I will do it. Be made clean

The reflection for today's readings can be found at http://usccb.org/bible/readings/062620.cfm

In our gospel for today we hear of the healing of a person with leprosy. In other accounts of the Lord healing lepers, He just commands them to be healed, and they are healed without Him even touching them. But in today’s gospel our Lord reaches out and touches the leper to bring healing. Jesus thought it necessary to reach out and bring not only healing but comfort to this man in his illness.

Leprosy at the time of Christ was incurable and anyone who had leprosy became shut out from family, friends, and society. They had to keep what we would call today “social distance” from everyone and cry out either “unclean” or “leper” for those nearby to know he was coming. It was a lonely and desperate life. Further, by Jesus touching the leper would have made him ritually unclean as well. But Jesus had compassion on the leper and brought healing in a special and intimate way.
In order for this man to return to society and be accepted again, he needed to go to the priest and receive a “clean bill of health.” Further it proved that Jesus was not unclean as well. Jesus put the needs of the person ahead of what was expected of him by society.

With all that is going on today with COVID-19, our society needs that healing that can only come from Jesus. There are health care workers at hospitals and nursing homes caring for those who are positive with COVID-19. Our Lord is working through them to help bring society the healing that we need. As Jesus touched the leper to bring healing, he is working through the health care workers to bring healing to those in our society that are in most need of healing. The main concern of these doctors and nurses is the health and well being of those they are called to serve. Jesus is working through them to bring peace, comfort, and healing.                                                                                                                                             We, too, can reach out in our own way to help society heal from COVID-19. The leper in the gospel today prayed, “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.” We, too can pray a similar prayer: “Lord, if you wish, you can cure us of this virus.” By our constant prayers for those in our society that are suffering from the effects of this virus, whether physically, emotionally, or financially, we are helping to bring the healing touch of Jesus to our society.

Lord Jesus, touch us and our society and grant us the healing that can only come from you. Amen.

Corpus Christi

The following is a reflection I submitted to the NY Archdiocesan Holy Name Society June 2020 Newsletter that I wanted to share with you.

  “I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.” John 6:51

Every year the Church commemorates the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ, also referred to as The Solemnity of Corpus Christi. This year the feast falls on June 14th. The gospel assigned for this Sunday is taken from the Gospel of St. John chapter 6. This chapter is known as the Bread of Life discourse. Many of his followers found this teaching very hard to believe and accept, and as a result left Him.

We, as Catholics, based on what our Lord teaches us in this section of John, believe in the REAL presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Many Christian denominations believe the Eucharist to be only a symbol of the Body of Christ. But we take our Lord at His word when, at the Last Supper, Jesus says, “Take it; this is my body.”(Mark 14:22) and “This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many.”(Mark 14:24).

During the Coronavirus pandemic we have been deprived of being able to receive our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament at Mass. As we start attending Mass and receiving the Eucharist, let us be truly grateful for this wonderful gift of the Lord, truly present in the bread and wine at mass: body, blood, soul and divinity.

Also, as we receive our Lord in Holy Communion during the upcoming weeks, let us pray for those effected by the Coronavirus, whether physically, emotionally, or financially, that there may be complete healing and that they may have the peace that can only come from our Lord.

You shall love your neighbor as yourself

The scripture for today's reflection can be found at http://usccb.org/bible/readings/060420.cfm

In the gospel for today's mass we hear a scribe ask Jesus the question, “Which is the first of all the commandments?” (Mark 12:28) Jesus answers very clearly: "You shall love the Lord your  God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:30)

In the more than 2,000 years since Our Lord spoke these words, we still seem to have a problem with putting them into action! With the horrible racism that is still rampant in this country, these words need to be spoken more loudly and with more conviction by all who are followers of Jesus Christ!

The death of George Floyd should never have happened, as well as the death of the others that have died in custody of the police. Further, the response to these attacks must be tempered with these words of Jesus, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend." 

Peaceful marches to get the point across to rid our society of racism and to bring equality and justice to all is the way to go. Not the terrible looting and rioting that have occurred since last week. Martin Luther King Jr. marched peacefully to teach the world the words of Jesus: "Love God and love neighbor." It's about mutual love and respect for all people who are made in the image of God.

Let us pray for the repose of the soul of George Floyd, let us pray for his family left behind grieving and looking for justice, and finally let's pray for our society that we can live out the words Jesus Christ taught, "Love God with all your heart. And love your neighbor as yourself."