. I think it is more precise to say that I don’t recall when I realized the real meaning this text had for me. “… all things work for good for those who love God…” I knew that I loved God; there was no doubt about that in my…

  Today we celebrate the Feast of St. James the Great, Apostle of Jesus and martyr. In the Gospel, we have the story of the mother of the sons of Zebedee, James and John, approaching Jesus with a request. She asked that Jesus “command that these two sons of mine sit, one at your right…

  In today’s Gospel, we have the parable of the sower. The sower, Jesus, sows the seed of the word of the Kingdom, and it falls on four different places. It is important to note that all receive the seed, but only one has the right conditions to bear fruit. Jesus is generous in his…

  “Two evils have my people done: they have forsaken me, the source of living waters; they have dug themselves cisterns, broken cisterns, that hold no water.” This ending verse in our first reading from the prophet Jeremiah speaks to us of the sin of the people of Israel, and it is a sin that…

  On today’s feast of Saint Mary Magdalene, we have a great example of love for Christ that is good for us to follow. Mary Magdalene’s soul was burning with love for Christ, which kept her at Jesus’ side all the way to the foot of the Cross, even when many of his other disciples…

  “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” In today’s Gospel, Jesus was speaking to the crowds when his mother and brothers appeared, wishing to speak to him. But he does not leave the crowd or stop teaching to visit with them. He rather poses the above question and then answers it by pointing…

  “O my people, what have I done to you, or how have I wearied you? Answer me!” This intense pleading from the LORD, found in the first reading from Micah, is gut-wrenching. This text is used on Good Friday of Holy Week as we venerate the cross with a kiss. In the monastery, these…

  In today’s Gospel, we have three parables proposed to the crowds by Jesus. The first is the parable of the weeds in the field, the second is the parable of the mustard seed, and the third is the parable of the yeast. Jesus explains to his disciples the parable of the weeds in the…

  There is a common expression still used today which can be traced to ancient Roman times. The phrase is simply this: “Misery loves company!” Without venturing into the “why” of the statement, perhaps it’s helpful to focus on the “how” of its function. Today’s Scripture readings give us a context in which to examine…

  Surely one reason for reading and reverencing the Scriptures is the attraction to the hint of strong human emotions that sizzle just below the surface. Today we hear the fear in the words of the dying King Hezekiah as he bargains with God. We hear relief behind the words of the Prophet Isaias as…