Friday, October 2, 2026

 

Memorial of the Holy Guardian Angels

(Job 28:12-21.40:3-5; Matthew 18:1-5.10)

St. Augustine famously said to his people: "I am fearful of what I am for you, but I draw strength from what I am with you. For you I am a bishop, and with you I am a Christian. The former designates an office received, the latter the foundation of salvation." Obviously, Augustine did not take his office of a bishop as merely a privilege.  Rather, he also saw it as an onerous responsibility placed upon him.  It meant correcting people when they were thinking erroneously and providing basic resources when they experienced material need.  It would not be unfair to call Augustine’s duties like being a Guardian Angel to his congregation.

Guardian Angels specify God’s love.  He takes care of humans by setting their hearts on the supreme good, which is Himself.  He also provides them with physical sustenance.  In the gospel Jesus speaks of children having angels in heaven charged with these tasks. But that does not exclude the possibility of God extending such personal care to everyone.  After all, all humans are God’s children.

Today we give thanks to God for His constant and unsurpassable love personalized in the Guardian Angels.  The graciousness of God’s watching over us with angels should prompt us to take similar care of one another.

Thursday, October 1, 2026

 

Memorial of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church

(Job 19:21-27; Luke 10:1-12)

The sending in today’s gospel is so similar to other apostolic sendings that its uniqueness may be overlooked.  Not only are “seventy-two other disciples” being missioned to towns and villages, but also they go there ahead of Jesus.  The Lord will soon arrive in these places which his disciples are to visit.  He will bring the Kingdom of God to all who welcome him.

Perhaps the meaning of Jesus’ ominous statement, “’…it will be more tolerable for Sodom on that day …’”, pertains to missing Jesus.  It may seem as if Jesus were referring to a punishment worse than Sodom’s being pelted by fiery sulfur.  But it could mean that intentionally missing the experience of knowing Jesus will cause more misery than that suffered by the people in Sodom’s burning.  After all, Jesus is the fullness of joy and peace that every heart desires.  Deliberately missing him should make one despair.

We should not want to miss any opportunity to know him.  He comes to us in the breaking of the bread at Mass.  He comes in sharing a cup of coffee with the besieged.  He comes to us in dying after having lived unselfish love for everyone.

Wednesday, September 30, 2026

 

Memorial of Saint Jerome, Priest and Doctor of the Church

(Job 9:1-12.14-16; Luke 9:57-62)

Today’s remarkable reading from the Book of Job speaks of God’s transcendence.  God is beyond the human mind’s capacity to know.  Job says that humans cannot see God and indicates that they are even less able to converse with Him.  He is surely right to suggest that no one is justified before God. But Job speaks of God as a non-Jew and a non-Christian.  God has given privileges to the peoples whom He calls His own.

Israel learned to call on God for help in Egypt.  The psalms express the full range of feelings and concerns of the people of God.  Christ has brought his followers an even closer relationship with God.  He taught his disciples to call God “Father” and to ask Him for anything with assurance of a hearing.

The Book of Job does not end with its protagonist in the dark about God.  Through both reverence and insistence, Job also will receive a hearing from God.  Even better, he will witness God’s self-revelation.  Knowing of Job’s experience and Jesus’ teaching we can approach God with our humble love and pressing needs.

Tuesday, September 29, 2026

 

Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, Archangels

(Daniel 7:9-10.13-14; John 1:47-51)

Scripture does not speak much of angels.  However, it does reveal that there are many.  Today’s reading from the prophet speaks of “myriads” attending God on high.  Jesus indicates the presence of many angels in today’s gospel as well. He says that the heavens will be opened and the angels will ascend and descend in what sounds like a long, long procession.

There is a story that tells how human beings are served by the presence of so many angels.  Once a novice monk was having difficulty resisting sexual temptation.  He became so discouraged that he went to his spiritual advisor, an elderly monk, to say that he decided to leave the monastery.  The spiritual advisor asked the young monk why and was told about the temptations.  The elderly monk then took him outside and told him to look at the western sky and tell him what he saw.  The young monk looked up and saw a band of devils whooping and dancing in preparation for battle.  Then the elder told his protégé to look at the eastern sky.  When he did, he saw legions and legions of angels armed and fitted for war.  The old monk explained that the angels were there to protect the novice from sin if the young man would just ask for help.  This the novice did.  When he returned to his cell, he changed his mind about leaving the monastery.  He was confident that with the help of all those angels, he could fulfill his vocation as a monk.

Angels attend to the God who loves us.  When we feel overwhelmed by spiritual or worldly cares, we just have to call to God for help.  He will send his angels to our aid.

Monday, September 28, 2026

 

Monday of the Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time

(Job 1:6-22; Luke 9:46-50)

Spiritual directors will challenge seekers to accept life’s setbacks as trials.  They may tell a woman whose husband has left her or a family man who has lost his job that God isn’t indifferent to their needs.  Much less, of course, would they allow seekers to think that God doesn’t exist.  Today’s first reading shows how a man of faith copes with the tremendous hardships that suddenly oppress him.

Job is presented as the consummate seeker.  His strong faith in God’s goodness enables him to accept a series of enormous losses.  As the story progresses, Job will continue to suffer.  Although he does not acknowledge it, the story forthrightly says that God is testing Job.  Job knows that he is innocent of wrongdoing that might bring on such suffering.  He will only ask to speak with God so that he might understand his predicament.

Job, ever faithful to the Lord, will not be disappointed.  God will grant him a colloquy in which He will explain His ways.  Beyond informing us of God’s divine majesty, the story assures us of God’s individual care.  He will answer the cries of those who call to him in faith.