Tag Archives: reflections

Reflections on Wednesday of the First Week of Advent

December 3, 2013 – 5:05 pm

Read today’s readings from the USCCB

By Sam Pierre

Advent is a time that I often catch myself dreaming of home. The celebration of a recently married couple inviting a new member into their family always makes my heart yearn for my own family. It truly is a time when I simply want to shut myself in with those who mean the most to me and smile contentedly about how much love surrounds me. And yet, today’s first reading reminds me of how much more overwhelming the thought is of living in the house of the Lord. Our Psalm points out a similar theme in that, “I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for years to come.” We have reason to eagerly await our invitation into Heaven: rich foods, choice wines…I mean, Jesus throws a heck of a Christmas party! The Apostles, popes, archangels, the Blessed Virgin Mary; it’s a pretty great guest list to be on!
Meditating on the joy of living in the house of the Lord puts my heart in a beautiful state of peace and excited anticipation. However, sometimes I get homesick for Heaven and ignore the reality in which I live now. That love which we anticipate enjoying fully in Eternity is the same love which we must share with God’s people on earth.

Someone had to give up his/her dinner in order for Jesus to perform his miracle in today’s Gospel reading. Sure, Jesus did the heavy lifting when it came to multiplying the seven loaves and a few fish, but someone donated that food. Similarly, Jesus only performed the miracle, he did not walk around physically feeding the crowd, other hands served in that way. Jesus “needed” the service of those around him in order to fully bless the crowd that day.

In what ways is God calling each of us to be his hands and feet? Significant tithing is a new phenomenon for me. For the first time in my life, I am making a real paycheck and I am recognizing the call to utilize a portion in service to God. And yet, as a severely indebted medical resident, my financial resources are limited. But how many people in today’s Gospel actually served Jesus financially? Only a few. The vast majority served by organizing, spreading the food and cleaning up the leftovers. Could I donate some of my time? Might I carry some granola bars and a few inexpensive winter hats to keep in my car to offer to the homeless guy I pass on my way to the hospital each morning? How about simply going out of my way to offer a word of encouragement to a downtrodden neighbor? In spite of my newfound ability to donate financially, the Gospel is calling me to a well-rounded service approach.

Together let us meditate on the anticipated joy of our invitation into Jesus’ Heavenly party. Then let’s apply the love we derive from that excitement to acting as our Lord’s instruments of service in a multitude of ways during this giving season.

From Creighton University

By The Concho Padre Post | Posted in Uncategorized | Also tagged | Comments Off on Reflections on Wednesday of the First Week of Advent

Monday of the First Week of Advent

December 1, 2013 – 5:32 pm

Monday’s Readings from USCCB

Collect:
Keep us alert, we pray, O Lord our God,
as we await the advent of Christ your Son,
so that when he comes and knocks
he may find us watchful in prayer and exultant in his praise.
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. *

Today’s Readings

Daily Meditation:
That He may instruct us in His ways.
Come, let us walk in the light of the Lord!

We want to begin this journey by rallying ourselves
to turn to the Lord with great hope.
In the midst of many discouraging challenges in our lives
and the violence in the world around us,
we desire to spend this day in anticipation of the graces
our God desires to give us.

They shall beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks;
one nation shall not raise the sword against another,
nor shall they train for war again. Is. 2

Lord, I am not worthy to receive you;
but say only the word and my soul will be healed.

Today’s Daily Reflection

Intercessions:
Christ the Lord, Son of the living God, light from light,
leads us into the light and reveals his holiness.
With confidence, let us make our prayer:
Come, Lord Jesus!

Light that never fades, dispel the mists about us,
– awaken our faith from sleep.

Guard us from all harm today,
– may your glory fill us with joy.

Give us unfailing gentleness at all times,
– toward everyone we meet.

Come to create a new earth for us,
– where there will be justice and peace.

Closing Prayer:
Loving God,
I sense that all is your creation
and everything, and all of us,
are being drawn back toward your loving heart.

Help me to be a person of peace,
to speak about it in an uneasy world,
and to live it among the people
you have put into my life every day.

Light in me a desire to prepare for your coming
to stand in the darkness, waiting, eager and filled with joy.

