Wednesday, July 1, 2026

 

Wednesday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time

(Amos 5:184-15.21-24; Matthew 8:28-34)

In the middle of the eighth century before Christ, the Kingdom of Israel’s prosperity reached spectacular heights.  Assyria, the major power in the region, had just smashed the Kingdom of Aram-Damascus leaving Israel in charge of the region’s commerce.  Its wealthy citizens increased their coffers with taxes, tariffs, and the cultivation of cash crops.  Meanwhile, Israel’s poor suffered from being drafted, paying taxation, having crop failures, and losing their land.  To survive they borrowed from the rich at exorbitant interest. 

Amos, a farmer from the Kingdom of Judah, found himself in the Northern Kingdom preaching against social injustice.  It was not only the economic imbalance that enraged him.  Also, rich people’s attempt to appease God with luxurious peace offerings moved Amos to diatribe.  He spoke out as strongly as any prophet that justice pleases the Lord, not fancy liturgy or abundant offering.  As the rich were looking forward to the Day of the Lord for even greater profits, Amos promised that the Day would bring them ruin.

As the United Sates celebrates its 250^th anniversary, the country must question whether its prosperity reflects the injustices of Israel.  Certainly many Americans are generous, and the government has fostered poverty programs both domestically and internationally.  Yet consumption among Americans may be greater than what is truly beneficial, and many poor Americans are not developing their potential.  Solutions to these problems are complex and difficult.  Money is hardly all that is needed.  Community is necessary as is personal awareness that we should not live exclusively for ourselves but to also assist others.   

Tuesday, June 30, 2026

Tuesday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time

(Amos 3:1-8.4:11-12; Matthew 8:23-27)

At this point in the Gospel of Matthew the disciples have heard Jesus preach with authority and heal the sick.  But they haven’t as yet considered his divinity.  In today’s reading they are made to wonder about him in this way.

It is said that the passage reflects the condition of the early Church.  Troubles arise in the newly formed communities like violent storms.  The Church, still small, struggles as a tiny ship on a violent sea.  Jesus, ascended to heaven, seems incommunicable as if he were asleep.  The men and women who have accepted the faith petition the Lord like the disciples in the sinking boat, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!”  Jesus’ demonstration of saving power makes them ask with the disciples, “What sort of man is this, whom even the winds and the sea obey?”

Instead of worrying over troubles, we should call on Jesus early and often.  Perhaps at such moments we begin to think that he is not there.  But he is always ready to help us.  There is another occasion when we begin to lose faith in Jesus.  When we are being tempted, we may think, “Who cares if what I do is wrong? God? He doesn’t exist.” We are kidding ourselves.  God knows what we are doing.  Because He loves us, He does not want us to leave the way to eternal life with him.

Monday, June 29. 2026

 

Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles

(Acts 12:1-11; II Timothy 4:6-8.17-18; Matthew 16:13-19)

An ancient tradition tells the story of St. Peter fleeing Rome during Nero’s persecution in the first century.  On the way, he meets the Lord going the other way.  Peter asks Jesus in Latin, “Quo vadis, Domine?” (Where are you going, Lord?) Jesus answers, “I am going to Rome to be crucified again.”  Peter, ashamed that he was once again denying Jesus, turns around and gives his life as a martyr.

Of course, Peter repented of cowardice in the gospel as well. Evidently, he was a man of tremendous ability – a type A character – and it was probably for this reason that the Lord entrusts him with the “keys of the Kingdom” in today’s gospel. But he, like all of us, could sin.  St. Paul, as well, gravely offended God by at first not recognizing Christ’s glory and then by persecuting the Church.  He also repented, rendered Christ magnificent service as a teacher, and died a martyr.

Saints Peter and Paul exemplify how Christians are a community of saints.  All of us have sinned and, when truth is told, continue to fail the Lord.  Yet asking God’s forgiveness, we pick up our walking stick to continue the journey of love and truth.  We can count on Christ’s help.  As he showed Peter the way to go in the tradition of “Quo vadis?” he will lead us through the Church which Peter led and Paul taught. 

Sunday, June 28, 2026

 

THIRTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME – June 28, 2026
(2 Kings 4:8-11, 14-16; Romans 6:3-4, 8-11; Matthew 10:37-42)

With the celebration of our nation's semiquincentennial approaching, we should declare ourselves grateful both for our country—whether by birth or by adoption—and for our Catholic faith. We can add that we are loyal to both. Our participation in American society has secured for us the rights necessary to live with dignity, while our baptism has bestowed upon us the inheritance of eternal life.

