Oct 19 Monday (Saints John de Brebeuf and Isaac Jogues, Priests and companions, Martyrs, U. S. A.) https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-isaac-jogues-jean-de-br-eacute-beuf-and-companions : Lk 12:13-21: 13 One of the multitude said to him, “Teacher, bid my brother divide the inheritance with me.” 14 But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or divider over you?” 15 And he said to them, “Take heed, and beware of all covetousness; for a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” 16 And he told them a parable, saying,
“The land of a rich man brought forth plentifully; 17 and he thought to himself, `What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ 18 And he said, `I will do this: I will pull down my barns, and build larger ones; and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, be merry.’ 20 But God said to him, `Fool! This night your soul is required of you; and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ 21 So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich in what matters to God.” USCCB video reflections: http://www.usccb.org/bible/reflections/index.cfmThe context: Jesus told the parable of the foolish
rich man as a response to a Jew who had asked Jesus’ help in solving his
dispute with his brother concerning their paternal inheritance. By relating
this parable, Jesus warns us against all types of greed, because greed takes
our life’s focus away from God and away from serving and loving other people.
Instead, greed directs all our energy and attention to fulfilling the self,
making our wealth the basis of our security. Jesus also warns us against the
temptation to place our dependence upon material things because “one’s life
does not consist of possessions.”
The teaching: Through this parable Jesus teaches the
audience the folly of greed and selfishness. He declares that the criterion for
Heavenly bliss is not earthly wealth but how we share what we have with others.
In the parable, God calls the rich man “fool” because 1) he has evicted God
from his heart, enthroned money instead, and worshipped his wealth; 2) he has
also evicted his brothers and sisters in need from his heart because there is
place in it only for his wealth; 3) he has filled his heart with himself and
has become greedy; 4) he has forgotten that he will die one day and lose all
his possessions.
Life messages: 1) We need to share our blessings with
others because all these things have been loaned to us by God, and so we are
accountable for their use. We must be generous in sharing our time, our
treasure, and our talents, the three elements of Christian stewardship. 2) We
need to control our greed because it diverts our life and energies from loving
God and from serving and loving Him in other people to loving ourselves alone.
Our greed takes different shapes and forms. For some it may be the desire for
the approval and praise of others. For others it is the uncontrolled desire for
power, control or fame. For a few others it takes the form of desire for
excessive and sinful indulgence in eating, drinking, gambling, drugs or sexual
activities. Hence, let us rely on the strength of God to free us from all forms
of greed. (Fr. Tony) (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
L/2020
U. S. presidential election homily by Fr. Ed Meeks:
https://fssp.com/staring-into-the-abyss-an-election-homily-by-fr-ed-meeks/
Oct 20 Tuesday (St. Paul of the Cross, Priest, U. S.
A.)
https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-paul-of-the-cross/ :
Lk 12: 35-38: 35 “Let your loins be girded and your lamps burning,
36 and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the
marriage feast, so that they may open to him at once when he comes and knocks.
37 Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes; truly,
I say to you, he will gird himself and have them sit at table, and he will come
and serve them. 38 If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and
finds them so, blessed are those servants! USCCB video reflections: http://www.usccb.org/bible/reflections/index.cfm
The context: Today’s passage from Luke’s Gospel
is one of three eschatological discourses in the Gospel. It gives us one of the
two “Master – Servant” parables. It emphasizes the necessity of Faith and
vigilant preparedness in the lives of Christ’s followers. Since a Jewish
wedding feast could last a week, the servants had ample time to take their rest
before the master’s return. Garments tied up about the waist are an image of
readiness in the Scriptures because the Jewish soldiers wore full-length
garments while Roman soldiers wore kilts, which enabled them to run at full
speed when they had to. Jesus wants his disciples to be ready to do God’s
will at every moment, by loving others through humble and sacrificial service.
The interpretation: In the parable, the chief characters are
a master (representing the risen Jesus), and his servants (Jesus’ followers).
According to the Fathers of the Church, Jesus’ words in this passage have
two senses. In the narrower sense, the words refer to the Second Coming of
Jesus, but in the broader sense they refer to the time of our
own death, when God will call us to meet Him and to give Him an account
of our life on earth. Since the precise time of either is unknown to
us, the proper attitude for us is constant watchfulness. Since we cannot
be sure about the day of our death, we should do our present work perfectly
every day, and not leave it undone, half-done or postponed.
Life messages 1) We need to stay vigilant and
ready to face the Lord through prayer. One of the traditional means
for remaining alert is prayer. The most important elements in
prayer are listening to God (1 Kings 19:11-12) and talking to
Him. This means we have to set aside a quiet time every
day during which we can tune our ears to God’s message of love, harmony
and peace, and respond to Him.
