Sunday 1 June
Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Deuteronomy 11: 18. 26-28. 32,Ps 31,Romans 3: 21-25. 28,Matthew 7: 21-27
Listen… and act!
Hamlet observed, “one may smile, and smile, and be a villain.” It seems that lip service is not enough; faith must be alive and effective. I suppose it is easy to confess God with our lips, and deny God with our lives. It is seldom hard to recite the Creed, but it can be hard to live the Christian life. Jesus asks that we not only hear, or assent, but that we act as well. In what ways do we listen AND act? In what ways do we just listen?
Monday 2 June
Ordinary Weekday - 2 Peter 1: 2-7,Ps 91,Mark 12: 1-12
Let us begin
Now it is time to be good news and express in our lives all the extraordinary experiences and knowledge of God that has been shared with us. Let us begin. We have everything necessary for a life of utter goodness. Remember that we do this primarily together in community, as a family. We are warned: just because we know of God doesn’t mean that we do God’s will. We have inherited everything from God, but what are we doing with it?
Tuesday 3 June
Charles Lwanga & Co. - 2 Peter 3: 11-15,17-18,Ps 90, Mark 12: 13-17
Heads or tails?
Jesus had an amazing ability to deal with those who would trap him. He was challenging his audience to be as exact in serving God as they were at serving Caesar. The true measure of our worth has to do with the likeness and image not on our coins, but on who we are as a person. What is God’s? What is the State’s? Let’s remember though that there may not be as much difference between the sacred and the secular as we once may have thought.
Wednesday 4 June
Ordinary Weekday - 2 Timothy 1: 1-3. 6-12, Ps 123, Mark 12: 18-27
A little Heaven on earth
Paul exhorts Timothy to be bold and let loose the Spirit that he has been given, to express it in wisdom and testimony that is strong and loving, and to be holy. We have been entrusted with the grace of Jesus and we are to live in that light and power.
The Sadducees mock Jesus about eternal life, but he boldly tells them they know nothing. God is the God of life, and that is meant to be ever more abundant life here and now. Do we experience something of this in our lives?
Thursday 5 June
St.Boniface - 2 Timothy 2: 8-15,Ps 25,Mark 12: 28-34
The newness of love
The fact that Jesus tied the first part of the commandment to the second is a new way of thinking, as is his all-inclusiveness of neighbour. Jesus is clear about love: love God with all your heart, soul, mind, resources-strength, and love your neighbour with all your heart, soul, mind, resources-strength and we will be drawing near to the reality of God, here and now. There is an extremely intimate bond between love of God and love of neighbour. To what extent do we love as God calls us to?
Friday 6 June
St Marcellin Champagnat - Tobias 3.1-11,16-17,Ps25,Mark 12:18-27
A form of flattery
We learn how to live by watching and imitating those who live the Word of God and part of that learning is to know that there will be suffering, hardships and even persecution if we are faithful. All that is needed is found in the Scriptures: use it for teaching, training in holiness, faithfulness and wisdom. We read the Scriptures daily, food for our souls and minds, the foundation of our lives and conversions, and learn more and more what it means to call Jesus: “Lord.” What does calling Jesus Lord really mean for us?
Saturday 7 June
Ordinary Weekday - 2 Timothy 4: 1-8,Ps 71,Mark 12: 38-44
Living and Giving
It was Winston Churchill who said that we make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give. This observation seems to capture well what lies at the heart of our gospel reading. Jesus is clear: the widow, unknown to others who gave out of her very sustenance, her survival, is the one to observe, and not those who are flashy and public in what it means to be a believer. We are practising to give our lives, not for public auditions. How might we learn from the widow’s example of generosity of spirit?
Sunday 8 June
Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Hosea 6: 3-6,Ps 50,Romans 4: 18-25, Matthew 9: 9-13
Jesus actually mixes with THEM!
Jesus is blunt with the good religious, self-righteous ones: Read the Scriptures about what God wants: “What I want is mercy, not sacrifice. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.” He is mocking them - they have reduced the desire of God down to empty ritual and organized religion, rather than its heart and soul - conversion and holiness and forgiveness of others that lures them back into community and the practice of forgiveness and justice in gratitude. Jesus is calling us. Which group would he find us in-the religious self-righteous or those knowing they have been touched by mercy?