Today, the Catholic Church is the largest religious community in the United States. The current Vice President is Catholic, as was the previous President. A majority of the members of the Supreme Court are Catholic, as are many members of the Senate and the House of Representatives. And many Catholics have given their lives defending this country.

Yet Catholics were not always welcomed in American society. During the colonial period, laws existed that prohibited the public practice of the Catholic faith and voting rights to Catholics. Although the Constitution guaranteed religious freedom, in the years before the Civil War a political party arose whose sole purpose was to limit Catholic influence. After the war, the Ku Klux Klan directed its hostility first against African Americans and later against Catholics and Jews. And when John Kennedy ran for President, he had to face the hateful accusation that he would obey the Pope before obeying the laws of the nation.

That accusation touches on a statement Jesus makes in today's Gospel. When He says, “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me,” we could, in a sense, substitute “country” for “father or mother.” The Catechism discusses our duties toward civil authority within its treatment of the Fourth Commandment (nos. 2234-2257). Is it true, then? Should we love Jesus more than our country? Of course, we should.

For the most part, there is no conflict between love of country and love of God. Love of country—patriotism—is tied to our participation in the temporal society in which we live. Love of God is associated with our participation in the eternal society to which we are called. The two loves have different focuses, and so we can possess both. It is like belonging both to a labor union and to the Knights of Columbus. In fact, the two loves support one another. While our civil society guarantees the freedom to worship God, the eternal society of God's Kingdom insists that its members be just and honest citizens of the earthly society in which they live.

There is another reason why these two loyalties should not conflict. God is the supreme common good. When we honor God with all our hearts, we contribute to the common good, which is the very purpose of civil government.

Unfortunately, sooner or later conflicts arise between the state and the law of God. For some time now there have been proposals that would require physicians to perform abortions or, at the very least, refer pregnant women to those who do. Both actions are contrary to our faith. Likewise, from time to time we hear proposals that would require priests to reveal what they have heard in Confession regarding the abuse of children. I can say that I would never violate the seal of Confession for any reason whatsoever, and I expect no other priest to do so either.

Part of our love for God is obeying Him when He speaks to us through a faith-formed conscience. Our attitude should be similar to that of the presidential candidate John Kennedy. When asked whether there could ever be a situation in which he would follow his faith rather than the law, he replied: “…if the time should ever come — and I do not concede any conflict to be even remotely possible — when my office would require me to either violate my conscience or violate the national interest, then I would resign the office…”

Let us conclude with the words of a saint about what to do when a conflict arises between faith and government. St. Thomas More was about to be executed for refusing to recognize the king as head of the Church. His last words were: “I die the King's good servant, but God's first.”

 

Friday, June 26, 2026

 

Friday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time

(II Kings 25:1-12; Matthew 8:1-4)

Did you ever have to make a decision where there seemed to be no good options?  Say your daughter wants a “destination wedding” outside the Church.  You not only cannot approve the invalid marriage, you also doubt the couple’s maturity.  Should you support your daughter by attending the wedding?   In both readings today someone makes a decision when the options are not apparently favorable.

Behind the scenes in the first reading King Zedekiah is caught between losing support of his base and ignoring the Word of God spoken through the prophet Jeremiah.  In the gospel Jesus is confronted by a leper who asks healing.  Either he will touch the man and show authority over the law or disappoint the oppressed leper.  Zedekiah opts against God’s Word, but Jesus, who is the Word, lives up to it.

We must not be afraid to abide by the Word of God.  He speaks to us through Scripture, the Church, and our consciences.  Walking with him will, at times, bring hardship.  However, we will end stronger and already close to eternal life.

Thursday, June 25, 2026

 

Thursday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time

(II Kings 24:8-17; Matthew 7:21-27)

Did you ever notice yourself saying grace before eating when people are around but forgetting to do it when you are alone?  I have.  It is disconcerting to think that Jesus may forsake me for my pretension as indicated in today’s gospel.

Or perhaps we have given a sizeable amount to Catholic Charities and now figure that the Lord will overlook our pettiness with family and friends.  He is saying today that he expects better from us.  He does not care about any “mighty deeds” that we have done.  Rather what matters is our attention to the everyday details of a holy life: prayer, humility, kindness.

