Focus
Jesus said to his disciples: "...I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of truth.... ...[Y]ou know him, because he remains with you, and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me, because I live and you will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father and you are in me and I in you.”
One-Minute-Homily
> An orphan is a person who is stranded, disconnected from family or community, alone and unattached. Orphans have no one to protect them or advocate for them--a condition often imposed on children and adults alike by our current social and economic system.
> Jesus assures us that we are not meant to be orphans, alone and unattached. Over and over, Jesus assured that disciples that he would not abandon them. He and the Father continue to be present with us in the Spirit, who is our Advocate, who inspires and protects us.
> Love is the Spirit which unites the Father, Jesus and us, just as it unites parents and children; it is a presence and bond which transcends time and space. We are challenged to love others, to protect and advocate for the most vulnerable—for the orphans of any age who are stranded and disconnected from the community.
> The Eucharist expresses and creates this relationship; gathered around the table, we are connected, attached, united in love.
For Reflection or Discussion
> Question for Children: Do you know or can you imagine what it would be like not to know and see your parents?
> Question for Youth: During adolescence, our relationship to our parents begins to change much as Jesus' relationship to the disciples changed. How do you experience this changing relationship to parents and family?
> Question for Adults, Families and Faith Communities: How and why do we feel like orphans in the faith community? What attitudes, customs, or rules make others feel like orphans in our families, communities or parishes?
Learn More
• Read Sunday's readings here
• Reada commentary on Sunday’s readings here
• Learn more about the cultural context of the Gospel
• Reflect on an image for Sunday's Gospel here
• Hear the Gospel from a Third World perspective
• Find a schedule of weekend Masses in the Waterloo and Cedar Falls parishes here
Focus
Jesus said to his disciples: "Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. In my Father's house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be. ...I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me...."
One-Minute-Homily
> Although every individual is unique, each of us also reveals to others something about the family, ethnic group, nationality or religion to which we belong. When people meet us they also meet our mothers and fathers, our aunts and uncles, our siblings too.
> Jesus says we can know who God is and what God is like by knowing him--Jesus reveals God to us; he and God are one. There is a place for each of us in the Father’s Kingdom because the Father’s love transcends time and space, human limitations and conditions.
> By living as the Body of Christ on earth, each of us--and the families and faith communities to which we belong--can reveal the eternal God to others by imitating Jesus. People can encounter and experience God’s mercy and love in us, if only imperfectly, when we believe and act as Jesus did.
> Eucharist reveals to us a God who desires to share his love and care by gathering the family around the table where we are nourished by word and sacrament.
For Reflection or Discussion
> Question for Children: When and how do you act like Jesus?
> Question for Youth: When and where are you most challenged to "act like Jesus would"?
> Question for Adults, Families and Faith Communities: Do we and our faith communities reveal the same God Jesus revealed to us -- or a God shaped more by human values, perceptions, conventions and fears?
Learn More
• Read Sunday's readings here
• Read a commentary on Sunday’s readings here
• Learnmore about the cultural context of the Gospel
• Reflect on an image for Sunday's Gospel here
• Hear the Gospel from a Third World perspective
• Find a schedule of weekend Masses in the Waterloo and Cedar Falls parishes here
Focus
So Jesus said again, "Amen, amen, I say to you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly."
One-Minute-Homily
> When we encounter difficult times or face important decisions, we often confide in a close friend--someone who knows us, who cares about us, and desires the best for us; someone we can trust to be honest but understanding.
> Using the example of a good shepherd, Jesus says he is the good friend and protector we can confide in. Unlike the thief, we can trust that the Good Shepherd desires the best for us; we can depend on him to guide and protect us.
> If we listen carefully to God's advice in Scripture, the wisdom expressed in church teaching, and what we have learned from our own experience, we can depend on a well-formed conscience to guide and protect us and those who confide in us for support.
> The Eucharist reveals to us a God and a community who desire the best for us; we can depend on their guidance and protection.
Learn More
• Read Sunday's readings here
• Read a commentary on Sunday’s readings here
• Learn more about the cultural context of the Gospel
• Reflecton an image for Sunday's Gospel here
• Hear the Gospel from a Third World perspective
• Find a schedule of weekend Masses in the Waterloo and Cedar Falls parishes here
Focus
[On] the first day of the week, two of Jesus' disciples were going to a village seven miles from Jerusalem called Emmaus. ...Jesus himself drew near and walked with them, but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him.... As they approached the village...they urged him, "Stay with us...." So he went in to stay with them. And it happened that, while he was with them at table, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them. With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him....
One-Minute-Homily
> We don’t normally eat with strangers; we feel uncomfortable about eating with someone we don't know, don't like, or don't trust. Eating together – “breaking bread” -- is usually a very personal and intimate sign of a relationship between people who know and love each other.
> Although the disciples were probably impressed with the wisdom Jesus shared along the road to Emmaus, they recognized him in the breaking of the bread -- a simple but profound act of sharing among friends.
> Like the disciples on the road to Emmaus, we know God in the people even the strangers --who befriend us and the people we befriend. It is in our relationships that we come to experience a personal and intimate relationship with the God revealed to us in the breaking of the bread—a God who knows, likes, trusts and loves us.
> Whatever else we hear at Eucharist, nothing should overshadow or contradict this fundamental experience.
For Reflection or Discussion
> Question for Children: Who do you eat food with? How do you feel about the people you eat with?
> Question for Youth: Think about your friendships; in the process of becoming adults, we befriend a lot of strangers in the hope of finding one who can embody God’s love, care for us.
> Question for Adults, Families and Faith Communities: Are we growing in our appreciation for how much God knows, likes and loves us? Does our attitude and behavior at and outside of Eucharist reveal God's love and care to others?
Learn More
• Read Sunday's readings here
• Read a commentary on Sunday’s readings here
• Learn moreabout the cultural context of the Gospel
• Reflect on an image for Sunday's Gospel here
• Hear the Gospel from a Third World perspective
• Find a schedule of weekend Masses in the Waterloo and Cedar Falls parishes here
Focus
On the evening of that first day of the week...Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, "Peace be with you." When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side.... Thomas, one of the Twelve, was not with them…. He said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands...and put my hand into his side, I will not believe." Now a week later...Jesus came...and stood in their midst.... ...[H]e said to Thomas, "…See my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving….” Thomas...said to him, "My Lord and my God!"
