22nd Week in Ordinary Time 2022 - Tuesday - A tale of two Galilean towns

 For the first nine weeks of Ordinary Time, the weekday Gospel readings are taken from the Gospel of Mark. And then for about 12 more weeks, the Gospels are taken from Matthew. From now until the end of the liturgical year, we read from the Gospel of Luke. 

Notice though, that we didn’t begin with Luke Chapter 1, we’ve skipped already to chapter 4, and that’s because those first four chapters of Luke are the infancy narratives and we read through those chapters throughout advent and Christmas. 

Our Ordinary Time reading of Luke begins with the beginning of the Lord’s public ministry.

Had we not celebrated the memorial of The Passion of St. John the Baptist, yesterday, we would have heard how the Lord’s public ministry began with rejection. He comes out of the desert, having fasted for 40 days, filled with the spirit, he goes to Nazareth, opens the scroll, begins to read how the prophecies of old are now being fulfilled in their midst, and he is driven out of town by his townsfolk, and they attempt to hurl him over a cliff.

So, today, we hear that the Lord decided to take his ministry to Capernaum—a distance of about 25 miles, the distance from downtown Cleveland to Akron or Madison. . Perhaps a week had passed since Nazareth. For the rejection at Nazareth took place in a synagogue on a sabbath, and today’s passage, which immediately follows, takes place, again, in a synagogue, on a sabbath. And the reaction to his teaching couldn’t have been more drastic.

Instead of rejection, like there was in Nazareth, in Capernaum there is astonishment, miracles, healings, and exorcisms. He is not driven to the edge of town, he is welcomed into a home in the heart of town, to the home of Simon, who will be later named Peter. A tale of two cities, a tale of two responses to Jesus—to his Gospel.

The reader of the Gospel is presented with an immediate choice: do I want to be like the people of Nazareth or the people of Capernaum. Do I drive Jesus from my midst through my sins and hard-heartedness, or do I welcome him and his Truth and become open to the healings and miracles and deliverance that he brings.

The people of Nazareth claimed to know him but really did not. Their familiarity had led them to contempt. People of faith, even life long Catholics, however, know a secret, that we can constantly rediscover Jesus anew, if we are honest in our spiritual lives, and welcome him deeper into the recesses of our lives and hearts.

Throughout the remainder of Ordinary Time, reading through St. Luke’s beautiful Gospel, may we allow the Lord to challenge us, teach us, heal us, and deliver us for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For the flourishing of spiritual gifts in the universal Church and our parish, for the sanctification of our parishioners, the conversion of the faithless, and the grace to be not just hearers of the word but doers of the word. 

For an end to indifference to the Gospel, to God and human dignity in our government & educational institutions, businesses, and personal attitudes.

For the sick and afflicted, the homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, for victims of natural disaster, those who suffer from war, violence, and terrorism, for the mentally ill, those with addictions, and the imprisoned, for those who struggle to practice Christian chastity, for the comfort of the dying and the consolation of their families. 

For the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, and all the poor souls in purgatory, for deceased priests and religious, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom. We pray.

O God, who know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the prayers of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our Lord.

1st Week of OT 2021 - Wednesday - "For this purpose have I come"

 “Let us go on to the nearby villages that I may preach there also. For this purpose have I come.” Imagine you are peter, james, john or Andrew. You’ve followed Jesus to Capernaum and seen him exorcize a demon and begin to perform these miraculous healings. He’s told you that he’s going to make you fishers of men, but you don’t really know what that means. You don’t quite understand where this whole thing is going yet, and he tells you that we’re not just going to stay here in Capernaum, we are going to proclaim the Gospel to the surrounding villages and all of Galilee—this is the reason I have come, for this purpose, to proclaim this kingdom all throughout this land.

Your first thought might be “come from where”? He speaks with the accent of Galilean, he’s still in Galilee. So where did he come from? The Lord knows that the small band is probably not quite ready for the whole truth, so he hints that he has come from heaven. This little phrase hints at the preexistence of the second person of the Trinity with the Father—it hints at the Lord’s divine nature. He has come. He has arrived. So the reader of the Gospel of Mark, hearing it for the first time, would be asking along with the disciples, “who is this guy?”

