Vanity of Vanities (18th Sunday, Year C)

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The readings today begin with Ecclesiastes' rant against those whose lives revolve around meaningless goals. "Vanity of Vanities,” the author says, "All things are vanity.” In the Gospel, Jesus tells a parable about a farmer whose goal is to be rich, who stores up far more than he needs, and plans to save even more with bigger barns, only to die that very night. "Seek that which is above,” Paul tells the Colossians and us, and then he lists some of the things that hold us back in seeking God: immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, greed and lying. The readings ask us to consider our priorities in life. What is it for which we work so hard? Certainly, we need to work hard to provide for our families. That is important. But what is the priority there? Why do we work, day after day, for our families? What is it that we are so determined to provide? We want a decent home. We want food and other necessities. We want to provide for a better future for our children. Why? Why do we want all these things? The basic goal we should have as Christians is to provide homes full of true love, the sacrificial love of the Lord. That has to be our basic goal for us as individuals: we have to grow in the love of the Lord, expressed according to our vocation in life: single, married, religious, or ordained. The problem is that we often forget our priorities and put our energy into attaining those things that don’t last. 

What is a successful life? We work hard for something we always wanted. Once we have it, we enjoy it for a while, and then we work hard for the next thing. We often work in vain. Is a person's life successful if he or she is making a certain amount of money? That is the way many people calculate success. But are they correct? The readings for this Sunday force us to take a closer look at the whole concept of success. In the Gospel reading, the man is convinced he is a success because he is a rich farmer. 

What should the farmer do now that he has succeeded in harvesting more grain than he can store? Build another silo, of course. The basis of his success is his grain. When he suddenly dies, his success remains here, and he goes on to God empty handed. There is a reason why we never find a luggage rack on the roof of a hearse. The mindset that success is predicated on possessions is based on a fallacy that was very clear to the author of the first reading. 

A doctor is successful not if he or she has a prosperous practice but if he or she becomes the healing hands of Christ for the sick. A lawyer is successful not if he or she is part of a profitable firm, but if he or she uses their learning, knowledge and talent to protect people, to do good for others, and, to be just. Many times an incorrect view of success is based on honors and titles. Is a priest a success if he becomes a Monsignor or a Bishop? Not at all. I sometimes find myself tying the success of my ministry here to things like the collection, mass attendance, the Beyond Sunday campaign, fixing buildings and getting people involved in ministries and prayer. All good things but not necessarily the right way to judge success. A priest is truly on the road to success if he can draw closer to God each day of his life while also bringing his parishioners he serves nearer to God along the journey. How can we determine if a marriage is successful? Is a marriage successful because a woman and a man have been together for twenty, thirty, forty, or fifty years and have avoided both divorce and homicide? Anniversaries are important, but do they point to the success of a marriage or only to its longevity?

A marriage is successful if the man and woman are better people, more loving people, because of the marriage. The sacrament of marriage is celebrated when the husband and wife become the means of salvation for each other. How about parenting? What are the signs that people are good parents? Success in parenting is certainly not based on what your kids have, but what they have been given in terms of values and formation. For example, many of you have begun shopping for school clothes. Perhaps, some of you are shopping at Walmart or Target. Maybe others are shopping at Macys or Nordstroms. The cost of the clothes you put on your children has nothing to do with the success of your parenting. If your example shows them the face of God and his love and mercy, then you have done something extraordinary.

The concept of success accepted by most in society is faulty. Success is not predicated on what we have, what honors we receive, what jobs we hold, or anything like that. True success is based on how each of us becomes more and more the reflection of God we were created to be. Success is our ability to assume the person of Jesus Christ. St. Paul says in the second reading that our lives are hidden with Christ in God in such a way that when Christ appears we appear. The personality of a Christian ought to be so entwined with the person of Jesus Christ that Christ and the Christian are one. That is success. Success is not a present reality, it is a goal, the goal of Christian life. The goal is reached, the life is successful, when every aspect of life reflects the person of Jesus Christ. We may not do this perfectly all the time, every day but with God’s help our life will slowly be defined by that effort and we will focus on things that are most important and everlasting. That is success. That is heaven. All else is vanity.

