Learning from Jonah's mistakes

 

Image credit: https://www.mosaicsite.org/

Adapted from homily by Deacon Steve.

Most of us are familiar with the story of Jonah. God wants Jonah to warn the Ninevites that they have forty days to straighten out or God is going to overthrow them. After resisting God's call because he doesn't want the people of Nineveh to be shown any mercy, Jonah finally heads to Nineveh and gives them God’s message. Deep down inside Jonah can hardly wait to see what God does to the Ninevites. But, sure enough, “the people of Nineveh believed God,” and turned from their ways and put on sackcloth and fasted. They in fact change their ways and so, God relents and does not bring destruction down on them. Jonah goes away sulking and angry over God’s kindness to his enemies.

This story points out that God is not the fearful One, that we sometimes call the “Old Testament God”. The God of Jonah is in fact the God of Jesus, the God who is loving and merciful to all people. God’s mercy is not limited to one or two groups of people, but extends to all people beyond any limits we may conceive.

Jesus proclaims in our Gospel reading, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent and believe in the good news.”

In the minds of most Christians, the primary meaning of "repent" is to look back on past behavior with "sorrow, self-reproach, or contrition" for what one has done or omitted to do - sometimes with an amendment of life. However, the English word “repent” is used to translate the Greek word “Metanoia”. Scholars believe the translation of metanoia as repentance is "an extraordinary mistranslation". In fact, translators only use it because there is no English word that can adequately convey the meaning of the Greek word.

The real meaning of metanoia is not about a superficial change of mind. Rather it involves a complete transformation of consciousness, a change in the trend and action of our whole inner nature, including intellectual, affectional and moral. It is an overwhelming change of mind, heart and life. And this, we know, is only brought about by allowing the grace of God and the Spirit of God to open our hearts and minds.

In a writing from one of the Church Fathers called “On Spiritual Perfection” the author writes, “Anyone who loves God in the depths of their heart has already been loved by God. In fact, the measure of a person’s love for God depends on how deeply aware they are of God’s love for them... When this awareness is keen it makes whoever possesses it long to be enlightened by the divine light, and this longing is so intense that it seems to penetrate their very bones. The person loses all consciousness of themselves and they are entirely transformed by the love of God.”

Thus our 'metanoia' occurs only through the grace of God, by our constantly and gradually becoming aware of God’s love for us. Our gospel writer is trying to tell us, in the stories of the apostles as they were called by Jesus, that in encountering the Lord, the apostles were entirely transformed by the love of God, by Christ. And so they lose “consciousness of themselves” and “immediately” follow Christ. The immediacy of the conversion of the apostles in our story, is meant to dramatize the effect of God’s love in our lives, when we are truly open to it.

Our world today, as we no doubt are aware, is in need of this transformation. The world needs to see followers of Christ who are truly transformed by the love of God. For us to be that transformative presence to our brothers and sisters it is important for us to grow and experience the love of God in our hearts. A love that is always offered to us by God’s grace. Not only in our private and liturgical prayer. More importantly, we can experience that love of God as we learn to contemplate each person we encounter, especially those people who suffer in poverty, addiction, imprisonment, illness, loneliness and dying.

Let us remember that our Eucharist celebrates the love of God for every person in the world. It is a reminder to us to not only contemplate the divine, the mystery in this sacrament, but to also go out and contemplate the divine and the mystery of God in every person we encounter, but especially those who suffer. 

Fasting that shines a light and heals wounds

 

Homily for World Day of the Poor 2023

 

Do not turn your face away from one who is poor

- Sunday Homily by Deacon Marian, St. Elizabeth Seton Parish, Newmarket

Today, the Church celebrates World Day of the Poor.  This year’s theme is: Do not turn away your face from anyone who is poor.

St. Vincent de Paul is one of the very well-known saints of the Church. His life, commitment and dedication to God are inspirational and exemplary. He was a truly great servant of God, who devoted himself to the poor and the needy. This young Frenchman, shortly after his ordination to the priesthood, was abducted on a ship, auctioned off as a slave and spent two years in bondage. Through many of his own hard experiences St. Vincent de Paul helped those who were marginalized and underprivileged. He founded a congregation of people who were concerned about the care of those who had been neglected by society, ignored and abandoned, with no one to help or assist them. 

