8th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Jesus tells us in our Gospel this week not to be anxious about food, clothing, or tomorrow.  There are so many things in life that we worry about…is it really that easy to just stop worrying?  We worry when we feel alone, but Jesus challenges us this Sunday to “seek first the kingdom of God.”  We are made, as humans, for deep, rich relationships.  When we seek a deep and rich relationship with God first (and then seek to honor the other relationships in our lives next), then all these things that used to cause us worry just won’t worry us anymore.

This Lent, don’t just give up chocolate or sweets, add something to your life in these amazing 40 days to bring you closer in your relationship with Jesus.

A resource you may find helpful: BestLentEver.com

7th Sunday in Ordinary Time

What does Jesus mean when He says, “Be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect”?  The Greek word for perfect comes from the root word telos, meaning ‘end’.  The Greeks called something ‘perfect’, not because it was flawless, but if it fulfilled its end, if it did what it was made to do.  God, from all eternity, is a deep, rich, loving, giving relationship.  We humans are made in the image and likeness of God: we are made to have deep, rich, loving, giving relationships.  When other things get in the way of our relationships – our job, our hobbies, our selfish interests – we are imperfect.  When we put our relationships first – with God, our spouse, our kids, our families, our friends – even though we aren’t flawless, we can still be perfect.

4th Sunday in Ordinary Time

In the Old Testament God promised to Abraham a kingdom and a people.  Last week Jesus began to fulfill that promise of a kingdom by beginning the calling of his 12 Apostles.  These 12 would eventually form the Church – the new kingdom of God that will last into eternity.  This week, Jesus describes the attributes of those who belong to this kingdom, what kingdom citizens look like: they look like the 8 beatitudes.  How can I become more a kingdom citizen this week?  And how can I help others to become more of a kingdom citizen this week?

3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

God loves bringing light into the darkness, and especially light out of the darkness.  Zebulun and Naphtali were the northern regions of Israel that were taken over by the Assyrians, and the people of God there lived under oppression for hundreds of years.  It is precisely to this region that Jesus goes in our Gospel, announcing the kingdom of heaven and coming as light into the darkness.  What is an area of your life that is a place of gloom, worry, anxiety, hopelessness, darkness?  God has always been bringing light out of darkness, and maybe that’s exactly what He wants to do for you!

2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

“Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.”

32nd Sunday in ordinary time

The martyrs in our first reading were living for the life to come.  And in our Gospel Jesus gives us a glimpse into this life: a life of such deep and fulfilling relationship with God that earthly marriages are only a shadow of what’s coming.  This week we are challenged: Are you intentionally living for the life to come?  Are you intentionally encouraging others to live for the life to come?  Priesthood and celibacy only make sense if we’re looking toward the next life.  If young men are going to become priests, it’s our job to inspire them by living our lives for the life to come.

31st Sunday in Ordinary Time

In this Sunday’s Gospel Jesus invites Himself into the home of a sinner – Zacchaeus the tax collector…and THEN Zacchaeus has a change of heart.  Change doesn’t come first; first comes God, then comes change.  Jesus invites Himself into our “house” at every Mass each time we come forward for Communion.  Jesus wants to be received into your heart and into your house in a new and deeper way than ever before.  Don’t say, “But I’m not ready!  I still need to change!”  We make it a lot easier on ourselves if we just let Him in – then God will do the hard work for us.  First comes God, then comes change.

30th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Like last weekend, this weekend’s readings center on prayer.  They show us that God loves real, honest, raw prayer!  God wants you to tell Him what’s going on inside of you, even if you don’t think it’s “holy” or “godly” or whatever – God wants your prayer to be REAL.  Like the tax collector in the Temple, we go home justified (and fulfilled…and fed…and blessed) when we are utterly honest with the Lord.  So try it this week: 10 minutes of prayer each morning, walk through your day with Him before it happens, asking Him for strength, and then tell God what’s really on your mind, what’s really preoccupying you these days.  God loves that kind of prayer!

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Jesus humorously encourages us today to be like a nagging, old woman when we come to prayer – that means to pray always, again and again, bother the Father!  God wants us to come to Him time and again not because He forgets or is unaware of our needs, but because the more face time we have with Him, the deeper our relationship grows.  3 practices that will make “pray always” a reality: spend the first 10 minutes of each day with the Lord, offer different hours during the day for others (like Moses, your prayers will help someone win battles in their life), and find a good friend to share how your resolutions are affecting your life, and vice-versa.

28th Sunday in Ordinary Time

This weekend our parish is celebrating Stewardship Weekend.  Thank you, fellow Christian, for all that you have done with the gifts God has entrusted to you.  Thank you for those ways that you have been a good steward.  Gratitude for what God has given us leads to generosity.  And generosity leads to a joyful heart.  In our Gospel Jesus heals 10 lepers…only 1 comes back to thank Him.  Be the one to come back and thank Jesus; count your blessings – then you’ll find yourself wanting to give more.  And as you give, your heart will grow, and you will be filled with a joy that no one can take from you!