Monday 9 June
Ordinary Weekday - 1 Kings 17: 1-6,Ps 121,Matthew 5: 1-12
Not entrance requirements
Beatitude is a very special word that contains elements of loveliness, joy, happiness and inner peacefulness. The beatitudes are about an all-embracing vision of what true humanity can be like. To view our life as blessed doesn’t mean a lack of hardship, a denial of pain, or a Pollyanna smiley face approach to life. The beatitudes are more about qualities that bring us to a deeper relationship with God and neighbour. Which beatitude(s) capture the spirit of your life?
Tuesday 10 June
Ordinary Weekday - 1 Kings 17: 7-16,Ps 4,Matthew 5: 13-16
Have you put salt on these?
There are so many instances in our language where salt is mentioned. Not worth their salt. With a grain of salt. Rub salt into the wound. Salt is the root of many words. Any town ending in ‘wich’ produced salt. Salzburg literally means “salt town”. Salt was crucial for life. This alludes to the fact that Jesus was using a very much understood metaphor from his time. We are called to be salt of the earth. Maybe the next time we use salt – let us be consciously aware that we are called to be the pure salt as followers of Jesus.
Wednesday 11 June
Barnabas - Acts 11: 21b-26; 13: 1-3,Ps 98, Matthew 10: 7-13
Those seven words
These words capture the message: The kingdom of heaven is at hand. The twelve must have wondered. The work they were to carry out sounded impossible: cure the sick, raise the dead. Instead of going in splendour, they were told to go around without money or purse. The gift that they had received, they were to give as a gift. They were to remove any possession that could weigh them down in any way. They must always keep their eye on the gospel message. In what ways can we be hindered in totally following Jesus?
Thursday 12 June
Ordinary Weekday - 1 Kings 18: 41-46, Ps 65,Matthew 5: 20-26
One word short of danger
The word ‘anger’ is one letter short of ‘danger’. Jesus realises what modern psychology is finding to be true: for the avoidance of heart attacks, overall good physical health is needed, and for the protection of society, basic attitudes need healing. He is also honing in on another truth that can be difficult to admit: the sinfulness of the deeper attitude of anger has the potential to lead to so many other damaging acts. Yes, there is a just anger, but Jesus is warning against an anger that broods and seeks revenge. What do we get angry about and why?
Friday 13 June
Anthony of Padua - 1 Kings 19: 9, 11-16,Ps 27,Matthew 5: 27-32
The capacity to love
We can’t say that our private thoughts are harmless and hurt no-one. They can, when we think about it, cripple our dedication, love and single-mindedness towards others. Whatever harm or good is done by anyone has its origin in the heart, the symbol of what is most intimate to the human person. Purity of heart increases our capacity to love, and for love. Maybe that is why Pope Benedict wrote his first encyclical on love. How would we describe our own capacity to love? For love?
Saturday 14 June
Ordinary Weekday - 1 Kings 19: 19-21,Ps 16,Matthew 5: 33-37
Not a game of words
Jesus is attempting to make his disciples followers with intensity, integrity and passion for obedience to God’s word, and to be holy as he is. And he goes for the heart of all matters: oaths, swearing, and the use of words in religion. He is interested in what is far beyond lip service; what touches our very being, where we are, who we are, and where we really stand before God and one another. In Jesus’ ethics, truthfulness is assured not by oaths but by inner integrity. If that is recognised in us, our word will be our bond.
Sunday 15 June
Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time - Exodus 19: 2-6,Ps 100,Romans 5: 6-11,Matthew 9: 36 – 10: 8
Break out of the little ice-cubes
Saint John Chrysostom wrote: “Nothing is colder than a Christian who does not care for the salvation of others.” Isn’t this so true. Jesus is showing us that he needs people in his work. The Church is not a business and Jesus wants us to be aware that we are not involved in wielding power over others but rather for others. It is not a case of might is right but rather might for right. It’s a power to care, to share and to heal. Let this attitude enable us to find joy in being God’s people.