One-Minute-Homily
> "Show me." The truth is, we are all a little skeptical about taking anyone at their word these days, especially if we have been deceived or misled by someone--or an institution--we trusted. We are likely to demand evidence that we can accept “beyond a reasonable doubt.”
> So-called “Doubting Thomas” often gets a bad rap because he demanded no more than what had already been given to the rest of the disciples, but he becomes an example for us who demand more proof than faith can provide.
> The things we believe in are not things that can be “proven” in the conventional sense--like God's unexplainable mercy. Our faith is based more on intuition than proof, and on the witness of others whose faith encourage us to believe what we can only hope is possible.
> When we take the Eucharist into our hands, we cannot see Christ; we believe in his presence because we have sensed it, experienced and encountered it, in the Body of Christ around us.
For Reflection or Discussion
> Question for Children: What do you "believe" in that you cannot see?
> Question for Youth: As we grow, we begin to "test" the truths others have told us; what truths are you "testing" right now?
> Question for Adults, Families and Faith Communities: Have we placed our faith in the kind of proof which, in the end, is not convincing because it tries to prove too much -- like human justice instead of God's mercy?
Learn More
• Read Sunday's readings here
• Read a commentary on Sunday’s readings here
• Learn more about the cultural context of the Gospel
• Reflect on an image for Sunday's Gospel here
• Hear the Gospel from a Third World perspective
• Find a schedule of weekend Masses in the Waterloo and Cedar Falls parishes here
Focus
On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb...and saw the stone removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved.... So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb.... When Simon Peter arrived after him, he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there, and the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place. Then the other disciple also went in...and he saw and believed.
One-Minute-Homily
> In the midst of tragedy and loss, it is often hard to imagine that things will ever be OK, much less better. And yet our experience shows that often times we look back on difficult situations as times of growth and grace. Sometimes things turn out better than we could hope.
> Confronted with the crucifixion and death of Jesus, surely his followers must have wondered how things could ever be OK. Only gradually did they realize that what came out of his death was resurrection -- a new kind of, and everlasting -- life. That's the nature of what Christians call "the Paschal (Easter) Mystery."
> The challenge to us as followers of Jesus is to imagine -- and believe -- that something better is possible, in spite of the pain and suffering we and our loved ones experience in this life. The “new normal” will be something totally new and far from just normal if we are willing to believe and to hope.
> We literally get a taste of this new life -- the Easter Mystery -- every time we participate in the Eucharist.
For Reflection or Discussion
> Question for Children: Can you think of a time when you were surprised by something very good?
> Question for Youth: People say "no pain, no gain." Can you think of ways in which you have experienced that fact in your own life?
> Question for Adults, Families and Faith Communities: Do people recognize us as persons of hope and trust -- as persons and communities who believe in the Easter Mystery?
Learn More
• Read Sunday's readings here
• Read a commentary on Sunday’s readings here
• Learn more about the cultural context of the Gospel
• Reflect on an image for Sunday's Gospel here
• Hear the Gospel from a Third World perspective
• Find a schedule of Easter services in the Waterloo and Cedar Falls parishes here
Focus
The disciples…brought the ass and the colt and laid their cloaks over them, and [Jesus] sat upon them. The very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and strewed them on the road. The crowds preceding him and those following kept crying out and saying: “Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed is the he who comes in the name of the Lord; hosanna in the highest.”
For Reflection or Discussion
> Question for Children: Do you ever pretend to be someone different than you really are?
> Question for Youth: Adults have a lot of expectations for young people; do you struggle to be the person you really are?
> Question for Adults, Families and Faith Communities: When and how have we sacrificed our true identity for success, or acceptance, or security?
Learn More
• Read Sunday's readings here
• Read a commentary on Sunday’s readings here
• Learn more about the cultural context of the Gospel
• Reflect on an image for Sunday's Gospel here
• Hearthe Gospel from a Third World perspective
• Find a scheduleof Holy Week and Easter services in the Waterloo and Cedar Falls parishes here
Focus
When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days.... Jesus said, "Take away the stone."... So they took away the stone. And Jesus raised his eyes and said, "Father, I thank you for hearing me. I know that you always hear me; but because of the crowd here I have said this, that they may believe that you sent me." And when he had said this, He cried out in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" The dead man came out, tied hand and foot with burial bands.... So Jesus said to them, "Untie him and let him go."
One-Minute-Homily
> Most of the time, most of us pretty much take life for granted. Until we are old, or get sick, or a loved one dies—until we have a life-and-death experience of some kind--we don't think much about death or about the things that are really important and those that are not.
> In this week's Gospel, Lazarus and his sisters have a life-and-death experience. Jesus restores Lazarus to life--a life-and-death experience which no doubt helped Lazarus and his loved ones appreciate what is really important in this life and the life to come.
> The challenge for us as Christians is not to wait for a near-death experience to leave our tombs of denial and fear, to recognize what’s important and what isn’t, to shake off the bonds which prevent us and others from recognizing and embracing the new life Jesus offers us.
> In its own way, the Eucharist is a near-death experience--it clarifies the difference between this-life and new-life, between here-and-now, between what's important and what is ultimately-important.
For Reflection or Discussion
> Question for Children: What gives you life and makes you feel really alive?
> Question for Youth: Growing up entails so many choices; in what ways do you experience some tension or confusion between what's important and what's really important?
> Question for Adults, Families and Faith Communities: Are we and our communities a source of hope for people? Does our presence help people recognize the difference between what's important and what's really important?
Learn More
• Read Sunday's readings here
• Read a commentary on Sunday’s readings here
• Learn more about the cultural context of the Gospel
• Reflect on an image for Sunday's Gospel here
• Hear the Gospel from a Third World perspective
• Find a schedule of Masses in the Waterloo and Cedar Falls parishes here
Focus
As he passed by Jesus saw a man blind from birth…. [H]e spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva, and smeared the clay on his eyes, and said to him, “Go wash in the Pool of Siloam”…. So he went and washed, and came back able to see. …[Jesus said to him], “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” He answered and said, “Who is he, sir, that I may believe?” Jesus said to him, “…the one speaking with you is he.” He said, “I do believe,”…. Then Jesus said, “I came into this world for judgment, so that those who do not see might see, and those who do see might become blind.”
