Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour

The scripture readings for today's reflection can be found at https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/082820.cfm

Our readings today are giving us some challenges as to how to live out our vocations as followers of Jesus Christ. In the first reading, Paul focuses on the power of the cross. I’m sure those first century Christians had a challenge accepting Paul’s teachings on the cross since it was an instrument of torture and execution used by the Romans. But Paul used the cross as an effective means of addressing the disunity among the early Church, demonstrating how God chose the cross to encounter humanity and bring about salvation.

Paul’s strong statements call them and us into relationship with God, asking us to put aside our own agenda and expectations of what relationships should be. The lessen that we can learn is how the cross can be an instrument of faith. We need to pray to God for an openness to recognize how He is calling us to encounter Him in our daily lives.

In our gospel for today we hear the familiar parable of the Ten Virgins: five wise, and five foolish. Our Lord is giving us another opportunity in this parable to consider how we are living out our lives while at the same time being ready for what eventually will come. Our Lord is challenging us to be vigilant and to live our lives ready for the return of Christ. But being ready certainly doesn’t mean to be obsessed about it every moment of our days.

For us, being vigilant, or ready, for the Lord’s return means approaching our daily tasks and ministry with faith: doing what we have been “appointed” to do in preparation for Christ’s coming, be it welcoming a stranger, feeding the hungry, or even showing up to work on time and treating those at work with respect. Being vigilant also means being able to carry out our family duties with our spouses and children with the love and patience that Christ wants us to have towards them. It’s not easy, but it is the wise thing to do as followers of Christ. God doesn’t want us to be perfect, but He wants us to do the best we can in service to Him and to those in our lives.

Lord Jesus, help us to live lives worthy of our calling as your followers. Amen.

You shall love the Lord your God and you shall love your neighbor as yourself

The scripture readings for the following reflection can be found at https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/082120.cfm

This response of Jesus towards the Pharisees seems simple enough to follow. But when you look at it more closely, it can be a bit complicated. Loving God is the center of who we should be as followers of Jesus Christ. But our Lord is pointing out something even deeper: if you claim to love God, you must also love your neighbor.

In another part of scripture, from the first letter of John, chapter 4, verse 20, we read, “Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.”

That’s where things get complicated. With daily interactions with family, friends, and co-workers, we can really get on each other’s nerves. I know from my own experience with my family, there are times when I don’t even like them, no less love them. But our Lord is still expecting us to love them. He is not asking us to like them, but to love them. There is a difference.

Our Lord not only expects us to love everyone, including those we do not like, but he also doesn’t expect us to be in a situation that can affect us emotionally or spiritually. If there’s someone in your family or among your friends that pushes your buttons and upset you, it is okay to keep your distance from them, rather than to upset yourself and possibly start “hating” that person because of your relationship with them. You can love them and pray for them, but you don’t have to be in a situation that causes you to sin. It’s a good way to avoid that near occasion of sin: rather than get upset or angry at someone that pushes your buttons, it’s best to remain at a distance and pray for their intentions.

Further, if we do find ourselves in a situation with someone that we don’t like, as hard as it may be, we need to show them love and respect, no matter how difficult it is. That person you’re encountering may be going through a personnel problem that he or she are unable   to share. Our show of the love of God can bring them the comfort they need to get over whatever problem they are facing. Mother Teresa of Calcutta once said, “Love cannot remain by itself – it has no meaning. Love has to be put into action, and that action is service.” That service can either be that of a listening ear, or that of prayer for that person that you’re concerned with, whether family or friend.

                                                                                                                                         Lord Jesus, help us to love those in our lives with the same love you have for us. Amen.                                      

Therefore, what God has joined together, man must not separate

The scripture readings for today's reflection can be found at https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/081420.cfm

Our gospel for today deals with the challenge of personal relationships and marriage. The Pharisees are looking at marriage in a very selfish way, asking Jesus: “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause whatever?” Jesus reminds them of the serious and spiritual aspect of marriage “…from the beginning the Creator made them male and female. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”

However, the Pharisees were not content with Jesus’ response. They asked him why Moses commanded a man to give a woman “a bill of divorce.” Jesus did not directly answer their question. Rather, he told them that Moses allowed divorce because of the “hardness of heart” that was in the people. Jesus added: “Anyone who divorces his spouse and marries another woman, commits adultery.” These are extremely strong and unsettling words!

As we know, in today’s world, divorce is very prevalent. In many ways we have become a throw-away society. If we’re not happy with something, we just toss it into the junk pile and move on to the next attraction. It’s easier to just walk away from our relationships than to try to work it out and stay together.

If a marriage is not working, the couple may decide to divorce rather than go to counseling. If a marriage is not working out, they may decide to walk away from their vows. If one spouse has hurts the other, he or she may decide to end the relationship. It would be too difficult and painful to work it out. And would they ever be able to trust each other again?

Jesus was challenging the Pharisees and is challenging us to look at our relationships through the eyes of God. Relationships with others, especially in marriage, is not always easy. As Jesus points out, not everyone is meant to be married. But once in that relationship of marriage, we need to remember that in marriage, we are but one flesh. We need to be ready to have God as the center of that relationship to work out the challenges with love and forgiveness. Further, we need to be grateful to God for the presence of that person in our lives, as we live out the marriage promise: “In good times and in bad times, in sickness and in health.”

Lord Jesus Christ bless all married couples with the gift of your love and patience. Amen.

Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross and follow me

For the scripture readings for today's mass you can go to: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/080720.cfm 

“Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross and follow me.”

These are challenging words from our Lord. In order be his follower, we must forget ourselves, take up our crosses and follow him. He is to be the center of who we are if we wish to be true to our calling as Christians.

Just before this part of the gospel, Our Lord indicated that he was going to Jerusalem and endure great suffering at the hands of the elders, be put to death, and then rise on the third day. The apostles, especially Peter, had trouble accepting this. Peter said, “God forbid, Lord. Such a fate must never happen to you.” Peter, out of love for Jesus, was worried about such a horrible death that Jesus was going to face. Jesus quickly rebukes him and lets Peter know that we must think with the understanding of God, not of men. Jesus was making it clear that it is part of God’s plan for Jesus to go and be crucified and die for our sins. Further, Peter and the others disciples seem to miss the good news that Jesus will rise again on the third day.

The whole life and ministry of Jesus was to bring salvation to all people, and to have us turn from our sinfulness and selfishness and to turn to God for salvation. In these trying times with the virus still surrounding us, civil unrest shaking our cities, and the worries that come with everyday living, we need to be able to turn to Jesus and place all our cares and worries upon him. These are the crosses that Jesus is talking about. We need to take our cares and worries, carry them to Him, and he will be there to help us carry them.

It is natural to be worried about all the terrible things that are going on in the world and in our lives. But Jesus wants us to look beyond the pain and suffering and to know that He is present in every situation. Eventually there will be healing and peace.  

By praying and offering our prayers to God, eventually the virus will be gone from our society and there will be peace in our cities. But in order for this to happen we have to bring our crosses, in the form of prayer to Jesus, and ask Him to enter our society to bring that healing and peace that can only come from God.

Let us each day at mass offer up our cares and worries and offer our crosses to the Lord and ask him to help us carry them. And with the great Carmelite, St. Teresa of Avila, let us pray in these words: “Let nothing disturb you, nothing frighten you, all things are passing, God is unchanging. Patience gains all; nothing is lacking to those who have God: God alone is sufficient.” Amen.