We may think we are as good as the next guy and better than most, but such calculation does not impress Jesus.  He calls us to perfection and sends us the Holy Spirit to make that happen.  If we focus on our accomplishments and not on his words, we settle for less and may end up disappointed.  But if we do good because Jesus has told us to do it, without aiming to impress him or anyone else, then we will find ourselves in his gracious company forever.

Wednesday, June 24, 2026

 

Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist

(Isaiah 49:1-6; Acts 13:22-26; Luke 1:57-66.80)

A man in his second career was having a “mountaintop experience.”  His wife had just given birth to their first child.  He looked at the baby and recognized his replacement.  Or so it seemed at the moment.  God-loving people will allow the possibility of the Lord’s shaping the destiny of their progeny in ways unthought of.

Elizabeth and Zachariah prove themselves such people in today’s gospel.  For years they have waited for their newborn.  Like the people surrounding them, they had probably presumed that he would be called “Zachariah” and follow in his father’s career path.  But when it all happened, they were aware enough of God’s hand in their son’s becoming to name their son “John” as the Lord indicated to them.

John did not follow his father as a priest, but he did manifest his father’s submission to God’s authority.  He had thought that the Messiah would purify the people with fire so to speak.  Then he met Jesus and recognized in him another kind of saving power.  John gave up his pretension of how the Messiah would fulfill his promise.  In John’s eyes Jesus was the lamb and not the lion of God.

We too should align our hopes and expectations with the Lord’s.  Our lives, after all, are not about ourselves but about Him.  This may mean a career change when we enjoy what we are doing.  It certainly necessitates our following His commands and not our own instincts and feelings.    We do it for Him who will compensate us more than we imagine.

Tuesday, June 23, 2026

 

Tuesday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time

(II Kings19:9b-11.14-21.31-35a.36; Matthew 5:6.12-14)

The kings of Judah and Israel were often as corrupt as tyrannical strongmen today.  They feigned piety while using their position of power to satisfy mundane desires.  King Hezekiah of Judah, however, was an exception to this rule.  Acting contrary to his unfaithful father, he destroyed idols and reformed public worship.  In his greatest trial he turned to the Lord for mercy and was not denied.

We read today the account of Assyria’s siege of Jerusalem.  Having subjected the Northern Kingdom, its powerful army and was bearing on Hezekiah’s Southern Kingdom.  The king recognized his desperate situation and prayed to the Lord for deliverance.  In one of the most remarkable turnabouts in recorded history, Assyria retreated without assaulting Jerusalem.

God hears the prayer of His faithful servants.  We can live assured of this.  His response to our request is not always what we desire, but it does bring us peace.  Having fulfilled His will, we can look forward to experiencing now the beginnings of His glory.

Monday, June 22, 2026

 

(Optional) Memorial of Saint John Fisher, Bishop and Saint Thomas More, Martyrs

(II Kings 17:5-8.13-15a.18; Matthew 7:1-5)

Today’s first reading demonstrates the viewpoint of the Deuteronomic author (or authors).  This writer composed or at least edited the Book of Deuteronomy and several other Old Testament works including the two Books of Kings.  Deuteronomic theology sounds to many rather karma-like.  It teaches that if you do good, you will be rewarded and if you do bad, you are doomed.

In the first reading the tit-for-tat is straight forward.  The Samarians (that is the inhabitants of the Northern Kingdom (also called Israel and Ephraim) repeatedly violated Israel’s law.  They paid for their transgressions with deportation from their land.  Today’s gospel is more conventional, at least for Christians. Jesus tells his disciples not to judge, by which he means not to condemn others quickly.  If they do, he warns, God’s judgment of them in eternity will be swift and severe.

We see the two martyrs in this conventional light.  Both were beheaded for testifying to the supreme authority of the pope in the Church.  They are remembered after almost 500 years among England’s most renowned saints.  Thomas More has been lionized by the play and movie A Man for All Seasons.  John Fisher is recognized as a brilliant bishop whose theology influenced the Council of Trent.  More importantly, they have been rewarded with seats in the Kingdom of heaven.

