Our second reading from the letter of St. James addresses one of our very human foibles: treating those who are wealthy or powerful better than we treat an “ordinary” person. James presents it as a person with fine clothes and gold rings who gets a seat of honor, versus a person with shabby clothes that is told to stand off to the side.
 
I’ve been reflecting on why we would do that.  Could it be that we think, even unconsciously, that the wealthy or influential person has the ability to help us, whereas the other person would more likely need our help?  Could it be out of respect, in the sense that we are acknowledging the supposed skills and accomplishments of the person who is better off?  Could there be an element of being judgmental, in the sense that the one must have worked harder than the other?
 
I know that I struggle with this question.  If someone is a generous donor to the parish, my natural inclination is to make sure I am paying attention to them. The problem or challenge is that I might not have that same “natural inclination” to treat someone else the same way.  I am starting to come to realize that what I have to concentrate on is making sure I am also listening to those who don’t have that much money to give, but who have equal needs and are part of the community.  In other words, I don’t need or want to lessen my respect and attention to the influential; I want to ramp up my respect and attention to others, so that I am treating all equally.
 
St. James brings home his point by saying, “Did not God choose those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom…?”  There are a lot more qualities that make a person rich than fine clothes and gold rings.
 
I invite us this week to reflect on how much we are ruled by our human tendency to judge and treat people differently, according to external factors.  What matters to God is what is inside the person.
 
Church sign: Love is the absence of judgment.

Habits rule our lives.  We brush our teeth a certain way.  We load the dishwasher a certain way.  We drive a car a certain way.  And so on.  Many habits are good and helpful.  Habits help things go more smoothly, as we go through our day.  For example, I have learned to always (well almost always) put my keys in a certain place, so I am not running around looking for them all the time.
 
Sometimes, unexamined habits can keep us from seeing that better ways are possible.  I would like to look at Sunday Mass.  Perhaps we have the habit of going to Mass every Sunday, which is very good.  We sit down and stand when everyone else does, we sort of listen to the readings and homily, we go to communion, and then we go home.  That’s it: it is the way “we do Mass.” But is that habit or way of “doing Mass” helping us be open to change?  Are we really entering into what is happening at the Mass so that it challenges us to live more as Christ did? Or are we just checking off a weekly obligation out of habit?  Is our participation challenging us to change other habits, for example, not to always plop down in front of the television and chill out but instead visit those who live alone or volunteer at some nonprofit that helps the poor?
 
Habits are good and help us be productive in life.  But they can also be ruts that hold us back from change.  I invite us to spend some time reflecting on our daily lives.  Are we growing as generous disciples?  Are we entering fully into the things we do, including religious services?  Are my habits helping me or keeping me in a rut?  And as we struggle to grow, let us support each other in prayer.
 
Church sign: Just going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in your garage makes you a car.

A very common concern of parents and grandparents is children and grandchildren who no longer practice their faith, even though they received all their sacraments, attended faith formation, and were brought to Church weekly.   It is heartbreaking to those who have a firm belief in Jesus and strong ties to the Church.  What to do?
 
I believe the worst thing is to badger them or shame them. Once parents have done their best to raise their children, they have to let adults live their own lives.  It is not the parents’ responsibility anymore.  In fact, badgering and shaming could have the opposite effect, causing the children to dig in and refuse to go to church.
 
When parents come to me for advice, I say something like the following: first, remember God is in control.  God loves your children and is watching over them.  Trust that God will do his best for them.  Second, we can learn from Joshua in our first reading today.  The Israelites had entered the promised land, Joshua was about to die, and he was concerned that they would not be faithful to God, worshipping local gods instead.  He used two tools to challenge them: freedom and example.  Freedom: he left them free to choose what they would do.  He did not pressure them or demand anything.  Example: he clearly stated, “As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
 
Recognize that God is in control and leave people free to make their own choices, while giving good example.  Let your children see what living the faith means in your life: not just going to Mass but the joy and peace that it brings as you love, forgive, help those in need, etc.  Let them see it is a way of life, not just rituals.  Maybe once in a while, for example at Christmas, invite them to accompany you to Mass as part of a family time together.  Maybe invite them to be involved with you in a service project.  And always pray for them, putting them in God’s hands and trusting.  That is also giving good example.
 
Always remember: God is in control.  God bless.
 
Church sign: The best you can do for this world (and your children/grandchild) is to live Gospel values!

Those of you as old as I am will remember that we were not supposed to read the bible when we were growing up.  This was a reaction to the Protestant Reformation: they emphasized the Word of God and saw the Eucharist as only symbolizing the Body of Christ; in reaction, we emphasized the Eucharist as the true presence of Christ and began adoring it, while deemphasizing the Word of God.
 
The Second Vatican Council placed the Scriptures back in the center of our spiritual life, where it belongs.  We need the Scriptures to know how it is we are to live as disciples of Christ. Both the Scriptures and the Eucharist are the Bread of Life, given to us to feed us on our life journey.
 
