First Reading: 1 Corinthians 3:1-9 Brothers and sisters, I could not talk to you as spiritual people, but as fleshly people, as infants in Christ. I fed you milk, not solid food, because you were unable to take it. Indeed, you are still not able, even now, for you are still of the flesh. While there is jealousy and rivalry among you, are you not of the flesh, and walking according to the manner of man? Whenever someone says, “I belong to Paul,” and another, “I belong to Apollos,” are you not merely men? What is Apollos, after all, and what is Paul? Ministers through whom you became believers, just as the Lord assigned each one. I planted, Apollos watered, but God caused the growth. Therefore, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who causes the growth. He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive wages in proportion to his labor. For we are God’s co-workers; you are God’s field, God’s building. Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 33:12-13, 14-15, 20-21 R. (12) Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own. Blessed the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he has chosen for his own inheritance. From heaven the LORD looks down; he sees all mankind. R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own. From his fixed throne he beholds all who dwell on the earth, He who fashioned the heart of each, he who knows all their works. R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own. Our soul waits for the LORD, who is our help and our shield, For in him our hearts rejoice; in his holy name we trust. R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own. Gospel: Luke 4:38-44 After Jesus left the synagogue, he entered the house of Simon. Simon’s mother-in-law was afflicted with a severe fever, and they interceded with him about her. He stood over her, rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up immediately and waited on them. At sunset, all who had people sick with various diseases brought them to him. He laid his hands on each of them and cured them. And demons also came out from many, shouting, “You are the Son of God.” But he rebuked them and did not allow them to speak because they knew that he was the Christ. At daybreak, Jesus left and went to a deserted place. The crowds went looking for him, and when they came to him, they tried to prevent him from leaving them. But he said to them, “To the other towns also I must proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God, because for this purpose I have been sent.” And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea. NAB Have you ever had to say goodbye too soon? We found out recently that a beloved priest was moving to a new parish, and the announcement hit me like a ton of bricks. In just a short year, we had grown very close to this holy priest—he helped our family navigate some challenging hurdles, he became a spiritual father and director and confidant . . . just when I felt like the best was yet to come, suddenly we were being abandoned. How my heart ached. I imagine the people of this town felt similarly. Just when they'd tasted what it truly meant to be fed, just when the miracles of healings and answered prayers were getting started, their beloved Jesus vanished. Oh, how they tried to make Him stay, even just a little longer. But Jesus knew how many others were waiting, needing to be fed, healed, and ministered to. Parting ways with those we love is hard, especially when it’s beyond our control. It could be a new assignment, a move far from friends or family, a breakup or fall-out, or the acute weight and finality of death. Whatever our circumstance, that sting of separation or feeling of abandonment can be overwhelming. Like those villagers trying desperately to hold on to Jesus, the ache of our need might be so all-consuming that it overshadows our trust in His plan. Jesus gets what we’re all loath to admit: we often have eyes only for our own desires, while He has eyes for the whole of humanity. It is for our own sake, then, that Jesus sees for us. He sees outside the tiny walls of our heart, beyond our own small locus of control. Unconstrained by time, He sees you and me in the full spectrum of our past and our future—He sees exactly what we need for us to become who He created us to be. Even when our own needs limit our understanding of the “perfect” timing, Jesus carries the weight of all the world’s needs at every moment in time, and responds to each according to His divine knowledge of time and eternity. Goodbyes are an inescapable reality of this life—and the weight may feel crushing at times. But unlike those villagers, we don’t have to beg Jesus to stay. He’s already here, asking to walk the road with us spiritually, waiting to give of Himself physically in the Eucharist. Let's open ourselves to His strength in our weakness. [bctt tweet="We often have eyes only for our own desires, while He has eyes for the whole of humanity."] Is there a painful parting in your life right now? In the life of someone close to you? Remind yourself or them that Christ is still very present with us as we suffer this loss, and He is holding us close. photo credit Megan Hjelmstad is a wife, mom, writer and sometimes soldier whose real passion is equal parts faith and chocolate. You can find out more about her here.

