WHAT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY? - By: Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

Mother Teresa of Calcutta teaches us that we should ask God every day what He wants us to do for Him. If we don’t, how can we honestly say that we did not know that such and such was what He wanted us to do? It may be literally true but morally speaking, we are at fault because we have not, in good faith, attempted to discover His will in the first place.

There are many who think that ignorance is a valid excuse but as the saying goes, “Ignorance of the law is no excuse!” We have a moral responsibility to know the law particularly when we are about to make a choice. It is similar to our responsibility to be busy with God’s will for our lives. God does not send text messages and emails to reveal His will for our lives. We have to seek it out. There are many ways to do this, including daily prayer, which is an essential element.

If we fail to take this call seriously, we will be wondering until Judgment Day as to what God wanted us to do. Unfortunately, by then, we will be required to give an account of our lives and why we have consistently failed to even seek God’s will, let alone accomplish it. Therefore we should do all that we can now to ensure that we discover God’s will so that we could follow it as best as we can.

We cannot say that we do not have our destiny in our hands. It is up to us to make the right choices now so that we can walk the path that God wants us to take. Let us be faithful in praying so we can give ourselves the best opportunity to discover God’s will and the chance to follow it.

Reflection Question:
Do I seriously try to discover God’s will in my life? What am I doing to seek it?

Jesus, I know Your will for my life is perfect and the only way to true fulfillment. Help me to discover it and to be faithful in following it.

St. Caesidius, pray for us.

GOSPEL READING TODAY - Luke 4:38-44 (Cures of a Demoniac)

Luke 4:38-44

38 After Jesus left the synagogue, he entered the house of Simon. Simon’s mother-in-law was afflicted with a severe fever, and they interceded with him about her. 39 He stood over her, rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up immediately and waited on them. 40 At sunset, all who had people sick with various diseases brought them to him. He laid his hands on each of them and cured them. 41 And demons also came out from many, shouting, “You are the Son of God.” But he rebuked them and did not allow them to speak because they knew that he was the Christ. 42 At daybreak, Jesus left and went to a deserted place. The crowds went looking for him, and when they came to him, they tried to prevent him from leaving them. 43 But he said to them, “To the other towns also I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God, because for this purpose I have been sent.” 44 And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea.

God Whispers - Love Begets More Love

You don’t have to be rich, beautiful or wise in order to love. You have the power to fulfill the Greatest Commandment. All you have to do is choose today to seek the good of others, to serve them, to be Jesus to them.

Loving you,

God

P.S. Do you know that love begets more love? As you give love away, you receive it in greater measure.

God Whispers - Love Begets More Love

You don’t have to be rich, beautiful or wise in order to love. You have the power to fulfill the Greatest Commandment. All you have to do is choose today to seek the good of others, to serve them, to be Jesus to them.


Loving you,
God

P.S. Do you know that love begets more love? As you give love away, you receive it in greater measure.

GOSPEL READING TODAY - Luke 4:31-37 (Cures of a Demoniac)

Luke 4:31-37

 

31 Jesus then went down to Capernaum, a town of Galilee. He taught them on the sabbath, 32 and they were astonished at his teaching because he spoke with authority. 33 In the synagogue there was a man with the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out in a loud voice, 34 “Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are — the Holy One of God!” 35 Jesus rebuked him and said, “Be quiet! Come out of him!” Then the demon threw the man down in front of them and came out of him without doing him any harm. 36 They were all amazed and said to one another, “What is there about his word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out.”  37 And news of him spread everywhere in the surrounding region.

 

Reflections

T h i n k : Christ’s return will be sudden and unexpected.

THE MIRACLES OF JESUS - By: Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

 

The miracles of Jesus are not just God showing off His power. They are signs of the in-breaking of the Kingdom of God into our world. With the birth of Jesus, we have something of heaven, something of the divine coming into the world. When the divine encounters the human, there is often some sort of fireworks, so to speak. This is what we witness when God works miracles. It is not just the authority of Jesus that the people marvel at; it is far more than this.

