Daily Bread Archive The Lectionary provides a kind of spiritual script for the universal church that keeps us, literally, all on the same page as we journey through the liturgical seasons. These short reflections, written by four authors who meet weekly to share the readings, are intended to help daily preachers and others who pray from the assigned scriptures each day to orient themselves to the Living Word addressed to the church in the world. Authors are identified by their initials, with short bios provided. Daily Bread Authors Patricia Russell graduated from Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, Mich., with degrees in English and secondary education. Paige Byrne Shortal earned a bachelor’s degree in theology at Saint Louis University and a master’s degree in pastoral studies at Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis. Mary E. Waldron received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in theology from Marquette University in Milwaukee.  She later earned a doctorate in American studies from Saint Louis University. Elizabeth C. Williams has a bachelor’s degree in education from Southeast Missouri State University and a master’s degree in theology from Aquinas Institute of Theology. ● For 36 years, Celebration, the homiletic resource of The National Catholic Reporter, has promoted worship and preaching tied to justice.  Celebration is now fully electronic. ● Click below to learn more. http://www.celebrationpublications.org/FreeOffer/

Daily Bread - August 2008

Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time (continued)

 

Fri., Aug 1: Jer 26:1-9; Matt 13:54-58

Alphonsus Liguori

A prophet is not without honor except in his native place. Jeremiah: radical nut or the Lord’s own prophet? From a comfortable distance of time and place, we can read from our pulpits his pulpit-pounding words: "I will … make this the city to which all the nations shall refer when cursing another." Is this any way to talk to a chosen people? And yet, when our distance from the prophets is not so comfortable, how do we treat them? Do we listen to the prophets of our times who warn us that God is displeased by our prejudice and hatred against those of another race, nationality, religion or ethnicity? Do we really believe that the Lord desires peace, life and justice, not violence, death and war, for all God’s children? Lord Jesus, give us discerning minds and courageous hearts to hear your word. Pbs

For in truth it was the Lord who sent me to you, to speak all these things for you to hear. Herod beheaded John the Baptist. Why? Because he was afraid of him? Because John spoke against his adultery with Herodias? A little of both? There is no separating the personal behavior of the leaders of nations from their acts as rulers, be they first-century tetrarchs or 21st-century presidents. We are called to account for our behavior in the bedroom and the boardroom. But before we cast any stones, remember that it is our own behavior for which we are held accountable. Lord Jesus, help us to be holy as we pray for our leaders and the leaders of all nations. Pbs

Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid. We may think things have never been as bad as they currently are. Yet a simple review of history in any era will show us that trouble and disaster seem always to loom. In every time, God sends humble prophets to tell us that the only path to lasting and certain security lies in trusting the Lord, following his revealed will in all things, in doing the right thing, even when it seems not to be expedient or does not follow the world’s wisdom or the trend of the times. Let us trust in the Lord and do everything we can to bring love, peace and justice for all to our troubled world, and earnestly make Peter’s prayer our own: Lord, save us. Mew

You shall be my people, and I will be your God. When we are overwhelmed by our troubles, as individuals, families or nations, it is good to stop for a moral inventory or examination of conscience. God is not vengeful, sending us troubles to punish us or break our spirits. Rather, God allows us to go our own way and chase thoughtlessly after wealth, power or pleasure, ignoring the terrible injustice and need that plague our brothers and sisters. When we "hit the wall" and realize that what we thought was the greatest good is in fact destroying us, God’s Word tells us to turn back from what cannot help us and seek salvation and healing from God alone. Lord, show us our sins and draw us back to you. Mew

This is my beloved Son … listen to him. If I have been overwhelmed by God’s love during prayer or meditation, then, like the disciples, I want to hold on to the experience of God’s glory and love. That’s not how it works. We are filled with the Godhead by grace so that we may truly, like Mary, bear God to others. We are not meant to experience God’s presence only in solitude, but in those placed on our daily path, especially those who may be made unattractive by their extreme material or spiritual need. We are called to give glory to God by loving and helping others, rather than by lingering on mountaintops. Dear Lord, teach me to see you in each person I meet today. Mew

