Welcome
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.
MONDAY, WEEK X, ORDINARY TIME
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain,
and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him.
He began to teach them, saying:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
(Mt 5:1-12)
Today we begin the continuous reading of the public ministry of Jesus from Matthew’s gospel. The Sermon on the Mount invites us to live the values of the Kingdom now. In fact, that’s the secret of the saints—they heard the gospel being addressed not to others, but to them.
CORPUS CHRISTI
When Christ came as high priest
of the good things that have come to be,
passing through the greater and more perfect tabernacle
not made by hands, that is, not belonging to this creation,
he entered once for all into the sanctuary,
not with the blood of goats and calves
but with his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption.
(Heb 9:11-15)
The Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ proclaims God’s wondrous love revealed beneath the forms of bread and wine. As Saint Paul tells us, “When we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”
SATURDAY, WEEK IX, ORDINARY TIME
I am Raphael, one of the seven angels
who enter and serve before the Glory of the Lord.”
“So now get up from the ground and praise God.
Behold, I am about to ascend to him who sent me;
write down all these things that have happened to you.”
(Tobit 12:1, 5-15, 20)
The command to “write down all these things that have happened to you” is important for all of us, because sometimes, we forget. But we never want to forget to praise God for all the blessings we have received.
FRIDAY, WEEK IX, ORDINARY TIME
Raphael said to Tobiah before he reached his father:
“I am certain that his eyes will be opened.
Smear the fish gall on them.
This medicine will make the cataracts shrink and peel off from his eyes;
then your father will again be able to see the light of day.”
(Tobit 11:5-17)
In church art, the Archangel Raphael is usually pictured holding fish.
THURSDAY, WEEK IX, ORDINARY TIME—St Charles Lwanga & Companions, martyrs, June 3
When the girl’s parents left the bedroom
and closed the door behind them,
Tobiah arose from bed and said to his wife,
“My love, get up.
Let us pray and beg our Lord to have mercy on us
and to grant us deliverance.”
She got up, and they started to pray
and beg that deliverance might be theirs.
(Tobit 6:10-11; 7:1, 9-17; 8:4-9a)
Probably one of the most humorous scenes in all the Bible—a couple praying beside their marriage bed on their wedding night! Saint Charles Lwanga and his companions were the first martyrs of Uganda.
WEDNESDAY, WEEK IX, ORDINARY TIME
At that very time,
the prayer of these two suppliants
was heard in the glorious presence of Almighty God.
So Raphael was sent to heal them both.
(Tobit 3:1-11a, 16-17a)
The Archangel Raphael is one of the three archangels mentioned by name in the Bible. “Raphael” means “God heals.”
TUESDAY, WEEK IX, ORDINARY TIME—Saint Justin, martyr, June 1
I called to my wife and said: “Where did this goat come from?
Perhaps it was stolen! Give it back to its owners;
we have no right to eat stolen food!”
She said to me, “It was given to me as a bonus over and above my wages.”
Yet I would not believe her,
and told her to give it back to its owners.
I became very angry with her over this.
So she retorted: “Where are your charitable deeds now?
Where are your virtuous acts?
See! Your true character is finally showing itself!”
(Tobit 2:9-14)
Even for saints, domestic life can be a bit stressful, as this reading from the Book of Tobit illustrates. The just man can “lavishly give to the poor,” as today’s psalm points out, but if he wants domestic tranquility, he had better make sure he’s cleared it with his wife first.