Furthermore, the miracles of Jesus are signs that God wants to engage with us in our lives. Yes, they are rather extraordinary signs but we have not left God with much of a choice. In over 2,000 years of working with the Jewish people, their hardness of heart and stubbornness of spirit barely changed. God has decided that He needs to intervene in a more spectacular way in order to convince us of His love and inspire faith within our hearts.

As we read about the miracles of Jesus in the Scriptures, let us remember they are meant to inspire awe and wonder to build our faith in God. It is good to ask the Holy Spirit to increase our faith as we reflect on the Word of God. The Word of God is powerful and we need to do all we can to harness its power. We do not have the luxury of having Jesus physically present to work His miracles today as the Apostles did, but we do have the blessing of the Word of God to bring life to the miracles of Jesus. Let us seek to activate our faith and allow its inherent dynamic to draw us closer to and more deeply in love with our God.

 

Reflection Question:

Do I believe in the miracles of Jesus? What role do I think they have in my faith?

 

Jesus, many times You exercised authority over evil and the elements to demonstrate Your divinity and encourage our faith in You. Help me to believe more in You today.

 

St. Loaran, pray for us.

Breakfast at McDonald's - LEARN HOW TO USE LOVE PEOPLE AND USE THINGS - NOT LOVE THINGS AND USE PEOPLE.

This is a good story and is true, please read it all the way through until the end! (After the Story, there are some very interesting facts!):

I am a mother of three (ages 14, 12, 3) and have recently completed my college degree. The last class I had to take was Sociology. The teacher was absolutely inspiring with the qualities that I wish every human being had been graced with. Her last project of the term was called, 'Smile.' The class was asked to go out and smile at three people and document their reactions. I am a very friendly person and always smile at everyone and say hello anyway. So, I thought this would be a piece of cake, Literally.

Soon after we were assigned the project, my husband, youngest son, and I went out to McDonald's one crisp March morning. It was just our way of sharing special playtime with our son. We were standing in line, waiting to be served, when all of a sudden everyone around us began to back away, and then Even my husband did. I did not move an inch... An overwhelming feeling of panic welled up inside of me as I turned to see why they had moved. As I turned around I smelled a horrible 'dirty body' smell, and there standing behind me were two poor homeless men. As I looked down at the short gentleman, close to me, he was 'smiling' His beautiful sky blue eyes were full of God's Light as he searched for acceptance. He said, 'Good day' as he counted the few coins he had been clutching.. The second man fumbled with his hands as he stood behind his friend. I realized the second man was mentally challenged and the blue-eyed gentleman was his salvation. I held my tears as I stood there with them. The young lady at the counter asked him what they wanted. He said, 'Coffee is all Miss' because that was all they could afford. (If they wanted to sit in the restaurant and warm up, they had to buy something. He just wanted to be warm). Then I really felt it - the compulsion was so great I almost reached out and embraced the little man with the blue eyes... That is when I noticed all eyes in the Restaurant were set on me, judging my every action. I smiled and asked the young lady behind the counter to give me two more breakfast meals on a separate tray. I then walked around the corner to the table that the men had chosen as a resting spot. I put the tray on the table and laid my hand on the blue-eyed gentleman's cold hand.. He looked up at me, with tears in his eyes, and said, 'Thank you.' I leaned over, began to pat his hand and said, 'I did not do this for you.. God is here working through me to give you hope.' I started to cry as I walked away to join my husband and son.... When I sat down my husband smiled at me and said, 'That is why God gave you to me, Honey, to give me hope..' We held hands for a moment and at that time, we knew that only because of the Grace that we had been given were we able to give. We are not church goers, but we are believers. That day showed me the pure Light of God's sweet love. I returned to college, on the last evening of class, with this story in hand. I turned in 'my project' and the instructor read it. Then she looked up at me and said, 'Can I share this?' I slowly nodded as she got the attention of the class. She began to read and that is when I knew that we as human beings and being part of God share this need to heal people and to be healed. In my own way I had touched the people at McDonald's, my son, the instructor, and every soul that shared the classroom on the last night I spent as a college student. I graduated with one of the biggest lessons I would ever learn: UNCONDITIONAL  ACCEPTANCE. Much love and compassion is sent to each and every person who may read this and learn how to LOVE PEOPLE AND USE THINGS - NOT LOVE THINGS AND USE PEOPLE.