Prayer Types (17th Sunday, Year C)

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About a month ago I bought my truck. Really wished I could have taken Abraham with me. Barters with God in our great 1st reading. Somehow gets God to agree to save Sodom if Abraham can find 10 righteous people. Gets the Lord to that number from 50, a 

savings of 80%!

First reading describes one type of prayer with God, prayer of petition, asking God for things. This is the type of prayer most people think of, probably the most common or popular and it is a fundamental and important part of developing a relationship with God. He wants us to ask him for things and we need to tell him what we want and desire. We should not be afraid to show him our heart.

Catechism defines prayer as the lifting of the mind and heart to God. John Henry Newman says prayer is “cor et cor loquitur” which is Latin for “heart speaking to heart.” St. Teresa of Avila called prayer, “nothing more than sharing between friends”. 

How do we look at prayer? Do we think of it in terms of the saints, who saw it as an exercise of friendship with God? How often do we make it complicated? Or worry about saying the right words? As a result we miss out on the beauty of prayer and see it as a chore or boring obligation!

No matter who we are, our prayer will go through cycles: highs and lows, feast and famine, consolation and desolation. This is normal. St. Theresa of Avila had about 20 years where her prayer was difficult and felt dry. Blessed. Teresa of Calcutta revealed that much of her prayer felt uninspired and unfruitful. What makes our prayer life-changing is not how it feels but how faithful we are to it. We cannot let our feelings decide whether we pray or not.

I can tell you that my prayer has been affected by the some of the troubling events of the past few months. These tragedies have made it more difficult to pray, which I am sure the devil wants. The killing of innocent people, especially the terror attacks in France, Orlando, and Turkey, have really filled me with anger and made me ask God, “where are you right now?” Is there any hope for our world which is filled with so much hatred and violence? Three of my family members are police officers and that too has been part of my prayer. Prayer for their safety and all who uphold law and order. Sadness for the officers who have been ambushed in the name of revenge. To be really honest, I have been asking God for the help not to let my own heart become contaminated by hatred for those who have so little regard for the lives of others. I need his help not to become bitter or cynical about the world. Sometimes I just  have to sit before God and share with him the nasty feelings and thoughts that I am experiencing. Even this can be prayer as long as it is turned over to God; it doesn’t have to be nice and perfect like some holy card.

Our readings today teach us about prayer. Prayer of petition for sure. But we also learn about the other three types of prayer as well. There is prayer of adoration, where we praise God for all the good he has done and for his beauty and perfection. Nature has a wonderful way of moving our hearts in this direction. This prayer reminds us that God is God and we are not…and that is a very good thing. There is also prayer of reparation, where we tell God we are sorry for our sins and offenses against him and others. This type of prayer is very healing for our souls and often leads us to repair the damage of our pride and selfishness against other people. Properly done, prayers of reparation bring peace, joy, and new life to our friendship with God and other people. Finally, there is prayer of thanksgiving, where we thank God for the blessings in our life, large and small. The more we practice this type of prayer, the more we see God’s hand taking care of us and providing for what we need. It’s almost magical, to be honest with you. If you take a few moments each day to thank God for 3 , 4, or 5 blessings in your day, you will start realizing how close he is to you, guaranteed! And you will be so content and grateful as well! 

To wrap things up on prayer today, I want to leave you with beautiful little meditation on the “Our Father,” a version of which we heard from St. Luke’s gospel. 

