Salt, Pepper, Herbs and Spices make for a delicious life! (Seasoned Person)
Drainage ditch to the left. Open field to the right. Pathway in the center. (God does the heavy lifting)
Reflection
The name Barnabas stems from Aramaic and Greek roots, literally translating to “son of encouragement” or “son of consolation”
Or if you are a movie buff, (Saint) Lenore, played by actress Marla Sucharetza. She is one of the women who celebrates New Year’s Eve in Times Square with Lieutenant Dan. She tells Forrest, “Don’t you just love New Year’s? You get to start all over. Everybody gets a second chance.”
Personal Reflection
I guess I am in an uber reflective mode today. So I wish to gift you… Barnabas. A seasoned person who can help us rely on God to do the heavy lifting so that we (all of us) can go from Broken to Beautiful.
Saint Barnabas, Apostle, (fictional) Lenore, & Mother Mary – pray for us, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Greetings on this the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus Readings: Deuteronomy 7:6-11; Psalm 103:1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8, 10; 1 John 4:7-16; Matthew 11:25-30
Summary
Cycle A – The Praise of the Father & The Gentle Mastery of Christ (Mt 11:25-30) Cycle B – The Parable of the Lost Sheep (Lk 15:3-7) Cycle C – The Blood and Water (Jn 19:31-37)
Here is a grid of the readings from the 3 year cycle with an interpretive lens.
The second reading does the heavy theological lifting binding the first and gospel portions together in the Theological Virtues.
a. Beloved, let us love one another, because love is of God; everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God.
b. Prayer … that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, rooted and grounded in love
c. Hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the holy Spirit that has been given to us.
The transformations.
Love as Jesus loves.
Pray as Jesus prayed (faith).
Hope because God can be trusted.
Personal Reflection
While this Solemnity is primarily devotional the liturgy is grounded in theology with specific patterns emerging. It is tempting to boil the ocean in reason or to lose oneself in the poetry of Sacred Heart love. I also note the readings are relational, coventual, with a transformational intention with .shades of Call-to-Action.
In a Franciscan context, we would explore the mystery of the convergence of divine-meeting-human, in Jesus and for us (Sacramental, Relational, Eucharistic). That would be worthwhile.
Allow me to retreat to the two headings of our gospel portion for this Solemnity Cycle A:
The Praise of the Father – Let us praise the Father for his love revealed.
The Gentle Mastery of Christ – Let us allow his relief. The question is: how long endure such bitter thirst?
Leo said that Eucharistic processions are “not merely a matter of bringing out the monstrance, but of allowing ourselves to be brought out of our selfishness and indifference, of a comfortable, private faith, so as to respond to his invitation to conversion, to change our perspective, and to welcome his presence which transforms us and makes us builders of a new world.”
Greetings on this the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ Readings: Deuteronomy 8:2-3, 14b-16a; Psalm 147:12-13, 14-15, 19-20; 1 Corinthians 10:16-17; John 6:51-58
Summary
If we use the metaphor of a photographer’s camera in thinking about the liturgy as we have experienced it through these past few Sundays. We could say…
Pentecost opened the lens wide to the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Holy Trinity focused us on the deepest truth that: God loves.
Corpus Christi brings that focus to a single point: Jesus gives Himself to us.
Because we are a Franciscan community, perhaps we can be more specific about the spirituality of Saint Francis and his deep love of the Eucharist.
This is from a Letter of Francis of Assisi:
O wonderful loftiness and stupendous dignity! O sublime humility! O humble sublimity! The Lord of the universe, God and the Son of God, so humbles Himself that for our salvation He hides Himself under an ordinary piece of bread! – from his Letter to the Entire Order, St. Francis of Assisi.
He hides Himself under an ordinary piece of bread!
The Lord of the universe making Himself small enough to be received.
A divine humility so deep as to defy description – although we must try. A sublimity so amazing that we are left in awe at the depth of the gifting of his Divine Self. This awe deeply formed Francis’ reverence for the priesthood through which Christ continues to give Himself to His people.
So, what are we to make of our participation in the Divine Life?
The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?
The witness of Francis can be found in our Responsorial Psalm today – a manifestation of the Law of Love.
He brings peace to your borders, and satisfies you with finest wheat. He sends his command to earth; his word runs swiftly! (PS 147:15-16)
If Christ humbles Himself to come to us, how can we refuse to humble ourselves before one another?
To wit:
Francis was driven to share the finest Wheat of Jesus.
Francis was moved to help us share and embody Jesus’ command to love so as to run swiftly throughout the world.
