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Daily Reflection

Mustard seeds and yeast are ordinary, everyday things, yet any cook or baker knows that even the smallest amount of either can transform a recipe. A mere quarter teaspoon of dried yeast can turn flour, water, and salt into a fragrant loaf of bread, and a little mustard can add unmistakable flavor. Jesus uses these familiar images of the mustard seed and yeast to reveal something about the Kingdom of Heaven: great things often begin in ways that seem small, hidden, or insignificant. Through simple acts of faithfulness and charity, God brings about growth far beyond what we can see. From small things, great things grow. St. Thérèse of Lisieux, known as the Little Flower and beloved for her “Little Way,” reminds us that we may not be called to do great things, but we can do small things with great love. She died of tuberculosis at the age of 24 as a cloistered nun. Though she longed to be a missionary in China, poor health prevented her from going. She also wanted to be a martyr, but she remained behind the gates of the cloister and lived only a very short life. Yet the manuscripts she left behind, later published as The Story of a Soul, revealed the depth of her interior life and her “way of spiritual childhood.” Her hidden, seemingly ordinary life bore extraordinary fruit: she was declared a Doctor of the Church and has inspired countless people, including many saints. At times, the heroic lives of the saints and martyrs can feel overwhelming. Yet it helps to remember that they were ordinary people like us. They listened for the voice of God, responded with open hearts, and could not have fully imagined what God would do through their lives or how far the fruit of their faithfulness would reach. God takes the little we have to offer, when it is given with great love, and multiplies it in ways beyond our imagining. The ripple effects of a life lived in love of God and neighbor may not be evident to us now, but they are seen and cherished in the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus proclaimed that the Kingdom of Heaven is already at hand, and he showed us countless ways it can be made visible here and now. We may be curious about the Kingdom that is to come, but we are also invited - and challenged - to help make that Kingdom present, to be the leaven and the seasoning that enriches and expands our own hearts, and the hearts of others. Pay attention today. God may put someone in front of you who needs uplifting spiritually, who could use a little joy and hope, which you can sprinkle and mix into their day.

July 27

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Today’s readings reveal our complete dependence upon the mercy and goodness of God. The prophet Jeremiah writes with tear-filled eyes, pouring out his heart to God and asking uncomfortable questions: Have we been cast away from you, God? Are we loathsome because of our sins? Are we beyond healing or redemption? These questions emerge from a heart overwhelmed by pain and fear of rejection based on a sober assessment of their spiritual condition. But Jeremiah does not stop there. He continues with other questions which confirm that neither idols nor even the “mere heavens” (the created world apart from God) could sustain them. Taken together, all these questions are a cry for mercy from a prophet aware of his own needs and the needs of his people. Matthew’s gospel contains a rare interpretation of a parable. When Jesus taught in parables, He typically required the listeners to ponder the stories on their own. Today’s gospel explains a parable. Jesus reveals the patience of the Master of the field, who did not want the workers to pull the weeds prematurely lest they uproot the good wheat, too. However, He chose to emphasize the end of the growing process, when weeds are collected and burned and the harvest of good seed is gathered in. Farmers collect and burn weeds to prevent their seed from being established. This is done with thistles and other noxious plants, which might otherwise gain a foothold among crops. If weeds become too extensive, the field must be tilled and replanted to eradicate the weed population. But this also eliminates the good plants. Even modern chemistry is not foolproof on selecting weeds from desirable plants. Weeds remind us of Adam’s choice against God. They exemplify sin that corrupts and harms. Sin is so prevalent in our world. As the hospital for sinners, even the church is not safe from these effects. Saint Augustine saw the church consisting of both weeds and wheat. His greatest concern for new converts was not the influence of the pagan world, but the influence of bad Christians. How often do my actions, words and choices lead my faithful brothers and sisters astray? All of us sinners read this parable and Jesus’ explanation of the final judgment with uneasiness. We know that without the grace of God, none of us can produce a harvest worthy of being gathered by the Master. We are at risk of being choked out by weeds. God created us, in His image and likeness, to be good plants; recall that the weeds were sown by the enemy, not by the Master. To remain good plants, we must stay connected to the Righteous Sower of the field and not be deceived by the enemy, becoming a weed plagued by addiction, envy, sloth, pride, greed, lust, gluttony and wrath. Fortunately, there is more to the story. We are not abandoned in an endless cycle of struggling with evil; that struggle continues only for a time. God is in control of the harvest and the fire. While part of me reacts at times like Jeremiah, fearful of rejection, I am also drawn with confidence to the mercy and love of God. He demonstrated His unconditional love for me through His Son, Jesus Christ. Although Jesus is the Sower, He is also the seed who died and brought forth new life in me. Through Him alone I am allowed to bear fruit. Let us pray from today’s psalm, “For the glory of Your Name, O Lord, deliver me,” forgive my sins and keep me on the path to Heaven.