Monday 16 June
Ordinary Weekday - 1 Kings 21: 1-16,Ps 5,Matthew 5: 38-42
NZ’s shame – it’s not OK
We know only too well that NZ has an atrocious record when it comes to the level of violent abuse and especially of those most vulnerable. As the adverts say “it is not OK.” That is exactly what Jesus is saying when he condemns it outright: no murder, no violence, no harm to another; and then goes on to say that we must learn to live by offering no violent resistance no matter what is done to us. What practical steps can we take to eliminate violence in our neighbourhood?
Tuesday 17 June
Ordinary Weekday - 1 Kings 21: 17-29,Ps 51,Matthew 5: 43-48
Do we really have to?
This would have to be one of the most difficult parts of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Surely this is taking Christianity too far! But Jesus has taught this. He is talking not just of those people that we don’t like, those who rub us up the wrong way. He is talking about people who hate us. In our dealings with other people, both the friend and the enemy, we are called to be large-minded, wide open and generous. This is what being Christ-like is about. What is my love really like?
Wednesday 18 June
Ordinary Weekday - 2 Kings 2: 1. 6-14,Ps 31,Matthew 6: 1-6. 16-18
Blowing our own trumpet
It has been said that blowing your own trumpet produces sour notes! People who must always be seen and praised are not healthy people. They can be so taken-up with themselves that others find it difficult to relate to them. Jesus teaches this so as to remind us that our relationship with God be a living, personal one. Let our prayers and actions enable us to do our work better and to fulfil our duties as well as having a decisive influence on our relationships. Any sour notes we need to silence?
Thursday 19 June
Ordinary Weekday - Sirach(Ecclesiasticus) 48: 1-14,Ps 97,Matthew 6: 7-15
You have no need of our praise
You have no need of our praise, yet our desire to give you thanks is itself your gift. So are the words from one of our prefaces at Mass. Jesus is asserting that it is quality of prayer rather than quantity. In the Lord’s Prayer he gives an example of a short prayer. Despite its brevity, Tertullian called the Lord’s Prayer “truly a summary of the whole Gospel”. In many ways it expresses our identity and has many overtones for a life lived in justice. When we pray the ‘Our Father’ what is it we are praying for?
Friday 20 June
Ordinary Weekday - 2 Kings 11:1-4, 9-18, 20,Ps 132,Matthew 6: 19-23
You can’t take it with you
I recall a priest once saying that he has never seen a hearse with a trailer being towed behind it! It was his way of saying what Jesus is advising us in our Gospel. Many people in Jesus’ time hoarded their currency and their clothes. Our treasures will not last long, being fragile and perishable. Nothing on earth is worth putting our heart into in an absolute way. To what do I give my heart? Exactly what is my treasure? What do I usually think about? The Lord is our one real and absolute fortune.
Saturday 21 June
Aloysius Gonzaga - 2 Chronicles 24: 17-25,Ps 89,Matthew 6: 24-34
Let it go
If I am honest I probably tend to worry a little too much. Deep down I know it is not good and Jesus has some very good perspective. Worry is unproductive at the least and counterproductive at the worst. Jesus’ advice isn’t against planning for the future. What he is saying though is to be aware that worrying about undue cares makes life colourless and joyless. Worry cannot change the future. We also need to remember that if God cares for the birds of the air, God will certainly care for us! What’s on your mind as you read this?
Sunday 22 June
Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Jeremiah 20: 10-13,Ps 69,Romans 5: 12-15, Matthew 10: 26-33
Truth will triumph
We must shout what we have heard in the Gospel from the housetops no matter what is happening in the world. We must stand up with words of truth and not be afraid of what those with power in the world can do to us. We must live with the courage of the Spirit - with grace to endure and stand up with Jesus truthfully. This is our resurrection life that began in baptism and we practise this all our lives, in good times and hard times, alone if need be, and with our communities. What is truth?
Monday 23 June
Ordinary Weekday - 2 Kings 17: 5-8. 13-15. 18, Ps 60, Matthew 7: 1-5
Exaggerate our neighbour’s faults!
We do not need to be everyone’s conscience, but we do need to have sound judgement. As humans we are bound to make judgement calls so that life may be lived with wisdom. Parents, employers, teachers, judges and the like all have this obligation. So what is this reading all about? I guess it is saying that we have to clean up our act before we start on someone else’s. How much do I judge another and why?
