The Gospel for today should prompt us to reflect on our interior lives, rather than just on the external.  In the passage, Jesus dines with a Pharisee and criticizes him for cleaning the outside of the cup and dish, but being filled with uncleanliness.  Going through external rituals and practices does not really show who a person is, as what matters most is what is in the heart.  Are we simply going through the motions in our faith, or have our hearts been transformed?

As Catholics, different rituals are part of our faith.  There are many things that we do that can be seen externally.  We go to Mass, we pray, we receive the sacraments.  But, through all of these experiences, have we experienced a conversion of heart?  Or, are our hearts still filled with greed, envy, resentment, pride and thoughts that are not of Christ?

We must allow Jesus to transform us through the faith rituals and experiences we have.  Otherwise, these external practices may mean simply going through the motions and our faith being just a part of our lives, rather than allowing our faith to be our way of life.

The Lord knows what’s in our hearts.  So no matter what we are doing and what people might see, He knows whether our love for Him and others is genuine and sincere.  When we fail to love God as we should, we can turn to the sacrament of reconciliation so that we can restore our relationship with Him.  This too is something we do out of love for God.  If we love God, we want to show up, truly sorry, so that we can be in right relationship with Him.

We can appear to be doing all of the right things on the outside.  Like the Pharisee in the Gospel, we can look clean on the outside.  However, do our external actions and appearances flow from a heart that is pure and full of love for the Lord?  My prayer for each of us today is that we would continually allow Jesus to transform our hearts and minds, so that we can grow in our interior lives.

Last week, the Church celebrated the memorial of St. Jerome.  He is widely known for saying, “Ignorance of scripture is ignorance of Christ.”  These seemingly simple, but profound, words have stuck with me since the time I first heard them.  The Bible is the living word of God.  Do we take time reading scripture in order to know Jesus?

Non-Catholics like to say “Catholics don’t read the Bible.”  However, if we simply look at the Mass, we know that the whole Mass comes from scripture, and readings are proclaimed at every Mass.  And this is a great starting point.  Do we spend time reflecting on the readings we hear at Mass?

The Bible is a large book.  Where do we even start?  One of the easiest ways to incorporate scripture is to read the daily mass readings for each day.  The Church has a reading plan already set out for us!  Taking time to read and reflect on the daily readings, especially the Gospel, is a great place to begin to encounter Christ through scripture.  Reading the Gospels helps us to meet Jesus and come to have a deeper knowledge and understanding of who He is.  This also helps us to become more like Him. 

It can be easy to think that the Bible is just some old book that doesn’t have much relevance to us.  However, that is far from the truth.  The Lord reveals Himself to us through scripture.  He speaks to us through scripture and wants us to apply it to our lives today.

Oftentimes, if you’re like me, you might read a passage and wonder what it means.  The Bible can be confusing and hard to understand at times.  Thankfully, there are so many resources out there that can help enlighten us on what we read, from podcasts, to books, to articles , and so much more, there are clergy, religious, and people with theology degrees who can help explain the meaning of scripture passages in ways that we understand.  Thankfully, the Church has interpreted scripture for us, so we do not have to do that on our own.

If we never read scripture, we will not really know Jesus.  So, crack open your Bible that’s sitting on your shelf, or find a Catholic app that provides the daily readings or the whole Bible.  You don’t have to spend a lot of time reading, just start small.  Jesus is waiting to meet you in the scriptures.  My prayer for each of us today is that we would read scripture often, encountering Jesus and becoming more like Him.   

Over the weekend, I was on a CEW retreat.  After the activities for Saturday night had wrapped up, I went back to the conference room to grab my water bottle.  The lights in the room were off, the lights in the hallway outside the room were off, and the blinds in the room were closed.  So, the room was pitch black.  I was wandering around the edge of the room trying to find the light switches and not having success, running into various things.  After a few moments, someone else on the retreat, a good friend, came into the room and knowing exactly where the light switches were, turned them on for me.  Someone turning on the lights seems like no big deal.  This occurrence is seemingly small and ordinary.  But as I ponder and reflect on the weekend, I realize that it was a perfect metaphor for what CEW is.  I was stumbling in the dark when someone came and turned on the light.  When we have darkness in our lives, it is communities like CEW that bring Christ’s light to us.  Each and every Christian is called to bring His light to others.

Can you imagine trying to live your faith alone?  It would not go too well.  We all need support and people to walk with us on our journeys.  We need people to shine Christ’s light in our lives.  Without faith communities, the darkness of suffering, struggles, weakness, pain would seem impossible to walk through.  Even just the ordinary moments of working to grow in faith and deepen our relationship with Jesus would be stagnant and quite difficult.