There is an Angel sent to watch over you. In order for her to work, you must pass this on to the people you want watched over. An Angel wrote: Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart To handle yourself, use your head.. To handle others, use your heart. God Gives every bird it's food, but He does not throw it into its nest. Send it back, you'll see why:

A box of gold

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

With a secret inside

that has never been told

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

This box is priceless

but as I see

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The treasure inside is

precious to me

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Today I share this

treasure with thee

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

It's the treasure of

friendship you've

given me.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

If this comes back to you

then you'll have a friend

for life but, if this

becomes deleted, you are

not a friend.

Send this to everyone you

consider a friend!

It will grant you one wish and only one wish, that is, if you decide to

send this to others. You can wish for anything.

Repeat your wish until you have stopped scrolling. Make it count!

FOR YOUR WISH TO COME TRUE YOU HAVE TO SEND IT TO:

3 PEOPLE - YOUR WISH WILL COME TRUE EVENTUALLY

5 PEOPLE - YOUR WISH WILL COME TRUE IN 3 MONTHS 10 PEOPLE - YOUR WISH

WILL COME TRUE IN 5 WEEKS

15 PEOPLE - YOUR WISH WILL COME TRUE IN 1 WEEK CAN'T WAIT A WEEK???

22 People-Your Wish Will

Come True In 1 Day!

****** MUST BE SENT OUT THE

DAY YOU READ IT FOR

YOU TO GET YOUR WISH

Without love, religiosity counts for nothing - Excellence of the Gift of Love

1 CORINTHIANS 13:1-10


If I speak with human tongues and angelic as well, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong, a clanging cymbal.  If I have the gift of prophecy and, with full knowledge, comprehend all mysteries, if I have faith great enough to move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.  If I give everything I have to feed the poor and hand over my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient; love is kind.  Love is not jealous, it does not put on airs, it is not snobbish.  Love is never rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not prone to anger; neither does it brood over injuries.  Love doe not rejoice in what is wrong but rejoices with the truth.  There is no limit to love's forbearance, to its trust, its hope, its power to endure.  Love never fails.  Prophecies will cease, tongues will b e silent, knowledge will pass away.  Our knowledge is imperfect and our prophesying is imperfect.

How To Deal With Your Temper - By: Bro. Bo Sanchez

http://bosanchez.ph/how-to-deal-with-your-temper/

TRANSFORMATION - By: Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

 

The goal of our spiritual life is the transformation of our lives such that Jesus becomes the center of who we are and what we do. Human beings are somewhat reluctant to embrace change as it means moving into unknown and often uncharted waters. This is never an easy task as it means facing up to our fears and anxieties so that the Holy Spirit can deal with them and show us the way to a deeper life of faith.

St. Paul knows the challenge of having to humble himself and submit his life to a new reality, one that he had spent a considerable amount of time and effort trying to destroy. Humility is a necessary part of the process. There will be times when the task seems easy. What is important here is to examine why it has become easy so that in identifying what helps us surrender, we can embrace this method or path more often.

Each person has to learn to navigate his or her way through the spiritual journey of faith. Yes, we can learn a lot from the lives of others but they will never provide us with all the answers. We are individuals and part of the joy and mystery and excitement of life is knowing that one’s journey is indeed one’s own and it is up to us to walk it. This can be a daunting reality that we could shrink back and refuse to enter it. I would like to take this opportunity to encourage us all to embrace the call and the challenge to discover what sort of life God calls us to share with Him.

We will never know the fullness of life; we will never fill that hole in the depth of our beings unless we embark on the journey of a lifetime that we call faith in God. And as a journey it can be treacherous and perilous; it can be exciting and enjoyable; it can be boring and challenging. Whatever our experience, the goal of eternal life will keep us focused. Let us never allow our lives to wander from our vision of the Lord. 