One-Minute-Homily
> Even as young children in school, we are embarrassed to admit we don’t know the answer. The world expects us to know everything; it encourages us to pretend that we have all the answers, and it shames people who admit that there are mysteries they do not understand.
> The blind man in this week's Gospel comes to believe in the Savior, even though he cannot explain what happened to him; by contrast, the religious leaders, who presume that they already know everything, lack the ability to believe in something more.
> Faith should not contradict what we know, but in the end it will always depend more on trust than on knowledge. The challenge for us is to admit that there are important mysteries we cannot fully explain and hopes we cannot justify without faith.
> The Eucharist is perhaps the greatest mystery of all -- an expression of our trust in the Divine Who is really present among us.
For Reflection or Discussion
> Question for Children: How do you feel when somebody asks you a question and you don't know the answer?
> Question for Youth: What are some of the questions or mysteries in your life? Are you comfortable living with mysteries you can't fully understand?
> Question for Adults, Families and Faith Communities: Think of some of the ways in which we act like the Pharisees--overly confident that we "see" everything and blind to the need for faith in unexplained mysteries.
Learn More
• Read Sunday's readings here
• Read a commentary on Sunday’s readings here
• Learn more about the cultural context of the Gospel
• Reflecton an image for Sunday's Gospel here
• Hear the Gospel from a Third World perspective
• Find a scheduleof Masses in the Waterloo and Cedar Falls parishes here
Focus
Jesus came to a town of Samaria called Sychar.... Jacob's well was there [and] Jesus...sat down there at the well. A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, m"Give me a drink." "How can you, a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?" Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew...who is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.... Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again; but whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst...."
One-Minute-Homily
> We all long for acceptance and love, which is to say we long to be known and accepted and valued. In the absence of love and acceptance we will settle for attention, and we will sometimes cheat, lie and steal to get it, but attention never satisfies our desire to be loved.
> In this week's Gospel, Jesus recognizes the Samaritan woman at the well as a real person, in spite of the fact that she is an alien, a woman--and a sinner. He promises her "living water"--a symbol of God's unconditional love and acceptance.
> The Gospel challenges us, first, to believe that God knows us and loves us in spite of our human imperfection and sin. Secondly it challenges us to believe that God loves every other human being in the same way, which is how we should value them as well.
> "The Body of Christ"...the Eucharist names and claims us for who we are; it is the living expression of God's unconditional acceptance and love. The challenge, as St. Augustine said, is to become what we are.
For Reflection or Discussion
> Question for Children: Do you ever feel like you don't belong? How do people help you feel like you are welcome?
> Question for Youth: Teenagers often feel like they don't "fit in;" how do you help others feel accepted and welcome?
> Question for Adults, Families and Faith Communities: What's the biggest challenge about accepting others, even those who are different?
Learn More
• Read Sunday's readings here
• Read a commentary on Sunday’s readings here
• Learn more about the cultural context of the Gospel
• Reflect on an image for Sunday's Gospel here
• Hear the Gospel from a Third World perspective
• Find a schedule of Masses in the Waterloo and Cedar Falls parishes here
Focus
Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light. ...[A] bright cloud cast a shadow over them, then from the cloud came a voice that said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him."
One-Minute-Homily
> We all need something to keep us going when times get tough -- something to look forward to and to hope for, a vision of better times. We need to know that beyond the tough times, pain and suffering, better times are coming.
> In this week's Gospel, Jesus reveals himself to the disciples in all of his divine glory and the Father confirms that they can place their trust in him. It was this experience that would sustain them and give them hope in the difficult days which Jesus knew lay ahead.
> Lent reminds us that we are imperfect and sinful people, living in a world where there is much sadness, pain and suffering. The promise of Easter and Resurrection, the promise of the Kingdom and better times – what we call the “Paschal Mystery” -- is sometimes all we have to give us hope.
> The Eucharist is "food for the journey," but also a living sign of Jesus in all his Resurrected glory.
For Reflection or Discussion
> Question for Children: What do you hope for when you are sad or afraid?
> Question for Youth: What is your vision for the future? How does your faith help sustain you in tough times?
> Question for Adults, Families and Faith Communities: Where do we find hope in tough times? How do we provide hope for those who are suffering?
Learn More
• Read Sunday's readings here
• Read a commentary on Sunday’s readings here
• Learn more about the cultural context of the Gospel
• Reflect on an image for Sunday's Gospel here
• Hear the Gospel from a Third World perspective
• Find a schedule of Masses in the Waterloo and Cedar Falls parishes here
Focus
At that time Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert.... The tempter approached and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become loaves of bread." Jesus said in reply, "...One does not live on bread alone...." Then the devil...made him stand on the parapet of the temple, and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down...." Jesus answered him, "...You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test." Then the devil...showed him all the kingdoms of the world...and he said to him, "All these I shall give to you, if you will prostrate yourself and worship me." At this, Jesus said to him, "Get away, Satan! It is written: The Lord, your God, shall you worship and him alone shall you serve."
One-Minute-Homily
> In our effort to validate individuals and their freedom, we seem to have lost the ability to distinguish between opinions and actual facts--between what is true and what people wish was true. In the realm of “fake news,” you can claim anything as a fact.
> The devil is the master of “fake news.” In this week's Gospel, we see the Evil One tempting Jesus with various untruths about himself and his mission--all of them inviting perhaps, but not true to the Lord's identity or mission.
> The devil tempts us in the same way. We are challenged as disciples of Jesus to distinguish between what is true and what we wish was true -- to recognize the ways in which we are being deceived or are deceiving ourselves and others about what is good and bad, right and wrong, helpful or hurtful.
> Our search for the truth begins with the words of the Creed which we confess at Sunday Mass. This is our antidote to “fake news.”
For Reflection or Discussion
> Question for Children: Why do people tell lies? Why do you lie?
> Question for Youth: Becoming an adult means discovering the person that we are, and learning to share it with others. Are you tempted to pretend not to be the person you are?
> Question for Adults, Families and Faith Communities: In what ways, and for what reasons, do we deceive ourselves and others about who we are, what we value, and why we act the way we do?
Learn More
• Read Sunday's readings here
• Read a commentary on Sunday’s readings here
• Learn more about the cultural context of the Gospel
• Reflect on an image for Sunday's Gospel here
• Hear the Gospel from a Third World perspective
• Find a schedule of Masses in the Waterloo and Cedar Falls parishes here
Focus
Jesus said to his disciples: "You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil.... You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. ...[B]e perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect."