When you are on a retreat, such as CEW, the light is so bright.  The Lord works so powerfully in the people who are a part of the weekend, illuminating the experience in so many ways.  And the thing about CEW is that it’s not just an amazing weekend that ends, sending you back into regular life to continue on by yourself.  His light continues to shine among the people who are part of the community, helping you to be able to see.

To bring Christ’s light into the world around us is part of the mission.  The light cannot stop the moment we leave the weekend.  The hope is that it is burning so brightly that we carry it back to our everyday lives, to everyone around us.  Over the weekend, I witnessed the Holy Spirit opening hearts and setting them on fire, which are burning brightly with the love and light of Jesus.

Each day, I pray that Jesus would allow me and help me to shine His light.  It’s not always easy, but with communities like CEW, it’s possible.  Maybe you feel like you are in the dark right now.  Get connected to a faith community, reach out to people and ask for prayers and support.  Let them turn the light on for you.  My prayer for each of us today is that we would seek out people who will provide light in our lives and that we would be Christ’s light to the people around us.  It’s what He is telling us to do!

This reflection was first written for and posted in a parish bulletin. 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time

As days in September go by, the leaves start changing and the air starts getting cooler.  September has always been one of my favorite months, but not just because the season of fall starts.  The month of September brings the start of a new school year, and with that comes something fresh and exciting.  As someone who loved school and the environment filled with learning and growing in knowledge, starting a new year brought so much joy.  It’s been several years since I’ve started a new school year as a student in a classroom and I sometimes find myself wishing I could go back to those days.  Maybe you do too.

While many of us may not be sitting in classrooms anymore, we still remain students, long after we graduate.  We remain as students of the Lord, learning and growing in what it means to live out our Catholic faith and be a disciple of Jesus Christ.  And that is a lifelong process.  We are reminded of this in the Gospel this weekend, The Parable of the Two Sons.  The first son initially tells his father that he will not go out and work.  However, he then changes his mind.  This shows a moment of repentance and conversion.  We too are called to conversion, a continual turning toward Christ, and this is a long and slow process.  The more we learn about Jesus, the more we come to know who He is, and the closer we will be drawn to Him.  And the closer we are to Jesus, the more good choices we will make, including the choice to do His will, just like the first son.  May each of us continue to grow as students, learning how to walk more closely with Jesus, doing His will always.

September 23rd is the Memorial of St. Padre Pio.  One of his most widely quoted mottos is, “Pray, hope, and don’t worry.”  This short and simple phrase seems easy enough to understand, but when it comes to actually following this in our lives, it can be much more challenging.

Looking at this phrase, I think the “don’t worry” part can be the most difficult part to follow.  We know what the words mean, but what does it actually look like to put this into practice in our lives?

Naturally, we all worry, some more than others.  We have all worried about something at one point or another.  Students worry about a big test or presentation they have to do.  Employees worry about a large project or a performance review.  Family members worry about their family member who is sick.  Parents worry about their kids.  We worry about what people might think of us.  We may worry about many smaller day to day events and situations as well. Not knowing what the future holds can also be a source of worry. Most of the time when we worry, it’s because we care.  We care and have concern for the people in our lives and we care about what we are doing and wanting to do well.  But, we know that worry does not change anything.

Scripture talks a lot about not worrying.  Two of these verses are, “can any of you be worrying add a single moment to your life-span” (Matthew 6:27, NABRE) and “do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself.  Sufficient for a day is its own evil” (Matthew 6:34).  We know we shouldn’t worry so much, but oftentimes, it’s a natural response to various moments of life.

What if we turned moments of worry into opportunities for prayer?  Whenever we find ourselves worrying about something, we can turn to Jesus and give it to Him.  We know that we are not in control.  We must surrender and trust.  Do we trust that Jesus is loving and merciful and that He is walking with us every step of the way?  Do we trust that He will not abandon us, especially in our greatest times of need?  The Litany of Trust, from the Sisters of Life, is one great prayer to help with working to trust Jesus more and more.  When worry arises in our minds and hearts, we can acknowledge it, and then hand it over in prayer, releasing our thoughts so that we can be at peace.

There is a lot that goes on in the world and in our lives that might cause us to worry.  Is there anything you are worried about today?  If so, hand it to Jesus and know that He is walking with you.  Know that you are not in control and surrender everything to Him.  My prayer for today is that each of us can live by the words, “pray, hope, and don’t worry” and find peace in knowing Jesus is with us!