July 28

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Memorial of Saints Martha, Mary and Lazarus Today we celebrate three close friends of Jesus. Lazarus, Martha and Mary, lived in Bethany, a small village two miles east of Jerusalem (John 11:18). This house was likely where Jesus stayed when he came to Jerusalem on pilgrimage three times a year. Jesus spent his nights in Bethany in the days before his Passion (Mark 11:11; 14:3). The friendship between Lazarus and Jesus probably developed before the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry. None of Lazarus’ words are recorded in the gospels. He comes across as a quiet friend who was happy to be with Jesus and spend time with him. He never complained about not being one of the twelve apostles. He didn’t aspire to a position of leadership or greatness in the Kingdom. He never tried to take advantage of his friendship with Jesus. Lazarus was happy to host Jesus and his disciples at his home. As Jesus’ fame spread throughout the area, Lazarus served Jesus with a quiet and humble heart. This example of quiet humility serves as a reminder to us that we can serve Jesus without seeking recognition or honor for our actions. Martha, unlike her brother, was very outspoken, direct, and didn’t mince words. When her sister wasn’t helping her around the house to serve their guests, she pointed it out to Jesus in front of everyone. When Jesus didn’t come immediately to cure her brother, she let Jesus know it: “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus commanded that the tomb be opened, Martha pointed out that there would be a stench. The contrast between the quiet personality of Lazarus and the stormy one of Martha can also be a consolation for us. Jesus ministers to each of us no matter how we approach him. When we complain to Jesus, he acknowledges the good we are doing and calms our anxieties. Lazarus’ sister Mary of Bethany exemplifies yet another personality. Like Lazarus, she loves to listen to Jesus’ words and is totally absorbed by being in his presence. Her passion for Jesus is tender and personal. She is contemplative and attuned to the mystery of Jesus. She is not drawn so much to service as to presence, listening, and spiritual attentiveness. Mary is passionate, contemplative, emotionally expressive, and drawn more to Jesus’ person than his mission. While we all must be grounded in regular prayer to develop our relationship with Jesus, some people are drawn to serve the Lord as a “prayer warrior” to intercede for the souls of others. Together, the three siblings and friends of Jesus represent complementary ways of relating to Jesus: loving him through devotion (Mary), through service (Martha), and through welcoming and being (Lazarus). We too are called to relationship to Jesus in a way that fits the person we were created to be. Today’s Question for Prayer and Reflection How can you welcome Jesus into your heart and your home? Source for today’s reflection: https://epriest.com/reflections/view/3506

July 29

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Jeremiah 18: 1-6 Psalm 146 Matthew 13: 47-53 Jesus gives us some pretty clear teaching in today’s gospel – the wicked will end up in the fiery furnace where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth. The righteous, those who follow His ways, will be saved. A teaching that was put into a parable easily understood by the people who were hearing it. Matthew frequently refers to the separation of the good from the bad, the just and the unjust, the righteous and the wicked. Why? Because it is a reality. The Greek text in which the gospel was initially written uses the term “autous”, meaning he, she, they, them – essentially everyone is subject to this same judgment. It is important to note that Jesus does not leave things to be understood that anyone is necessarily going to the fiery furnace – we avoid it by choosing the good. And it is important that we consider today’s gospel in terms of our first reading. Jeremiah goes to hear the Lord’s words at a potters’ shop. There, Jeremiah understands that God will create and refashion as often as necessary to get what He desires from the pottery. We need to understand that Jeremiah is referring to us. You and I have imperfections – sometimes they are small imperfections that can be smoothed out with more water and forming the clay. Sometimes they are huge imperfections and we need to be torn down and start again. We can be smoothly formed or torn down and start over in the confessional and by receiving Eucharist. Jesus wants that for us so much that He died on the cross to make it possible. See the confessional for what it is – that great chance to start again! Get to confession this week! Don’t wait! Your experience of Jesus in the Eucharist will be even more incredible! What a great day! Go smile at God!!