One-Minute-Homily
> It is hard enough to love people we know, like and trust; it's much harder -- almost impossible sometimes -- to love those we don't know, don't like or don't trust. In fact, it seems perfectly reasonable and natural to dislike those who dislike us.
> In this week's Gospel, Jesus urges his disciples to do what seems both unreasonable and impossible -- to be perfect as God is perfect; to love our enemies, to resist the natural desire for retaliation (which we like to call "justice"), and to pray for those who wish us harm.
> To do this we must first recognize "the other" as one of us -- a child of God, and hence a sister or brother, however difficult that may be. Secondly, we must try harder to understand why the person acts in such intolerable ways; this doesn't make love easier, but it may make it less impossible.
> The Eucharist reveals to us, in word and deed, the long history of God's perfectly unreasonable love for humankind, in spite of our impossible and intolerable behavior.
For Reflection or Discussion
> Question for Children: Why is it hard to be nice to someone who is not nice to you?
> Question for Youth: Young people do mean things to each other, and it hurts. Have you stopped to think what makes a person be so mean?
> Question for Adults, Families and Faith Communities: In what ways do we think and act as if our love, our understanding, our hospitality is only available to those we know, like and trust?
Learn More
• Read Sunday's readings here
• Read a commentary on Sunday’s readings here
• Learn more about the cultural context of the Gospel
• Reflect on an image for Sunday's Gospel here
• Hear the Gospel from a Third World perspective
• Find a schedule of Masses in the Waterloo and Cedar Falls parishes here
• Find a schedule for Ash Wednesday services here
Focus
Jesus said to his disciples: "Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.... You have heard that it was said...You shall not kill;...But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment. You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery. But I say to you, everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
One-Minute-Homily
> We can make rules that regulate how people act (when they're being watched), but we can't rely on rules to change how people think, feel, value or desire. In the end, as is fairly obvious in our society today, no law can make people love each other, respect each other, or care about others.
> In this week's Gospel, Jesus exposes the shortcoming of the law. He says God does not want people who just follow rules and laws; God wants people who have changed what they value and what they desire -- being right with God in our hearts.
> Real conversion happens in the heart. There is always a temptation to be satisfied with following the law, to look like we’re doing what we’re supposed to do, but to be genuine Christians, to be at-right with God, we are always being challenged to desire what God desires.
> The Eucharist is about the personal relationship we experience with Jesus and with each other; those relationships are rooted in our hearts, not in the law.
For Reflection or Discussion
> Question for Children: Do you ever ignore a rule if no one is watching?
> Question for Youth: How do you experience the conflict between your desire for freedom and the rules people expect you to follow?
> Question for Adults, Families and Faith Communities: Are we content to follow and enforce the law? Or do we struggle to change our desires and support others who are struggling to change their desires?
Learn More
• Read Sunday's readings here
• Read a commentary on Sunday’s readings here
• Learn more about the cultural context of the Gospel
• Reflect on an image for Sunday's Gospel here
• Hear the Gospel from a Third World perspective
• Find a schedule of Masses in the Waterloo and Cedar Falls parishes here
Focus
Jesus said to his disciples: "You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned?.... You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lamp stand, where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father."
One-Minute-Homily
> We live in a world that in many ways seems dangerous and threatening. As a result, many of us develop a natural tendency to preserve, protect and defend ourselves and what is "ours". Taken to an extreme, this tendency becomes dangerous to both ourselves and others.
> In this week's Gospel, Jesus uses three examples to stress the point that Christians do not have to save, protect or hide what God has given us. We are the salt of the earth, a city shining on the mountain side, a lamp glowing on the lamp stand. We must share God's gifts freely and openly.
> The challenge to us, as both individuals and as faith communities, is to stop hoarding the love, mercy and grace which God has shared so generously with us. What we have been given is meant to be shared. We can risk being vulnerable because, as they say, God has our back.
> We should experience the Eucharist as a living experience of God's generosity and vulnerability, not something which has to be preserved, protected or hidden.
For Reflection or Discussion
> Question for Children: Do you have certain things you want to keep for yourself instead of sharing with others?
> Question for Youth: Adolescence is a fragile time; do you have people or things you are protective about and find hard to share with others?
> Question for Adults, Families and Faith Communities: In what ways are we hoarding, preserving or protecting what God has given us? What makes us afraid to share what we have been given?
Learn More
• Read Sunday's readings here
• Read a commentary on Sunday’s readings here
• Learn more about the cultural context of the Gospel
• Reflect on an image for Sunday's Gospel here
• Hear the Gospel from a Third World perspective
• Find a schedule of Masses in the Waterloo and Cedar Falls parishes here
Focus
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain.... He began to teach them, saying: "Blessed are the poor in spirit,... Blessed are they who mourn,...Blessed are the meek,... Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,... Blessed are the merciful,... Blessed are the clean of heart,... Blessed are the peacemakers,... Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,... Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you.... Rejoice and be glad for your reward will be great in heaven."
One-Minute-Homily
> The problem is not that there are people who are more “successful”, “productive” and “useful” than others; the problem is that our culture values them more than those who aren’t. Persons without the ability, circumstances or opportunity to succeed are automatically de-valued.
> The Beatitudes remind us that in God's eyes -- which is to say, in the way that really counts -- even those who do not achieve what the world considers "success" are valuable (or "blessed," as the scripture puts it).
> On this, the last Sunday in January -- a month dedicated to respect for life -- we are challenged to believe and act as if every human person, and life in all its stages, conditions and forms, is valuable and blessed.
> Gathered for Eucharist, we are tempted to imagine that some of us are more (or less) valuable than others. According to the Gospel, that would be a mistake.
For Reflection or Discussion
> Question for Children: Do you ever feel bad because you aren't as good at something as someone else? Do you ever make someone else feel bad because they aren't as good you are?
> Question for Youth: How do you cope with people who act like they are better than you? Do you make other people feel that they are not as good as you are?
> Question for Adults, Families and Faith Communities: Who do we value and de-value? How do we treat those who do not measure up to our rules about who is valuable and who is not?
Learn More
• Read Sunday's readings here
• Read a commentary on Sunday’s readings here
• Learn more about the cultural context of the Gospel
• Reflect on an image for Sunday's Gospel here
• Hear the Gospel from a Third World perspective
Focus
As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee, Jesus saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew.... He said to them, "Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men." At once they left their nets and followed him. He walked along from there and saw two other brothers, James...and...John.... He called them, and immediately they left their boat...and followed him.