Saturday night, the Mass I went to was offered for Fr. Ron Columbo.  He was a priest in the area and at my parish until I was 17.  I was reflecting on how great of a priest he was and how much of an impact he had on my faith.  Having him as a priest for so long, throughout all of my childhood and into high school, the most formative years in life, was truly a blessing and great gift.  One thing that stands out about him is how accessible he made the faith to people, sharing simply about loving Jesus and others.  This made me reflect on all of the clergy and religious who have been part of my life and have impacted me.  You too, likely can think of many who have impacted your life.  Have we thanked them?

There are many amazing and generous priests, deacons, and religious sisters in the Church.  A lot of them have so much on their plates, yet they show up to serve us so selflessly.  Many have worked hard to deepen their own faith and cultivate their relationships with Jesus, and it flows into the way they live and how they serve.  While continuing to walk their own faith journeys, they show up to be part of ours.

It is through the example, witness, and guidance of several priests, deacons, and a religious sister, that I have learned what it looks like to love and live as a disciple of Jesus.  And for that, I am so grateful to God for these people who have and continue to live the faith well.  Hopefully you too have experienced ordained and religious in your life who have been a great example.  Have we thanked them?

I think a lot of times, we might hold them to a certain standard, maybe unintentionally, since they are leaders who have been ordained or taken religious vows.  But they too experience challenges and problems.  And they likely experience an immense weight of the responsibility of leading others to Christ and taking care of souls.  Have we thanked them and let them know the impact they’ve had on us?  And if they have died, do we pray for their souls?  Even though it seems small, I think it could make a big difference if we let them know that what they have done and are doing matters.  It might be the encouragement they need to keep it up and know that they are making a difference.

Priests, deacons, and religious pray for us, and we too should be praying for them, both in life and after their deaths.  Hopefully, you can easily call to mind all those who have been and are part of your life.  May we all thank God for the gift of those in the Church who He has given to guide us and serve us. 

We have so many blessings in our lives.  Yet, there is often more that we deeply desire.  The greatest blessing we have been given by God is His son, Jesus, who we can know and have a personal relationship with.  Recently, I’ve been reflecting on this question, “Is Jesus enough for me?”  And the answer for you and for me is “yes” whether we realize it or not.

The fact that Jesus loves each one of us deeply and wants to have a personal relationship with us should be more than enough for each and every one of us.  But often, we may find ourselves longing for that which we do not have.  Couples who deeply desire to have a baby, or another baby.  The desire for a true friend.  A job that provides and sustains.  Hope to be healed from a physical illness.  These longings and desires are good.  But what if we never receive exactly what we ask for in prayer, or if what we receive looks different than what we expected?  Will we still be satisfied?

I think if most of us spent time trying to come up with every single blessing in our lives, we would fill pages and pages and maybe not even be able to come up with everything.  And even if everything was stripped away, and we only had Jesus, that would still be enough.  Sometimes though, it’s hard for us to believe this.

A few days ago, the Church celebrated the memorial of St. Augustine.  One of the quotes he is most known for is, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You.”  These profound words speak to the reality that we will only be truly satisfied when we come to recognize that only God can fill us and we must find peace in Him alone. 

When we pray, asking for what we want and desire, are we able to say, “and if not, You are enough Lord?”  My prayer for each of us today is that we would remember that Jesus loves us deeply and we can rest in the knowledge that He is enough!

Last Friday, the Church celebrated the memorial of St. Maximilian Kolbe.  One famous quote that is attributed to him is, “the most deadly poison of our time is indifference.”  This is prevalent in our world today.  It is seen in hearts that are lukewarm in faith and for love of God.  Indifference is also seen when it comes to truth, morality, and the difference between right and wrong, good and evil.

We hear it all the time; phrases such as, “you do you”, when it comes to people living certain lifestyles.  We must not judge people, because only God knows their hearts and souls, and we too are sinners in great need of God’s mercy.  However, this does not mean that we should not recognize immoral behavior and stand up for the truth.  Moral relativism is rampant in our society.  It is the belief that there is no absolute truth and it changes from person to person based on personal beliefs and experiences.  As Catholics, we know that there is absolute truth and it is something we need to stand up for.

The news and media constantly bring instances of evil and immorality to our attention.  But many people see what’s going on around them and don’t recognize it as wrong, and maybe even celebrate it.  This brings to mind a verse from Isaiah, “Ah!  Those who call evil good, and good evil, who change darkness to light, and light into darkness, who change bitter to sweet, and sweet into bitter” (Isaiah 5:20, NABRE)!  We are living in times where we see something evil, and people call it good.  How often do we not want to speak up because it will bring attention to us, make us appear different, or we will be given certain labels?  However, we cannot sit back and say nothing.  If we love God, that should lead us to speak up for the truth, no matter the cost.