 

Reflection Question:

What is my experience of the journey of faith? Am I tired of it? Am I excited by it? Where is it going? What am I doing to grow in my faith?

 

Father in heaven, You desire that we all enter into a life of faith and so discover that the fulfillment of our lives is found in the gift of salvation.

 

St. Gorman, pray for us.

GOSPEL READING TODAY - Matthew 16:21-27

Matthew 16:21-27

 

21 Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised. 22 Then Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke him, “God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you.” 23 He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.” 24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. 25 For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Or what can one give in exchange for his life? 27 For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father’s glory, and then he will repay everyone according to his conduct.”

Charity unites us to God...-- Pope St. Clement I

 There is nothing mean in charity, nothing arrogant. Charity knows no schism, does not rebel, does all things in concord. In charity all the elect of God have been made perfect.

The Aim of Christian Education - Pope Benedict XVI

  "The aim of all Christian education, moreover, is to train the believer in an adult faith that can make him a new creation, capable of bearing witness in his surroundings to the Christian hope that inspires him."

"God is not solitude, but perfect communion. For this reason the human person, the image of God, realizes himself or herself in love, which is a sincere gift of self."

GOSPEL TODAY - THE FIRST DISCIPLES

John 1:45-51

 

45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one about whom Moses wrote in the law, and also the prophets, Jesus, son of Joseph, from Nazareth.” 46 But Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” 47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Here is a true child of Israel. There is no duplicity in him.” 48 Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.” 49 Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.” 50 Jesus answered and said to him, “Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this.” 51 And he said to him, “Amen, amen, I say to you, you will see the sky opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

 

Reflections

Think: We should strive to be holy so that we may be worthy to be united with Christ as His bride.

ETERNAL LIFE IS THE GOAL - By: Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

 

One of the things that sets the lives of the saints apart is their unshakeable focus upon eternal life. They are willing to forsake all the pleasures of this world because they have a firm belief in the glory of eternal life. There is nothing else that can explain the willing martyrdom of so many of thesaints. Why would a person willingly give up their earthly life if they did not have something else to live for, in this case eternal life with God in heaven? It is quite a small logical step. Let me show you why.

Our mortal lives last on the average around 70 years. In some countries this extends to 80 and some even live to be over 100. Let us imagine that these years, however many, are full of pleasure and no pain. (This is obviously an exaggeration, but it is one that works against my argument yet I will choose to allow it to stand.) Heaven by definition has no pain and suffering. Life in heaven, again by definition, is without end. Simple mathematics tells us that when we compare a finite number with an infinite number, the infinite number prevails every time. Therefore, the experience of pleasure and joy in heaven will always be far greater than in our earthly life. It is now easy to see why the saints are willing to give up all for the Kingdom of God.

Each one of us has to reflect upon God’s call on our lives and choose whether or not we will follow it. We have to make a decision concerning our belief and trust in the promise of eternal life. Obviously, if we do not believe in eternal life, we would not be willing to forsake the joys and pleasures of this life. However, if we believe in eternal life, it is almost necessary for us to do so to some degree if our witness to the Gospel is going to have any credibility. James tells us that he will demonstrate that he has faith in Jesus through his works; the main way we demonstrate our belief in eternal life is by our willingness to forsake at least some of the pleasures of our earthly existence. The Church gives this a name: we call it penance. 

 

Reflection Question:

When was the last time I did penance for my sins? Do I voluntarily take on penances or do I only embrace them in the context of the Sacrament of Reconciliation?

 

Jesus, help me to be willing to do penance for my sin and thus demonstrate my true contrition as well as to intercede for the salvation of others.

 

St. Massa Candida, pray for us.

THE PURITY OF THE GOSPEL - By: Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

 

One of the ways we can be sure of the integrity of a preacher is if he or she stands to gain nothing from their preaching. When there is fundraising associated with the preaching of an individual that does not have proper public accounting, I will always be suspicious of the motives and integrity of all those involved. I am not saying that what they are doing is wrong; all I am saying is there is no way of knowing whether what they are doing is consistent with a life of integrity or not.