"I cannot say `our' if I live only for myself. I cannot say `Father' if I do not approach God like a child. I cannot say `who art in heaven' if I am not laying up some treasure there right now. I cannot say `Hallowed be thy name' if I am careless with that name. I cannot say `Thy kingdom come' if I am not working to make it a reality in the here and now. I cannot say `Thy will be done' if I am resentful of that will for me at this moment. I cannot say `on earth as it is in heaven' if I don't look on heaven as my future home. I cannot say `Give us our daily bread' if I am overanxious about tomorrow. I cannot say `Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us' if I am waiting to settle a score with someone. I cannot say `Lead us not into temptation' if I deliberately put myself in a place to be tempted. I cannot say `Deliver us from evil' if I am not prepared to pray as though everything depends on God and work as though as everything depends on me."  

May we be people of prayer. May we deepen our friendship with God for our own good and the good of the world.

Martha and Mary (16th Sunday, Year C)

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Today’s short gospel is the famous story of Martha and Mary, a story that most of us are quite familiar with. This account of two sisters, one active, one contemplative is somewhat controversial. Most of us can’t help but take sides, more than likely, being Americans, we sympathize more with Martha than with Mary.  Our country was founded by and large by Puritans with a solid protestant work ethic. In other words, being a productive member of society, providing for yourself and your family was a sign of your personal salvation and a fulfillment of your personal calling. Unconsciously, this work ethic has influenced every aspect of American life and commerce. The upside is that in a relatively short time we have become the most prosperous nation on earth. The downside is that Americans tend to be workaholics and focused on results, dividends, and the bottom line at the expense of enjoying life and quality time with family. 

Believe it or not, this little sociological fact influences the way that we pray, interpret the gospel, and relate to God!  

Let’s take another look at the gospel. Jesus and his disciples are traveling and preaching and they are welcomed into the house of Martha and Mary to find some rest and food. These sisters are practicing the impeccable hospitality that is expected in Middle-Eastern cultures, an openness to visitors that was exemplified by Abraham and Sarah’s example some 2000 years earlier. Now there were no phones in those days, so Jesus was unable to call ahead and say, “hey, I should be there around 5 or 6 in the evening.” And there were certainly no Schnucks or Dierbergs or Jimmie Johns to run to and get a quick meal! When a guest like Jesus arrived, it was often a frantic race to get everything prepared. There were a variety of tasks to be accomplished from drawing water for washing and cooking to preparing the meal from scratch. 

With this chaotic picture in mind, we can now proceed to the scene of the gospel.  Poor Martha is running around making sure everyone is being adequately cared for. Food had to be prepared, an animal had to be slaughtered and processed, everything had to be cooked and the guests had to be checked on. I suspect that most of the moms here in Church know exactly how Martha was feeling that day! Overwhelmed, Martha sees her sister Mary sitting at the feet of Jesus instead of helping her get dinner ready. This is too much and Martha snaps. She goes up to Jesus and says like any frustrated, hard-working sister would, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me." 

This seems reasonable enough. Certainly Jesus was aware of the tremendous burden experienced by Martha and would want her sister to lend her a hand. It seems to most of us, myself included, that Mary needs to get with the program and do her fair share. She can sit and listen during dinner or after everything is ready. However, Jesus does not answer as we might expect. He tells Martha that Mary has chosen the better part and it shall not be taken from her!

But what does this mean? Why is Mary’s choice the better one? What does it say about Martha’s diligent efforts to preserve customs of hospitality? Does Jesus take the side of loafers and listeners over the efforts of hard-working souls?

It is important for us to understand the nature of Jesus’ response to Martha’s request. It is not so much a rebuke or scolding as it is an invitation for her to enjoy what her sister Mary has already discovered. Martha focused so much on feeding Christ she failed to realize that Christ first desired to feed her with his saving message. Nor does Christ condemn the good things that Martha is trying to accomplish. He does not say that hospitality or hard work are bad things. Rather, he makes it clear that spending time in contemplation of the saving truths of the gospel is even more important. Finally, Jesus is not advocating some sort of escapism from reality or responsibility. I imagine our story today would have ended much differently if Mary was sitting at the Lord’s feet simply to get out of work.

