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Reflections in 2010 March
7, 2010 1st Reading:
Exodus 3: 1-8a, 13-15 The second reading and the Gospel readings can be summed up in St. Paul’s words, “whoever thinks he is standing secure should take care not to fall.” Jesus says the same sort of thing in the Gospel. He uses two examples in which a group of people are killed on account of their sin. But Jesus says, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were greater sinners than all other Galileans? By no means!” We are all sinners and cannot judge others as better or worse than ourselves. Jesus goes on to tell the parable of the fig tree. The owner wants to get rid of it because it did not bear any fruit. But the gardener asks for mercy on the tree, arguing that he may still be able to help it bear fruit with a bit of care. The owner relents. Lent is
a time to help us fertilize our spiritual lives, to make our faith bear
fruit in our lives. The hope of Lent is revealed in the first reading
in which Moses is given the opportunity to talk directly with God. God
promises Moses that he will free his people. We are given this opportunity
each Lent, to free ourselves from the things that keep us from being
with God forever. Let us reach out to the Church, to provide the spiritual
fertilizer we may need to bear fruit in our spiritual lives! February
28, 2010 1st Reading:
Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18 As we enter the 2nd Sunday of Lent, the Lord provides us readings to give us hope for the future, a sign that our Lenten work will bear fruit in the future. In the first reading, the Lord tells Abram, "Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can. Just so," he added, "shall your descendants be." Despite the hardships faced by the Jews, they would be given a savior and bear fruit through the centuries. In the second reading, Paul tells us that our work during Lent will help us on our journey to heaven. He says, "For many…conduct themselves as enemies of the cross of Christ…Their God is their stomach; But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will change our lowly body to conform with his glorified body…" We hear about the glorified body again in the Gospel reading, in the transfiguration. It says, "While he [Jesus] was praying his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white." Let us
continue to take this opportunity during Lent to help us prepare ourselves
for heaven, to focus less on this world and more on the hope of the
next one to come. The Lord promises us that this work will not be in
vain, that we will share in his glorified body. February
14, 2010 1st Reading: Jeremiah
17: 5-8 The readings this week ask us to consider the question, where do we seek happiness? In the first reading, Jeremiah writes, "Cursed is the one who trusts in human beings…Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose hope is the Lord." He is not just talking about avoiding sin but that we must seek a greater spiritual goal in life, one that is focused on God. In the Gospel reading, Jesus provides the way to spiritual growth through the Beatitudes. He tells us in the Gospel reading that we will blessed if we are poor, hungry, sad, and humbled because of our faith. These are the marks of spiritual growth in this world. Alternatively Jesus relates that those who focus on being satisfied in this life will not receive satisfaction in the next one. Paul tells us in the
second reading that our sacrifices are worth nothing without the Lord,
without his resurrection. He says, "If Christ has not been raised,
your faith is in vain…" We hope in the Lord and the Lord alone.
The rewards of our spiritual work in this world, we are told this week,
will lead us to eternal happiness in heaven. February
7, 2010 First Reading: Isaiah
6: 1-2a, 3-8 All of the readings this week recount the calling of three great prophets: Isaiah, Paul, and Peter. In each case, we see that they had a personal connection to God. Once they had seen God, they recognized that they could do nothing else but to serve him. In the first story, we hear about the cal call of Isaiah. He explains how he saw the Lord seated on a throne being praised by angels (seraphim). One of the angels purifies Isaiah so that he may be made worthy to stand before the Lord. The Lord asks, "Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?" Isaiah enthusiastically says, "Send me!" And so begins his journey as a prophet. In the second reading, St. Paul reminds the Corinthians of his own experience meeting God in Jesus. He reviews how the other apostle met Jesus and that he was the last one of them to see the Lord, resulting in his conversion. As a result of this conversation, he went on to become one of the greatest prophets in the Bible. Finally, we hear the story of Peter. Jesus had asked Peter to take his boat out into a lake, to teach the crowds. Afterward, he asked that they go out to deeper water to catch fish. They caught so much fish that the excess weight almost caused the boats to sink. It was clear at this point that Jesus was the son of God, causing Peter to leave his work and become another prophet, ultimately, the head of the Church. These three stories
may help us answer the question, "How does one become a prophet?"