St. Paul mentions a number of times that he offers the Gospel to people free of charge. He stands to gain nothing financially from what he is doing; in fact, he is often “out of pocket” in what he does. One of the things that clears up a lot of the financial problems of religious groups is if there is a level of independent supervision of their finances. This will help set a lot of suspicions to rest.

It is important that lay communities have similar safeguards in place as they are no different from Charismatic individuals in this regard. Too many groups have imploded over arguments about finances and how they are distributed, or not distributed in most cases. Money is an incredibly seductive reality when it is present in relatively large quantities. It is essential that care is taken in its administration.

One of the accusations that often occur against leaders is that of hypocrisy, and this is often connected to the misuse of funds. Let us always set safeguards in place in our communities to protect ourselves from these problems so that the work of God can move forward without any unnecessary complications and problems. This will also allow our communities to flourish and remain free of accusations of impropriety if it is easy to answer questions raised by pointing to a regular accounting of the use of funds. 

 

Reflection Question:

What are my motivations in sharing the Gospel with others? Can I say I do so with purity of heart and intention?

God Loves You

Do you see yourself as someone unimportant? Little? Of no influence or power? In my eyes, you are favored. In my heart, you are number one. I love you so much that I gave My very best for you — My only Son.  -  GOD

LET’S FOLLOW HER EXAMPLE - By: Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

LET’S FOLLOW HER EXAMPLE

 

The Church honors Mary under all sorts of different titles. In this we recognize the extraordinary broadness of her appeal to people. Some will honor her for one particular trait in her life and others will choose something else or be inspired by yet another. The thing that appeals to me most about Mary is her conviction to see through her call to the end without faltering in faith.

We live in a world where the goal of society seems to be for more and more comfort. Mary’s life speaks of exactly the opposite — pregnant out of wedlock, not welcome anywhere in Bethlehem to give birth, and many other situations. Her constancy of faith, whether in trial or not, is very inspiring to me. As I reflect on my own life and recognize within a reluctance to embrace a deeper call of sacrifice and self-denial, my mind often moves to think of Mary’s life. And then it becomes clearer to me that it is possible to embrace the deeper call if I am willing to surrender more deeply in faith to God’s will as she did.

Mary’s life is a standout among all examples of discipleship for the way in which she surrenders to God’s will, something that must have seemed almost ridiculous as well as impossible on first hearing it from the angel. However, all that the angel said happened, and more besides that, and Mary’s life of surrender to God deepened each day to the point that she was able to endure His passion and death. I have a suspicion that she had an inkling that Jesus’ death was not the end. I am sure she did not have secret access to God’s will, but with a mother’s intuition, she may have realized there was more to His life than death; that Jesus’ death was not the final word in this chapter of her life.

 

Reflection Question:

As we seek to embrace God’s call on our lives, let us open our hearts in surrender to God’s mercy and love for this is the only way we can receive the grace we need to follow His will. And we need all the grace and help we can get!

 

Jesus, You were born of the womb of the Virgin Mary. Your whole life is caught up in the mystery of God’s love for His people. Help me to embrace His will so that I may live in imitation of You.

 

St. John Kemble, pray for us.

GOD LOVES YOU VERY MUCH

Wherever you go, I will go. There is no place where you can hide from Me. Even if you try to run away from Me, I will go after you. I will never abandon you. No mountain is too high, no valley too deep, no ocean too wide that My love for you cannot overcome. -  GOD

GOSPEL READING TODAY - PETER THE ROCK

Matthew 16:13-20

 

13 Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. 18 And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he strictly ordered his disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.

 

Reflections

T h i n k : Only God sees everything in its entirety.

THE MYSTERY OF GOD ’S WILL - By: Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

 

The wonders of the mind and will of God have fascinated spiritual writers for centuries and we are probably no closer to understanding them than we were centuries ago. After all, when the finite tries to measure itself against the infinite, it does not matter how big the finite is. It is always going to be insignificant in comparison to the infinite.