2) We need to wait for the Lord. We must wait for the
Lord in our daily lives by learning to see Jesus in the least
of our brothers and sisters. In other words, we must be prepared to
serve Jesus whenever and in whatever form he appears. What we
discover in serving, loving, and helping other people is that God invariably
comes to us through them. (Fr. Tony) (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
L/20
The context: Today’s passage from Luke’s Gospel
is the second of three eschatological discourses in the Gospel. After Jesus’
exhortation to vigilance, Peter asks a question (v. 41). Responding to Peter,
Jesus tells the second “Master – Servant” parable and the parable of the
treasure and the thief. These stories emphasize the necessity for Faith and
vigilant preparedness in the lives of Christ’s followers. Jesus wants his
disciples to be ready to do God’s will at every moment, rendering humble and
sacrificial service to others.
The interpretation: In the parable, the chief characters are
a master (representing the risen Jesus), and his servants (Jesus’ followers).
Jesus’ words in this passage, understood in the narrower sense, refer to the
Second Coming of Jesus. Taken in a broader sense, they refer to the time of our
own death, when God will call us to meet Him and to give Him an account of our
life on earth. In the first part of today’s Gospel, Jesus tells us what our
real treasure should be and how we are to keep it safe. That treasure is our
relationship with him (the state of sanctifying grace), which the Lord offers
us in his promise of eternal life. But this treasure can be stolen by the devil
or lost by our lack of vigilance in the midst of temptations. Jesus warns that
we should be vigilant, like dutiful servants. What Jesus teaches us through
this comparison is that our relationship with God the Father and Jesus His Son
and the Holy Spirit must constantly be strengthened and deepened by our
prayers, our Sacramental life, and the reading of Holy Scripture. Fortunately,
God gives us the grace and strength to remain faithful, and He will reward our
faithfulness.
Life message: 1) We need to remain vigilant and
ready to face the Lord, mainly through prayer (listening and talking to Him).
Daily prayer will help us to wait for the Lord in our daily lives and enable us
to see Jesus in the least of our brothers and sisters. It will give us the
Heavenly strength to serve Jesus whenever and in whatever form he appears. What
we frequently rediscover as we serve, love and help other people is that God
comes to us through them (Fr. Tony) (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
L/20
Oct 22 Thursday (St. John Paul II, Pope) https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-john-paul-ii/ :
Lk 12: 49-53: 49 “I came to cast fire upon the earth; and would
that it were already kindled! 50 I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how
I am constrained until it is accomplished! 51 Do you think that I have come to
give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division; 52 for henceforth in
one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three;
53 they will be divided, father against son and son against father…USCCB
video reflections: http://www.usccb.org/bible/reflections/index.cfm
The context: In today’s Gospel, Jesus warns his
disciples about the contention and division which will accompany the Gospel. He
spells out the shocking, two-fold effects of his mission, namely 1) casting
fire on the earth and 2) causing division in families and communities.
Teaching: Standing in the prophetic tradition, Jesus
preaches the word of God which, now as then, divides families, a message which
will lead ultimately to his death. In the Bible, fire is often used to describe
God’s burning love for men. This Divine love finds its highest expression in
Jesus (Jn 3:16). The fire Jesus has come to bring is the fire of love, the fire
of hope and the fire of justice. His words are fire, like the words in the
mouth of Jeremiah: “Is not my word like fire, says the Lord, and like a
hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?” (Jeremiah 23:29). The
disruption, division and revolution which Jesus and his true followers cause by
the fire of their sacrificial love and their eagerness for justice in society
are necessary to re-set what’s fractured, to put right what’s dislocated and to
cleanse what’s infected. In other words, the curative pain caused by Jesus’
ideas and ideals is necessary for the establishment of the real shalom of
God. “I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and what stress I am
under until it is completed!” (Luke 12:50). The word “baptism” in
Greek means a plunging. Jesus was on fire to have his life’s work, which would
end with the “baptism” of his approaching suffering and death for us, already
completed. Even though Jesus brings a sword and causes division, that sword
divides the Light from the darkness within us and among us and establishes that
true and lasting peace which God alone can bring. In pursuing his mission,
Jesus brings division because some follow him, and others oppose him. We must
make a decision to follow him or not, to share his baptism or not. This choice
can result in division, even within families.
