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Sandstone Pattern

Daily Reflection

Have you ever asked for help, only to receive a response that was far from enthusiastic - one that made it clear the other person was unwilling to set aside their own agenda in order to assist you? When someone comes to our aid only grudgingly, we may find ourselves wishing we never asked. In the first reading today, we hear that God loves a cheerful giver. More than that, He supplies the grace we need - in abundance - for every good work. Acts of charity offered freely, not reluctantly or under compulsion, but joyfully and in the spirit of God, bear lasting fruit. St. Paul reminds us that whoever sows sparingly will reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will reap bountifully, and the psalm antiphon, ‘Blessed the man who is gracious and hastens to those in need,’ repeats this promise. In the Gospel, Jesus uses the image of a grain of wheat, to speak to Andrew and Philip about the necessity of His death - the sacrifice through which the gates of heaven and eternal life would be opened for us - saying that unless the grain falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single grain; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. Jesus is teaching us that sacrifice is not the end of life, but the path through which the Kingdom of God grows and flourishes. Today the Church celebrates St. Lawrence who was born in Valencia, Spain, in 225, and died a martyr in Rome, thirty-three years later. In 257, Pope Sixtus II ordained Lawrence a deacon and later appointed him Archdeacon of Rome, entrusting him with the care of the Church’s treasures and the distribution of alms to the poor. The Emperor Valerian issued an edict that all bishops, priests and deacons should be put to death. On August 6, 258, Pope Sixtus was captured and put to death, while celebrating Mass, along with other clergymen. Lawrence was ordered to surrender all the treasures of the Church to Emperor Valerian. He asked for three days to gather them, and during that time he distributed as much of the Church’s goods as possible to the poor and needy. Then he presented to the emperor the poor, the lame, and the sick, declaring, “These are the treasures of the Church.” Enraged, Valerian ordered Lawrence to be burned alive on a gridiron. The flourishing of Christianity in Rome is often attributed to the witness of this humble deacon’s life and death. His martyrdom became a living testimony to the words of Christ: “Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains but a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” It is in giving to others, with good grace, generously and immediately, that we die to self. And when we die to self, we receive an abundance of grace and the fullness of life from God and become channels of that grace and life for others.

August 10

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How well do we eat and digest the Word of God? Unlike Ezekiel in our first reading, we don’t exactly eat a scroll or the pages of a book. But every day we are given passages from Scripture to nurture us and become part of our lives. Do these words satisfy our hunger for God? Do these words, quench our thirst for what we ask of God? Today we celebrate the memorial of St. Clare of Assisi. (1193-1253) At the age of 18, her heart was filled in hearing God’s Word presented to her through the preaching of St. Francis of Assisi. Hearing God’s Word fulfilled her desire to follow and embrace the poor Christ. It would be a new way of life that she would define in her Rule for the “poor ladies” as “the privilege of poverty.” This was a radical move from the norm for women who lived in monasteries with financial support from families, a dowry, and the Church. Clare, like Francis, emptied herself of all possessions and lived day to day relying on the providence of God. She defended her Rule of Life for the Poor Sisters to the day before she died when finally, Pope Innocent IV approved it. It was the first approved Rule written by a woman. For both Clare and Francis, the Word Made Flesh, God, Jesus, who was born in a stable and died on a cross, was the “mirror” for their new ways of life. As Jesus embraced humanity, they recognized God within the human experience. They came to know this God more intimately through contemplation, caring for the poor and seeing creation through His eyes. The Incarnation was real as they gazed upon the crucified Christ and realized their lives transformed. I imagine St. Clare spent time with our Gospel for today. She lived her vocation being the Word of God, for the Gospel was her way of life. Together with the women who joined her, they fed the poor and cared for the sick and lame. They met Jesus in in the Eucharist and received the nourishment they needed to be the Word Made Flesh, in their world. The Eucharist was central to their lives. When I was about two, I was standing by my mother in a crowd of grown-ups who were talking loudly. I tugged her hand and supposedly said, “Mother, I think you had better hold me.” Like most children, I trusted my mom’s ability to protect me from danger, real or imagined. Asking her for help was the most natural thing – something many of us lose as we get older. This is the humility Jesus is talking about in today’s gospel, to admit our dependence on God and others as children do so easily. Humble people understand that everyone from the president or the poorest of the poor is in God’s hands and we must seek His protection as I sought that of my mom when I was a toddler. Humble people understand that even when they are the fortunate recipients of great gifts that they are not in control of their lives and destinies. They credit God as the source of their achievements and try to give back to His people. Too often we tend to forget the source of our blessings. In our individualistic tradition, some people brag that they are self-made – that they achieved success entirely on their own, that they owe nothing to others. Really? Did God not create them? Did they not have parents who sacrificed to raise them? What about teachers who guided them and a community that supported them in other ways? When I visited Assisi, Italy I was overcome by the presence of God. The entire town exudes a holiness that I have not encountered in any other place I have visited. St. Clare (incorrupt body)), St. Francis and now St. Carlo Acutis (incorrupt body) are entombed in Assisi. Their witness of total surrender to God, choosing to live a life of complete service to others and total dependence on Jesus, especially His living presence in the Eucharist, are alive in Assisi where peace abounds. Let us humbly submit to our dependence on God as we reach up to Him for protection and comfort, be nourished daily by His Living Word and choose to serve the most vulnerable among us as we bear Christ’s presence to the world. St. Clare, pray for us. Blessing of St. Clare Live without fear; Your Creator has made you holy, has always protected you and loves you like a mother…. May Almighty God bless you May He look upon you with the eyes of His Mercy and give you His peace…