The Scriptures are the Bread of Life in the sense that they teach us how we are to live and grow as we journey through life.  We are to imitate the words and actions of Christ, the Christ presented to us in the Gospels.  These past weeks, in his letter to the Ephesians, Paul has given wonderful instructions on how to control negative emotions and treat others in a positive way.
 
All of this is a challenge for us human beings with our negative emotions and urges, so the Eucharist is the Bread of Life that strengthens us, as we struggle to live as Christ did.
 
These are two great gifts that have been given to sustain and guide us.  Am I taking advantage of them?  Do I attend Mass regularly, listening to the Word being shared with me and receiving the Eucharist to strengthen me?  Do I take advantage of opportunities to delve more deeply into the Word of God, for example, through our parish Bible discussion groups which are offered both in person and by Zoom?
 
God gives us the Bread of Life to sustain us on our journey, both in His Word and in the Eucharist.  In addition, His Spirit accompanies us and our community accompanies us.  Let’s make sure we are taking advantage of these great gifts.  God bless.
 
Church sign: Will the Word of God keep you from sin or will sin keep you from the Word of God?

As we continue to read from Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, I feel like I could just reprint last week’s reflection, in which I talked about overcoming human emotions and reactions, learning more and more to live as Christ did.  Paul continues his admonition, saying “all bitterness, fury, anger, shouting, and reviling must be removed from you, along with all malice.  And be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ.”  Quite a challenge!
 
I would like to focus on the last point Paul makes: “forgive one another.”  This is absolutely central to imitating Christ, who on the cross said, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.”  There are actually two selfish reasons for forgiving others, no matter what they do.
 
First, every time we pray the Our Father, we ask to be forgiven as we forgive others.  We all need to be forgiven.  It is in our long-term best interest to forgive, so that we can be in good standing with God.
 
Second, forgiving, in the sense of letting go of negative feels and thoughts, gives us peace.  If I am mad at you and stewing about something that happened, I am unhappy.  You could be having a great day, while I am punishing myself by holding on to negative emotions.  It is in my best interest to let go and forgive: I will be happier!  No ulcers!
 
It is important to remember that forgiving does not mean I have to accept what someone has done or be friends with them.  It means I don’t harm them; I do my best to repair the situation, if reasonable and possible; I wish them well; and I move on in peace.  My way of wishing them well is to pray for them.
 
My friends, I repeat Paul’s word, “forgive one another as God has forgiven you in Christ.”  What a gift: God wants to forgive us!  Let’s make sure we are living in peace now and preparing for eternity by letting go and forgiving.  After all, we often pray, “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive others.”  God bless.
 
Church sign: I’m too grateful to be hateful.

In our second reading, Paul tells the Ephesians to “put away the old self of your former way of life” and then uses the analogy of “putting on,” as we would put on a new wardrobe.  In the baptismal ceremony, a child is clothed in a white garment, which is to symbolize exactly what Paul was saying to the Ephesians: now that they are Christians, their way of living has to change.  Before they were “corrupted by deceitful desires” (read: our human emotions and desires), but now they have to control those human emotions and live as Christ did, to the best of their ability.
 
This is a big challenge for any human being.  The first thing we need to pay attention to is the word CONTROL.  Our human reactions and emotions will come: we can’t stop them.  They are not sinful in themselves; they are just part of who and what we are.  It is a waste of energy to try not to have them or feel guilty for having them.  It is what we DO with them that is good or evil. For example, if someone cuts me off in traffic, I will feel anger.  If I react with road rage, that is wrong.  If I control myself, tell myself that I do stupid things sometimes, and pray for the person, I have acted according to Gospel values.
 
None of us will be perfect in this, but we need to keep growing. Knowing that it is difficult for us, the Lord has given us wonderful helps.  We have the Gospels, which show us how Jesus lived and reacted in hostile situations.  We have the Eucharist, food to strengthen us as we struggle to grow.  We have the community, the Body of Christ to which we belong.  We have the Sacrament of Reconciliation, a time to reflect on how we are doing, ask forgiveness for failures, and plan how we can do better.   
 
How blessed we are with all these gifts to help us mature spiritually, as we walk through life.  Let’s make sure we are using them.  God bless.
 
Church sign: You can’t make something shine without friction.

One of the reoccurring themes in our scripture readings is our obligation, as followers of Christ, to bring unity and peace to the world around us.  In the selection this weekend from his letter to the Ephesians, Paul is addressing the tension between the Jewish Christians and the Gentile Christians, pounding it into their heads that Christ came to unite them as one.  Some of the words he uses are he is our peace, he who made both one; he broke down the dividing wall of enmity; that he might create in himself one new person in place of the two, thus establishing peace; reconcile both with God, in one body.
 
His point to the Ephesians is that they are the Body of Christ, all of them, and they need to live in unity and peace.  All the divisions and walls that we erect as human beings are wiped away by Christ, who came to save all people. 
 
