Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Lent

AUGURI, PAPA FRANCESCO!

CONGRATULATIONS, POPE FRANCIS!

WE REJOICE WITH YOU IN CELEBRATING FIVE YEARS OF YOUR PAPACY

THANK YOU FOR WITNESSING TO THE JOY OF THE GOSPEL

Readings of the day: RB 35:1-11 Weekly Servers at Table and in the Kitchen

Mass: Ezk 47:1-9, 12; Resp Ps 46; Jn 5:1-16

Do you want to be well?

Jesus’ question is fitting wherever you find yourself today. In whatever physical, emotional, or spiritual state you are experiencing, Jesus is there with you. Listen to HIM: 

‘Rise, take up your mat, and walk.’

Living the encounter with Jesus means allowing yourself

to be turned inside out by Grace every day.

(Pope Francis, Twitter, March 13, 2018)

Wednesday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time: Saint Anthony (d. 356)

 Readings of the day: RB 3:67-13

Mass: 1 Samuel 17:32-33; Resp. Psalm 144; Mark 3:1-6

With plenty to say about today’s readings, I offer instead two items, not unrelated, I read this morning. First, the Holy Father’s Tweet:

We pray to God for the courage to ask forgiveness and

to learn how to listen to what he is saying to us.

Second, from the Life of Saint Anthony by Saint Athanasius:

Having learned that we should always be praying, even when we are by ourselves, [Anthony] prayed without ceasing. Indeed, he was so attentive when Scripture was read that nothing escaped him and because he retained all he heard, 

his memory served him in place of books.

Today we might pray for the grace to pray without ceasing; to ask forgiveness from God; for the courage to ask forgiveness from someone we have offended or hurt; to be better listeners by opening our ears and hearts to the WORD and to those with whom we live and work. We might memorize one verse of our favorite psalm and hold it in our hearts while keeping it on our lips throughout the day—only one way to assist in praying without ceasing. Are you in?

Forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us.

O God, come to my assistance.

O, Lord, make haste to help me.

Saturday of the First Week of Ordinary Time

Saint Hilary of Poitiers, Bishop and Doctor (d. 367)

Blessed Virgin Mary

Readings of the day: RB 2:23-29

Mass: 1 Samuel 9:1-4, 17-19; 10:1a; Resp. Psalm 21; Mark 2:13-17

Follow me.

While studying in Rome, one of my favorite walkabouts included the area of Via della Scrofa. Things were happening there, not unlike most places in the eternal city, yet I used to stop now and again at San Luigi dei Francesi to look at Caravaggio paintings. Caravaggio is one of my favorite artists; an artist whose work I seek out.

Not unrelated, I include here part of an interview with Pope Francis, conducted by A. Spadaro, SJ, published in America magazine, September 30, 2013. What follows are the Holy Father’s comments about not knowing Rome very well.

‘I know St. Mary Major, St. Peter’s...but when I had to come to Rome, I always stayed in [the neighborhood of] Via della Scrofa. From there I often visited the Church of St. Louis of France, and I went there to contemplate the painting of “The Calling of St. Matthew” by Caravaggio.’

‘That finger of Jesus, pointing at Matthew. That’s me. I feel like him. Like Matthew.’ Here the pope becomes determined, as if he had finally found the image he was looking for: ‘It is the gesture of Matthew that strikes me: he holds on to his money as if to say, “No, not me! No, this money is mine.” Here, this is me, a sinner on whom the Lord has turned his gaze. And this is what I said when they asked me if I would accept my election as pontiff.’ Then the pope whispers in Latin: ‘I am a sinner, but I trust in the infinite mercy and patience of our Lord Jesus Christ, and I accept in a spirit of penance.’

I reflect now on whether I think Jesus is pointing at me, or am I so full of myself and ‘well’ to think that Jesus is pointing at others, namely, all the sinners and sick people.

Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do.

I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.

Friday of the First Week of Ordinary Time Aelred of Rievaulx, Cistercian monk, Abbot of Rievaulx (d. 1167)

Readings of the day: RB 2:16-22

Mass: 1 Samuel 8: 4-7, 10-22a; Resp. Psalm 89; Mark 2:1-12

 

Aelred of Rievaulx, Cistercian Abbot, writer and historian

The encounter with God and our brothers and sisters cannot wait just because we are slow or lazy. We are called to do that encounter today!