The story of Martha and Mary is not a story about right or wrong, good or evil. It is more accurately a story about two good things, one better than the other and the importance of priorities. I can’t think of a more relevant lesson for you and me, living as Americans in the 21st century. Most of us spend our time doing a great deal of work and making most of our choices between two or more good things. So many of us have no trouble filling up a day with all of the different responsibilities we are expected to fulfill, from cultural customs, caring for family, to meeting our goals, and the expectations of others. It’s easy to become like modern Martha’s, decent people, busy doing lots of good things, and we ignore the example of Mary. How many of us take time each and every day to sit in silence before God for an hour, for 30 minutes, for even 15 minutes? How often do we pray in a spirit of silence and openness, not asking for favors but simply listening for what God has to say?  How willing are we to turn off the TV, silence the cell phone, shut down the computer, and give God some quality time to speak to our minds, hearts, and souls?

The beautiful story of Mary and Martha and the reaction it provokes, shows us something about ourselves. As Americans, we are pre-disposed to give our work and our responsibilities the highest priority. And there is good in that. But this is not what is most important. The better part is to take time daily to sit at the feet of Jesus in quiet prayer, to waste time with the Lord as many of the great saints have described it. No one is too busy for this, it is not the exclusive privilege of priests or religious, and there is no excuse for any of us to neglect this quiet time which gives life and grace to all that we do. We will always have work that is unfinished, things to check off our lists, and more practical things to do but we will only have so much time on this earth to come to know Christ and love him as Lord.  

So embrace the example of Martha, who so graciously sought to serve and feed the body of Christ, when he came. But first, and always first, imitate her sister Mary in placing yourself quietly at the feet of the Lord, so that you may be fed with the words of everlasting Life and experience the peace and grace that comes from choosing the better part. 

Don't Delay! (13th Sunday, Year C)

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Anyone who has raised children or spent time with them knows how creative they are when it comes to stalling for time. When there is a difficult task to be done or it is time for the fun to end, children get to work on trying how to figure out how to gain some more time for fun and games. For example, when it is bedtime, children will often plead for just one more story or another drink of water. Or, when they are enjoying themselves and it comes time to go home, kids will suddenly forget where they put their shoes or even pretend to be unable to hear their parents telling them to come home. Other kids will give a list of reasons of why they should be allowed to continue doing what they are doing.

         We see this process of “stalling” in the word of God today. In our readings, God is inviting others to service and discipleship. God moves Elijah to anoint Elisha to become the next prophet who will spend his life in the service of God. In our Gospel, Jesus invites others to follow him. In both readings, people stall for time; they say ‘yes’ but not quite yet. And they give some pretty good reasons. Elisha tells Elijah to let him first go home and tell his parents good-bye. An unnamed man in the gospel responds to the invitation of the Lord by saying “Let me first bury my father.” These seem like pretty good reasons to delay following the invitation of the Lord. But the Lord is persistent and even unimpressed with these good reasons that are given. Jesus says in our gospel: “No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the kingdom of God.” 

         Now, as adults, we can see right through the efforts of children stalling for more time. But in our readings, we might tend to feel the invitation of the Lord to service and discipleship is a little extreme or even unreasonable. I think most of us would like to say these readings are difficult to understand because in both them, the good reasons given are treated as almost ridiculous by Jesus and Elijah. He makes it clear when he calls he expects us to follow.

         As much as we might like to think otherwise, we have the same tendency at times to stall when we hear the call of God in our lives. I am not just speaking of the big decisions of whether we are called to marriage, religious life, or priesthood. I'm mainly speaking about the ways that God calls us to follow him in our day-to-day living. Perhaps some of us are being called to be more responsible in our driving, to slow down, to obey traffic signals and to be more courteous to others on the road. Others may be hearing the call to be more open to life in their families and in their marriages. Still others are being called by the Lord to follow him by being more generous with their time and material resources.

