Month: July 2019

Fr Paul notes that St Ignatius found the “pearl of great price” Jesus describes in today’s gospel while convalescing from the leg wound he received during the battle of Pamplona. Like the merchant, Ignatius gave all that he had that he might obtain it. What will we do when we find our “pearl of great price?”

Today’s Readings

As Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the commandments in his hands, he did not know that the skin of his face had become radiant while he conversed with the LORD.
EX 34:29-35

“The Kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it.”
MT 13:44-46

Fr Charlie notes that Moses pitches the “meeting tent” outside the camp in today’s first reading. The Israelites had set themselves apart from God in making the golden calf. Only Moses and Joshua, who had not been party to the idolatry, dared enter the tent. God speaks to Moses in the tent to let him know that while he forgives the Israelites their “wickedness and crime and sin” that their poor choices – as do ours – still have consequences. 

Today’s Readings

“The LORD, the LORD, a merciful and gracious God… forgiving wickedness and crime and sin; yet not declaring the guilty guiltless.”
EX 33:7-11; 34:5B-9, 28

“At the end of the age the Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his Kingdom all who cause others to sin and all evildoers.”
MT 13:36-43

“Do you believe,” Jesus asks Martha in today’s gospel, “I am the resurrection and the life.”  Fr Greg notes that even through her grief over her brother’s death, Martha answers that she does believe.  Jesus raised Lazarus that day. Jesus will raise us – and all whom we love – if we, like Martha, can place our faith in him.

Today’s Readings

As he drew near the camp, he saw the calf and the dancing. With that, Moses’ wrath flared up, so that he threw the tablets [made by God] down and broke them on the base of the mountain.
EX 32:15-24, 30-34

Jesus told [Martha], “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live… Do you believe this? ”She said to him, “Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God.”
JN 11:19-27

Jesus points out that the God is always willing to help us on our journey to him in today’s gospel.  We have only to ask, seek and knock and we will find our way to the kingdom. The journey, Fr Charlie points out, is not unlike Dorothy’s reaching out for help as she traveled the yellow brick road in theWizard of Oz.

Today’s Readings

The LORD said: “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great, and their sin so grave, that I must go down and see whether or not their actions fully correspond to the cry against them that comes to me. I mean to find out.”
GN 18:20-32

Even when you were dead in transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, he brought you to life along with him, having forgiven us all our transgressions.
COL 2:12-14

“I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”
LK 11:1-13

Fr Charlie points out that we no longer need to cast a golden calf to create a false god.  Almost anything or anyone around us will do. While worshipping false gods seems to help for a while, it is only the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob – the God of Jesus – who can truly help us. It is in his image and likeness  we are made – and no other.

Today’s Readings

“I, the LORD, am your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that place of slavery. You shall not have other gods besides me. You shall not carve idols for yourselves… You shall not bow down before them or worship them.”
EX 20:1-17

“The seed sown on rich soil is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.”
MT 13:18-23

The important question for James and John in today’s gospel is not where they will be seated but whether they can “drink” of “the chalice” that Jesus drinks.  Fr Peter notes that it’s a question we must answer as well.  Along with James and John we, too, are called to carry the dying and the rising of Jesus in our bodies.

Today’s Readings

[We are] always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our body.
2 COR 4:7-15

“Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?”
MT 20:20-28

The Israelites grumble against Moses and Aaron – and God – in today’s first reading fearing that they were going to die of famine in the desert. Instead of grumbling like the Israelites about what we don’t have and can’t control, Fr Charlie suggests we try being grateful for what do have and can control and do what we can, with God’s help, to change the situation.

Today’s Readings

Here in the desert the whole assembly of the children of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron…. “Would that we had died at the LORD’s hand in the land of Egypt, as we sat by our fleshpots and ate our fill of bread! But you had to lead us into this desert to make the whole community die of famine!”
EX 16:1-5, 9-15

Such large crowds gathered around [Jesus] that he got into a boat and sat down, and the whole crowd stood along the shore. And he spoke to them at length in parables. 
MT 13:1-9

The LORD creates a path through the sea allowing the Israelites to escape Pharaoh’s army in today’s first reading. Jesus includes all who do the will of the Father in his family in the gospel – even if our own blood relatives disown us. No matter how desperate our situation is, God creates other possibilities. God can make a way even out of no way.

Today’s Readings

The LORD swept the sea with a strong east wind throughout the night and so turned it into dry land. When the water was thus divided, the children of Israel marched into the midst of the sea on dry land, with the water like a wall to their right and to their left.
EX 14:21—15:1

“Whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother.”
MT 12:46-50

You can almost hear Mary Magdalene’s heart breaking in today’s gospel as she asks the “gardener” if he has taken the body of her beloved Lord. The scene reminds Fr Paul of the lament from Ecce Cor Meum (“Behold My Heart”) – composed by Paul McCartney as a eulogy to his wife Linda. With Mary Magdalene, Paul McCartney and countless others, our hearts, instead of breaking, can be filled with hope.  For in rising, Jesus defeated death – for us all.

Today’s Readings

Have you seen him whom my heart loves?
SGS 3:1-4B

“Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you laid him, and I will take him.”
JN 20:1-2, 11-18