Friday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time 2020

In our Gospel today (Mt 5:27-32) Jesus gives an indication how wonderful heaven is in most dramatic teachings, as someone speaking with authority and knowledge. This glory of heaven that awaits us is revealed in the hyperbole Jesus uses - tearing out, cutting off - to stress the lengths we should take to protect ourselves from the sins that would keep us from heaven. To give some perspective, consider the grueling training an Olympic athlete endures for the opportunity to win a medal and stand atop a dais for a few minutes. If a moment of sports glory is worth thousands of hours of training, conditioning, and painful injuries, the drastic steps Jesus suggests we take to avoid sin should give us a sense of the splendor of heaven.

Memorial of Saint Barnabas, Apostle 2020

On this, the memorial of St. Barnabas, the Apostle, in our Gospel (Mt 10:7-13) we hear Jesus sending out the twelve original apostles. In doing so, Jesus instructs them what to say, what to take and not take with them, as well as the power to cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, and drive out demons. These men went out among their fellow Jews preaching the Good News, preaching the kingdom of heaven was at hand. They would later send Barnabas out with St. Paul to spread the Good News to the Gentiles. In much the same way, our successor to the apostles, Archbishop Vigneron, has commissioned us to spread the Good News as joyful missionary disciples. Through "Unleash the Gospel" we are charged with introducing or reintroducing Jesus to those around us. Let us ask St. Barnabas to intercede for us, to ask for the graces necessary to truly be joyful missionary disciples!

Tuesday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time 2020

In our Gospel today (Mt. 5:13-16) Jesus tells his disciples he wants them to be a shining light for all to see, not for their own sake, but that others may glorify God our Father. This is in contrast to what Jesus says about the scribes and the Pharisees, the hypocrites that go about praying in public to be seen as righteous in the eyes of those around them. The difference is what is in our heart. Does God occupy first place in our hearts such that all we do, all that is seen by others, gives glory to him? Or do we ourselves occupy first place in our hearts such that all we do is done to draw attention to ourselves?

I Must Decrease

Why do we sometimes build grand churches and cathedrals?  There are many opinions and thoughts, but when I saw this picture, it reminds me how much bigger God is than me, his humble servant.  What came to mind was what John the Baptist said,  ""He must increase; I must decrease."" (Jn 3:30)  

Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament, Detroit, MI
Trinity Sunday

In the peace of Christ,

Thursday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time 2020

In our Gospel today (Mk 12:28-34) a scribe asks Jesus which is the first of the commandments. Now when we think of commandments we typically think of the Ten Commandments. But scribes were experts in Mosaic Law, made up of 613 commandments. Jesus summarizes all the laws into these two commandments, to love our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. In Luke (cf Lk 10:25-37) we hear something very similar, but the question is raise, who is my neighbor. Jesus replies with the story of the Good Samaritan, in which we learn EVERYONE is our neighbor. Who do you say are your neighbors? Are they the people who look like you, act like you, think like you? Or are they the people Jesus defines as your neighbors, the people who look different from you, act differently, think differently?

The Ascension of the Lord 2020

Today we celebrate the Ascension of the Lord at Mass open to the public for the first time since late March.  Quite the juxtaposition, wouldn't you say?  As we return to Mass, as we are able to receive Jesus in the Eucharist for the first time in nearly two months, we celebrate Jesus leaving his apostles to return to our Father in heaven.

But in doing so, in receiving the Eucharist today, we are reminded that while Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father, he is with us always, as we hear in the Gospel, until the end of the age.

In the peace of Christ.

Wednesday, Fifth Week of Easter 2020

In our Gospel today (Jn 15:1-8) we hear Jesus tell his disciples how his relationship with them and the Father are like that of a vine grower, vine, and branches.  In this metaphor Jesus tells us the Father is the vine grower, he is the vine, and his disciples are the branches.  While there is reference to the Father pruning so the branches are more fruitful, the main point of the Gospel is the connection between and reliance on the three.  

As branches on the vine without pruning, our fruit would be underwhelming.  As branches without the vine, we are simply dead wood, producing nothing but fuel for a fire.  It is when we remain attached to Jesus, and allow the Father to prune the dead wood (sin) in us that we produce much fruit!   Let's get growing!

In the peace of Christ,

Dcn. Mike