         And yet, how often, when we hear this call of the Lord, do we respond with reasons why we cannot follow what the Lord is asking of us? How we try to stall for time with the Lord by trying to show him how unreasonable his invitations are? Don’t get me wrong, we always have good reasons, at least humanly speaking. But Christ invites us to consider turning over everything to him as his followers. He knows and wants what is best for us and when he calls he does so in our best interests. Much like the child, who is unable to see the bigger picture when his parents tell him it's time to go home or go to bed, we too often fail to see how God’s plan is best for us.

         Following the Lord is not always easy. Often when God calls, we have very practical and legitimate concerns that tempt us to stall for time in following him. We might justify speeding because we are late, we might feel like we are unable to volunteer our time to others because of a busy schedule, or we cannot possibly help another in need because we recently bought a new car or home. All of these concerns are understandable, but how often do we use these reasons to stall for time when God challenges us follow him more closely?

         In order to follow the Lord wherever he calls us, we have to give him times of silence and stillness. In these times of prayer with the Lord, we come to understand his invitation to follow him and we give him time to explain his plan for us. Obviously each one of us here has responded to the call of Jesus to follow him, otherwise we wouldn’t be in Church today to give him thanks and praise. However, the call to follow the Lord is lifelong and Christ will continually invite us to follow him closer and closer.  

God calls us in ways large and small. Each day he invites us to come and follow him without looking back at what we left behind for his sake. Often it seems crazy and we can give hundreds of very well-thought out reasons why God should give us a break or at least more time. However, this tendency to stall with God ultimately robs us of the peace and grace that comes with following his wonderful plan. Marvelous things happen when we turn ourselves over to God and his plan for us without conditions or delay. Don’t make God wait for your ‘yes’ to follow him every day, in ways large and small.

Who's Your Daddy? (12th Sunday, Year C)

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+Happy Father’s Day to all our dads!

Share how important dad has been to you, especially in your priesthood. Growing up, Dad was utterly dependable and did anything he had to to provide for the family. For a couple of years he worked 3 jobs and we really only saw him on Saturday evenings and Sundays. Also he taught me to do the right thing no matter what the cost or popular opinion and many practical things like self-denial, humor, and how to handle finances. I notice, the older I get, how much I owe to my parents and how good they really are! More and more, I see the impact my dad has had on my heart, mind, and soul as I live out my own fatherhood spiritually as a priest and pastor.

Perhaps one of the greatest compliments I was ever given in regards to my dad happened when I was in seminary. My parents would invite out-of-town-students, whose families were far away. to come over and have dinner with the family. They could hang out, enjoy time away from their studies, and be in the middle of a family atmosphere. As we were leaving, one of my classmates remarked how strange it was for him to see me interacting with my dad as a friend. He could sense the mutual respect and comfort between the two of us and it was not something he had with his own dad.This relationship with my earthly father, so positive and life-giving has translated directly to the relationship I have with my spiritual father, God Himself! I hope all of you can say the same but more on that in a minute.

One of the things we did often as a family for entertainment was to visit the zoo. Maybe it felt and sometime smelt like home. More than likely it was because it was free and it wore us out. One complaint we all had was that the most magnificent animals were often the most boring. Especially the big cats. As a kid you were hoping to hear roaring and see fangs and other amazing things that lions and tigers are supposed to do. Instead, if you saw them at all, they were lying around trying to stay cool. The word I would use was lame. My dad had a great idea to raise money for the zoo and make it more exciting. Patrons could purchase small hunks of meat and throw them into the enclosure to rile up the creatures. He also had a concept that involved bb guns but neither idea went anywhere.

I bring this up, not to highlight my dad’s strange sense of humor but because, for many Catholics, praying is like going to the zoo. Maybe you will see God, maybe you won’t. Maybe he will do something, maybe he won’t but don’t get your hopes up too high.