One-Minute-Homily
> There is a difference between an invitation and a command. We appreciate invitations, although we don't always feel obliged to respond to them, but we resent commands because we often feel like we can't decline them.
> In this week's Gospel we hear an invitation that the disciples apparently thought was too good to decline: "Come, follow me," Jesus says, and they do. Chances are, they had no idea of where he would lead them or what following him would entail.
> The question is, are we treating Jesus' call like an invitation or a command? The truth is, discipleship is like parenting--we have only a vague idea of what it may entail, although we can guess that it will require both sacrifice and faith. Do we treat the invitation as an opportunity or a challenge?
> The Eucharist is not a "command performance", but Jesus renews his invitation each week. It’s an invitation too good to decline.
For Reflection or Discussion
> Question for Children: How do you feel when someone invites you to do something new and exciting?
> Question for Youth: Adults are frequently issuing commands that could also be seen as invitations. Can you think of something important that sounded like a command but is really an invitation?
> Question for Adults, Families and Faith Communities: How often do we overlook an invitation to deeper faith because it sounds like a command? In what ways do the invitations we extend to others sound more like commands?
Learn More
• Read Sunday's readings here
• Read a commentary on Sunday’s readings here
• Reflect on an image for Sunday's Gospel here
• Hear the Gospel from a Third World perspective
• Find a schedule of Masses in the Waterloo and Cedar Falls parishes here
• • •
The Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God
January 1. 2023
The Solemnity of Christmas
December 25, 2022
Focus
...Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth...to the city of David that is called Bethlehem...with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. While they were there, the time came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
One-Minute-Homily
> Babies remind us that human life is fragile, imperfect and unfinished. As adults, we imagine that we can outgrow that fragility and imperfection, but the fact is that we are all dependent on others at any age, and we all have a lot of growing to do.
> It's no accident that when God came among us as a human person the Messiah came first as a baby, born in a stable and laid in a manger. God embraces our imperfection and reminds us that only in time—actually, in the end, outside of time--will we be perfected.
> The greatest challenge for us as Christians is to embrace humanity as the Incarnate God has done--accepting our vulnerability, our limitations, our weakness, our failures and that of others, rejecting the twin sins of denial and blame, living at peace with fragility and imperfection.
> At Eucharist, we gather to embrace and be embraced--and to be nourished, our brokenness healed.
For Reflection or Discussion
> Question for Children: What is it like to have a baby in your family?
> Question for Youth: What brokenness do you struggle with in yourself? In others?
> Question for Adults, Families and Faith Communities: How do we embrace the brokenness in ourselves and in others?
Learn More
• Read Sunday's readings here
• Read a commentary on Sunday’s readings here
• Learn more about the cultural context of the Gospel
• Reflect on an image for Sunday's Gospel here
• Hear the Gospel from a Third World perspective
• Find a schedule of Christmas Masses in the Waterloo and Cedar Falls parishes here
• • •
Fourth Sunday in Advent
December 18, 2022
Focus
When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child.... Joseph her husband...decided to divorce her quietly...when the angel of the Lord appeared to him...and said, "[D]o not be afraid to take Mary... into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
One-Minute-Homily
> No one likes unhappy surprises – a sudden death, an unexpected diagnosis, a financial crisis, an inexplicable betrayal. Faced with a situation which will bring pain and suffering we are almost always tempted to find someone to blame.
> For Joseph, Mary’s unexpected pregnancy was not a miracle, it was a disaster; it was sure to bring embarrassment and shame upon them and their families. Still, empowered by God’s grace and the assurance of the angel, he chose not to abandon her and not to seek blame.
> Joseph's example challenges us to be faithful even to those who embarrass us or make us feel uncomfortable. It challenges us to accept inexplicable circumstances which bring pain and suffering upon us for no apparent reason and where the only person we can blame is God.
> The Eucharist reminds us that through his death and resurrection Jesus disarmed our embarrassment and shame. He disarmed the finality of human suffering, even though its consequences remain.
For Reflection or Discussion
> Question for Children: Do you avoid other kids because they tease you and try to blame you for things you didn't do?
> Question for Youth: Growing up means taking risks; those risks entail the possibility of rejection, embarrassment, and suffering. What can we learn from Joseph’s example about the risks of growing up?
> Question for Adults, Families and Faith Communities: Who are the people in our lives whom we avoid because their presence is embarrassing or discomforting? Who are the people we blame for the inexplicable suffering in our lives?
Learn More
• Read Sunday's readings here
• Read a reflection on Sunday’s readings here
• Learn more about the cultural context of the Gospel
• Reflect on an image for Sunday's Gospel here
• Hear the Gospel from a Third World perspective
• • •
Third Sunday in Advent
December 11, 2022
Focus
John the Baptist…sent his disciples to Jesus with this question, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?” Jesus said to them in reply, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them.”
One-Minute-Homily
> Sometimes a good thing seems almost too good to be true – and often it turns out that way. The commercialization of almost every transaction and the rise of “fake news” means we frequently have to wonder, “Is this for real?”
> John the Baptist talked and acted like a prophet and many people didn't believe him because what he said seemed too harsh and too incredible. Jesus didn’t talk or act like the Messiah people expected and many didn't believe him because what he said seemed too good to be true.
> The challenge of being Christian is to first believe what seems almost too good to be true -- a God who is unconditionally loving, compassionate and merciful. But even more, we have to turn that good news into action so that others, too, can believe what seems too good to be true.
> When we gather for Eucharist, it is only natural to wonder, "Is this for real?" The proof comes when we leave and go about our daily lives.
For Reflection or Discussion
> Question for Children: Can you think of something that seems too good to be true?
> Question for Youth: Does having a friend who truly respects and appreciates you ever seem too good to be true? Do you believe that it is still possible, however incredible?
> Question for Adults, Families and Faith Communities: Do we talk and act in ways which convince people that we really do believe something that sounds too good to believe?
Learn More
• Read Sunday's readings here
• Read a reflection on Sunday’s readings here
• Learn more about the cultural context of the Gospel
• Reflect on an image for Sunday's Gospel here
• Hear the Gospel from a Third World perspective
• • •
Second Sunday in Advent
December 4. 2022
Focus
John the Baptist appeared, preaching in the desert of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” It was of him that the prophet Isaiah had spoke: "A voice of one crying out in the desert, 'Prepare the way of the Lord….'" At that time Jerusalem, all Judea, and the whole region around the Jordan...were being baptized by John in the Jordan River as they acknowledged their sins.
