These reflections are a result of more than 40 years of ministry as a Roman Catholic priest. Most of these years I spent in the Diocese of Charlotte which covers Western North Carolina. Now I am retired, and live in Medellín, Colombia where I continue to serve as a priest in the Archdiocese of Medellín.
Jesus said, “What is the Kingdom of God like? To what can I compare it? It is like a mustard seed that a man took and planted in the garden. When it was fully grown, it became a large bush and the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches.” (Lk 13:18-21)
When we remember that Israel’s image of itself was as tall as the cedars of Lebanon (the Roman Empire had an even taller image of itself!), we begin to see how radical Jesus is—the Kingdom of God is against nationalism in all its forms. Today's photo is of the cedars of Lebanon (certainly larger than a bush!).
For those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.
For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a spirit of adoption,
through which we cry, “Abba, Father!”
The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ,
if only we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him. (Rom 8:12-17)
How important is the gift of the Spirit—for the Spirit is the proof that we are children of God! So we do not live in fear . . . rather, we live in the knowledge that we are truly children of God and heirs with Christ. For we too can say with confidence, “Abba, Father!”
Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 126)
R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.
Restore our fortunes, O LORD,
like the torrents in the southern desert.
Those that sow in tears
shall reap rejoicing.
R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.
Joy is the proper response to the gift of salvation . . . and of course, as Bartimaeus discovered when he had an encounter with our great high priest and received his sight . . . not only joy, but he followed Christ on The Way.
If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you,
the one who raised Christ from the dead
will give life to your mortal bodies also,
through his Spirit that dwells in you. (Rom 8:1-11)
I always love that part in the Nicene Creed when we say, “for us and for our salvation.” It’s just a reminder that all that we celebrate in Christ is for a purpose: specifically “for us and for our salvation.” And so we ask the prayers of the holy Mother of God: "pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of our death. Amen."
I know that good does not dwell in me . . . . (Rom 7:18-25)
In today’s passage from the Letter to the Romans, Saint Paul is describing the internal conflict we all experience: our mind wants to do the good, but our bodies don’t cooperate. The power to overcome this very human struggle does not come from us . . . rather as Saint Paul declares: “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Today is the feast of Saint John Paul II. When she returned to her home after her trip to Rome, all my mother’s friends jokingly asked her: “Norma, who is that man in the picture with you and Morris?”