The fact is, many, if not most Catholics do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. 1/3 of Catholics surveyed in a recent poll said that God was impersonal. In other words they could not have a living, dynamic relationship with Him. Another 19% were undecided. Only 48%, less than half, believed for sure that it was even possible for them to have a personal relationship with the Lord. Many Catholics buy into the myth that only protestants can have a lively personal relationship with God. That somehow we are just stuck with rules and traditions. But Jesus question in the gospel applies to every person who believes. “

Who do you say that I am?” he asks the apostles. He also asks us. How would you respond right now if  the Lord asked you? Would you say friend, father, savior, protector, provider? Or might it be something a little more impersonal like, “nice guy”, friendly, pleasant, non-confrontational, distant?

All people are meant to have a real friendship with God. Jesus has given us his Word in the Scriptures and, even more impressively, His Body and Blood in the Eucharist. It doesn’t get more personal than that.

Jesus wants us to know who he is, what he loves, how he cares for us. He wants to have a relationship with us as a friend, savior, lord, protector, lover, and every other good thing.

If you are wondering how that happens, look to your human relationships. How do you build a friendship with people around you? Just as important, how do you maintain and deepen that relationship? You do so by making time to be with your friend, to both talk and listen, to get to know them better, to share important moments, trials and celebrations, dreams and disappointments. You let down your guard with your friends and even let them see you vulnerable, upset, and afraid. A friend gets to know your heart, the real you, good and bad. The same is true in our friendship with God; prayer is nothing more than building a friendship with God!

It might be helpful to examine our practice of prayer and the way we treat God. Would we have human friends if we treated them the same way? Do we only ask them for things or call when we are in trouble? Do we ask them what is the bare minimum we have to do for them to tolerate us? Do we talk and never listen or go days or even weeks without thinking of them or checking in? I hope not! We wouldn’t treat our friends this way and we should be careful we don’t do these things with God either otherwise it will be no surprise that we feel distant from him.

Going back to where I started, I am incredibly grateful for the friendship I have with my dad. I can talk to him anytime about anything. If I need advice, just want to shoot the breeze, share what’s going on, or even need comfort and reassurance, he is there. Most importantly, he has taught me that a friendship with God works exactly the same way. And as good as my dad is, God has his qualities in even greater perfection to benefit me and get me to heaven. Dare to be personal friends with God. It’s possible for all of us and it will enrich your life in every possible way.

They Love More, Who Are Forgiven More (11th Sunday, Year C)

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What is the greatest, most significant thing that has been forgiven for you?

I’m a little embarrassed to say when I was thinking about this question for myself, the first two things that came to mind had to do with money. Once I bumped a car driving during my seminary days. The person, who could have filed a claim, simply told me not worry about. I also thought of the several times I have been pulled over and the officer, who could have given me a ticket, let me go with just a warning to slow down. 

Maybe some of you have similar experiences and stories. Hopefully all of us have been the beneficiaries of mercy and forgiveness. But as great as it is to be absolved of a potential traffic violation or a minor fender bender, these are debts, as painful as they can be, that we can repay on our own. The most meaningful moments of forgiveness in my life have come in areas I was powerless to resolve. Some of these have been with other people: families or friends, who I offended or took for granted. They could have chosen to withhold their mercy and make me suffer and yet they didn’t. The most profound experiences have come from God, who has been willing to forgive my sins, whenever I have been humble and courageous enough to ask. Without going into the gory details, I have and continue to need the mercy of God. I cannot repay him for the good he has done for me and I certainly cannot fix the hurt and wrong caused by my sins. Fortunately, the Lord doesn't put that on us!

The gospel today is all about the mercy of God, which is truly a mystery and an undeserved gift. On one hand you have the sinful woman who knows how broken and fallen she is. She believes in the power of Jesus to restore her to spiritual health and take away her sins. She is not proud, she doesn't worry what others might think, she doesn’t make excuses for why she should stay away or come back later or rationalize that her past really isn't that bad. Instead she boldly puts herself at the feet of the Lord and confidently begs for his mercy and forgiveness. As she receives the gift that only God can grant, the forgiveness that brings the deepest peace and joy we can experience this side of heaven, she can’t help but be full of love for Christ. The more a person is forgiven, the greater the love feel towards the one forgiving us. 