August 11

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In keeping with the theme of the Good Shepherd from yesterday’s Gospel, Jesus in today’s Gospel asks his disciples, and us, to participate in helping the lost sheep be reconciled with the Church’s faith community. Jesus provides a three-step process for addressing serious sin within the Christian community. The purpose of correction is not condemnation but reconciliation. When a brother or sister falls into sin, love requires that we seek their restoration to communion with God and with the Church. The first step is fraternal correction: “Go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.” This requires humility, prudence, and genuine charity. Before correcting another person, we must examine our own hearts and ask whether our concern truly comes from love or from pride, anger, or a desire to prove ourselves right. We should carefully consider whether the matter is serious enough to address, choose an appropriate time, and speak with gentleness. The goal is not to win an argument but to help our brother or sister encounter the mercy of Christ. The next two steps in the process require us to involve others or, if unsuccessful, to involve the Church. Both steps require a humble, servant heart acting out of love and pastoral care. If the sinner doesn’t first experience love from those trying to help then their efforts will likely be futile. Jesus then gives the apostles the authority to bind and loose: “Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 18:18). This authority, first given to Peter (Matthew 16:17-19) and extended here to the apostles, continues through their successors, the bishops, and their priestly coworkers. Through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, Christ continues to forgive sins and restore his people to communion with the Father and with one another. Jesus concludes by speaking about the power of prayer among those who are united in his name: “Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” In context, this promise is closely connected to reconciliation and unity within the Church. When Christ’s disciples forgive, seek peace, and gather in faith, Jesus himself is present among them. Their prayer is not simply a collection of individual requests but a participation in the prayer of Christ, the beloved Son who continually intercedes before the Father. Underlying all attempts at prayer and reconciliation is love. Without love, our prayer doesn’t mirror the loving prayer of Christ. Without love, our actions become at best suggestions for improvement, and at worse judgmental in nature. Let us continue to pray for the love of Jesus to guide all that we do. Today’s Question for Prayer and Reflection How can I help create a more united and prayerful community where Christ's presence is clearly experienced? Source for today’s reflection: https://epriest.com/reflections/view/3520

August 12

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Ezekiel 12:1-12 Psalm 78 Matthew 18:21 - 19:1 Oh get over it already. Easy words to say. Little hard, however, for us to swallow if someone is saying it directly to us. Here’s the deal though, that is exactly what Jesus is calling us to do in today’s gospel. And Jesus does it in pretty dramatic language. – look at Matthew 18:33 where Jesus is telling the disciples the parable of the servant seeking mercy from his master but the servant is not willing to extend it to his fellow servants: “Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant, as I had pity on you?” When we seek God’s mercy, we are seeking His pity. If we trace the word “pity” to its origins we find our way to the Greek word for mercy. God looks on us in a way that goes beyond feeling bad for us as we can sometimes interpret the word “pity” to mean. Rather, He extends His mercy to us, which is to say He shows us His benevolence – an act of taking a person and improving their very state in life by moving the person from a bad position to a better position. In essence, God calls us to help others be in a better place because they engaged us in some type of relationship. St. Mother Theresa of Calcutta would say that we should always make people happy they interacted with us that day. Well, a great way to do that is to always move them to a better place, and a great way to do that is to extend forgiveness…just like we ask God to do for us. Even if you are not in a position to actually say the words “I forgive you” to someone today, definitely forgive them in your heart – and then want only good things for them. Holding onto something today that you just really need to get over already? It is a great day - smile at God today!