Sunday, June 21, 2026

 

TWELFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, JUNE 21, 2026

(Jeremiah 20:10-13; Romans 5:12-15; Matthew 10:26-33)

Once again the gospel today imparts a basic lesson for growth in the spiritual life. The passage is taken from Jesus' “apostolic discourse,” one of the five lessons that along with their accompanying narratives constitute the body of Matthew’s Gospel. We can think of it as preliminary instructions for the great sending of the apostles at the end of the work.

As Pope Saint John Paul II used to tell all Catholics, Jesus warns his apostles: “'Do not fear.'” Afraid of what? In the first three centuries of the Church, the lives of Christians were in danger because of their beliefs and practices. This type of persecution still exists in China, several Muslim countries and some parts of Africa. But it is rare in Western nations.

However, there is another type of fear among us. Many fear being belittled or considered out of touch and not “cool” if they live the faith as the Catechism teaches. That is, if we insist on attending Sunday mass even though we have to drive twenty miles or if we leave a movie theater that shows nudity. Some may make fun of us now. But it should not surprise us that in twenty years we will be remembered for having dedicated ourselves to a cause as noble as the conspiracy of charity that is the Catholic Church.

Jesus does not say that all kinds of fear are unnecessary. In fact, he recommends fear of the one “who can throw our soul and body into the place of punishment.” Unfortunately, he does not mention who he is referring to. Who can throw us into hell? Some Bible commentators have said that he has in mind God, his Father. Others think he means the devil. But isn't it true that both – God and the devil – are formidable and merit fear?

We think of the devil more as a person who can seduce us to perdition than as someone who could throw us there. However, the effect would be the same: the perpetual loss of happiness. By the way, if we do not accept terms like “devil” and “Satan,” we can change them to “evil” or “the web of evil.” What we are saying is that our natural tendencies toward  goods such as pleasure, power, and prestige can become disordered so that they suffocate us. That is, they can extinguish our desire to have just relationships with God and neighbor.

Certainly God can throw us into hell, but would He? Maybe not in the sense of forcing us out of His care. However, He has created us with free will to be responsible men and women. Furthermore, he has sent us his own Son to break the bonds of sin and light the paths to justice. If we wish to reject all these advantages, He will not prevent us from separating ourselves from Him.

Yes, we must fear God, particularly when we lack maturity. But once we grow in wisdom, fear turns into love like a caterpillar turns into a butterfly. We recognize that our happiness remains with Him and not with the praise of drinking buddies. For this reason, the Word of God stipulates that fear of God is only “the beginning of wisdom.” We are truly wise when we cling to God like a child to his father in the middle of a crowd at a soccer match.

Since we have mentioned soccer, we can conclude with a comment about the World Cup. In previous years the competition was associated with much illicit pleasure. Obviously, the participants in the disordered activities were immature people despite being millionaires. They needed the fear of God to put them on the right path. But fans who are also friends of God always thank him for having created athletes with such skill as a Lionel Messi or a Kylian Mbappé. For them, football is an exciting pastime, but not as importance as Sunday mass.  It gives them even more reason to glorify God for all He has done.

Friday, June 19, 2026

 Friday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time

(II Kings 11:1-4.9-18.20; Matthew 6:190-23)

The first reading today is long and impossible to appreciate without awareness of its context.  It forms an episode in the saga of the kings of Judah and Israel.  Athaliah is the daughter of the wicked King Ahab and Jezebel of Israel.  She is also the wife of King Jehoram of Judah.  When her husband and son are killed, Athaliah attempts to have all Jehoram’s sons by other mothers slain so that she can rule Judah.  Her plan is foiled as one of Jehoram’s sons survives Athaliah’s massacre and comes to rule the nation.  The saga demonstrates what Jesus teaches his disciples with his difficult parable.

“’The lamp of the body is the eye,’” Jesus tells his disciples.  He is saying that we look into ourselves with the same eyes that we see the world.  If we see the world as the locus of growth in truth and goodness, we will find in ourselves the seeds of virtue to be cultivated.  But if we look at the world primarily as opportunities for more fame, wealth, or pleasure, we will mostly desire to satisfy our basest needs.

Although Scripture testifies to God’s plan for us, it can be opaque at times.  We need to use its clearer parts to help us interpret the problematic ones.  Its long and rich contents provide material to ponder and contemplate as we make our way through life.  Hopefully, it will guide us to God’s Kingdom.

Thursday, June 18, 2026

 

Thursday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time

(Sirach 48:1-14; Matthew 6:7-15)

A man was hurt as a child by the school’s bully.  His arm was twisted behind his back until its ligaments were torn from the bone.  The injury caused intense pain at the moment and long afterwards. He resented his offender until he experienced a conversion when he was writing him a letter about the trouble he caused.

One day, the man found his abuser’s picture and a description of his activities in an Internet search.  The former bad boy was the director of a large trucking company.  The man began a grudge letter but then stopped realizing that he harbored hatred.  The letter changed from vindictive to reconciliatory as the man asked forgiveness for his long-term resentment.  He received a gracious letter back, but it was also a bit disappointing.  The former bully said that he honestly could not recall the incident but was sorry for any injury he had caused.

Sometimes we hurt others without realizing the damage that is done.   We cannot make an adequate apology.  We stand helpless before God unable to feel contriteness for our sin.  In light of what Jesus says in today’s gospel, we should ask God to forgive not only the offenses we are conscious of but also those which we do not realize that we made.  Likewise, we pray that we may forgive others even when – as is sometimes the case -- they do not realize how they have offended us.

Wednesday, June 17, 2026

 

Wednesday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time

(II Kings 2:1.6-14; Matthew 6:1-6.16-18))

There are two transitions in today’s first reading.  Obviously, Elijah is giving Elisha his authority to speak on behalf of God.  The younger prophet will need a double portion of Elijah’s spirit to face the new challenges of his generation.  Elijah defeated the threat of the Baalites to Israel.  But other false gods and empty promises will attract the people.  Elisha will need to assert God’s ongoing presence in their midst.

The second transition is the forever changing times.  Things never stay the same but are always in flux.  Seniors today recall the pre-computer age.  Television threatened the development of children in the 1950s.  Artificial Intelligence reached instantly through smartphones has become the culprit today.  Will our children overcome the challenges of technology to remain peaceful and loving?

They can if they disconnect long enough to hear the voice of God spoken within their hearts.  He will tell them not to worry about being better than others but try to serve the needy.  He will assure them of His love but assert that the world does not revolve around them.  He is at its center with the Son in the Spirit forever making things new.

Tuesday, June 16, 2026

 

Tuesday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time

(I Kings 21:17-29; Matthew 5:43-48)

Biblical theologian John Meier found Jesus’ command, “Love your enemy,” unique.  He examined all extant Jewish and pagan literature before and during Jesus’ lifetime without locating any equivalent saying.  For Meier this indicated that the words come directly from Jesus.  That is, he was convinced that the command could not have been borrowed from another source and attributed to Jesus as “the kind of thing he would say.”  “Love your enemy” may be jarring to those who hear it for the first time, but it is not the only statement of today’s gospel that wakes one from slumber.

Jesus tells his disciples to “’be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.’”  This statement sounds almost neurotic.  Conventional wisdom states that “perfection is the enemy of the good.”  Mothers advise their children that only God is perfect and that humans must accept their fallibility.  But Jesus remains unsparing in his command.  His disciples are to become like God in their relations with others; that is, they must treat everyone justly.

Before putting aside Jesus’ command as impossible, impractical, or self-destructive, we need to consider something.  These dictates come with grace of the Holy Spirit.  He is the very presence of God who does not merely help but transforms us.  We are no longer crippled by sin but walk as God’s children. As Bach’s children wrote music approaching the glory of their father’s work so too can our virtue resemble the perfection of our heavenly Father’s.

Monday, June 15, 2026

 

Monday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time

(I Kings 21:1-16; Matthew 5:43-48)

“’Frailty, thy name is woman,’” Prince Hamlet says of his mother, the queen, in Shakespeare’s play.  But it is not true.  Some women, like Lady Macbeth in another Shakespearean play, are as hard as the seats in the church basement.  There is nothing frail either about Queen Jezebel in the first reading.  As her husband, the king, pouts over not being able to obtain a parcel of land, she cooks up a treachery that would impress the Godfather.  She not only defrauds but murders to steal the land away.  Then she triply defies God’s law by arranging false witnesses testify that they heard poor Naboth curse God.  Not frailty but pure wickedness characterizes this dame!

Some may see Jezebel as a figure of the archetypal Eve and cast all women in a negative hue.  But that characterization is erroneous as well as villainous.  In Genesis, both Adam and Eve willingly share the forbidden fruit.  In contemporary life, men much more typically than women commit heinous crimes.  What sin always demonstrates, however, is the human need of redemption.  Somehow humans must be freed from the burden of guilt attached to their crimes.

“...all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God. They are justified freely by his grace through the redemption in Christ Jesus...,” declares St. Paul in the Letter to the Romans.  Christ has freed Jews and Greeks, men and women, the dark and the light complexioned from the guilt which would hold them in sin like a car stuck in sand.  We celebrate this redemption in the Eucharist.  Here he frees us from our wanton desire to possess, dominate, and even to kill like King Ahab and Queen Jezebel.

 

Sunday, June 14, 2026

Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time 

(Exodus 19:2-6a; Romans 5:6-11; Matthew 9:36–10:8)

This Sunday we resume reading the Gospel according to Saint Matthew. It will be our guide until Advent. Matthew’s Gospel emphasizes discipleship.  It teaches us how best to serve the Lord.

In today’s reading, Jesus notices how much the people need pastoral care. He sees them as “troubled and abandoned.” To a large extent, the Jewish leadership has failed them. The scribes are preoccupied with the minutiae of the law, while the people long to hear about God’s love. The Pharisees seek places of honor at banquets, while the people need to know how to respond to God’s goodness.

The lack of adequate pastoral accompaniment continues today. However, the problem is not so much that people feel “troubled and abandoned.” Rather, the faithful are often confused and bewildered by the things they see around them. Many people in Western society desire affirmation even when they act in ways that were once considered abominations. The problem is not so much that they want to tattoo their arms up to their shoulders or dye their hair green. Rather, they show little regard for the primacy of the family. They want to live with their partner outside of marriage, to have a same-sex partner, or even to change their biological sex.

These irregularities become particularly visible during this month of June, designated by some as “pride month.” It seems strange to us that so many people want to boast publicly about things that were once considered private. As disciples of Jesus, how should we respond? Jesus’ recommendation in the gospel that we pray to the Father is particularly appropriate. These sexual matters are profound and sensitive. Wisdom is needed to address them appropriately. What else could we do?

In the first reading, God indicates what He wants from Israel. He says that they will be His chosen people if they keep His commandments. He adds that he will protect the nation as long as it maintains the covenant it has made with Him. In addition to advising prayer, in the gospel Jesus chooses the Twelve Apostles to proclaim this same message of election and protection. He sends them particularly to those who have gone astray to guide them back to the right path. The message remains relevant today.

God's love does not allow us to condone habits that distance those involved from Him. Behaviors such as having sex outside of marriage do precisely this. We may have the opportunity to speak honestly and openly to those in these situations. If so, we can convey to them how their actions offend God. At the same time, we want to hear their personal histories if they are willing to share them. In this way, the give and take will foster mutual understanding and goodwill.

Let's take the case of a Catholic school teacher who has a child in her class with two fathers and no mother. Some might wonder if the school administration should admit children in this situation. However, the Church does not consider admission impermissible in such cases. It reasons that the child will receive a Catholic education. It can be further hoped that by dialoguing with the teacher, his parents will come to value chastity. At the same time, the teacher will learn something about the reasons for and difficulties of having homosexual tendencies.

One might ask if our era is the best time to live in history. Who knows? It is true that we live more comfortably today than at any other time in history. On the other hand, it may be harder now than ever to convey the teaching of Christ. Nevertheless, we are called as ever to follow the Lord Jesus. We must ask for his help as we proclaim his truth.

Friday, June 12, 2026

 

Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus

(Deuteronomy 7:6-11; I John 4:7-16; Matthew 11:25-30)

Some Christians still believe that there is a qualitative difference between “the God of the Old Testament” and “the God of the New.”  In the Old, they say, God is primarily wrathful, even vengeful, with inklings of tenderness.  In the New Testament, they would say, Jesus reveals God to be much kinder and gentler.  Jesus certainly emphasized the Father’s loving kindness, but so do the prophets of the Old Testament.  In the first reading Moses does not refrain from speaking of God’s merciful love.

We might note as well Jesus’ God never hesitating to correct His people when necessary.  The context of today’s gospel is Jesus’ chastising Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum. Their failure to believe in him as God’s Son, despite his powerful preaching and mighty deeds, required disciplining.  Fortunately, not all reject Jesus.  It is the poorer, lesser educated who tend to accept him.  To these he offers his yoke of wisdom.