From Creighton University

By The Concho Padre Post | Posted in Uncategorized | Also tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Monday of the First Week of Advent

Reflections for the Mass Readings for Tuesday

November 25, 2013 – 5:50 pm

Read today’s readings from the US Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Everything that’s built by human beings can be destroyed. That’s why something like the Great Pyramids of Egypt are so awesome: not simply because they are so colossal, but because they have—to an amazing extent—survived the ravages of time. You can think of one of the large cities on the West Coast of our own country (Los Angeles, for example): from the air, as you fly into the area, you can be filled with awe. And yet an earthquake could destroy everything in the area in a matter of minutes.

Through the prophet Daniel, God wanted King Nebuchadnezzar to know that his kingdom, so dear to him, could and would undergo destruction. Other kingdoms would take its place, but they, too, would last only a time. The prophecy of Daniel foreshadowed the words of Jesus, when he spoke of the Temple of Jerusalem: it, like everything built by human beings, will be destroyed. These are not the sorts of things to place our hope in.

Daniel also prophesied that God would set up a kingdom that would not be destroyed. There was no way that Daniel could understand this prophecy, but through Daniel, God was speaking about the Church: not church buildings (even Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome will someday fall), but the Church herself, made up of “living stones”. Those who place their faith in Christ the King will have eternal life.

The Catholic Diocese of Wichita

By The Concho Padre Post | Posted in Uncategorized | Also tagged , , | Comments Off on Reflections for the Mass Readings for Tuesday

Reflections for Saturday, October 12

October 11, 2013 – 6:15 pm

Click here to see today’s readings.

Today’s First Reading from the Book of Joel is taken from its final chapter. The second half of Joel concerns the judgment of the LORD at some unspecified future time. This “day of the LORD” is described in apocalyptic terms that are much more sweeping than the prophecies Joel makes in the first half of the book.

Eschatology is the branch of theology that concerns “the last things”. The Greek word “eschaton” means “end” in the sense of “goal” or “fulfillment”. In both the Old and New Testaments, the “end times” includes the LORD’s judgment. But with the coming of the Gospel, this judgment was revealed in a new light. That light, of course, is “the light of the world” [John 8:12]: Jesus Christ.

Old Testament eschatology, however, is not without hope even if it is without saving knowledge of the One who will bring that hope. Today’s First Reading uses language that can seem dramatic and frightening, but which is finally reassuring for those who are truly the LORD’s people. For example, we hear today that the “heavens and the earth quake, but the LORD is a refuge to His people….” For us Christians, we can reflect on this First Reading in light of the Church being the People of God, and how our sharing in the life of the Church reflects our closeness to the Lord Himself

Diocese of Wichita

By The Concho Padre Post | Posted in Uncategorized | Also tagged , | Comments Off on Reflections for Saturday, October 12

Thoughts about today’s readings

July 11, 2013 – 4:18 pm

Read today’s readings.

Jesus is still talking with his disciples on their role as Apostles. He basically tells them what to do and say.

Their most important message is to proclaim that the Kingdom of God is at hand. That kingdom is, of course, present in Jesus, and it will also be present in the Apostles who are called to do the same things that Jesus is doing.

In this day and age, all of us are also called to proclaim the kingship of God by our words and actions. The Church itself is called to bring healing to people where it is needed.

There are so many different things affecting peoples’ lives and breaking their spirit, that we must acknowledge that there is a lot of work to be done for them in the name of Christ. Each of us is called, but we must respond in our own way, at our own pace, using the gifts that have been given to us, and acknowledging our own situation in life at this time.

Jesus tells the Apostles to travel lightly. This sort of put into my mind the words of Pope Francis just last weekend, when he was addressing seminarians and novices in a special gathering at the Vatican. The Pope told them not to have the latest cell phones and the finest cars. He said that these things are important tools, but that the true disciple will only have what is necessary to proclaim the Good News. Extravagance is not a good evangelizing method.

I guess if we wanted to have some type of modern model for what Jesus is requesting of his followers, I think it would the Missionaries of Charity, founded by Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta. To this day, the Sisters follow the theological life of poverty, chastity, and obedience. In their ministry they may have to use some of the modern tools, but their main work remains to serve the poorest of the poor, the homeless, the sick, the rejected. Mother Teresa once said that “I do own things but they do not own me.”

How many of us could say the same thing about some of our possessions? This is where Mother Teresa and her Sisters are so different from us!

We might ask ourselves two questions as we ponder the readings for today. Where is our real security? What kind of service and hospitality do we give to others in need?

The Concho Padre

By The Concho Padre Post | Posted in Uncategorized | Also tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Thoughts about today’s readings