Enough mathematics for now and let’s get back to the more serious matter of our faith in God. St. Paul takes the only path open to us in the face of God’s majesty and mystery. He stands in awe and wonder before it. Sometimes it is as simple as this. All we need to do is stand in awe before the Lord and wonder at His greatness. Not even questions can express what we feel. However, it is important that our awe does not stop here. We must allow it to permeate our lives in such a way that it leads us to trust and believe in God’s promises and providence. There will be many times when we do not understand where He is in the midst of what we are doing, or what it means for us, but we still have to trust Him and surrender our lives to His will.

“Too hard,” you say. “Not easy,” I reply. We are not in control of the dynamic of faith. It is God’s gift to us and our first and foremost duty is to be grateful for it. Because this is the case, we also need to surrender ourselves to its nature; it is not for us to dictate to God what the essence of faith is. God has already determined this. The only thing we can do here is decide whether or not to accept the gift of faith and place our lives under its dynamic.

We can choose to live our lives without God. This is a possibility if we so exercise our wills. However, to do so in the face of the overwhelming evidence of His existence in the beauty and wonder of the universe would seem to be unwise. This will not stop some people from making this choice. I just pray that we are not numbered among them. 

 

Reflection Question:

How do I feel about the mysteries of God that I encounter each day? Am I willing to surrender myself in awe to these mysteries?

 

Jesus, You have been sent by the Father to redeem us. Thank You for Your obedience to His call. Help me to respond generously to Your offer of faith and salvation.

 

St. Joseph Nien Vien, pray for us.

BIBLE VERSE ABOUT TRUSTS IN THE LORD

Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and has made the

    Lord his hope and confidence.  -  Jeremiah 17:7

GOSPEL READING TODAY - HYPOCRISY OF THE SCRIBES & PHARISEES

Matthew 23:1-12

 

1 Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, 2 saying, “The scribes and the Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses. 3 Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they preach but they do not practice. 4 They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they will not lift a finger to move them. 5 All their works are performed to be seen   They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels. 6 They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues, 7 greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation ‘Rabbi.’ 8 As for you, do not be called ‘Rabbi.’ You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers. 9 Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven. 10 Do not be called ‘Master’; you have  but one master, the Messiah. 11 The greatest among you must be your servant. 12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

 

Reflections

T h i n k : If we honor and make sacrifices in our service to God, we can be confident He will care for all our needs.

 

Am I contented with this kind of reward for the good that I try to do? If I am really striving for eternal life and I am storing up treasure in the right place, I should prefer to let God exalt me and reward me, when the right time comes.

THE GREATEST COMMANDMENT - By: Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

 

We are all well aware that the greatest commandment of all is to love. The call to love is at the heart of the Christian calling. It is important that we consider this call a commandment and not just a choice that we may or may not make. The call to love is a commandment central to the life of a disciple of Jesus. This means that any disciple of Jesus needs to focus on learning how to live unselfishly. It is only in living a selfless life that we are able to focus on loving God and others.

 

Maybe the greatest sin of today’s society is selfishness; maybe not. Whatever the case, one of the greatest hindrances to holiness is selfishness. Selfishness does not allow a person to look beyond his desires, his felt needs and wants. It is this preoccupation with felt needs that can cripple a person’s capacity to give themselves in love for another person. It is not that all felt needs or emotions are bad or even wrong, but when they are allowed to govern a person’s life over and above the principles of love and self-giving, they become the essential foundation for the things that distract us all from our true calling to love God and our neighbor.

 

Even a distraction is not yet a sin provided we work diligently to overcome it. Here arises the need for discernment to help us know when a mere distraction takes on the character of sin as we succumb to it. If we can keep distractions from moving down this path, we will find it far easier to follow the command to love. One of the greatest aids to Christian discernment is the Scriptures. This is why we need to commit to read and learn from it. If we meditate on the Word of God regularly, we will be able to form our minds according to the mind of God. This will serve us in good stead as we seek to follow wherever Christ’s calling takes us. 

 

Reflection Question:

What is the biggest challenge I face in following the command to love?

