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Greetings on this the Memorial of Saint Barnabas, Apostle

Summary

Drinking my morning coffee while reading the daily scripture. So I checked my blog for all reflections for the Memorial of Saint Barnabas, Apostle.

https://deacongerrypalermo.blog/2025/06/11/what-god-has-done/
https://deacongerrypalermo.blog/2024/06/11/seasoned-and-visible/
https://deacongerrypalermo.blog/2022/06/11/holy-spirit-guide/

The three themes:

1. From Broken to Beautiful. (Healing Presence)
2. Salt, Pepper, Herbs and Spices make for a delicious life! (Seasoned Person)
3. 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.

Sacred Readings full text: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/061126.cfm

Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry

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.

Reflection

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?

Let the praise begin now.

Let that bitter thirst end now.

Sacred Readings full text: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/061226.cfm

Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry

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.”

4:00 PM

9:00 AM

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/18vLounXSN/

Father Bob wanted to share the Friary Chapel photos. So wonderful. I did not know of this.

Peace be with you,

Deacon Gerry

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.

Prior Corpus Christi reflection: https://deacongerrypalermo.blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/a-short-teaching-on-corpus-christi.pdf

Sacred Readings full text: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/060726.cfm

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.

Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry

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.

Sacred Readings full text: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/060626.cfm

Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry