"First, he must suffer greatly." Lk 17:25
Rejection is always painful whether it comes from a superior, a coworker or a family member. Usually we become defensive and angry even if we saw the rejection coming for a long time. We also struggle to understand it and put it in a category that protects us from further harm. But rejection comes to everyone in life and unless we learn to accept it for what it is, we will struggle with it more than necessary.
The Apostles and disciples find it almost impossible to understand, much less accept, what Jesus is saying. The Lord has been a successful preacher. People follow him from place to place and his promise to set them free reminds them of God's promise through Moses to the Jews in Egypt. While they might not have thought of Jesus as the new Moses, neither did they expect him to suffer greatly and be rejected. No doubt they resisted his message for fear that they too would undergo the same trials.
Although the call to discipleship involves suffering, we do not have to be afraid. The Lord promises to accompany his disciples until the end of time. As long as we stay close to the Lord through prayer, service and worship, there is nothing to fear.
Today, listen without fear even to difficult messages.
What has been your best response to suffering
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Thursday, November 14, 2019
Wednesday, November 13, 2019
Wisdom
"In Wisdom is a spirit intelligent, holy, unique, Manifold, subtle, agile, clear, unstained, certain." Wis 7:22
We usually expect wisdom to emerge in people who have had a great deal of experience and are willing to use that experience to discern how to exist and prosper in difficult times. Unfortunately, this is not always true. Many of those we entrust with leadership in government and the church, to their shame and ours, protect the institutions of the nation and the church before attending to abused young people and children. Who then, if not the bishops and our elected leaders do we look to for wisdom?
The book of Wisdom suggests that God is wise and if we want to be wise at any age, we need to be close to God and God's desire for the world so clearly expressed in the Gospel. Although shrouded in some controversy, Greta Thunberg is only one of thousands of young people committed to Care for Creation as Pope Francis asks, even begs of us all. It is not so much that God inserted wisdom into these young people, but that they were willing to open their eyes to the devastation around the world and act.
Today, ask the Lord to draw you close to God, no matter your age, so that you might act with wisdom.
Who do you most admire for their wise choices and counsel?
We usually expect wisdom to emerge in people who have had a great deal of experience and are willing to use that experience to discern how to exist and prosper in difficult times. Unfortunately, this is not always true. Many of those we entrust with leadership in government and the church, to their shame and ours, protect the institutions of the nation and the church before attending to abused young people and children. Who then, if not the bishops and our elected leaders do we look to for wisdom?
The book of Wisdom suggests that God is wise and if we want to be wise at any age, we need to be close to God and God's desire for the world so clearly expressed in the Gospel. Although shrouded in some controversy, Greta Thunberg is only one of thousands of young people committed to Care for Creation as Pope Francis asks, even begs of us all. It is not so much that God inserted wisdom into these young people, but that they were willing to open their eyes to the devastation around the world and act.
Today, ask the Lord to draw you close to God, no matter your age, so that you might act with wisdom.
Who do you most admire for their wise choices and counsel?
Tuesday, November 12, 2019
St Frances Xavier Cabrini
“Ten were cleansed, were they not? Where are the other nine?" Lk 17:18
Two things marked the early life of Mother Cabrini. She was frail and sickly as a child and only four of her 10 siblings survived adolescence, but neither situation shuttered her imagination. When her father would read to his children about the great men and women who left their homelands to go around the world as missionaries, Frances dreamed of joining them. Frances' faith was bigger than her weakness.
Faithful to her parents until their death, Frances helped them on their farm and went to school, but soon after their death she began to explore a religious vocation. Rejected at first because of her poor health, Frances persevered and soon the local bishop asked her to found a new congregation of religious women. Sure that Frances' efforts would benefit the local church, the bishop was excited by Frances' new congregation, but Frances had bigger ideas. Soon after making vows, she added the name Xavier to Frances, after the famous Jesuit missionary Francis Xavier, and went to Rome to establish a convent. Soon after, still hoping to go the Orient as a missionary, Frances was asked to help Italian immigrants in the United States. Resistant, she asked the Pope Leo XIII for help in discernment, and the Pope assured her that she should go West to the United States, and from this point her life exploded with activity and zeal.