His works and ministry inspired many others during his life and after his passing, and eventually led to the foundation of the modern day Society of St. Vincent de Paul that is renowned for its work among the poor throughout the world.

The parable of the talents, which Jesus uses in today’s gospel is very interesting and challenging, and so appropriate on this World Day of the Poor.

We cannot forget that nothing is really ours alone. Anything we own is God's gift. God's gift is not only our money or possessions or ownership, but also our friendships, relations, skills, talents, spiritual powers and various charisms.

We should be and live, with all we have, in the view of all; like nature around us, like a flower in the sun, like the sun itself. We obviously need to own things, of course the right to private property is valid. St. John Paul II said it very clearly in his encyclical "On Social Concern": The goods of the world are meant for all.

The conclusions from today’s gospel parable are hard, when we consider that in our 21st century many people are still poor, hungry and suffering because of the  inadequate distribution of resources and other injustices. 

Obviously we as individuals cannot do much, but if we think and reflect on the life and service of St. Vincent de Paul, we definitely can start to build a bridge between those in need and ourselves. 

Having heard today’s Gospel let us be filled with the conviction and the desire to use our gifts, talents and treasure. Let us all be exemplary, righteous and worthy in all of our actions, so that we may truly be good role models for one another in our daily lives. 

Let us be mindful of our baptismal promises, our obligations and calling to serve God with faith and commitment, and to proclaim the Good News always by being Christ's real presence to all people in our world. 

And in our own ways let us assist all people in need.  May this  special Day of the Poor become an opportunity for opening our hearts to share some of our talents, gifts, time and resources.

Deacon Marian is a member of SSVP in Newmarket.

Creating a Community of Compassion

 

Image Credit: 
https://www.vaticannews.va/en/church/news/2021-04/philippines-community-pantries-bishops-caritas-kindness-stations.html

Creating a Community of Compassion
- by Fr Richard Rohr OFM

(Published by the Center for Action and Contemplation) 

When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick. 
— Matthew 14:14  

The gospel passage is quite good and delightful because it tells us very directly what God is about. Jesus is all about meeting immediate needs, right here and right now. There’s no mention of heaven at all. It seems we’ve missed the point of what the Christian religion should be about, but we see how the disciples themselves missed the point: “Tell them to go to the village and take care of themselves” (Matthew 14:15). But Jesus does not leave people on their own!  

Look at the setting. Jesus is tired. The gospel begins with him withdrawing to a deserted place to be by himself. Sure enough, the crowds follow after him, but he doesn’t get angry or send them away. He recognizes the situation and moves to deal with it. Then the passage goes further and states, “His heart was moved with pity” (Matthew 14:14). If Jesus is our image of God, then we know God has feelings for human pain, human need, and even basic human hunger. The gospel records that he cured the sick, so we know God is also about healing, what today we call healthcare. Sometimes, we don’t even believe everyone deserves that either! Jesus says, “There is no need for them to go away. We will feed them” (Matthew 14:16). 

The point in all the healing stories of the gospels is not simply that Jesus can work miracles. It is not for us to be astounded that Jesus can turn five loaves and two fish into enough for five thousand people, not counting women and children. That is pretty amazing, and I wish we could do it ourselves, but what Jesus does quite simply is feed people’s immediate needs. He doesn’t talk to them about spiritual things, heavenly things, or churchy things. He doesn’t give a sermon about going to church. He does not tell us what things we are supposed to be upset about today. He knows that we can’t talk about spiritual things until we take away people’s immediate physical hunger. When so much of the world is living at a mere survival level, how can we possibly talk about spiritual things?

The important thing that God seems to want to be doing in history is to create a community of compassion where people care about one another. It is not only the feeding that matters to us, it is also the caring for other people’s hunger and needs. Jesus never once talked about attending church services, but he talked constantly about healing the sick and feeding the hungry. That is what it seems to mean to be a follower of Jesus.  

(As published by the Center for Action and Contemplation) 

Words, Bones, Sticks and Stones

 

Image credit:
https://crossfitodyssey.com/sunday-story-sticks-and-stones/

When I was a little boy and people used unkind words I was told to retort, 

"Sticks and stones can break my bones,
  But words can never harm me."

At the time I believed this, and it helped me get past a few difficult situations as a young child, but I now know this not to be true. Words can and do harm; they have the power to harm or to heal, to instruct or to mislead. They can convey whether we are arrogant, officious, paternalistic and patronising, or genuinely compassionate, empathetic and caring. The words we use betray our unconscious attitudes and unchallenged stereotypes, or help us serve the poor with love, respect, justice and joy. 

For more on this, please have another look at our 8 minute training video "SSVP Mission, Respect and Stereotypes". 

What people remember - and forget

 

Refugees (and Migrants) - a Spiritual Reflection

 

Sculpture by Banksy

REFUGEES
By Brian Bilston

They have no need of our help

So do not tell me
These haggard faces could belong to you or me
Should life have dealt a different hand
We need to see them for who they really are
Chancers and scroungers
Layabouts and loungers
With bombs up their sleeves
Cut-throats and thieves

They are not
Welcome here
We should make them
Go back to where they came from
They cannot
Share our food
Share our homes
Share our countries
Instead let us
Build a wall to keep them out
It is not okay to say
These are people just like us
A place should only belong to those who are born there
Do not be so stupid to think that
The world can be looked at another way

(now read from bottom to top)

Jesus is the master of challenging us to view the world and its values from the bottom up. Perhaps the best example is the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5 and Luke 6 (Sermon on the Plain). In his world and time, everybody believed and taught that the poor and sick were cursed by God. Jesus had the audacity to say that they were blessed and would inherit God's blessings.

Being Living Lights

 

Image https://www.photos-public-domain.com

The following is an extract from a reflection on the 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time by Sr Mary McGlone, CSJ.

Read the full reflection here.
https://www.ncronline.org/spirituality/scripture-life/fifth-sunday-ordinary-time-good-world

This week, our readings from the Hebrew Scriptures give the most detailed description of what is entailed in being living lights.

Isaiah's instructions are quite striking when we ponder them. He tells us to share our bread with the hungry, to shelter and clothe those who are vulnerable in any way and to never turn our backs on our own. Isaiah's subtext comes down to saying that we need to treat everyone in need as one of our own, as our clan, as the people to whom we owe first allegiance.

Psalm 112 continues that theme, emphasizing that the just person is a light in the darkness of an unjust and cruel world. Those who treat needy others as members of their family are people whose experience of goodness and trust in God has freed them from fear of want, from the need to accumulate what others need for survival...

...It takes little to realize that these messages apply to communities, not just to individuals. The community Isaiah wants to build, the community that we, too, are called to build, will bring a new dawn to the world.

Isaiah tells us that when we treat another's need as our own, we create the kind of society that reflects the very glory of God. In such a society, no cry for help goes unanswered — not because God swoops in, but because the people of God live their vocation to reflect and effect God's love.

This is exactly what Jesus, the Jewish preacher, was talking about when he called his listeners to be salt of the earth and light for the world. Jesus knew Isaiah's teaching and he prayed the psalms. He realized that neither salt nor light exist for themselves, but to call attention to something else.

As salt and light, the people of God do not simply note the needs of others; they prove by their activities that such needs can be addressed and alleviated. Their light demonstrates that the reign of God is a real and growing phenomenon in our world.

Read the full reflection here.

Reflection: The Manger of Our Hearts

Image: https://i.ytimg.com/vi/nBdZ_W-lWPQ/hqdefault.jpg

Conference Reflection by Catherine Doherty, selected by Deacon Steve.

Christ desires to be born in the manger of our hearts. Are the doors of our hearts wide open to receive the shepherds, the Magi, the stray visitors – in a word, humanity? Are they open to receive every person as Christ would receive each one of us? Are they open to receive those around us in our daily life?

Or do we think it enough to make a manger of our hearts so that we might hold Christ unto ourselves exclusively? If so, that was not what He was born for, and He might bypass the manger of our hearts.

Christ told us that, unless we become like a child, we would not enter the kingdom of heaven. We tend to associate children and Christmas in a very sentimental fashion: a newborn baby is “cute”; children are “lovable” creatures. So they are, but that is not what Christ meant. I think he wanted us to have the heart of a child.

What does it mean to have the heart of a child? A child is utterly trusting. A child is totally open, uninhibited, simple, direct, and unafraid. A child believes without reservation.

I pray that this coming New Year will be a year in which we will empty our inner “self” so as to carry the Christ Child comfortably and warmly in our heart. You know, the Child will be comfortable and warm only if we love and trust one another.

Catherine Doherty, “Donkey Bells: Advent and Christmas” p 42 – 43, Madonna House Publications, Combermere, 2000

World Day of the Poor 2022

 

Next week Sunday, being the 33rd Sunday of the year, is designated "World Day of the Poor". Consider being a little more mindful than usual of those in need - far, near, and very close.

Our Newmarket Conference has two programs in need of donations:

- Our Christmas Program for families in Newmarket and East Gwillimbury

- Our North of 60 program for food for the Sanirajak community in Nunavut.

Click on these links to make a donation.

Do not let us turn into “broken cisterns” - St John XXIII

 Undated photo released by the Vatican in December 2010. (CNS photo/Vatican)

“O Lord, do not let us turn into “broken cisterns” that can hold no water… do not let us be so blinded by the enjoyment of the good things of earth that our hearts become insensible to the cry of the poor, of the sick, of orphaned children and of those innumerable brothers and sisters of ours who lack the necessary minimum to eat, to clothe their nakedness, and to gather their family together in one roof.”

― Saint John XXIII - Pope

Serving the poor is to be our first preference - St Vincent de Paul

Christ begging from Fr Vincent

From the writing of Saint Vincent de Paul, priest,
taken from the Office of Readings for September 27th.

Even though the poor are often rough and unrefined, we must not judge them from external appearances nor from the mental gifts they seem to have received. On the contrary, if you consider the poor in the light of faith, then you will observe that they are taking the place of the Son of God who chose to be poor. Although in his passion he almost lost the appearance of a man and was considered a fool... and a stumbling block..., he showed them that his mission was to preach to the poor: He sent me to preach the good news to the poor. We also ought to have this same spirit and imitate Christ’s actions, that is, we must take care of the poor, console them, help them, support their cause.

Since Christ willed to be born poor, he chose for himself disciples who were poor. He made himself the servant of the poor and shared their poverty. He went so far as to say that he would consider every deed which either helps or harms the poor as done for or against himself. Since God surely loves the poor, he also loves those who love the poor. For when one person holds another dear, he also includes in his affection anyone who loves or serves the one he loves. That is why we hope that God will love us for the sake of the poor. So when we visit the poor and needy, we try to understand the poor and weak. We sympathize with them so fully that we can echo Paul’s words: I have become all things to all men. Therefore, we must try to be stirred by our neighbors’ worries and distress. We must beg God to pour into our hearts sentiments of pity and compassion and to fill them again and again with these dispositions.

It is our duty to prefer the service of the poor to everything else and to offer such service as quickly as possible. If a needy person requires medicine or other help during prayer time, do whatever has to be done with peace of mind. Offer the deed to God as your prayer. Do not become upset or feel guilty because you interrupted your prayer to serve the poor. God is not neglected if you leave him for such service. One of God’s works is merely interrupted so that another can be carried out. So when you leave prayer to serve some poor person, remember that this very service is performed for God. Charity is certainly greater than any rule. Moreover, all rules must lead to charity. Since she is a noble mistress, we must do whatever she commands. With renewed devotion, then, we must serve the poor, especially outcasts and beggars. They have been given to us as our masters and patrons.

Prayer

O God,
who for the relief of the poor
and the formation of the clergy
endowed the Priest Saint Vincent de Paul
with apostolic virtues,
grant, we pray, that,
afire with that same spirit,
we may love what he loved and
put into practice what he taught.