July 30

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Memorial of St. Ignatius of Loyola Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/072426.cfm In today’s Gospel, Jesus preaches in the synagogue in his native area of Nazareth but was rejected by the people there. Today is the beginning of the fourth of five discourses of Jesus recorded in Matthew’s Gospel. Mercy is the key theme of this discourse. Today’s Gospel, though, is a sad story of how the people of Nazareth refused to believe and rejected God’s mercy. Those hearing Jesus preach were initially “astonished” (Mt. 13:54) at his words and his wisdom. They knew him as the child of Mary and Joseph. But “they took offense at him.” (Mt. 13:57) Why did they not celebrate their hometown Messiah? Luke’s version of this story (Lk. 4:14-30) provides us further insight. It informs us that Jesus read from a scroll of the prophet Isaiah and identified himself as the Messiah and proclaimed a Jubilee year for the Jewish people. For the people, this was astonishing. But when Jesus taught that the Gentiles would also experience this liberation and mercy, the people reacted harshly, rose up, drove Jesus out of his native town, and tried to throw him down the hill (Luke 4:29). The Jewish people wanted a Messiah that would overthrow the Gentiles, especially the Romans who were ruling their people. Can you imagine having the ability to receive God’s love and mercy but rejecting it because those you don’t like would also receive the same love and mercy. That would be like Cubs fans wanting to enjoy the fruits of salvation but rejecting it because it was also offered to White Sox fans. Crazy, right? Right? Hmm… Let’s think about that for a moment. No seriously, the people got caught up in their current desires, to be freed from the Romans, and lost sight of the big picture – happiness now and eternal joy forever! Our faith in Jesus should lead us to seek the liberation and salvation of all people, even those who persecute or otherwise annoy us. We should live according to the message and not be concerned with who receives God’s mercy. None of us can earn our way to heaven. God’s mercy isn’t restricted to a privileged few. Instead, let us embrace our faith and seek to give God’s love, mercy and forgiveness to others as his grateful disciples. Today’s Question for Prayer and Reflection Who are the people in your life to whom you can bring God’s love and mercy today? Source for today’s reflection: https://epriest.com/reflections/view/3508

July 31

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Today is Saturday, August 1st. It is the Saturday of the Sixteenth Week of Ordinary Time. Upon reflecting on the readings for today, I saw similarities in the reading from the Book of the Prophet Jeremiah and the passage from the Gospel of Matthew. In the reading from the Book of the Prophet Jeremiah, we see a prophet sent by the Lord who is calling for repentance. The prophet, Jeremiah, proclaims, “Now, therefore, reform your ways and your deeds; listen to the voice of the Lord your God….” The priests and the prophets argue that this prophet is deserving of death. We see Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, having the courage to step into the breach and protecting Jeremiah from being handed over to be put to death. The Gospel of Matthew describes the death of John the Baptist. John, like Jeremiah, was a prophet who preached repentance. It was John the Baptist who called out the adulterous behavior of Herod and Herodias which lead to his imprisonment. In the Gospel scene, Herod’s sin of pride and Herodias’ sin of anger and wrath are evident. Pleased with her dance, Herod offers the daughter of Herodias anything she may ask him for. Herodias, still seething over John the Baptist’s naming of her sin with Herod, prompts her daughter to ask for his head on a platter. While Herod senses this is wrong, he is too proud to refuse that demand. Unlike Ahikam, Herod does not step into the breach and fails to protect John from being put to death. We are called by Christ to repent, to reform our ways and deeds. However, like John the Baptist we have one plotting against us, who seethes over the creation of man in the image and likeness of God. Satan seeks, through sin, to put us to death. The Good News is that we have one who has stepped into the breach to protect us. It is Christ, the Lord, who out of great love came to protect us from sin and death. How blessed are we, that we, like the psalmist, can cry out to the Lord: “Rescue me out of the mire: may I not sink! May I be rescued from my foes and from the watery depths. Let not the flood-waters overwhelm me, nor the abyss swallow me up, nor the pit close its mouth over me.”

August 1

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