Tuesday 24 June
Birthday of John the Baptist - Isaiah 49: 1-6,Ps 139,Acts 13:22-26Luke 1: 57-66. 80
It’s a good name
John: called from his mother’s womb, a prophet sent to the heart of the people. He lives to declare the coming of the light and restore Israel, to go before the face of the Lord to come. He is known only by God and when he is born the tradition shifts. He is named John, beloved of God not in the line of his father’s family. What will this child be? Let us celebrate everything that John was and reflect on how we can continue to prepare places for the Lord.
Wednesday 25 June
Ordinary Weekday - 2 Kings 22: 8-13; 23: 1-3,Ps 119,Matthew 7: 15-20
A lesson in horticulture
Again and again, we begin. We must look to our lives, our relationships, our churches and communities, our ways in the world, and see what fruit we are bearing for others: thorns, prickly plants, decayed trees, rotten fruit? Or grapes, figs, good fruit and sound trees: life that nourishes and sustains and brings joy? A tree doesn’t of itself generally go bad in a single moment but decays gradually from within. How easy is it to distinguish the good from the bad in our lives?
Thursday 26 June
Ordinary Weekday - 2 Kings 24: 8-17, Ps 79,Matthew 7: 21-29
Spiritual pyrotechnics
Many people – all of us at times – can find it easy to confess God with our mouths and don’t really follow up with actively doing what we profess. Jesus points out that a prophet’s spiritual pyrotechnics (exorcisms, miracles and the like) don’t by themselves guarantee the fullness of the spiritual life. Knowledge must be translated into action, theory into practice and the study of God into the love of God. Jesus is asking that we not only hear, but that we perform as well. As people of faith let us have the courage to act decisively with and for Jesus.
Friday 27 June
Ordinary Weekday - 2 Kings 25: 1-12 ,Ps 137,Matthew 8: 1-4
He touched him
The religion of Jesus is about living in the world, with its sufferings, illness, wars, politics and economics, and society. And yet there lives the alternative of hope: healing, drawing-in those excluded, welcoming and bringing life to all in circumstances of harm, misery, hunger and lack. It is the will of God for life for all. This is our life daily. The leper had gone beyond his legal rights in even speaking to Jesus. Jesus identified with the outcast and touched him and in doing so became unclean himself. Who are the lepers in our lives?
Saturday 28 June
Irenaeus - Lamentations 2: 2. 10-14. 18-19,Ps 74, Matthew 8: 5-17
Your pain is my pain
A Roman centurion comes to Jesus and says, “Command my servant to be healed.” As a leader he knows the power of the word and he amazes Jesus with his faith. The nationality, gender, social status, or mental or moral condition – none of that makes any difference. The pain of every person becomes a part of him. Our pain becomes part of Jesus. When was the last time we amazed Jesus with our obedience to his word and expression of faith in our deeds?
Sunday 29 June
Peter and Paul - Acts 12: 1-11,Ps 34,2 Timothy 4: 6-8. 17-18, Matthew 16: 13-19
The keys have been released
Anyone who has bought a house knows only too well the significance of picking up the keys. It marks a significant moment for the purchaser and the vendor. Jesus had been on the road for some time. Who would be able to recognise Jesus for who he was, and who would be able to carry on after he was gone? The question was asked, and Peter blurted out an answer that showed his understanding of Jesus. This moment calls the Church to be truly Christ-like in all of its witness. Is that our experience?
Monday 30 June
Ordinary Weekday (Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time) - Amos 2: 6-10. 13-16, Ps 50,Matthew 8: 18-22
A crucial moment
As we conclude the month of June, let us take a look back over our reflections and finish by reflecting on Jesus’ attitude. It seems that he had offended pretty well most institutions – religious, political and business. His ultimate sacrifice would reveal many other personal qualities. Jesus’ honest advice to those who would follow him was “Look at the price.” Jesus made the point, that in everything, there is a crucial moment to act. Let us go forward throughout the second half of 2008 and rediscover the real Jesus, removing all the layers that have been placed on him over the centuries that hide the One we follow. God bless our journey ahead!