August 13

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Today’s Gospel, a challenge from the Pharisees about the Mosaic law permitting divorce, give Jesus the opportunity to correct that mindset and return us to God’s original plan. When Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount, he brought the Old Law to fulfillment. He did this in various ways. Some Laws of Moses needed to be interiorized. Not committing the external sin of adultery, for example, needed to be grounded in not committing the interior sin of lust. However, some Laws of Moses need to be corrected. The laws about hating and killing enemies needed to be corrected. As well, the law of Moses permitting divorce needed to be corrected. The law in Deuteronomy (24:1-4) tolerating the practice of divorce and limiting its abuses was a concession Moses granted because of the people’s hardness of heart and not because it was God’s original intention. Jesus described divorce and remarriage as a legal concession to the sinfulness of Israel (Mt 19:8). But instead of reaffirming these practices, he revoked the Mosaic permission and restored the original standard of lifelong marriage that God instituted at creation. Man and woman were created to become one flesh. A sacramental union created by God must not be separated. Jesus is fulfilling the plan of God to save people from their sins. His Sermon on the Mount established the foundation of the New Covenant. Rather than have rules to adjudicate our sins, Jesus asks us to remove the source of sins, selfish desires which in this case is lust. We are called to love others with the love Jesus gave us; a pure heart fixed only on the beloved. While we may falter at times and stain our hearts with sin, We are called to reconcile with God and be purified so that we can indeed love with a pure heart. Today’s Question for Prayer and Reflection How can I be a better example of sharing in the love between Christ and his Bride, the Church? Source for today’s reflection: https://epriest.com/reflections/view/2791

August 14

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Today is Saturday, August 15th. It is The Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Blessed Virgin Mary! Our relationship with the Mother of God is one that is not fully understood even amongst us Catholics and it is often misunderstood by those outside of the Catholic Church. With that in mind, I beg your forgiveness as I feel called to utilize this reflection as an opportunity to share what I learned in my research on what the Catholic Church teaches about our relationship with the Mother of God and the Dogmas of the Catholic Church regarding Mary and, specifically, the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Catholic Churches teaches that Mary is the Mother of God, ever-virgin, and uniquely favored by God. While she is highly honored and prayed to for intercession, the church strictly maintains that she is a human creature and is never worshipped as a divine being. Believers ask Mary to pray for them to God, viewing her as a powerful heavenly advocate because of her close relationship with Christ. This distinction is important - Catholics do not pray to Mary, they pray through Mary to her beloved son, Jesus, the Son of God. It is true that the Catholic church gives Mary a special level of high honor above all other saints. However, that highest honor is distinct from latria, which is the worship due to God alone. There are four Core Dogmas about Mary. They are as follows: Mary is the Mother of God: Mary gave birth to Jesus, who is fully God and fully human, making her truly the Mother of the divine person of Christ; Mary is the Immaculate Conception: God preserved Mary from the stain of original sin from the very moment of her own conception in her mother's womb; Mary experienced Perpetual Virginity: Mary remained a virgin before, during, and after the birth of Jesus throughout her entire life; Mary was Assumed into heaven: At the end of her earthly life, Mary was taken up body and soul directly into heaven. Per the Vatican website, the dogma of the Assumption, defining that Mary was taken body and soul into heaven, was formally proclaimed by Pope Pius XII in 1950. That being said, the Church has celebrated the feast of Mary's passing since at least the 4th century, demonstrating a long-standing tradition. Ancient manuscripts disseminated accounts of the Apostles witnessing Mary's assumption. Early church fathers and theologians spoke of the fittingness of Mary's body not undergoing corruption. The belief is linked to Mary's status as the Mother of God and the "New Eve," arguing that since she was preserved from original sin, through her Immaculate Conception, Mary was fittingly spared from bodily decay. Historically, the absence of known bodily relics of Mary in the early Church contributed to the belief that her body was not on earth. Unlike the ascension of Jesus, Mary was "assumed" or taken up by God, rather than ascending by her own power. While Roman Catholics believe she was taken at the end of her life (leaving the question of her death open), Orthodox and Eastern Catholic traditions refer to it as the "Dormition" (falling asleep) holding she experienced a natural death before her bodily resurrection and assumption. Mary's bodily assumption is a special participation in her Son's Resurrection, highlighting her role as the "new Eve" who, unlike the first Eve, brings life and shares in the victory over sin and death. The Assumption is seen as a "first fruit" or anticipation of the resurrection of all Christians, proving that death is not the end, but a transition to glory. Mary is believed to be in heaven with a glorified body, acting as an advocate and motherly figure who intercedes for humanity. With all of this in mind, then with great joy, let us proclaim today, and always, – “Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death”. Amen.

August 15

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