Is there any message that is more important for our country to hear today?  The division and lack of willingness to work together for the common good, displayed in various levels of government, will ruin us.  Hateful speech from individual citizens right up through government leaders has no place with those who profess themselves to be Christians. 
 
Jesus has warned us: a house divided against itself cannot stand.  Paul is reminding us that Jesus came to bring unity among those with strong differences, such as the Jews and Gentiles had.  In various places we are told to be meek and humble of heart, which means to be respectful, to listen to the opinion of others, and to be willing to work together to arrive at a compromise for the good of all.
 
Peace and unity depend on each one of us.  Bringing them to the whole world is not our task: bringing them to our interactions with others in our daily lives is.  Let’s make sure we are doing it.  God bless.
 
Church sign: It’s easier to give excuses than to take responsibility.

​Our readings this week talk about bad shepherds and good shepherds.  In the first reading the Lord is speaking through the prophet Jeremiah to the evil leaders of Israel, who have scattered, driven away, and not cared for God’s sheep.  The leaders were supposed to keep the people safe, especially the most vulnerable.  God is very relational and possessive, talking about MY pasture, MY people and MY flock.  God promises to raise up one who will take care of His people.  And, of course, that one is Jesus. 
 
In the Gospel, Jesus wants to get away to rest, but he sees the vast expanse of people and His heart was moved with pity, for they were like sheep without a shepherd. It was pity that moved the Good Shepherd, that enabled Him to put the needs of the people above His own.
 
The point for us is this: through baptism we have accepted the responsibility of being shepherds, of allowing our hearts to be moved with pity for others.  We are to be their shepherds, helping them see the joy of living Gospel values, both by what we model and by what we say.  In other words: it is a commitment to be a disciple who brings the Good News to others.  It is more comfortable, sometimes, to think that the responsibility to be a good shepherd is just for religious and priests.  But it is the task of every Christian.
 
I invite us to reflect this week on our call to be a good shepherd to others.  Do I accept the call and do my best to fulfill it?  How can I do better?  And let us support each other in prayer.
 
Church sign:  Be a shepherd, not a wolf, to others!

In our Gospel this weekend, Jesus sends His disciples out on their first mission with very specific instructions.  These instructions seem weird: first, two by two.  No one goes alone. Then no food, no sack, no money, no extra clothing.  Doesn’t seem very practical, does it? Finally, if not accepted, they are simply to leave and “shake the dust” off their feet.  What is going on?
 
I think Jesus is making sure that they know it is God’s mission, not theirs.  If they had all the provisions they needed to survive, they could think they were in control.  With nothing, they knew that it was not about them and they were not in control.  It is the same with going two by two.  Alone, a person could get off track, allow their ego to get in the way.  When two are together, they can keep each other focused on the mission.  Finally, I think “shake the dust” is simply saying, “don’t let your ego get in the way, don’t take rejection personally.”  It is not about you: do your best and then move on.  Positive results are because of God’s grace, not your efforts.
 
All of that comes down to being an effective but dispassionate instrument in God’s hand: rely on Divine Providence for what is needed, listen to your companion, and move on once you have done your work.  Keep yourself and your ego out of the way.
 
This is good advice for us.  We also are sent into the world to bring God’s love to others.  It will not be done with money or things.  Success does not depend on us or our skills. We simply have to do our best to live the Gospel of love and let the rest up to the Lord.  Our participation in community and the Mass will help us keep our egos out of the way, as we struggle to be good disciples.
 
Let us thank God for including us in the plan of salvation and ask for the grace to be growing in our ability to live the Gospel of love.  God bless.
 
Church sign: Don't feel totally, personally, responsible for
everything. That's my job. Signed, God

I was struck by these words in our reading this weekend from Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians: My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.
 
Power is made perfect in weakness? That seems ridiculous to us: our human way of thinking says that being the strongest makes you the most powerful.  If we want power, we have to overcome weakness.
 
St. Paul’s point is this: when we feel strong, when we feel on top of our game, we can be very much into ourselves.  We can feel that we are powerful and in control.  But that is an illusion.  Death can come at any time.  Forces beyond our control, like a tornado or fire, can turn our world upside down.  We are NEVER really in control and we are delusional, when we think we are.
 
But when we are weak, when we know we are vulnerable, we are more likely to be aware of God’s presence and our dependence on God.  We will not be so focused on ourselves as being the powerful one.  We will realize that we are weak, we are vulnerable, we need help: as a result, we are more open and receptive to God’s help. In other words; strength leads us to focus on ourselves; weakness opens us more to God’s presence and our dependence on God.
 
My personal life experience tells me that is true.  When things are going fairly smoothly, I can become more reliant on myself and my abilities and less reflective on God’s presence and support as I go through the day.  But when difficulties arise, I become more aware of my need for God’s help. Maybe it is like the need to exercise a muscle to make it strong: the difficulties and problems of life challenge me, causing me to use my faith and reliance on God more, making them stronger.
 
God is always with us, especially in the challenges of life. May we be able to say along with St. Paul: when I am weak, then I am strong.
 
Church sign: We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are.