When we know something is immoral and evil, we cannot unknow.  And this means we have a responsibility.  As people of faith and followers of Christ, we have a responsibility to share the truth.  My prayer for today is that our hearts would be filled with the love of God to the point that we would never become indifferent to what’s happening around us, sharing the truth always.

Today’s Gospel reading is a reminder to us that to serve and follow Jesus, we must die to ourselves in small ways and offer our lives to others, serving with love.  To die to ourselves means to let go of our own desires and to live a life that puts others first.  If we are willing to die to ourselves, that is when God is able to use us to bear fruit. 

The culture we live in is very much self-centered and revolves around the “worship of self.”  We can see it all around us.  How often do we hear phrases and concepts that point to this?  “Do what makes you happy.”  “Follow your heart.”  “Put yourself first.”  “My body, my choice.”  “Live your truth.”  All of these phrases point to a life focused on worship of self and not God.  In the Gospel passage, Jesus is not saying to actually hate our lives and existence, but rather, to love Him so much more than we love our worldly comforts and desires, so that those things pale in comparison, so that we choose sacrifice and service for Him above ourselves.

We do need to grow in our personal relationship with Jesus, deepen our prayer lives, and increase our knowledge and understanding of our faith.  But, it cannot stop there.  Our faith is not just for ourselves.  We must allow our own faith and relationship with Jesus to be fuel to serve and give ourselves to others.  Our faith should lead to action.

There are so many ways that we can die to ourselves in small ways and serve others.  It doesn’t have to be complicated and can simply be giving our time and our comfort.  These are two areas where it can be easy to be selfish.  We often want more free time for ourselves and we don’t want to get outside our comfort zones.  But it is when we say “yes” and pour ourselves out for others, that God fills us to overflowing.  Maybe it is joining a new ministry at your parish, volunteering for an event, working on a retreat, sitting down to have a conversation with another who just needs someone to listen, giving someone a ride to church or to the grocery store, and just saying “yes” to something someone asks you to pray about.

We are called to choose to serve Jesus and others above ourselves.  We must be like that grain of wheat that dies.  My prayer for each of us today is that we would keep our eyes open to ways to serve and give to others, so that we can follow Jesus more fully and bear good fruit in our lives.

One evening on the Biking for Babies National Ride, we were at mass in Ames, IA.  We were sitting on the right side up in the front.  Directly across from us, on the left side, was a mom with a few kids.  One of the kids did not want to sit still and was moving between two pews, sitting on the floor, moving into the aisle and talking loudly.  He looked to be around three years old.  Right after the words of consecration, as the priest elevated the host, the little boy pointed and loudly yelled out, “that’s Jesus!  That’s Jesus right there!”  Do we, like this child, recognize who becomes present during the mass and is this reality enough for us?

In this past weekend’s Gospel, we heard the story about Jesus feeding the 5,000.  A familiar Gospel that we’ve all heard and read countless times, there was one line in particular that I was struck by.  In the passage, it says, “they all ate and were satisfied” (Matthew 14:20, NABRE).  Everyone had eaten enough to be full.  Jesus provided enough for them to be satisfied.  It brings to mind the question, is Jesus enough for us?  He makes Himself physically present to us at the Mass, and yet, oftentimes, people still go searching for something different.  It must start with knowing and recognizing that Jesus is present to us at the Mass, just like the little boy.

The number of Catholics who are not attending Mass, or skipping it from time to time for whatever reasons, is high.  There is nowhere we can go on earth to be closer to Jesus than the Mass.  Yet, how often in our world do other events, duties, and excuses win?  So many people do not think attending Mass will satisfy them, but I think if they truly knew and understood that Jesus is really present in the Eucharist, it would change everything.

Much else in our lives outside of Mass is good.  Traveling, vacations, sports, concerts, celebrations, work, and so much more.  But at the end of the day, they cannot fulfill us.  We were made for more than the temporary and fleeting things of the world.  Anything we want to try to fill our lives with will ultimately leave us empty.  But Jesus never will.

If we know and believe that Jesus is present, it changes everything.  And once we know, we must share it as much as we can with others.  My prayer for each of us today is that we can be truly satisfied and that we can exclaim in our hearts and minds when we’re at mass, “that’s Jesus right there!”