Tuesday, 22nd Week in Ordinary Time                        In today’s gospel story, a man “with the spirit of an unclean demon” meets Jesus. And then the gospel tells us that Jesus drives out the unclean spirit. He does this through the words, “Be quiet! Come out of him!”             Each of us, to some extent, has … Continue reading UNCLEAN SPIRITS

Monday, 22nd Week in Ordinary Time                        “Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.”  Today’s gospel passage speaks of healing and wholeness, of liberty and freedom, of restoration and new life, of liberation and salvation, that God wants for us. It contains the very Good News Jesus brings. And this Good News is … Continue reading WORDS ARE POWERFUL

22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time                      “The one who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.”              Today’s responsorial psalm is taken from Psalm 15. It is often classified as an entrance liturgy. It resembles that part of Christian liturgy where the faithful, before moving on to actual worship, first pause and … Continue reading HONORING GOD WITH ALL OUR HEART

22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time                      Psalm 68:5 refers to God as the “Father of fatherless, defender of the widows.” In the Book of Zechariah (7:6-10), the prophet is calling out and condemning those who refuse to judge with true justice, those who do not show kindness and compassion, those who oppress the widows and … Continue reading LITURGY MUST LEAD TO SERVICE

22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time                      Two monks, Brother Francis and an elder monk, were walking down a muddy road on a rainy day. They came on a lovely young girl dressed in fine silks, who was afraid to cross because of all the mud and the flood. “Come on, girl,” said Brother Francis. And … Continue reading AVOIDANCE VS. INVOLVEMENT

Saturday, 21st Week in Ordinary Time                        Today’s gospel reading is a good explanation of one of the most basic laws in the spiritual order. St. John Paul II calls it the law of the gift. It can be expressed this way: The divine life increases in us in the measure that we give it … Continue reading THE LAW OF THE GIFT

Friday, 21st Week in Ordinary Time             “Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”             Imagine if you knew the day and hour you would pass from this life. Of course, some people do know that death is approaching either due to illness or age. But think about this in … Continue reading READY FOR THE LORD

Thursday, 21st Week in Ordinary Time                       “Therefore, stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come.”             Jesus’ statement in today’s gospel reading has two senses. In the narrower sense, they refer to his Second Coming at the end of the world. In the wider sense, they refer to … Continue reading READY FOR THE COMING

Wednesday, 21st Week in Ordinary Time                   “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites…”             A number of things might pop to mind when we hear the word hypocrite. Maybe it is a politician caught in a scandal. Maybe it is a priest doing something counter to his preaching. Maybe it is a scheming … Continue reading THE MASKS WE WEAR

Tuesday, 21st Week in Ordinary Time                         Institutionalized religion always runs the risk of insincerity or, in the worst case, hypocrisy. Interestingly, the only people Jesus denounces in the Gospels are the scribes and Pharisees and their like. He accuses them of not understanding God because they do not see the importance of the fundamentals … Continue reading INSINCERITY AND HYPROCRISY