Can Neutral Be Truly Neutral?

 

The Good Samaritan - a Vincentian Take

For a good part of my life, Jesus' parable of the Good Samaritan left me feeling very conflicted and burdened with guilt. On the one hand, I obviously did not want to be identified with the priest and the scribe. On the other hand, imitating the good Samaritan presented itself as involving heroic sacrifice that I doubted I am capable of. It was only relatively recently that I started gaining a certain insight into the words of Jesus: "Go and do likewise."

Clearly, Jesus cannot be asking us to slavishly look on the road for victims of robbers, and take them to a motel or hospital. What we are called to imitate is not the precise actions that the Samaritan did, but what he felt in his heart that energised him to take appropriate action: he was moved with compassion, literally, filled with pity, and then he just knew what he had to do, not because of a law or prescription, but because of his heart. Interestingly, this is exactly the same Greek word used to describe what Jesus felt when he looked at the crowds and was "moved with compassion" because they were like sheep without a shepherd.

Sheep without a shepherd

Saint Mother Teresa of Kolkata presents a wonderful modern day example of someone whose life was driven by her compassion. A very different take on where compassion can lead you can be found with Saint Dorothy Day whose heart was filled with compassion for workers and their families who were at the mercy of ruthless employers, and corporations who were out to maximise profits for shareholders no matter the cost to their workers. As Vincentians we can find great inspiration in the model of compassion offered to us in Blessed Frederick Ozanam, our founder. He manages to blend the best of both Mother Teresa and Dorothy Day by his example, firstly, of direct care and compassion for the poor, but also in educating the society of his day regarding the root causes of poverty, and the unjust circumstances keeping the poor in their poverty, and making them ever poorer.

Like the Good Samaritan, and Jesus himself, Mother Teresa, Dorothy Day and Frederick Ozanam did not approach their life's work as a burden demanded by any law or prescription, but as the natural outflow of hearts filled with compassion. Now Jesus tells us: "Go and do likewise."

Let God do the Rest

 

Our presence is the real evangelization and we need to let God do the rest.
By Deacon Steve

“Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian; he led his flock beyond the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush; he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed.

Then Moses said, “I must turn aside and look at this great sight, and see why the bush is not burned up.” When the Lord saw that he had turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am,” Then he said, “Come no closer! Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” He said further, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Exodus 3:1-6

“Remove your sandals from your feet, for the ground on which you are standing is holy ground.” Every encounter with every person is an encounter with “holy ground” for every person is made in the image and likeness of our God. In every person is the “burning bush” that never consumes but remains as a light in each person, whether they choose to reveal it or not.

And so we need to remove “our sandals”, the “sandals” of our ego, our status, our agenda, and our solutions. We are called to be humble and to walk with people, especially those people who are poor, suffering and marginalized, experiencing who they are as a person and thus experience the person of Christ in each of them and so allow God’s grace to begin to restore their sense of dignity as persons.

We ourselves need to acknowledge that we are in need of God’s love, mercy and compassion, so that by God’s grace we can be the loving presence of Christ to each person. In each person we meet, especially those who are poor, if we listen, we can experience the merciful love of Christ.

St. Francis of Assisi is thought to have said, “Preach the Gospel…if necessary use words.” It is our loving, non-judgemental presence that is the real evangelization. When people start thinking of evangelizing the poor, it almost feels like they are looking for a way to solve the person’s problems rather than just walking with them and being a friend. We also have to remember we are not qualified counsellors and while trying to be helpful we could create other problems or extend them.

In the stories of Jesus healing miracles, Christ is totally present to the person first, looking at them directly, with a loving presence that gives them a wonderful sense of their humanity and dignity in the eyes of God. Any teaching moment only happens when the person is fully healed and their dignity restored.

In being Christ’s presence to the poor and suffering, we have no idea of the grace God makes available to all people. In faith we believe our Lord has a plan and it will be by God’s will that God’s grace will do what is needed. All we have to do is be fully present to the people as equals and as brothers and sisters.