One-Minute-Homily
> It's hard to change our minds. We resist, even when we know that we should. For one thing, it’s embarrassing to admit that we were wrong—but also because it usually means that we will also have to change not only what we think but how we act.
> John the Baptist and Jesus both called people to "metanoia,” the Greek word for "repent," meaning "to turn around" or change one's mind, to see things differently. John urged people to change out of fear; Jesus invited them to change out of love.
> God's love and mercy empower us to repent, change our minds, and to see life differently—to see new possibilities, to be more understanding, to be more compassionate and more hopeful. We should be grateful, not embarrassed, for this opportunity.
> The Eucharist re-presents God's love and mercy, revealed in the life and death of Jesus; it empowers us to change and grow by the grace of God.
For Reflection or Discussion
> Question for Children: Why is it hard to admit that you are wrong? What helps us do that?
> Question for Youth: Can you think of a time when you changed your mind about someone or something important? How did you feel about that change?
> Question for Adults, Families and Faith Communities: We get clues about things we need to change long before we are ready to do it; what hints have you been denying or avoiding that suggest you need to make some changes?
Learn More
• Read Sunday's readings here
• Read a reflection on Sunday’s readings here
• Learn more about the cultural context of the Gospel
• Reflect on an image for Sunday's Gospel here
• Hear the Gospel from a Third World perspective
• • •
First Sunday in Advent
November 27, 2022
Focus
Jesus said to his disciples: “...[S]tay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come. Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour of night when the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and not let his house be broken into. So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.”
One-Minute-Homily
> The truth is that we are so busy, rushing from one thing to another, that we have little time, energy or desire to pay much attention to the people and world around us. And we are more or less insulated against information that challenges our assumptions or interrupts our routines.
> Jesus reminds us that we need to "stay awake" because the important things come like a thief in the night. They are unexpected, unfamiliar, even unwanted; they may go unnoticed unless because we aren’t paying attention.
> Advent invites us to be prayerful people – which is to say, people who are reflective and listening, open to what is new, what is challenging, what is unfamiliar. Advent invites us to slow down, step back, to become more aware so that in the midst of our busyness the Lord does not arrive in our lives unexpected and unnoticed.
> At Sunday Mass we celebrate the Lord's real presence among us; it arises out of, and depends upon, our ability to notice his presence in our daily lives.
For Reflection or Discussion
> Question for Children: What are some of the signs that Christmas is coming? What are signs that Jesus is living among us?
> Question for Youth: Growing up often brings surprises—things we didn’t expect happen. What does the Gospel tell us about being surprised by something that we should have seen coming, but didn't?
> Question for Adults, Families and Faith Communities: In what ways are we too busy, too distracted, too controlled by routines, to actually notice the unexpected ways the Lord is present in our lives?
Learn More
• Read Sunday's readings here
• Read a reflection on Sunday’s readings here
• Learn more about the cultural context of the Gospel
• Reflect on an image for Sunday's Gospel here
• Hear the Gospel from a Third World perspective
• • •
Solemnity of Christ the King
November 20, 2022
Focus
Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us.” The other,...rebuking him, said..., “Have you no fear of God? ...[W]e have been condemned justly,...but this man has done nothing criminal.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus replied to him, “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
One-Minute-Homily
> Everything we do has consequences, although it appears that many of us are content to ignore the consequences of what we say and do or blame them on others. In the end, whether we are at peace or afraid, depends on whether we have accepted those consequences or tried to deny them.
> The two thieves crucified with Jesus represent different responses: the one tried to avoid the consequences of his actions, the other accepted them and still hoped for something better. His trust in the Lord, who turns out to be the King of Mercy, redeemed the consequences of his behavior.
> Our faith in Jesus Christ the King both challenges and enables us to accept the fact that we are unfinished, imperfect, and sinful people. Whatever the consequences of our actions here and now, in the end we all must rely on the Divine King to "remember us” as he did the so-called “good thief.”
> At Sunday Mass we are gathered as sinners and would-be saints, all of whom depend upon the King's mercy in the end.
For Reflection or Discussion
> Question for Children: Do you ever lie or blame others to avoid getting in trouble?
> Question for Youth: Do you stop to think about possible long or short-term consequences before you act? Would it make a difference if you did?
> Question for Adults, Families and Faith Communities: It's easy to blame things on someone else; how do we try to avoid the consequences of our own choices by shifting the blame to others persons or groups?
Learn More
• Read Sunday's readings here
• Read a reflection on Sunday’s readings here
• Learn more about the cultural context of the Gospel
• Reflect on an image for Sunday's Gospel here
• Hear the Gospel from a Third World perspective
• • •
Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
November 13, 2022
Focus
Jesus said, “...When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for such things must happen first.... Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues.... ...[T]hey will seize and persecute you.... You will be hated by all because of my name, but not a hair on your head will be destroyed. By your perseverance you will secure your lives.”
One-Minute-Homily
> When we look around, it's easy to be pessimistic or fearful. There is plenty of evidence that the world is going to hell in a hand-basket. And when we look inside ourselves: the uncomfortable suspicion that maybe we may not be everything we pretend to be.
> In the midst of this, Jesus reassures us as he did the disciples: “do not be terrified”...do not surrender to an atittude of doom and gloom. Persevere. Trust. Hope. This Gospel is not a warning but a promise.
> As Christians, we are people of hope, not fear. We believe that God is at work redeeming us and the world; our task is to recognize our imperfections and embrace the unfinished nature of creation – in a word, is to trust in God and cooperate with the Divine effort to save us all.
> We proclaim this conviction frequently at Eucharist: “Dying you destroyed our death, rising you restored our life. Lord Jesus, come in glory!”
For Reflection or Discussion
> Question for Children: What do you do when you are afraid?
> Question for Youth: What do you say or do to help friends who are feeling overwhelmed by fear?
> Question for Adults, Families and Faith Communities: Do we make decisions based on fear or hope? Do we trust or doubt--ourselves, others, or God himself?
