Justice shall flower in his days, and profound peace, till the moon be no more.- Psalm 72:7 During the first week of Advent we focused on the gift of hope, which is connected in a deep way to this week’s gift: peace–pax in Latin. St. Paul taught that God is the true source of our peace: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound…
O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord!- Isaiah 2:5 Advent is a beautiful time of silence, patience, and prayer. We prepare for Christ, the Light (John 8:12), to come to us in the darkness. We prepare for the fullness of life–zoe in Greek–that Jesus, the Life (John 14:6) offers us: “I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). We light the…
“Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”- Luke 23:42 For me, this Bible verse sums up what it means to be a disciple in the Kingdom of Christ: “Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts” (1 Peter 3:15). This reminds me that Jesus is the Lord of my heart; He reigns there as King. Our solemnity this Sunday is Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. If I want Jesus to be…
By your perseverance you will secure your lives. – Luke 21:19 As I read the scripture readings for this Sunday, I noticed a common theme: persevering through grace in times of adversity. In the first reading, those who fear the Lord must endure God’s just judgment that will come “blazing like an oven” for those who are proud and do evil (Malachi 3:19). St. Paul worked “in toil and drudgery, night and day” while building…
…and they are the children of God because they are the ones who will rise. – Luke 20:36 Being a child of God means that we shall live forever with Him. Those of us who have been baptized have the power to become God’s children (John 1:12). The Lord promised that His children shall have eternal life: “those who are deemed worthy to attain to the coming age and to the resurrection of the dead…are…
“Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone I shall repay it four times over.” – Luke 19:8 When I read the story of Zacchaeus, I see a model of the stewardship way of life. Zacchaeus was a man who had been conducting his life according to the world, not according to God’s law. He had been cheating people for selfish profit because the…
O God, be merciful to me a sinner. – Luke 18:13 It can be difficult for me to admit my wrongdoings. It’s not easy to look at myself with honesty to see my true faults. In truth, I can only do this peacefully by seeing myself as a beloved child of God, no matter what my sins have been. This Sunday’s Gospel passage shows us a model for what admitting our sinfulness means. First off,…
Jesus told his disciples a parable about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary. – Luke 18:1 Have you ever imagined what your soul looks like? It is eternal, so of course you cannot see it. But play along with me here. Close your eyes and imagine the hidden yet very real part of you. Is your soul strong and thriving? Is it weary? Thirsty? Sin-sick? Wounded? St. John Henry Cardinal Newman…
And one of them, realizing he had been healed, returned, glorifying God in a loud voice; and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him. – Luke 17:15 How can we thank God for all that He has done for us? What could we possibly have to offer Him? Our first reading and Gospel passage offer us two parallel examples to consider. Naaman, who was healed from leprosy, wanted to give Elisha a…
The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.” The Lord replied, “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you. – Luke 17:5-6 Mustard plants start out small, but then grow vigorously, growing tall and wide into shrubs by putting on branches. The seeds are miniscule, but they are powerful because they grow into…