Simon the Pharisee, on the other hand, is disgusted by the woman. He is repulsed by her sinful reputation, he thinks her acts of devotion to Christ are over the top, and he self-righteously thinks to himself, “if this Jesus-guy was so great, he would realize what a terrible person is at his feet and kick her out.” Too bad Jesus could read hearts and minds! Jesus knows what is in this man’s heart, just as he knew what faith was in the sinful woman and he calls him out. Simon doesn’t think he is a sinner; he doesn’t need God’s mercy because he believes he has reached holiness by himself. Even if he isn’t perfect, at least he is not as bad as those other people, like the woman asking the Lord for mercy. Because, in his mind, he doesn't need forgiveness, because in reality, he hasn’t asked God to forgive his sins, his love is little. He doesn’t realize his debt so there is no way to be grateful to the one who wants to take it away.

You and I, we are sinners. Anyone who thinks of themselves as otherwise is in danger of thinking like Simon the pharisee. Whatever our sins may be, however large or small, they are a debt we can never repay. Yet Jesus, first on the cross and now in the sacrament of confession, offers to wipe them away. As often as we come to him, he will do it, without exception. The more we come to him for mercy and forgiveness, the more we realize our debt and the incredible gift we have in him. In short, the more we acknowledge our sinfulness before God, the more we grow in love for him. It may seem counter-intuitive but it’s true. When I think of any exceptionally holy person I have ever met, every single one of them, without exception, openly acknowledged their sins and weakness. Not to call attention to themselves nor as a display of false humility. It was a sign of their love for God. They were not afraid of their past sins because it simply manifested how much God loved them, that he would forgive their offenses so completely and without cost. Our love for God is directly proportional to how often we receive his forgiveness and mercy.

The same is true in the opposite way. Ever notice how people who are focused on themselves and moving away from God, how they are never wrong, how it is always someone else’s fault?! If we don’t think that we are sinners, if we think we are ok because we are at least not as bad as those other people, if fail to ask for  our spiritual debts to be forgiven, especially in confession, our love for God will be small. And if our Love for God is small, we will not have compassion for the faults and failings of other people. Those who do not acknowledge their need for mercy tend to be the harshest of critics.

We are blessed to find ourselves in the Year of Mercy, where the Church has opened up the floodgates of Christ’s forgiveness. Do not be afraid to acknowledge the sins of your past, whether they be large or small. If you have stayed away from confession for a while in the name of embarrassment, fear, or busyness, now is a very good time to encounter his love in this sacrament. If you feel like you don’t really need forgiveness or that it can wait, please re-evaluate based on what we just heard in the gospel. All of us are in debt because of our sins; none of us can repay it on our own. Ask for mercy today, tomorrow, and the next day. Acknowledge your sins and grow in love. That’s the key to peace, joy, and happiness, both in this life and in the life to come.

God Cares for You (Year C)

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How dark the world had become for the two women in our readings today, the widow of Zeraphath in the first reading and the widow of Nain in the Gospel. Because they were widows, they had no way to support themselves other than what living they could scratch out, perhaps doing some weaving or working in the fields during the harvest time. But they had one great joy: they had sons. Not only were these the lights of the their lives, but their sons would be the ones who would care for them when they could no longer provide for themselves. Then suddenly, their sons died. There is no greater grief than to lose a child and nothing the world throws at us can be worse than the death of a child. The widows’ grief had to be unfathomable. But God was aware of their grief. In the first reading God heard the prayers of Elijah for the widow of Zeraphath and restored her son’s life. In the Gospel Jesus brought the widow of Nain’s son back to life. 