Learn More
• Read Sunday's readings
• Read a reflection on Sunday’s readings
• Learn more about the cultural context of the Gospel
• Reflect on an image for Sunday's Gospel
• Hear the Gospel from a Third World perspective
• • •
Thirty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time'
November 6, 2022
Focus
Some Sadducees, those who deny that there is a resurrection, came forward.... Jesus said to them, "...[T]hose who...attain to the coming age and to the resurrection of the dead...can no longer die, for they are like angels.... That the dead will rise even Moses made known in the passage about the bush, when he called out ‘Lord.' [T]he God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob...is not God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.”
One-Minute-Homily
> This is the time of year when the church focuses on "the last things" and the life to come. Like many in Jesus's time, we have a lot of questions about life after death, and we live, more or less consciously, in fear of death and the unknown which follows.
> Jesus tells us that it's hard to imagine what the resurrected life is like, and we should be careful about making comparisons to life here on earth. All we need to know is that God is the God of the living and to God "all are alive."
> The challenge for us as Christians is to live without being overly preoccupied about when or how this or that will end – and without being overly anxious about death. We can be encouraged and reassured that no one and no thing is lost, and no one "passes away" in God's eyes.
> Sunday Eucharist is a fore-taste of the heavenly kingdom; however separated we are from one another or from life here and now, we are all alive in God's eyes.
For Reflection or Discussion
> Question for Children: Do you ever think about what has happened to people who have died?
> Question for Youth: What difference does it make if you believe in life after death or not?
> Question for Adults, Families and Faith Communities: What difference does it make to us when we realize that in God's eyes "all are alive"?
Learn More
• Read Sunday's readings
• Read a reflection on Sunday’s readings
• Learn more about the cultural context of the Gospel
• Reflect on an image for Sunday's Gospel
• Hear the Gospel from a Third World perspective
• • •
Thirty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time
October 30, 2022
Focus
Now [there was] a man there named Zacchaeus, who was a chief tax collector and also a wealthy man.... [H]e...climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus.... When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said, “Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house.” Zacchaeus came down quickly and received him with joy.... And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house...."
One-Minute-Homily
> Two things often make it difficult for us to hear the Gospel: worldly success and our personal shortcomings. People will often go to almost any ends to protect what they have and to avoid being discovered as something less than they pretend to be.
> In today’s Gospel, we meet a rich man who, in the end, decides not to try to hide his shortcomings. Zacchaeus climbs a tree to see Jesus and, when noticed by the Lord, confesses that he has not always been honest and promises to make things right.
> Conversion always entails admitting our shortcomings, thereby allowing the Lord to provide what we lack. It also entails recognizing that our success too often comes at someone else’s expense. Conversion comes when we realize that we are loved and valued in spite of our shortcomings and regardless of success.
> The Eucharist reminds us that conversion always takes place, as it did for Zacchaeus, in the context of community and our relationship to the community.
For Reflection or Discussion
> Question for Children: Has anyone ever said to you, “I love you, even though you’re not perfect”?
> Question for Youth: As we mature we are more likely to discover our shortcomings and our desire for success. How does the story of Zacchaeus apply to you?
> Question for Adults, Families and Faith Communities: How do success or shortcomings interfere with how we relate to the people around us in our families, the church, or the broader community?
Learn More
• Read Sunday's readings here
• Read a reflection on Sunday’s readings here
• Learn more about the cultural context of the Gospel:
• Reflect on an image for Sunday's Gospel here
• Hear the Gospel from a Third World perspective
• • •
Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
October 23, 2022
Focus
Jesus addressed this parable to those who were convinced of their own righteousness.... “Two people went up to the temple area to pray....The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself, ‘O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity -- greedy, dishonest, adulterous....' But the tax collector stood off at a distance...beat his breast and prayed, ‘O God, be merciful to me a sinner.’ I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former; for whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
One-Minute-Homily
> We learn early on to compare ourselves to others. Like the Pharisee in today’s Gospel, we judge ourselves and others by human standards, based mostly on personal effort, social convention, and economic gain.
> In today’s Gospel Jesus warns us that God judges by different standards. God sees as a loving parent sees. Righteousness and unconditional love are something which is given, not earned, by a generous and compassionate God.
> As disciples, our prayer and our lives should express the conviction that in the end we will all get what we deserve--an infinite measure of divine mercy which exalts those who are humbled and humbles those who are exalted by human standards.
> We proclaim, celebrate and give thanks for this promise of mercy at Sunday Eucharist; we should feel both exalted and humbled.
For Reflection or Discussion
> Question for Children: Do you ever feel that some people are better than you or not as good as you?
> Question for Youth: Do you ever feel pressured to put someone down in order to be accepted by your friends?
> Question for Adults and Parishes: When, how and why do we judge ourselves or others based on social standards or religious conventions?
Learn More
• Read Sunday's readings here
• Read a reflection on Sunday’s readings here
• Reflect on an image for Sunday's Gospel here
• Hear the Gospel from a Third World perspective
• • •
Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time
October 16, 2022
Focus
“...[A] widow in that town used to come to him and say, 'Render a just decision for me against my adversary.' For a long time the judge was unwilling, but eventually he thought, ‘...[B]ecause this widow keeps bothering me I shall deliver a just decision for her....’” The Lord said, "...Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and night?... I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily…."
One-Minute-Homily
> For the most part, people value persistence. We teach it to our children, we reward it among employees, we respect it among our friends. "Never give up." "Hang in there," we say. Persistence is based in the conviction--the trust--that things will work out for the best.
> In today's Gospel, Jesus tells a parable about a persistent widow who would not stop bothering the judge until he rendered her a judgment. He urges his disciples to emulate such persistence in their prayer.
> Prayer is always, in one way or another, an expression of our trust in God's compassion and love--our conviction that sooner or later God will render a judgment in our favor. It is this faith which enables us to persist even when things are difficult and we are challenged to do things we find difficult or uncomfortable.
> We gather regularly at Eucharist so that by our presence and our prayer we may support one another, even when our faith wavers.
For Discussion or Journaling
> Question for Children: What keeps you going when you have to do something that is hard to do?
> Question for Youth: Growing up is largely a process of trial and error. What does the Gospel tell you about not giving up?
> Question for Adults, Families and Faith Communities: Where or why have we given up, failed to be persistent, failed to trust?