St Frances Xavier Cabrini was a brilliant organizer and administrator. She founded 68 missions and, though she hated ocean travel, crossing the Atlantic more than thirty times. Her work took her to New York, South America, Chicago and New Orleans, and all of this with failing health. A woman of our times, Frances Xavier continues to inspire women and men of the 21st century with passion and zeal.
Today, pray for the young to accept the call to discipleship.
What do you think are the most important tasks of the 21st century church?
Two things marked the early life of Mother Cabrini. She was frail and sickly as a child and only four of her 10 siblings survived adolescence, but neither situation shuttered her imagination. When her father would read to his children about the great men and women who left their homelands to go around the world as missionaries, Frances dreamed of joining them. Frances' faith was bigger than her weakness.
Faithful to her parents until their death, Frances helped them on their farm and went to school, but soon after their death she began to explore a religious vocation. Rejected at first because of her poor health, Frances persevered and soon the local bishop asked her to found a new congregation of religious women. Sure that Frances' efforts would benefit the local church, the bishop was excited by Frances' new congregation, but Frances had bigger ideas. Soon after making vows, she added the name Xavier to Frances, after the famous Jesuit missionary Francis Xavier, and went to Rome to establish a convent. Soon after, still hoping to go the Orient as a missionary, Frances was asked to help Italian immigrants in the United States. Resistant, she asked the Pope Leo XIII for help in discernment, and the Pope assured her that she should go West to the United States, and from this point her life exploded with activity and zeal.
St Frances Xavier Cabrini was a brilliant organizer and administrator. She founded 68 missions and, though she hated ocean travel, crossing the Atlantic more than thirty times. Her work took her to New York, South America, Chicago and New Orleans, and all of this with failing health. A woman of our times, Frances Xavier continues to inspire women and men of the 21st century with passion and zeal.
Today, pray for the young to accept the call to discipleship.
What do you think are the most important tasks of the 21st century church?
Monday, November 11, 2019
St Josaphat
"Things that cause sin will inevitably occur, but woe to the one through whom they occur. It would be better for him if a millstone were put around his neck and he be thrown into the sea than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. Be on your guard!" Lk 17 1-2
In the 17th chapter of St. John's gospel, Jesus prays that his disciples may be one, but even a cursory glance at the history of the church reminds us that unity is not uniformity. There are 13 rites, many of which have multiple subdivisions. In the Roman Catholic Church each of these rites, "possess their own hierarchy, differ in liturgical and ecclesiastical discipline, and possess their own spiritual heritage." l In other words, while the liturgy, language, law and spirituality may differ markedly, the Christ who is their center is the same. It is this unity that St. Josapha worked so hard to attain.
Josaphat, working to heal the Great Schism (1054) between Eastern and Western churches, spent his entire life in pursuit of the unity for which Jesus prayed. At Vatican II, the Council fathers made it clear that Christian unity remained one of it's principal concerns.2 How very important then to listen to Jesus' command to pray always without becoming weary. No matter how painful and frustrating our divisions might be, we must continue to pray and work for Christian unity.
Today, quietly examine the issues that divide your family and/or your parish and ask God for a path of unity and peace.
What do you think are the marks of unity in the Church?
In the 17th chapter of St. John's gospel, Jesus prays that his disciples may be one, but even a cursory glance at the history of the church reminds us that unity is not uniformity. There are 13 rites, many of which have multiple subdivisions. In the Roman Catholic Church each of these rites, "possess their own hierarchy, differ in liturgical and ecclesiastical discipline, and possess their own spiritual heritage." l In other words, while the liturgy, language, law and spirituality may differ markedly, the Christ who is their center is the same. It is this unity that St. Josapha worked so hard to attain.
Josaphat, working to heal the Great Schism (1054) between Eastern and Western churches, spent his entire life in pursuit of the unity for which Jesus prayed. At Vatican II, the Council fathers made it clear that Christian unity remained one of it's principal concerns.2 How very important then to listen to Jesus' command to pray always without becoming weary. No matter how painful and frustrating our divisions might be, we must continue to pray and work for Christian unity.
Today, quietly examine the issues that divide your family and/or your parish and ask God for a path of unity and peace.
What do you think are the marks of unity in the Church?
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