(Pope Francis, Tweet, January 12, 2018)

Some days the Pope’s tweets are priceless. Relating his words to today’s Gospel, the four men who carried the paralytic and broke through the roof of the house were anything but slow and lazy. It may be their encounter with the brothers and sisters gathered was not so pleasant: ‘Hey, what do you think you are doing?’ Can’t you see this room is full? We were here before you!’ Still, the men went for it. They were determined. They were going to encounter Jesus no matter what. The paralytic followed suit; he was neither slow nor lazy. Not wasting time after being healed, he rose, picked up his mat at once, and went away in the sight of everyone. What faith. What courage. What witness. 

WHEN JESUS SAW THEIR FAITH, HE SAID TO HIM,

‘CHILD, YOUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN.’

Third Sunday of Advent: Gaudete Sunday

Readings of the day: RB 62

Mass: Isaiah 61:1-2a, 10-11; Resp. Psalm (Lk 1); 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24; John 1:6-8, 19-28

AUGURI! BUON COMPLEANNO.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, POPE FRANCIS.

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice.

Indeed, the Lord is near.

Welcome to Gaudete Sunday, the Third Sunday of Advent!

As we rejoice wholeheartedly, we also begin our last week of preparation for the celebration of Christmas. In these days, one might reflect on how to prepare in a more direct way for the Nativity of the Lord. The Baptist heralds: ‘Make straight the way of the Lord!’ Saint Paul, in his letter to the Thessalonians, offers: Rejoice always; Pray without ceasing; in all circumstances give thanks. In what way will you testify to the light this week? A few suggestions: sit quietly with someone who is grieving; embrace someone who is anxious; reach out to someone with whom you have difficulties; sit with your family, community, or book club and allow each member to share something she is grateful for; listen to your friend tell a story, even if you have heard it before; contact a person with whom you are estranged.

Grant us the grace, living and true God,

to be to be generous in showing kindness and mercy.

Say to the faint of heart: Be strong and do not fear.

Behold, our God will come, and he will save us. 

MARANATHA.

The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe

Readings of the day: RB 47

Mass: Ezekiel 34:11-12, 15-17; Resp. Psalm 23; 1 Cor. 15:20-26, 28; Matthew 25:31-46

WHATEVER YOU DID FOR ONE

OF THE LEAST SISTERS OR BROTHERS OF MINE,

YOU DID FOR ME.

Christ The Good Shepherd

Commenting on today’s Gospel, Pope Francis told those gathered in Saint Peter’s Square: “At the end of our life we will be judged on love, that is, on our concrete commitment to love and to serve Jesus in our smallest and most needy brothers” (Angelus address, Nov. 26, 2017).

On this last Sunday of the liturgical year and in preparation for the holy season of Advent, why not turn to the works of mercy as a way to love and serve Jesus in our sisters and brothers. Last year, while reflecting on the works of mercy, Pope Francis helped broaden our understanding of the works of mercy by encouraging us to look at them as a whole; to see that the object of mercy is human life itself and everything it embraces. The Holy Father proposed a complement to the traditional sets of seven: may the works of mercy also include care for our common home (Day of Prayer for Creation, September 1, 2016). “As a spiritual work of mercy, care for our common home calls for a ‘grateful contemplation of God’s world’, which ‘allows us to discover in each thing a teaching which God wishes to hand on to us’. As a corporeal work of mercy, care for our common home requires ‘simple daily gestures which break with the logic of violence, exploitation and selfishness’ and ‘makes itself felt in every action that seeks to build a better world’.”

A rich theme of discussion for families, communities, and work groups might be how each of us individually can break the logic of violence, exploitation, and selfishness. Questions may include: how are my actions or words in any way violent—do I act in anger, nurse a grudge, injure or curse others? How do I exploit members of my family, community, or my colleagues by not bearing with others’ weaknesses of body or behavior? Are there times when I pursue what I judge better for myself instead of pursuing what is better for someone else? Just imagine the local if not global impact of only one or two people making a concrete commitment to love and serve Jesus in a brother or sister. We don’t have to look far—the smallest and most in need may be sitting across the table from us. 

I MYSELF WILL PASTURE MY SHEEP;

I MYSELF WILL GIVE THEM REST SAYS THE LORD.

THE LOST I WILL SEEK OUT, THE STRAYED I WILL BRING BACK,

THE INJURED I WILL BIND UP, THE SICK I WILL HEAL.