The reason why he has come is to “preach” to proclaim—the Greek word is “kérussó”—he has come to herald, to announce, to proclaim, and to drive out demons. To preach the kingdom of god and to release people from the kingdom of darkness. 

The truth of the Gospel is preached to enlighten the minds of the people so that the demons can no longer maintain their hold. Because the devil lurks and takes roots in error and lies. But like his combat with the devil in the desert, the devil’s lies and power are overcome by truth and obedience to God. 

Again, ordinary time means putting this stuff into practice in the ordinary circumstances of our lives. So, we continue to ponder and meditate upon the identity of Jesus with the apostles, we continue to listen to his truth, allowing his truth to weaken and cast out the errors and lies of the enemy which have taken root in our life. Where have we made allowances for sin and selfishness? Where have we allowed worldliness to take priority over pursuing the things of God? Where am I obstructing the flowering of sacramental grace?

For this has he come, to preach the Gospel to us, and to cast out demons in us, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That the preaching and teachings of the Pope, Bishops, and clergy may be a source of strength and guidance for the Holy Church and deliverance from the evils of the enemy.

That those in civic authority may submit their minds and hearts to the rule of Christ, the Prince of Peace and Hope of the nations.

For the liberation of those bound by evil, those committed to sin an error, those oppressed or possessed by evil spirits, and for the conversion of the hardest hearts.

For all the needs of the sick and the suffering, the homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, the underemployed and unemployed, immigrants and refugees, victims of natural disaster, war, and terrorism, for all those who grieve the loss of a loved one, and those who will die today, for their comfort, and the consolation of their families.

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

O God, our refuge and our strength, hear the prayers of your Church, for you yourself are the source of all devotion, and grant, we pray, that what we ask in faith we may truly obtain. Through Christ our Lord.

22nd Week in OT 2020 - Tuesday - Driving out Demons

 After the attempt on his life in his home town of Nazareth, the Lord commences his public ministry and enters the town which will be his headquarters for the next three years, Capernaum. And what’s the first thing he does when he arrives? He drives out a demon. 

Whenever a Catholic comes to a new place, they should do the same. When moving into a new home, one should summon the parish priest to bless it. You don’t know what was going on in that home before you lived there. It’s not likely the place was used for holy purposes. Catholics who travel a lot should bring holy water with them, so that they can bless their hotel rooms. I can guarantee those places were not used for holy purposes. 

Holy water, exorcized salt, blessed crucifixes and images of Our Lady, these help to reclaim territory for Christ, territory in which the demons may have had free reign, who have entered into that place through the sins of previous occupants, who may even have been welcomed in through occult practices or open defiance to the teachings of Christ.

The sacramentals, the blessed objects, not only do they drive away the darkness in a place, but they keep us focused on our identity and mission as Catholics. When we are in a room with a blessed crucifix, we do better at watching what we say, as we should. You should put an image of Our Lady near your television or computer screen, so that she can watch you, to make sure you aren’t watching what you shouldn’t. These objects should not just be decoration, but we should look at them with devotion, renewing our faith when we glimpse them.

These objects, too, placed in the various rooms of your home will help visitors know that they are in a Catholic home, a blessed place, where the angels of God stand guard, a place dedicated to the Lord. They may be one way the Lord pricks the conscience of a fallen away Catholic, or someone with a guilty conscience who needs to go to confession.

The Lord wishes to continue to drive out demons, through us—through the exercise of our faith and our devotional life, as we encounter others in the world, we should be praying for them, that whatever demons which may be darkening their intellect or even possessing them, may be muzzled and driven out. 

May we be effective instruments of this exorcizing mission of Christ for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That all members of the Church, laity and clergy will be effective instruments for driving out demons and reclaiming souls for Christ.

For an end to indifference to God and human dignity in our government and educational institutions, businesses, and personal attitudes.

During this month of September, dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows, we pray for all those who grieve, and that we may grieve sufficiently for our sins.

That the love of Christ, the divine physician, may bring healing to the sick and comfort to all the suffering.

For the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, and all the poor souls in purgatory, for deceased priests and religious, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom. We pray.

O God, who know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the prayers of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our Lord.