Spiritual Reflection – World Day of the Poor 2021

 

Selection by Deacon Steve

“The poor, always and everywhere, evangelize us, because they enable us to discover in new ways the true face of the Father.

“They have much to teach us. Besides participating in the sensus fidei, they know the suffering Christ through their own sufferings. It is necessary that we all let ourselves be evangelized by them. The new evangelization is an invitation to recognize the salvific power of their lives and to place them at the centre of the Church’s journey. We are called to discover Christ in them, to lend them our voice in their causes, but also to be their friends, to listen to them, to understand them and to welcome the mysterious wisdom that God wants to communicate to us through them…what the Holy Spirit mobilizes is…above all an attentiveness that considers the other in a certain sense as one with ourselves.

“The poor are not people outside our communities, but brothers and sisters whose sufferings we should share, in an effort to alleviate their difficulties and marginalization, restore their lost dignity and ensure their necessary inclusion….acts of charity presuppose a giver and a receiver, whereas mutual sharing generates fraternity…mutual sharing is enduring…strengthens solidarity and lays the necessary foundations for achieving justice. In short, believers when they want to see Jesus in person and touch him with their hands, know where to turn. The poor are a sacrament of Christ; they represent his person and point to him.”

Message of His Holiness Pope Francis for the Fifth World Day of the Poor, p. 2 & 3

The Desire for Charity

 

Reflection selection from Thomas Merton by Deacon Steve

The first thing we must do when we recognize the presence of God’s grace in our hearts is to desire more charity. The desire for love is itself a beginning of love, and from the moment we desire more we already have more: and our desire is itself the pledge of even more to come. This is because an efficacious desire to love God makes us turn away from everything that is opposed to God’s will.

It is by desiring to grow in love that we receive the Holy Spirit, and the thirst for more charity is the effect of this more abundant reception. 

The desire for charity is more than a blind hunger of the soul (although in certain circumstances it is very blind and very much of a hunger). It is clear sighted in the sense that the intelligence enlightened by the Holy Spirit turns to the Father and asks for an increase of love in the name of the Son. That is to say that the desire for charity in a mature Christian soul is a lucid, deep, peaceful, active, and supremely fruitful knowledge of the Holy Trinity.

Thomas Merton, “No Man is an Island” p. 180

September 27th – St. Vincent de Paul

- Reflection by Deacon Steve for the Memorial of St. Vincent de Paul, September 27th

Fr. Vincent serving the poor

In the “Life of St. Vincent de Paul” by Henry Bedford, there is a chapter called “The Sufferings of Lorraine” and refers to the year of 1639. While the thirty year war was still raging on Lorraine ended up being ravaged by French invaders amongst many. So bad was the devastation that one author wrote, “The country people, livid and gaunt through famine fought for the very grass, the roots of trees and acorns, and devoured ravenously the most putrid carrion. At last famine brought them to such a state that men killed one another for food.”

The author goes onto note that “Vincent heard that cry and at once responded to that appeal.” He gave all of the money they had in the house, and cut the meals in half and substituted some of the food with much poorer alternatives so as to try and offer more for the cause of the people of Lorraine.

Vincent wrote, “These are times of penance…for God is afflicting His people. To so much we are bound by obligation; but ought we not moreover to retrench something of our daily fare for the relief of others.”

After having exhausted his own resources he then looked to others, friends and contacts. Even these resources were soon used up and he had to turn to others. Soon those with more than ample resources were drawn in, such was the great saint’s appeal. Duchesses and other government officials drew on their wealth. Even Queen Anne of Austria would come forward and contribute greatly to the cause of Lorraine’s people.

Such was the influence of Vincent because of his deep prayer life and his amazing faith and trust in God’s providence. As the author says, “Men of less faith might have shrunk from so gigantic a labour; but it was a characteristic of our Saint to rise with the occasion, and to draw courage from what daunted others.”

Let us continue to pray for one another that our faith and trust in God may continue to deepen so that while the challenges that we face may seem overwhelming at times, we too may draw courage and rise to the occasion. Believe me when I say that I know you all have done it many times already.

God bless.

- Steve

Who is Jesus, and what does it mean to follow him?