We have been given the gift of Reverence. For more than twenty years this parish has been blessed by Franciscan priests who taught us, above all, reverence for the Eucharistic Lord. Said another way, the Franciscan contribution may be less about what to do, or how we do it, and more about how to see.
Personal Reflection
Let us then “see” and accept the gift of Jesus, Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity, given with Incarnate humility… that we might respond…
Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.
Next Friday is the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.is celebrated on the Friday following the Second Sunday after Pentecost and also the Friday after the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood.of Christ. These are so arranged as to allow us to contemplate and adore the Gift and the Gift Giver, the exterior and the interior in sequence. If I am able to, I will write on that day as well.
Greetings on this the Saturday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time Readings: 2 Timothy 4:1-8; Psalm 71:8-9, 14-15AB, 16-17, 22; Mark 12:38-44
Summary
He sat down opposite the treasury and observed how the crowd put money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents. Calling his disciples to himself, he said to them, “Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the other contributors to the treasury. For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had, her whole livelihood.” But you, be self-possessed in all circumstances. But I will always hope and praise you ever more and more. My mouth shall declare your justice, day by day your salvation (Mk 12:41-44; 2 Tim 4:5a; PS 71:14-15AB).
Reflection
The widow in out gospel portion today was a self-possessed person. She knew who she was, what she believes, how she should act and what her possessions are worth.
To the Lord her gift meant everything. She was not measuring herself against the rich and their large offerings. She ignored those who ignored her, not in a selfish way, but in a way of self-possession – in words – “I do not get my dignity from you, my dignity comes from the Lord”. She found her praise for the Lord. She knows the Lord is just and he saves.
Personal Reflection
The world makes a lot of noise. The world carries its power as if a club to oppress others.The world even claims injustice in order to devour the poor.
Be like the widow. Know who you are. Know what you can do. Ignore the rest.
Greetings on this the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity Readings: Exodus 34:4b-6, 8-9; Daniel 3:52, 53, 54, 55, 56; 2 Corinthians 13:11-13; John 3:16-18
Summary
We are always limited in our reliance upon empirical and intellectual knowledge. Nicodemus was stuck there. If left in that condition, we would be lost to the warmth, love and affection the Lord has for us made most explicit by the Triune revelation. We are to have relation with the Lord through the Holy Spirit. He brings enlightenment — the fire of God’s love — that simple physical measurements and philosophical constructs cannot provide. We should not think this knowing is merely an extension of our own capacity but a foundational rebirth, a closeness and intimacy with the divine that is not possible without trust. Holy Trinity Sunday, coming after the celebration of the Gift of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, is our shared overshadowing.
God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. (Jn 3:16-18)
And the angel said to her in reply, “The holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her (Lk 1:35, 38).
Reflection
For our gospel selection today, the Church provides us the center of the conversation between Nicodemus and Jesus, that is, the necessity of a new birth from above. In a way similar to the Blessed Mother, we too experience a variation of the Salvation Promise, Incarnation and Trinity. As Mary was overshadowed by the Holy Spirit so that Christ might dwell within her, we too are overshadowed by the Spirit so that Christ may dwell within us. God gave his Son by the holy Spirit to save all peoples and to dwell within us.
Even Moses understood the Presence of God and our need converge in necessity – pardon our wickedness and sins, and receive us as your own (Ex 34:9c).
Personal Reflection
Today we celebrate the Holy Trinity. The personal encounter with the Lord.
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the holy Spirit be with all of you (2 Cor 13:13).
Greetings on this the Thursday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time Readings: 1 Peter 2:2-5, 9-12; Psalm 100:2, 3, 4, 5; Mark 10:46-52
Summary
The blind man replied to him, “Master, I want to see.” Jesus told him, “Go your way; your faith has saved you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed him on the way. (Mk 10:51-52)
But Ruth said, “Do not press me to go back and abandon you! Wherever you go I will go, wherever you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people and your God, my God. (Ruth 1:16)
Reflection
People change you in marvelous ways.
Personal Reflection
The Gospel changes not only where we are going, but who we become together.
The encyclical letter ‘Magnifica Humanitas’ with a ring and keys on a carved wooden table
NOTE: I asked AI to generate an image for the encyclical and Pope Leo. It first gave me an image with Pope Francis’ likeness, and when I complained, it adjusted to be an image amalgamation of Popes Francis and Leo. We finally agreed to an image without the person. So, what a perfect experience to begin wondering of the usefulness and dangers of AI. Wrong seal, too. Below is the correct one. LOL. Sorry, AI, not picking on you.
Encyclical of Pope Leo XIV on this Memorial Day. Appropriate for our times.