I will forgive their evildoing and remember their sin no more. God is so eager to forgive us and welcome us back with open arms! It is always "an acceptable time" for repentance. If I have not taken stock of my spiritual state or have not availed myself of the Lord’s unconditional mercy in the sacrament of reconciliation for a while, today would be a good time. The Lord wants to remove every barrier that keeps us from forgiveness and spiritual peace. Lord, grant me your grace so that every barrier that separates me from you or from my brothers and sisters may be removed. May your law of love be written on my heart and be evident in my life. Mew

For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. Christianity is clearly not for the lukewarm. Our "Yes" to God must entail a willingness to go wherever the Spirit leads us, to do whatever it takes to be a follower of the Lord. Most of us may find this a bit scary. Take courage! Saints are seldom made in a day or in a single dramatic moment. Learning to live out the implications of that "Yes" is a one-step-at-a-time, one-day-at-a-time process, always with the Lord’s supporting grace to strengthen, comfort and guide us. Lord, grant me the grace to follow you wherever you may lead me. Mew

If you have faith … nothing will be impossible for you. G.K. Chesterton once wrote that the problem with the Christian faith is not that it has been tried and has failed, but that it has not been tried. Am I afraid to begin a good work for fear I will fail? Perhaps I need to examine my faith. While the content of the faith is very important, my faith must extend beyond accepting the tradition handed down by the church. Above all, I must say "Yes" to the One behind all the doctrines. God has promised us — not just long-ago saints and people in biblical times, but us — the guidance, strength and help to do great things in God’s name. Lord, I believe. Please help my unbelief. Mew

But that we may not offend them, go to the sea, drop in a hook, and take the first fish that comes up. When the collectors of the temple tax come around, Jesus has more important things on his mind, specifically his impending passion and death. He instructs Simon to pay the tax even though they are not actually obliged to pay. The demands of the imperfect systems within which we live often bother us. Some may even be unjust. But, rather than buck the system, it is sometimes better to ask: "Do I want to be right, or do I want peace?" As we remain focused on the kingdom, God will supply amply, even miraculously, for all of our needs. For wisdom, patience and trust, we pray. Ecw

Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? One of the most surprising and delightful aspects of the kingdom is that it turns our notion of greatness on its head. We don’t have to chase after those elusive carrots of power, prestige, popularity and wealth to be great. Rather, we must recover the attributes of childhood: openness, trust, curiosity, vulnerability, playfulness, wonder. We must realize that we are utterly dependent on God. Moreover, we are called to recognize all little ones (the poor, the marginalized and the needy, as well as children) as "great" and to welcome them as Christ, as deserving our special care and attention. May we find true joy in recovering childlike attitudes and serving others as Christ. For humility, trust and love, we pray. Ecw

For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. By nature, the followers of Jesus are communal. We have unlimited access to Jesus in personal prayer, but we have special access to him when we gather intentionally in his name. We do this most notably in our Sunday celebration of the Eucharist. But we bring this intentionality to smaller gatherings as well — groups that meet for prayer, study, support or service. May we always avail ourselves of this special access to Jesus by fruitful involvement in our parish or community. For an ever-deepening relationship with the Lord, we pray. Ecw

Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant, as I had pity on you? We have all experienced the remarkable patience and the enduring mercy of God. But have we achieved the fullness of God’s purpose for us? Has receiving God’s mercy made us more merciful? God’s intention for us goes beyond mere reconciliation; God seeks our transformation. We should ask: Who will I meet today who needs for me to be more patient? Who needs my understanding and love, my forgiveness? We do not know what burdens others carry, but we do know that ours have been lifted time and again by our gracious and merciful God. For gratitude for God’s mercy … for the desire to be more like God, we pray. Ecw

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior. Elizabeth’s greeting, identifying Mary as "the mother of my Lord," was no doubt the affirmation for which Mary had longed. "Here, finally, is someone who gets what’s going on with me!" she must have thought. Mary stood at a juncture in salvation history, carrying in her womb the promised Messiah of Israel. She interprets that history with exultant rejoicing. She marvels over God’s might, holiness and mercy. Her song calls us to do the same. May it resound within us today and help us to see more clearly the marvelous power and love of our God. For joy in God’s mercy and justice, we pray. Ecw

Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. People came to touch and be touched by Jesus, to feel the miraculous power that flowed through him. Jesus’ touch conveyed his compassion and his solidarity with people in their suffering. His touch imparted love, healing and forgiveness. Indeed, touch is powerful. But we know too well that it is not always positive, that many have suffered untold harm from inappropriate touch. Ironically, in some situations the backlash against inappropriate touch may engender the equally harmful condition of touch deprivation. May ours always be the touch of Christ — the touch of healing, comfort, encouragement and blessing. For those who have been physically or sexually abused … for those deprived of positive, loving touch, we pray. Ecw

When the young man heard this statement, he went away sad, for he had many possessions. We are indeed blessed, but in the midst of abundance it is easy to forgo the prospect of treasure in heaven for the glitz and immediacy of earthly blessings. No wonder Jesus’ words sadden the young man. If we work hard for our possessions, we feel we are entitled to them. The suggestion that we relinquish what we have attained is disheartening — until we truly look into the eyes of the poor, needy, lonely or despairing. The young man strives to be perfect, but how can he be if he allows those around him to remain broken? In giving of ourselves and sharing our material goods, we obtain richness in our connectedness. When we focus less on fearing the commandments and more on following Jesus, we will be prosperous in faith and love. For the grace to recognize God’s blessings in all their forms, we pray. PR

But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first. St. John Eudes understood devotion and humility. He wrote that the one who humbles himself glorifies God, but the one who lauds himself disparages God. In Ezekiel, the Prince of Tyre is decried for having the audacity to consider himself a god. Humility still is a difficult concept today when selfpromotion is the norm and reality TV is our primary form of entertainment. No wonder we find it hard to focus on the Lord when we’re always pointing the spotlight on ourselves. Loving God, make us meek and humble of heart, we pray. PR

So when they first came, they thought that they would receive more, but each of them also got the usual wage. None of us get what we deserve — and for that we should truly be thankful. If God measured our worth by the standards we use to judge one another, we would be in sorry shape. Thankfully, God’s compassion far surpasses even the most generous measure of human justice or charity. It’s easy to get jealous or think that others have an easier time making their way in the world. But God’s mercy has little to do with this world. Truthfully, we all receive the same amount of kindness from the Lord; that amount is exactly how much God knows we each need. For the grace to act with God’s measure of justice and mercy, we pray. PR

Go out, therefore, into the main roads and invite to the feast whomever you find. If there is any consolation for the last kid picked, this is it. Those who actually share in the banquet are not on the original guest list. They simply are available and willing to accept the invitation; as such, they get to partake in an amazing feast. We may not think that we’re extraordinary or important, but those are not necessarily the qualities that the Lord seeks. A ready and willing spirit will suffice. We need to be open to the Lord’s call and gracious in our acceptance. That we may be ready to acknowledge the Lord’s invitation, we pray. PR

This is the greatest and the first commandment. And if we follow it, the others are actually redundant. If all we say and do is rooted in love, there is no need for further commandments. We have Mary as our model. She responded with love to God’s request to bring Christ into the world. She labored in love to do the Father’s will. She sacrificed in love as her child suffered death on the cross so that we all can know the one true God who is the very essence of love itself. Loving God, help us to live in a spirit of love and charity, we pray. PR

All their works are performed to be seen. It’s not just the Pharisees with their obsequious shows of piety who need chastisement. We all have a tendency to seek praise and recognition for merely doing what is vital to us as Christians. We have somehow adopted the belief that actively doing God’s will and following Jesus’ example merit continual or at least special acknowledgement. Imagine how ridiculous that would look in our other everyday dealings. Do we seek trophies for brushing our teeth or parades for filing our taxes? One would hope not. Glory fades. Tributes bring only temporary satisfaction. Only God lasts. If we seek to do God’s will for his honor and not ours, we truly practice what Jesus preached. Suffering Servant, model of humble Christian charity, guide us to do your will for the greater glory of God. Amen. PR

Woe to you, blind guides. Anxious parents brought their son to Mahatma Gandhi, asking for help because the child’s love for candy was endangering his health. Gandhi told them to come back in 15 days. When they returned, Gandhi spoke quietly to the boy. Weeks later the parents returned to Gandhi, delighted because now the boy would not touch sweets. Gandhi explained that he told them to come back in 15 days because before he could ask the boy to fast from sweets, he himself had to do the same. When he spoke to the boy, he simply said, "For my health and yours, I have given up eating candy. Will you join me in this fast?" It is not the "blind guide," but this kind of leader who has true influence — whether president or prelate; pastor or parent. Lord Jesus, inspired by St. Louis and all the saints, protect us from hypocrisy. Pbs

Woe to you [who] have neglected the weightier things of the law. Jesus continues "the woes," blasting the hypocrisy of those religious leaders who, to put it mildly, miss the point. How are we the same? Whether pastors or parents, whether in the boardroom or the bedroom, we cannot preach one thing and do another. We cannot demand of others more than we demand of ourselves. Not if we want to be effective. Not if we are true disciples of Jesus. Lord Jesus, protect us from hypocrisy and help us to attend to the "weightier things" — to judgment, mercy and fidelity. Pbs

We wanted to present ourselves as a model for you, so that you might imitate us. St. Paul was a power preacher who practiced what he preached. Even if words failed him, he sought to conduct himself as a worthy disciple so that his life would be his sermon. Jesus gets to the end of "the woes" as he preaches against the hypocrisy of religious leaders. Today we remember St. Monica, who, in her youth, had a drinking problem. Who better to mother Augustine, the youthful carouser, and pray for his conversion than this woman who had overcome alcoholism? She, too, made of her life a sermon. Lord Jesus, protect us from hypocrisy; help us to live as you lived and make of our lives your word to the world. Pbs

Stay awake! Today we are warned that we must be watchful and ready for the coming of the Lord. After several days of the "woes" to the hypocritical religious leaders, Jesus now teaches that a servant who takes advantage of his master’s absence and mistreats the other servants will be assigned a place with the hypocrites. Hypocrisy is a temptation that knows no class or state in life. Today we remember St. Augustine, one famous for his prayer, "Grant me chastity and continence, but not yet." Whatever our propensity to sin, it is tempting to think we can put off our own reform. But we do not know the day or the hour we may be called. St. Augustine, pray for us, that we may seize this day and continue our own walk with the Lord. Pbs

When [Herod] heard [John] speak he was very much perplexed, yet he liked to listen to him. There is something that happens inside us when we hear the truth. There is a certain thrill, a feeling of "Yes! That’s it!" If it’s not a welcome truth, if what we’re learning is threatening, we may, like Herod, feel "perplexed" or even in danger, but something inside us knows the rightness of it. There is relief in hearing even a hard truth because with the truth there is freedom. It’s the freedom of an alcoholic who admits powerlessness or of the prodigal sinner who seeks forgiveness. It’s the freedom that is the beginning of new possibilities, of new life. Lord Jesus, make us wise, make us strong, make us holy. Pbs

For to everyone who has, more will be given. "Use it or lose it" is the message of today’s Gospel. Don’t live scared. We are given a limited amount of time with certain gifts, certain passions. To squander this life and all that is good, either by excessive caution or by blind recklessness, is both foolish and wasteful. What is strange and sad, too, is that so many live both imprudently and fearfully. They don’t prepare for the future and they don’t take risks. They guard their "free time" and then use that time to putter about. They don’t make commitments so they can keep their options open and then live bored, lonely, disengaged lives. Commit! Take risks! Live fully and fearlessly! And do it all for the Gospel of Jesus, and at the end of this life we can look forward to the next. Lord Jesus, make me generous! Pbs

• Patricia Russell graduated from Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, Mich., with degrees in English and secondary education.
• Paige Byrne Shortal earned a bachelor’s degree in theology at Saint Louis University and a master’s degree in pastoral studies at Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis.
• Mary E. Waldron received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in theology from Marquette University in Milwaukee. She later earned a doctorate in American studies from Saint Louis University.
• Elizabeth C. Williams has a bachelor’s degree in education from Southeast Missouri State University and a master’s degree in theology from Aquinas Institute of Theology.