A priest friend sent me this reflection on this Sunday's readings (24th Sunday) by Christina Zaker, Director of Field Education at the Catholic Theological Union. Most homilies that I have heard on these readings over the years focus largely on the Gospel, "Who do you say that I am?" What I like about this particular reflection is how it uses the the first two readings to help us answer the challenging question of Jesus not just with our heads and hearts but with our lives.

Timothy Schmalz: When I was Hungry

Who is Jesus, and what does it mean to follow him?

Reading 1: Isaiah: 50: 5-9
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm: 146:6-7, 8-9, 9-10
Reading 2: James 2: 14-18
Gospel: Mark: 8:27-35

Today’s readings focus our attention on the very heart of Mark’s Gospel: Who is this man Jesus, and what does it mean to follow him? The question “Who do you say that I am?” that Jesus poses to Peter and his disciples is one we all must answer with our lives. How do we understand this person Jesus and his ministry, and how does this understanding shape the way we live our lives in response?

The first and second readings offer clues to what it means to follow him. In the second reading, the letter of James, we are implored to back up our faith with good works. If our faith only lives on our lips but is not reflected on and lived out in the work that we do or the way we build relationships with others, then our faith “is dead.”

The first reading points to the possibility of persecution for our faith. A living faith makes us have “ears that can hear” our God. When our actions reflect our hearing, we might suffer as a result. To have the courage to act authentically on our faith, means to disrupt the norms and challenge the status quo; to lean into discomfort for the sake of others. It is not always easy to live out our faith. However, Isaiah reminds us to set our “face like flint” and not sway from the path of our God. We will not be shamed if our heart is following God.

With these readings today, we are faced not only with the question Jesus asks, “Who do you say that I am?” but also the reality that to know him and follow his footsteps means being willing to follow him in his suffering on the cross. It is this reality that makes Peter scoff. He believes in Jesus as the Messiah, but he is not yet willing to accept that the path leads through persecution and suffering. In turn, Jesus’ rebuke of Peter is startling, but one we should each note. We may think we know Jesus, but we need to truly reflect on the times in our own lives where our apathy or fear have held us back from the work to be done. When our comfortable lives have led us to hesitate, to think “Do I really want to get that involved in dismantling racism or anti-Semitism when it doesn’t really affect me?” or “Do I want to change my habits to act for climate change when I’d rather just do my thing?…”  When we hesitate to act, thinking we don’t really need to live our faith that way, those are the times we need to hear Jesus’ rebuke and reorient to his way.

Being a people of faith...

Read the rest of Christina Zaker's reflection following this link.
https://learn.ctu.edu/twenty-fourth-sunday-of-ordinary-time-2/

Who are the shepherds?

 

When I first heard the readings for mass this Sunday (16th Sunday: Jeremiah on selfish, lazy shepherds, Psalm 23, Jesus the Good Shepherd having compassion on the people in the Gospel,) my thoughts went immediately to judging and condemning the shepherds of today and the era we have inherited - spiritual shepherds such as bishops and priests who have brought scandal upon the Church, and political leaders who refuse to see beyond the next election and the need for economic growth as an end in itself regardless of the human, social and environmental cost.

Two women brought me back to myself: the first woman, my wife, read to me a reflection by Sister Mary McGlone (second woman) published in the National Catholic Reporter. Sr McGlone reminds us that we are all shepherds to the extent that we have a sphere of influence with other people; that being a shepherd is not just about the power and authority of those in charge, but also bringing others - any others -  nourishment (prepare a table, green pastures,) peaceful refreshment (still waters,) solidarity and encouragement in the dark valleys of fear and anxiety.

The Good Shepherd doesn't try to do this out of obligation, like the hired hand who will fail. The key is compassion.  Compassion will even induce us to alter our own plans for ourselves, as Jesus did in today's Gospel reading: Jesus wanted to take the apostles on a quiet retreat, but then "… he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and he began to teach them..."

Who are the people in need within our sphere of influence? Perhaps the Good Shepherd wants to reach them through the hands and voices of the likes of you and me. Meanwhile I thank God for the two lady shepherds who brought me this insight.