Jesus’ wisdom is a product of both his brain and his heart.  By “brain” we understand correct assessment of right and wrong.  By “heart” we mean a proclivity to forgive. Jesus’ heart was pierced on the cross and drained of its life blood but hardly of his mercy.  It dispenses forgiveness where our sins deserve punishment.

Thursday, June 11, 2026

 Memorial of Saint Barnabas, apostle

 (Acts 11:21b-26.13:1-3; Matthew 5:1-12)

St. Barnabas is mentioned a number of times in Acts and the letters of St. Paul.  From all that is said, he is an exemplary Christian disciple.  He donates the proceeds from the sale of his land to the community of disciples (Acts 4:36-37).  He is sent to Antioch as a representative of the Church to investigate the new Christian community there.  One may find in him the gifts of patience and mercy in an incident that occurred while preaching with Paul.  Barnabas’ desire to allow John Mark to rejoin the preaching team after previously abandoning the project contrasts with Paul’s demand that he stay behind (Acts 15:39).

Today’s reading from Acts even testifies to his virtue calling him “a good man full of the Holy Spirit and of faith” (Acts 11:24).  The same Spirit asks that he and Paul be set aside for missionary work (Acts 13:2). It further indicates his ability by naming Barnabas the first of the prophets and teachers at Antioch.

 We should imitate Barnabas.  We certainly can be generous with what we own.  We can also be people of faith ready to forgive others.  We should also speak up in favor of Jesus and the Church.  Jesus’ teachings of self-sacrificial love are called into question by radical groups today.  The Church has detractors for its stand in favor of the assignment of gender with DNA code, the integrity of marriage between a man and a woman, and the dignity of life from conception to natural death. Jesus never doubted these natural truths as he showed us our destiny with God through his Paschal experience.

Wednesday, June 10, 2026

 

Wednesday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time

(I Kings 18:20-39; Matthew 5:19-19)

It should be no wonder why Israel is looking to Baal for salvation.  Their land has had draught conditions for years.  The people need rain in order to survive.  Yahweh seems deaf to their pleas.  Then they hear their neighbors speak of Baal, the god of rain, lightning, and fertility.  They say to themselves, “Why not give this god a try?”

Elijah, however, knows that appealing to Baal will only bring ruin to Israel.  He realizes that the reason for the draught is not an indifferent Yahweh.  Rather, Yahweh is chastising them for their faithlessness.  The infidelity is epitomized by their wicked king Ahab.  Elijah challenges the prophets of Baal to a test.  If Baal exists, then as the god of lightening, he should be able to easily burn his prophets’ offering.  But, of course, he doesn’t exist and cannot consume the offering.  Yahweh, however, burns up Elijah’s sacrifice, even after the prophet has made it hard to do so.

Don’t many people – perhaps some of us -- worship Baals?  They attach superhuman status to entertainers, politicians, and athletes.  These people try to fulfill their needs for doing well and being recognized by identifying with these celebrities.  They may even wear their jerseys, copy their hairstyles, or imitate their mannerisms.  Such attention to gifted but inevitably flawed heroes may bring a little euphoria but cannot bring happiness.  Worse, it diverts one from following the true God revealed in Jesus Christ.  If this portrait describes us, we must stop worshipping Baal and concentrate on following Jesus.

Tuesday, June 9, 2026

 

Tuesday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time

(II Kings7:7-16; Matthew 5:13-16)

As the United States celebrates its semiquincentennial, its citizens will recall a famous sermon preached by John Winthrop, the governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.  In 1630, Winthrop told a shipfull of Puritan colonists that they would be like “a city on a hill” of which the world would take notice.  He exhorted the people to reflect the decency and justice which their faith espoused. The analogy was taken from today’s gospel passage.

In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus coins the expression “a city on a hill.”  He means, of course, that his disciples should lead exemplary lives of virtue.  He himself is the lamp to be reflected by every household as a guide for all the world.  Living as he teaches, they would make of the earth the forerunner of God’s Kingdom.

The United States is not a Christian nation.  It is composed of adherents to many different religious traditions and of people without faith.  Yet its founding principles are largely in line with Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount.  It has always advocated the primacy of law, the virtue of charity, the value of freedom, and (yes) the necessity of belief in God.  It has been “a city on a hill” that has not only guided many to its shores but has served as a model for other nations.