 

Jesus, help me to get to know the true meaning of selfless love by first receiving it from You and then sharing it with others.

 

St. Sebald, pray for us.

GOSPEL READING TODAY - THE GREAT COMMANDMENT

Matthew 22:34-40

 

34 When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, 35 and one of them a scholar of the law tested him by asking, 36 “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” 37 He said to him, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. 38 This is the greatest and the first commandment. 39 The second is like it: You shall love your neighbour as yourself. 40 The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.”

 

Reflections

T h i n k : If we fulfill the two greatest commandments, we have fulfilled the whole law.

Freedom comes from submission

Freedom comes from submission. Paradoxically, when you bind yourself to GOD, when you put yourself at GOD's disposal, when you surrender your freedom to GOD, that’s when you experience true freedom. There’s no room for stubbornness when you are living in GOD's freedom.

GOSPEL READING TODAY - THE WEDDING BANGUET

G O S P E L

 

In this story of the banquet, Jesus likens the Kingdom of God to a feast where everyone is invited. Yet so many make excuses and in the end miss out on it. Why do they make excuses? Because they do not rightly value the invitation and place other things as more important in their lives. How important is going to Mass in my life? Is prayer my first priority each day? If not, then I, like these guests, am making my own excuses.

 

 

Matthew 22:1-14

1 Jesus again in reply spoke to the chief priests and the elders of the people in parables, saying, 2 “The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. 3 He dispatched his servants to summon the invited guests to the feast, but they refused to come. 4 A second time he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those invited: “Behold, I have prepared my banquet, my calves and fattened cattle are killed, and everything is ready; come to the feast.”’ 5 Some ignored the invitation and went away, one to his farm, another to his business. 6 The rest laid hold of his servants, mistreated them, and killed them. 7 The king was enraged and sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. 8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The feast is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy to come. 9 Go out, therefore, into the main roads and invite to the feast whomever you find.’ 10 The servants went out into the streets and gathered all they found, bad and good alike, and the hall was filled with guests. 11 But when the king came in to meet the guests he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment. 12 He said to him, ‘My friend, how is it that you came in here without a wedding garment?’ But he was reduced to silence. 13 Then the king said to his attendants, ‘Bind his hands and feet, and cast him into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’ 14 Many are invited, but few are chosen.”

 

Reflections

Think: How important is going to Mass in my life? Is prayer my first priority each day?

EXCUSES , EXCUSES , EXCUSES - By:Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

 

It is always frustrating when you are trying to get a job done and then somebody you are relying on fails to deliver on his promises or responsibilities. It only gets worse when they give lame excuses. The worst ever excuse we can have, in my opinion, is “I didn’t feel like doing it!” This is such a lousy excuse, even tantamount to laziness and sloth put together, that it is virtually a sin. It is not acceptable when we allow our emotions to run our lives. Our emotions are meant to be servants, not masters. People talk about crimes of passion — well, that may be so, but such crimes could also be called crimes of truncated sensibility. That is, crimes that result from a refusal of the person to submit their action to common sense.

The king is inviting people to come and celebrate with him and all they do is make excuses for not coming. It is vital when someone as important as a king invites us to celebrate with him that we need to have a very serious reason to excuse ourselves from the affair. Let us never make the mistake of avoiding an invitation from God to be in His presence no matter what excuses we think we may have.

That the king then turns away someone who comes unprepared also indicates that moments of grace, once passed, do not return. Doors of opportunity open in our spiritual lives for a limited time and we need to be aware of them so that we do not miss them. The saints are experts at doing this and so if we want to learn how to improve our chances, let us commit to read about their lives and the way they responded to God’s call. The saints are not just there as ornaments to the Church but to be examples of holiness and discipleship.

 

Reflection Question:

Do I tend to make excuses rather than remain faithful to my commitments? If so, what am I going to do about this?

 

Holy Spirit, help me to change for the better. Help me to know how I can become more faithful to my commitments and responsibilities.

 

Sts. Leo & Juliana, pray for us.

