Weekly Reflections

Let’s start with a little refresher. Last week I invited you to read paragraphs 1-23 in Pope Leo’s papal encyclical “Dilexi Te” (if you haven’t’ been able to start reading it, feel free to Google “Dilexi Te” and you can find the papal encyclical on the Vatican website in several different languages). In paragraph 20 […]

One of the mysteries of our faith that I continually reflect on in prayer is God’s choice to become poor and remain poor. Why? What does this mean? What does this mean for me as a Christian? Pope Leo reflects on Jesus’ poverty both at the beginning of his life and throughout his ministry in […]

The Gospel for today’s feast is always Matthew’s account of the Beatitudes. At first they seem to favor the meek, the humble, the merciful. But then Jesus ends with some tough ones, aimed at those who are persecuted, insulted, and slandered. While it may sound negative, Jesus is actually giving us encouragement. Jesus isn’t telling […]

On October 9, Pope Leo XIV released his first official papal document. The document is an Apostolic Exhortation titled “Dilexi Te” in Latin or “I Have Loved You” in English. The document reflects on God’s love for the poor. Pope Leo tells us at the beginning of “Dilexi Te” that “as we contemplate Christ’s love, […]

Although the hours of daylight are rapidly dwindling, many people would say that these October days bring the year’s most splendid weather. Americans are riders and joggers, not strollers, and so the pleasures of the season are often lost on us. This is not the case with many Jewish people, who observe an ancient rule […]

When we were kids, my brothers and sisters and I thought that you were not supposed to say the blessing before meals in a restaurant. We were probably afraid of being embarrassed if non-believers saw us praying. I think of that when I hear St. Paul telling Timothy, “God did not give us a spirit […]

Today’s reading from First Timothy sounds almost like a coach getting his team ready for the big game. This coach has much higher goals than a home run or a touchdown. Instead of pursuing a league championship, he seeks faith, love, patience, and gentleness. How about us? Are we in the game or on the […]

Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross We may have any number of crosses throughout our lives. Some may be small, some may be big. Some may be heavy, some may be light. Some may be temporary, some may be long lasting. As Christians, we are called to bear those burdens, not begrudgingly but […]

St. Paul must have understood today’s Gospel very well. Like Jesus, he knew what being a disciple would cost. It landed him in prison. Also like Jesus, he is not afraid to ask others to take that discipleship seriously. And he is not ashamed to ask a favor: Would Philemon accept his runaway slave, Onesimus, […]

While the first reading from Sirach and the Gospel focus on humility, with a surprise reversal of the humble being exalted, the reading from Hebrews surprises us in a different way. The author uses apocalyptic imagery to show how much the relationship between God and humanity has changed. He starts with images of fire, storms, […]

Don’t you love it when the underdog wins? When the Cardinals beat the Yankees for the championship or the Blues beat the Redwings, or the Rams beat anyone? Even when I watch a game with no St. Louis teams playing, I still like to root for the underdog. That is what I like about today’s […]

The second reading from the Letter to the Colossians goes well with the first reading and the Gospel. Those passages warn how useless material wealth will be when we die. St. Paul continues this warning by reminding us that we have already died with Christ in baptism and risen to new life. To live this […]

Jesus talks about praying for whatever we need with faith and confidence, but he ends by asking, “How much more with the Father . . . give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?” (Luke 1:13). Is he saying there are limits to what we can ask for? “Be careful what you ask for,” […]

The Gospel for this Sunday can sometimes give the impression that Jesus favored Mary over Martha. But if they had both sat down to listen, there would have been no dinner to serve to Jesus. He saw that Mary was content to listen to him, so Martha could have been content to prepare the meal […]

As the saying goes, ignorance of the law is no excuse. That is what Moses is telling the people in the first reading. The laws of God are not difficult to understand. Anyone with a conscience should be able to live with them. By the time of Jesus, the scribes and Pharisees had added many […]

Sometimes a mayor presents the key to the city to a citizen who has given outstanding service to the community. When Jesus gives Simon the keys to the kingdom of heaven, it is more than just a symbolic honor bestowed by a mayor. Jesus is actually giving both a blessing and a responsibility. The blessing […]

The Gospel for this feast reminds me of what my aunt used to tell us when we would visit her and share a meal. Her favorite saying was, “If you don’t get enough to eat, it’s your own fault.” Perhaps Jesus would say the same as he feeds us with his Body and Blood. Some […]

As if his own life, his teachings about God’s love, his miracles, his death and resurrection were not enough, Jesus told us something about God that we never would have imagined: There are three Persons in one God. It is also something we cannot completely comprehend. So instead of trying to explain it, let’s look […]

I’m not very good at telling jokes. I like them, but after I hear one and laugh at it, I let it go and forget it. I suspect this doesn’t just apply to jokes. The Gospel today hints that the disciples may have had the same weakness when Jesus says the Spirit will “teach you […]

The mystery of the Ascension has to do with holding in tension a sense of God’s nearness, along with the burden caused by apparent signs of absence. The risen Jesus says to Mary Magdalene, “Do not cling to me,” perhaps pointing out to her that his physical presence to the disciples was time‑bound and temporary. […]

By Tom Schmidt The second reading from Revelations gives us a picture of the new Jerusalem as a sign of the power and majesty of God. Yet the other two readings seem to describe a humble God who wishes “not to place on you any burden beyond . . . necessity” (Acts 15:28), and Jesus […]

Today’s first and second readings seem to contradict each other. In the Acts of the Apostles, Paul and Barnabas remind the other disciples that they would “undergo many hardships to enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). But in the second reading from Revelation, John says there will be “no more . . . mourning, […]