Learn More
• Read Sunday's readings
• Read a reflection on Sunday’s readings
• Reflect on an image for Sunday's Gospel
• Hear the Gospel from a Third World perspective
• • •
Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time
October 9, 2022
Focus
…[O]ne of them, realizing he had been healed, returned…; and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him. He was a Samaritan. Jesus said in reply, "Ten were cleansed, were they not? ... Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?" Then he said to him, "Stand up and go; your faith has saved you."
One-Minute-Homily
> Some people seem naturally grateful, but some of us struggle – some because we feel we are entitled or have earned what we received; others because it’s just embarrassing to admit that we needed something from someone else. It takes both honesty and humility to be grateful.
> The story of the ten lepers is a sad reminder that many among the Chosen, assuming it was their right, would fail to appreciate what Jesus offers, even while those least likely – the stranger and alien – would receive it gratefully.
> The humbling but honest lesson for us today is that the most important things in this life – those of enduring and lasting value – are always gifts to be acknowledged and received with gratitude, while the things we work so hard to earn, achieve or possess – too often at someone else’s expense – often have very limited value.
> “Take this, all of you” are Christ’s words repeated at Eucharist – a reminder that the greatest gift of all, God’s very self, can only be received gratefully and shared.
For Discussion or Journaling
> Question for Children: What are some of the most important things someone has given you?
> Question for Youth: In the process of “earning” adulthood, are you aware and grateful for the important things which can only be given and received?
> Question for Adults, Families and Faith Communities: Do we take God’s gifts for granted? Do we give others the impression that they must earn or deserve what God has given us to share?
Learn More
• Read Sunday's readings
• Read a reflection on Sunday’s readings
• Reflect on an image for Sunday's Gospel
• Hear the Gospel from a Third World perspective
• • •
Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
October 2, 2022
Focus
The Lord replied, “Who among you would say to your servant..., ‘Come here immediately and take your place at table’? Would he not rather say to him, ‘…Wait on me while I eat and drink. You may eat and drink when I am finished’?... So should it be with you. When you have done all you have been commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.’”
One-Minute-Homily
> We like to be recognized. We like to be noticed and appreciated for who we are and what we do. Recognition implies that we are special or outstanding, and our society rewards those who are outstanding. Even the church recognizes saints who are presumably extraordinary.
> In today’s Gospel Jesus warns the disciples that his followers are called to be servants – not to the wealthy and privileged, but to those in need, those who are vulnerable -- servants who do what they are able to do, whether anyone notices or approves or not.
> For disciples, service is not extraordinary or particularly commendable. We need not overestimate our importance or underestimate our ability. We should not expect recognition or rewards. We are honest and humble (if not unprofitable) servants, doing what we can do.
> Eucharist incorporates us into the Body of Christ, each one more or less empowered to serve without special distinction or recognition.
Reflection or Discussion
> Question for Children: Are you good only when someone is watching?
> Question for Youth: What are some of the things you are tempted to say or do when you think no one cares or notices?
> Question for Adults and Parishes: Are we addicted to attention and praise? Do we depend on people's recognition to be happy and faithful?
Learn More
• Read Sunday's readings here:
• Read a reflection on Sunday’s readings here
• Reflect on an image for Sunday's Gospel here
• Hear the Gospel from a Third World perspective
• • •
Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
September 25, 2022
Focus
Jesus said to the Pharisees: "There was a rich man who…dined sumptuously each day. And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps that fell from the rich man's table…. When the poor man died, he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham. The rich man also died…and from the netherworld, where he was in torment, he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side.
One-Minute-Homily
> We encounter a lot of needy people, but most of us don't pay much attention. The most obvious are those who approach us on the sidewalk or while we're waiting at a stoplight. Often, we avert our eyes, avoid contact, or make excuses. Needy people, whatever the need, make us feel uncomfortable, even indignant.
> In today's Gospel, Jesus tells us that there are serious consequences for ignoring the needy among us. As is true of most lessons in the Gospel, this one applies not just to individuals but to groups--families, communities, whole societies -- and the church.
> Our challenge as disciples is to recognize and respond to the needy among us. We cannot afford to avert our eyes and pretend not to car, or make excuses about why people are in need. The church's social doctrine insists that those who have less than they need have a legitimate moral claim to what we have.
> The life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, which we celebrate at Eucharist, arose from God's awareness of our need for reconciliation and love.
For Discussion or Journaling
> Question for Children: Have you ever stopped to help someone in need?
> Question for Youth: People in need often show up at the worst possible time. Are there people in need interrupting your plans for the future?
> Question for Adults, Families and Faith Communities: Who are the people in need among us? Are we willing to put aside "business as usual" to respond to their needs?
Learn More
• Read Sunday's readings
• Read a reflection on Sunday’s readings
• Reflect on an image for Sunday's Gospel
• Hear the Gospel from a Third World perspective
• • •
Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
September 18, 2022
Focus
Jesus said to his disciples: “The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones; and the person who is dishonest in very small matters is also dishonest in great ones.... No servant can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and mammon.”
One-Minute-Homily
> Generally, most of us will say what we need to say in a given situation, following the advice to “go along to get along.” In the effort to protect ourselves or please others we run the risk that we may ignore the truth, sacrifice our own integrity and betray our principles.
> In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells a parable about a shrewd steward who realizes that what is important is his master’s honor, not his money. Then he urges his disciples to do the same – to honor the really important things, to recognize the truth, to "walk the talk."
> This is a challenge for disciples in today’s world, where we are often expected to say and do things that we don’t personally believe. As anyone in 12-Step recovery (or Confession) knows, at some point we have to choose to be honest about the deeper truths, even when we can't completely reconcile the truth with our desires
> In the Eucharist we come face-to-face with the deeper truth: we are children of a loving and generous Creator.
For Journaling or Discussion
> Question for Children: How often do you say something you don't mean?
> Question for Youth: When, how and why do you put on "false fronts," pretending to be, say or do something you don't mean?
> Question for Adults: What are the big inconsistencies in our lives? Why is it hard to be honest about them?
Learn More
• Read Sunday's readings
• Read a reflection on Sunday’s readings
• Learn more about the cultural context of the Gospel
• Reflect on an image for Sunday's Gospel
• Hear the Gospel from a Third World perspective
• • •
Twenty Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
September 11, 2022
He said to them, “Go on your way; behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves. Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals…. Into whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace to this household.' …Whatever town you enter and they welcome you,… say to them, 'The kingdom of God is at hand….'"
[Last Update: 12.06.24]