Life messages: 1) We need to have fire in our
hearts: Our Lord Jesus continues to cast fire on the earth, the fire of the
Holy Spirit, the fire of His love, through the Church’s ministry of Word and
Sacraments. As Christians, our Spirit-fire should inflame people to care, to
serve, and to bless one another with all the gifts of Faith. We need to
cooperate with that Fire as the Holy Spirit burns off our impurities and brings
out the purity of God’s gold and silver within us. We need Divine fire to
inflame our hearts with the love of God, love for His children and zeal for
spreading His Good News. Let us remember the old saying, “He who is on fire
cannot sit on a chair,” and let us carry the fire of the Holy Spirit wherever
we go. Strong Faith will ignite in us the fire of the Holy Spirit and give us
the courage of our Christian convictions. (Fr. Tony) (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
L/20
Oct 23 Friday (St. John of Capistrano, Priest) https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-john-of-capistrano/ :
Luke 12: 54-59: 54 Jesus said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud
rising in the west, you say at once, west, you say at once, `A shower is
coming’; and so it happens. 55 And when you see the south wind blowing, you
say, `There will be scorching heat’; and it happens. 56 You hypocrites! You
know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky; but why do you not know
how to interpret the present time? 57 “And why do you not judge for yourselves
what is right?58 As you go with your accuser before the magistrate, make an
effort to settle with him on the way, lest he drag you to the judge, and the
judge hand you over to the officer, and the officer put you in prison. 59 I
tell you, you will never get out till you have paid the very last copper.” USCCB
video reflections: http://www.usccb.org/bible/reflections/index.cfm
The context: Some of Jesus’ Jewish listeners,
particularly among the leadership, lacked the necessary good will and upright
intention to listen and believe. Hence, they just closed their eyes to the
light of the Gospel preached by Jesus. They knew the signs of the Messiah’s
coming as announced by the prophets. In fact, they had heard Jesus’ preaching
and witnessed his miracles. But their pride and prejudice prevented them from
arriving at the logical conclusion that Jesus was the Messiah. Hence, in
today’s Gospel, using a vivid illustration from first century Palestinian
weather forecasting, Jesus points out the urgency of getting right with God
before it is too late.
Palestinian farmers and fishermen studied the sky, observing
the color and shape of the clouds, the direction and strength of the wind, and
so on, to forecast the weather. The wind from the west came from the
Mediterranean Sea and so brought rain. The south wind blew from the desert and
so brought hot weather. The “signs of the times” are the earliest appearances
of events. St. Thomas Aquinas teaches that God is in all things, “by essence,
presence, and power” and that God providentially cares for every aspect of His
creation. Therefore, we should expect to see signs of His presence and activity
in nature, in history, and in human affairs. So, Jesus challenges his
hearers to read the signs of the Messianic time in his preaching and healing
ministry, and then to act accordingly. It is urgent that we get reconciled with
God when His grace, love and mercy are available for complete
transformation. Next, Jesus asks them to judge for themselves what is
right, urging them to solve issues here and now by getting reconciled also with
their fellow men every day, instead of incurring God’s punishment at the end of
our lives.
Life messages: 1) It is time for us to read the
clear signs of God’s call for repentance and renewal of life coming through
Jesus and to respond by a change of heart and behavior. 2) In the same way,
forgiveness and reconciliation should be a high priority for us. There should
be no place in our lives for vindictive litigations in this litigation-crazy
period, because each of us stands in constant need of God’s help, mercy and
forgiveness. (Fr. (Fr. Tony) (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
L/20
Oct 24 Saturday (St. Anthony Mary Claret, Bishop) https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-anthony-claret/ :
Lk 13: 1-9: 1 There were some present at that very time who told
him of the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2
And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners
than all the other Galileans, because they suffered thus? 3 I tell you, No; but
unless you repent you will all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen upon whom
the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse
offenders than all the others who dwelt in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, No; but
unless you repent you will all likewise perish.” 6 And he told this parable: “A
man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came seeking fruit on it and
found none. 7 And he said to the vinedresser, `Lo, these three years I have
come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down; why should
it use up the ground?’ 8 And he answered him, `Let it alone, sir, this year
also, till I dig about it and put on manure. 9 And if it bears fruit next year,
well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.'” USCCB video
reflections: http://www.usccb.org/bible/reflections/index.cfm
The context: Today’s Gospel passage explains how God,
our merciful and compassionate Father, disciplines His children, giving them
painful experiences in life so that they may repent of their sins, renew their
lives and produce the fruits of love, mercy, forgiveness, and service. Citing
two tragic events, Jesus exhorts the Jews of his time to repent and reform
their lives. Repentance is turning from sin to God. With the parable of the
barren fig tree, he also warns them that the merciful God will not put up with
them indefinitely. Although God patiently waits for sinners to repent, giving
them grace to do so, He will not wait forever. Time will run out; therefore,
timely repentance is necessary.
The teaching: Jesus uses two local tragedies to teach us
about our need for repentance and a renewal of life. On one occasion, Pilate
killed many Galilean Jews who had protested when he appropriated money from the
Temple treasury to build an aqueduct in Jerusalem in order to obtain a better
water supply for the pilgrims. Jesus then connects his warning to another
episode, namely, what appears to have been an accident, related to renovation
work on the control tower of the water supply scheme at Siloam, in which
eighteen people died. The Jews interpreted this tragedy as God’s punishment of
the workers who were co-operating with Pilate in his sacrilegious aqueduct
project. Jesus denies that the Galileans suffered because of their sins but
calls his listeners to repent lest they suffer for theirs. In fact, he presents
both these incidents as timely reminders of the need for all to repent. He
says, “… unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”
Life Messages: 1) We need to live lives of repentance, because (a) we never know when we will meet a tragedy of our own; (b) repentance helps us in life and in death. Repentance helps us to live with peace of mind as forgiven people and helps us to face death without fear. 2) Scripture says repentance results in forgiveness, renewal, and redirection whereas failure to repent results in a guilty conscience which destroys our peace of mind and thus punishes us with a miserable life. (Fr. Tony) (http://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/20