One thing that all three stories have in common is that each person
had a direct experience with God. God approached each one of them. Can
we have such an experience? That is the purpose of prayer. Church leaders
always encourage us to enter prayer in humility, asking the Lord to
be with us. If we do so each day, the Lord may touch us directly, as
in the prophets in today's reading, or in a more subtle way. January
31, 2010 First Reading: Jeremiah
1: 4-5, 17-19 In Luke's Gospel, we are told of the story in which Jesus preaches in his home town. It is interesting because it says that they were impressed with his teaching. Luke says, "And all spoke highly of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth." Yet, they also challenged him because he apparently was not able to perform miracles there. They openly challenged him saying things like, "Physician, cure yourself." They questioned his authority. Jesus responded to
his critics in two ways. First, he indicates that, "no prophet
is accepted in his own native place." Why is that? Isn't Jesus
the son of God, able to do whatever God does, whenever he wants? The
people in his hometown did not seem to have the faith with which the
Holy Spirit works. They could not accept that someone they grew up with
could be a prophet. They lacked the humility necessary to accept Jesus
as a prophet. January
24, 2010 First Reading: Nehemiah
8: 2-4a, 5-6, 8-10 In the Gospel reading this week, we hear the story of Jesus' first claim to be a messenger of God. Jesus had started his ministry. The Gospel says that the "news of him spread throughout the whole region" and that "He taught in their synagogues and was praised by all." So, when he returned to his home town of Nazareth, he went to the synagogue and read from the book of Isaiah. The reading talks about the coming of the Messiah who was to "proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind." As Jesus sits down, the people look at him. Apparently they expected him to say something. He simply says to them, "Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing." In this scene, Christ publicly takes on his role as Messiah. Specifically, based on the the reading from Isaiah, this means that he is: anointed, serves the poor, releases the captives, and heals the blind. The passage is important to our spiritual calling because it invites us to take part in salvation history. He gives us the power of the Holy Spirit in this journey. St. Paul refers to the church as "one though it has many parts." Some people have the gift of prophecy but others the gift of administration - some of us should be preachers while others will be working in the office, behind the scenes. Some will be able to heal people while others will assist the poor. No matter how big or
small our part is in the Church, Paul writes, we are given the Spirit
- "we were all given to drink of one Spirit." When we look
for and accept the Holy Spirit, he will give us the strength to do God's
work through us in this world. Let us embrace our role in the Church
with humility and great happiness and seek the Spirit to guide us in
our faith journey. January
17, 2010 First Reading: Isaiah
62: 1-5 This week's readings address spiritual gifts. The Gospel reading reviews Jesus' first miracle and the second reading reviews the many ways that God shares spiritual gifts with each of us. In the Gospel, we see that Jesus was reluctant to initiate his first miracle, changing water into wine. Jesus says, "My hour has not come yet." He was waiting for the right time to perform his first miracle. But his mother insists and Jesus goes on to perform the miracle. It is interesting that he does not make a lot of fuss about the process and simply tells the waiters to bring him some jugs of water. He then asks them to fill up a cup to give the headwaiter, the man in charge who is surprised at the quality of the wine. We are also able to have spiritual gifts from God. In some cases, people are able to heal the sick. In other cases, we have ability to speak in tongues and to be prophets. St. Paul writes about these different gifts in the second reading. He lists many other gifts including the gifts of knowledge and wisdom. These readings suggest
one question: Have we performed our first miracle yet? Jesus' first
miracle was marked by simplicity and reluctance: it was not feeding
5,000 people nor parting a larger body of water but, rather, helping
a friend at a party. He was reluctant to perform the miracle too. Our
miracle may take the form of wisdom or come after many months of prayer.
But if there is one lesson from the Gospel reading today is that our
gifts will not be developed until we start using them. Jesus shows how
a humble beginning can lead to greater things! January
10, 2010 First Reading: Isaiah
62: 1-5 This week we have the opportunity to reflect upon the baptism of our Lord by John the Baptist. Jesus' baptism was the fulfillment of an Old Testament prophesy that the son of man would be baptized. It also and opened the way for our baptism in the Holy Spirit. The Gospel reading recounts what happened after Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist. Jesus was praying when a voice from heaven said, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased." This statement is similar to the beginning of the first reading which states, "Thus says the Lord: Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one with whom I am pleased, upon whom I have put my spirit." It goes on to say that he will go on to bring salvation to the world. Jesus' baptism initiated the baptism of the Holy Spirit. In the Gospel, St. John the Baptist tells us, I am baptizing you with water, but one mightier than I is coming…He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire." Jesus' baptism served as a starting point for his ministry. St. Peter in the second reading tells us, "Beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power. He went about doing good and healing all those oppressed by the devil, for God was with him." The Church teaches that we receive the Holy Spirit in our baptism. Hence, from birth we are given the same mission of Jesus, reaching out to others, doing good and healing. We can continue to access the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives through prayer. Let us intercede to St. John the Baptist, asking him to encourage the Lord to give us an increased grace, more power of the Holy Spirit in our lives, to fulfill our mission on earth.
Last Updated Sunday, 07-Mar-2010 15:21:19 CST |
St. Paul
Church, Catholic Diocese of Peoria
Reverend Monsignor Richard Pricco, Pastor
309 West Jackson Street · Macomb, Illinois 61455
Phone (309) 833-2496 - stpaulparish@macomb.com
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