Memorial of Saints Andrew Kim Tae-gŏn, Priest, and Paul Chŏng Ha-sang, and Companions, Martyrs

The mother of Jesus and his brothers came to him but were unable to join him because of the crowd. He was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside and they wish to see you.” He said to them in reply, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it.”

The Gospel reading says that Mary and Jesus’ brothers—from Greek, adelphoi, or member of the same religious community—could not join him because of the crowd. Jesus was told that by someone who remains unknown. Did that person believe that Jesus’ mother and brothers had privileged access to him, despite the crowd? By his reply, in no way does Jesus diminish the role of his mother or brothers by saying those who hear the word of God and act on it are his mother and brothers. Are there times when I believe I have privileged access to Jesus, even without hearing and doing his will?

Thank you, God, for the clarity of your Son’s statement. Hear your word and act on it. Hear and act. Without the burden of guilt and shame, I desire to hear and do your will throughout the day. If I were to act only out of guilt or out of shame in recovering from a misstep, I can’t say that is desire to be in your presence. I sometimes believe I am better at identifying what your will is not than what it is. Help me understand how to avoid turning in the wrong direction so that I can keep you in my line of sight and recognize what is your will.

Just as Mary and Jesus’ brothers desired to join him, I also desire to put myself in your presence. Let nothing impede that today; let me hear and act. Stay with me, Lord, and let me know your outlandish love for me.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Readings

Monday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time

Jesus said to the crowd: “No one who lights a lamp conceals it with a vessel or sets it under a bed; rather, he places it on a lampstand so that those who enter may see the light. For there is nothing hidden that will not become visible, and nothing secret that will not be known and come to light.”

In today’s reading, Jesus speaks to the crowd about bringing light to others so that they may see. No one would conceal or prevent the light from shining once having lit it. That makes sense so far. But then Jesus says, all that is hidden will become visible and that all secrets will come to light. For humans, whatever light we have is given by God’s grace and that is all we can give away in turn. But to bring to visibility whatever is hidden and into the light whatever is secret, that belongs to God. Just as God said at the creation of the world, “Let there be light,” so Jesus is able to say that whatever is hidden will become visible and whatever is secret will come to light. Is that what heaven will be like? Will all that is hidden and secret be visible in the light of God’s being?

God, help me understand that the gifts you give me I have to choose to give back to you in return. What else could I do but take to heart and try to understand your words? “To anyone who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he seems to have will be taken away.” The lamp that you light, God, is the source of all light and in it nothing remains hidden; it has by its essence the power to make what is invisible visible.

Stay with me today, Lord. Bring to light in me whatever remains in shadow so that I will be prepared for that day when all will be brought to light and nothing will remain secret.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be. World without end. Amen.

Readings

Saturday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time

As for the seed that fell among thorns, they are the ones who have heard, but as they go along, they are choked by the anxieties and riches and pleasures of life, and they fail to produce mature fruit.

In the parable where Jesus is gathered before a large crowd, he tells them of the seed sown by a sower: some fell on the path, some on rocky ground, and some among thorns. That seed failed to grow. But some fell on good soil, “and when it grew, it produced fruit a hundredfold.” Jesus’ disciples ask him the meaning of this parable, and he tells them but first says something seemingly cryptic: “Knowledge of the mysteries of the Kingdom of God has been granted to you; but to the rest, they are made known through parables so that they may look but not see, and hear but not understand.” I feel as if I am the rest the Jesus refers to; that is, I look but do not see and hear but do not understand.

God, help me know where I stand. Over time, I have been each type of seed that Jesus describes. Help me understand how to recognize when the word of God within me is in danger of being trampled, or withering for lack of moisture, or fallen among thorns. There, among thorns, is where I find myself most often when the word of God fails to bear fruit. As Jesus describes the seed that falls among thorns, it is “choked by the anxieties and riches and pleasures of life.” The result of this is that the word of God fails to produce mature fruit. The word of God is immutable; yet, my reception of it—embracing it with a good and generous heart—is what allows God to work through me, body and soul. Saint Paul says it this way as he describes the resurrection of the dead: “It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual one.”

What is there, Lord, behind the veil that you want me to look and see and hear and understand? I know you want to give me every good thing in this life. In the life to come, how will I have prepared myself to see you face to face? And the usual place where seed falls—among thorns? How is it that your grace will work in that area of my life? Father in heaven, show me how to live among the anxieties and riches and pleasures of life—the perishable things—without being choked by them. Instead, let me choose to receive your word and by doing that nurture in me what is imperishable so that I can be ready to come into your kingdom.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Readings

Memorial of Saints Cornelius, Pope, and Cyprian, Bishop, Martyrs

Accompanying him were the Twelve and some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, Susanna, and many others who provided for them out of their resources.

The women in today’s Gospel reading, Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Susana, and many others provided for Jesus and the apostles out of their own resources. If there is reason for them to follow Jesus other than their faith in him, the example of Mary Magdalene explains the gratitude she has for Jesus in expelling seven demons from her. As a group of women supporting Jesus, his apostles, and his mission, they almost certainly drew on immaterial resources to nurture and solidify each other’s faith in him. Unlike them, who followed Jesus during his time on earth, we have the hope of the resurrection through Jesus, as Saint Paul says, “the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” In my own experience, who are the people around me that nurture my faith even as I identify myself as a follower of Jesus through His “one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church”? Who encourages me to question my faith in a way that strengthens it when challenged by questions such as the one Saint Paul asks? “And if Christ has not been raised, then empty too is our preaching; empty, too, your faith.”

Help me see and understand, Lord, what it means to provide for the Church out of my own resources. I know this means providing more than financial or material resources. In my own family, guide my words and actions to support you in “preaching and proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God.” Give me the grace to show gratitude in the areas of my life where you have been present and have forgiven my sins through the Sacrament of Reconciliation and over the years have bestowed countless blessings, some of which I will never come to comprehend in this life.

Contained in the Stations of the Cross is a prayer that is attributed to Saint Francis whenever he caught sight of a Catholic church in the distance: “We adore you O Christ and we praise you because, by your holy cross, you have redeemed the world!” Keep me, Lord, from believing what is most pitiable, that my faith is vain. Stay with me today, risen Lord, and grant me the grace to boldly proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Readings