God transformed their grief into complete joy. We are all tempted to be bound by the negatives of life. We certainly hear enough about the horrible things that happen in the world. We should be aware of the suffering of other people so we can reach out to them, but life is not negative. It is wonderful. It is full of joy and laughter. Our world is beautiful. Consider the magnificence of our country, the canyon lands, the mountains, the lakes and oceans. Look at our children. How can we not help but recognize how wonderful the world is when we see our students excel not just in their academics, but take their first steps to becoming productive members of our faith and our country? How can we not be positive when we see our college people giving a summer or a year to serve the Lord in his poorest people, and then taking leadership positions in the faith? How can we not be positive when we see so many of our families taking their Catholicism so seriously? How can we not be full of joy when we look at the faces of our little children? There are so many positives in the world. We have been given a tremendous gift, Jesus Christ. The Victor has conquered the negatives of life. Jesus Christ has conquered death. The waters of our baptism have immersed us into beauty. "The Word of the Lord truly comes from your mouth,” the widow of the first reading exclaimed. "A great prophet has risen from our midst,” the people of the Gospel added. You can feel the excitement and joy in the people who proclaimed these statements. Prophecy and life are linked together. The way of the Lord is the way of life. 

Perhaps the greatest argument for hope comes when we look at Jesus’ reaction to the widow’s grief. The word St. Luke uses suggests the Lord was profoundly moved, down to the core of his being. In this moment, we can’t help but see Jesus’ compassion towards those who are suffering. It’s interesting to note that the initiative to raise up the son of the widow is taken by Christ; no one asks him to do it. Everyone had already accepted the young man’s death as the final word. He could have passed by this funeral procession or waited quietly until they begged him to do something. But his heart is stirred by this mother’s suffering. Perhaps he had his own mother in mind, knowing what she went through with the death of St. Joseph and what she would go through with his passion and death. He know this widow had lost everything, she lost her son. It is more than just another miracle; it is almost as if Jesus can’t help himself when he sees people hurting. It is in his nature to console and connect with the broken hearted. So he goes up to her and says, “Do not weep.” We can almost hear Jesus continue explaining to the confused and grieving woman, ‘I don’t want to see you crying; I’ve come to earth to bring joy and peace.’ 

This compassion and empathy did not disappear when Jesus ascended into heaven. His care for those who are hurting continues today for every human heart that is broken, confused, lost, or lonely. Jesus identifies closely with the grieving parent, the grieving spouse, the grieving sibling, the grieving child, and the grieving friend. If you are one of these people, if you are hurting, lonely, confused, lost, or broken-hearted, be encouraged, because at this very moment, Jesus is near to you, he knows your pain and suffering, he shares it with you, and he is loving you tremendously and personally. He is not indifferent in any way!

In many cases, Jesus cares for the suffering through us. You and I are called to be his ambassadors of consolation and strength for those who are lost, grieving, lonely, and hurting. Our prayers, support, and thoughtfulness can shine a ray of Christ’s hope into the darkness that sickness and death casts over individuals and families. Many people get uncomfortable around those who are in the midst of suffering and death. Some of that is understandable but more often than not, it’s because we feel we need to have answers for what is happening or we need to fix their problems. That is not our job! Who can understand the ways of God and the mysteries of sickness and death? 

We can also be tempted to wonder if God cares for us in moments of loss. Why doesn’t he do something? Why does he raise the widow’s son while my child, my spouse, my family member suffered and died? I wondered this myself when my baby sister died 19 years ago. It may not console us in the moment of death, but the truth is that Jesus has actually raised all of us from the dead. With his passion and death, he resurrected the human race from the clutches of sin. As difficult as it is to accept, he allows death in this life to make way for eternal life. Every person who was healed or brought back to life by Jesus in the gospel eventually died. On the other hand, every single person he has redeemed and brought into heaven will never die or suffer again.  

Let us stay close to Christ in our moments of trial and suffering. Let us never forget that he is right next to us, loving us, supporting us, and even hurting with us. We have a God who empathizes, who cares for us personally, a God with a heart the world can’t contain. Let’s believe this Good News and make sure we share it with others who are suffering!