GOSPEL READING TODAY - The celebration of the Assumption of Our Lady

Luke 1:39-56

39 Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, 40 where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, 42 cried out in a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. 43 And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord  should come to me? 44 For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. 45 Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.” 46 And Mary said: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; 47 my spirit rejoices in God my savior. 48 For he has looked upon his handmaid’s lowliness; behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed. 49 The Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. 50 His mercy is from age to age to those who fear him. 51 He has shown might with his arm, dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart. 52 He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones but lifted up the lowly. 53 The hungry he has filled with good things; the rich he has sent away empty. 54 He has helped Israel his servant, remembering his mercy, 55 according to his promise to our fathers, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.” 56 Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home.

 

Reflections 

THINK: Jesus is the first to rise from the dead and the Virgin Mary, being without sin, is the first fruit of His resurrection.

Mary Leads the Way - By: Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

 

The celebration of the Assumption of Our Lady into heaven is a celebration of hope. We pray that the gift Mary received of being raised from the dead and into eternal life in heaven will be ours also. This is a sign of hope for us — that where she goes, we hope to go as well. What else does the Feast of the Assumption teach us?

The Assumption is all about the fulfillment of God’s promises that life in heaven is the ultimate goal of all Christians. Mary becomes the first to receive this gift just as she leads the way for us in most, if not all, aspects of the Christian life. In this way the Feast of the Assumption also indicates the deep honor in which the Catholic Church holds Mary. However, we must remember that devotion to Mary or any of the saints is not enough for one’s conversion.

Conversion and holiness are the result of the decisions we make and the actions that these decisions lead to. Jesus constantly reminds us of this fact in the Gospels where He tells us that it is not those who cry out “Lord! Lord!” who will enter the Kingdom of God, but those who do the will of His Father in heaven. In one of the occasions where He says this, Mary is present and Jesus uses her as an example in affirming that His real mothers (brothers and sisters) are those who follow the will of God, not just those who are related to Him by blood.

The challenge of discerning the will of God for our lives remains with us until we die. We cannot allow its difficulty to discourage us. We should simply redouble our efforts in seeking God’s will and then responding to it. If we are earnest in our search for God’s will, it will not take too long to discover it. God is not trying to hide His will from us!

 

Reflection Question:

Do I already know what is God’s will for my life? Am I responding to it in faith every day?

 

Holy Spirit, help me to come to know what God’s will is so that I can do my best to be obedient to it each and every day of my life.

ACTING WITH INTEGRITY - By: Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

 

The first line of this reading indicates quite clearly that God is very interested in the decisions we make. Are we men and women of integrity, justice and truth? All of these concepts have an enormous impact on our lives. We cannot afford to dismiss them as the result of human efforts and therefore not relevant to the spiritual life. We have to learn to integrate our spiritual beliefs with the way we live. The degree to which we do this successfully will indicate how effective we are in witnessing to the Gospel. This is what we mean by living a life of integrity.

St. Peter reminds us that we should always be ready to give an account of the hope with which we live (1 Peter 3:15). This assumes that our lives are significant enough to stand out from the rest of the people around us. This ought to be the goal of our lives — to be different enough in order to make a difference in other people’s lives. This is the way the power of the Gospel is made manifest in the world — through the holiness and commitment of believers. Isaiah tells the Israelites that their justice and concern cannot just be for themselves but must include foreigners in their land as well. In a world that was somewhat ethnocentric, this is a rather novel idea that would not have been readily accepted. In his time, more than 2,600 years ago, it was the accepted norm to look after one’s own people even at the expense of justice and fairness for others. The Jewish legal framework was quite revolutionary in the substantial protection it provided for foreigners.

If we live the life of the Spirit, if we follow the laws of God, our lives would become the prophetic instruments promoting life and rejecting sin and the culture of death. This call is a privilege as it will place our lives at the heart of the proclamation of the Gospel, a place we should desire to be above all others.

 

Reflection Question:

Are we willing to take on this call or is God going to have to look for someone else to do it?

 

Holy Spirit, help me to accept the call God makes on my life and give me the grace to be faithful to following it wherever it may lead me.

 

St. Demetrius, pray for us.