First Reading: 1 Corinthians 2:10B-16 Brothers and sisters: The Spirit scrutinizes everything, even the depths of God. Among men, who knows what pertains to the man except his spirit that is within? Similarly, no one knows what pertains to God except the Spirit of God. We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand the things freely given us by God. And we speak about them not with words taught by human wisdom, but with words taught by the Spirit, describing spiritual realities in spiritual terms. Now the natural man does not accept what pertains to the Spirit of God, for to him it is foolishness, and he cannot understand it, because it is judged spiritually. The one who is spiritual, however, can judge everything but is not subject to judgment by anyone. For “who has known the mind of the Lord, so as to counsel him?” But we have the mind of Christ. Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 145:8-9, 10-11, 12-13AB, 13CD-14 R. (17) The Lord is just in all his ways. The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness. The LORD is good to all and compassionate toward all his works. R. The Lord is just in all his ways. Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD, and let your faithful ones bless you. Let them discourse of the glory of your Kingdom and speak of your might. R. The Lord is just in all his ways. Making known to men your might and the glorious splendor of your Kingdom. Your Kingdom is a Kingdom for all ages, and your dominion endures through all generations. R. The Lord is just in all his ways. The LORD is faithful in all his words and holy in all his works. The LORD lifts up all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down. R. The Lord is just in all his ways. Gospel: Luke 4:31-37 Jesus went down to Capernaum, a town of Galilee. He taught them on the sabbath, and they were astonished at his teaching because he spoke with authority. In the synagogue there was a man with the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out in a loud voice, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are–the Holy One of God!” Jesus rebuked him and said, “Be quiet! Come out of him!” Then the demon threw the man down in front of them and came out of him without doing him any harm. They were all amazed and said to one another, “What is there about his word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out.” And news of him spread everywhere in the surrounding region. NAB We all have that friend. The one who knows ev-ery-thing about, well, everything. Should I be waving my hand here?! Back when I was a new-ish mom at the very smart age of 26 with my first child, I knew all the things. Mostly because I had read “What to Expect When You’re Expecting” and “Happiest Baby on the Block,” along with books by Dr. Sears at least five times. Not an exaggeration. Therefore, I knew it all. Thankfully, social media wasn’t around to tell me differently. About five kids in I finally got smart and realized I didn’t know one dang thing. So many of my mom mentors tried to lovingly guide me, share their wisdom and prevent me from heartache they knew would come. Sometimes I listened, but I was determined to do it my way. Texas stubborn is a real thing. And while I longed to understand motherhood, I probably would’ve balked if someone had grabbed 26-year-old Kathryn by the shoulders and told her, “Listen up, lady. You’ve got a lot to learn.” Yet, the older I get and the more kids I have, I’m starting to realize God is telling me—every day—how much more I have to learn. How much more He wants me to grow. How passionately He desires my heart. Just as "with authority and power” He drove out the demon in today's Gospel, I need His authority and power in my life. Always present, always alert, always seeking me. Seeking us. I find His authority in adoration. I long for it in reconciliation. I seek it in my vocation of motherhood. You see, authority has nothing to do with judgment and everything to do with love. [bctt tweet="I’m starting to realize God is telling me—every day—how much more I have to learn."] Are you open to learning still? Is your heart ready for God to have it, hold it, love it so hard? Are you letting Him seek you? photo credit Kathryn Whitaker and her husband, Scott, have 6 awesome kids, teen to toddler. She is a former public relations consultant turned freelance graphic designer, party planner, organizer, and preemie advocate who hails from the Lone Star state. You can find out more about her here.

Memorial of the Passion of Saint John the Baptist First Reading: 1 Corinthians 2:1-5 When I came to you, brothers and sisters, proclaiming the mystery of God, I did not come with sublimity of words or of wisdom. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. I came to you in weakness and fear and much trembling, and my message and my proclamation were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of spirit and power, so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God. Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 119:97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102 R. (97) Lord, I love your commands. How I love your law, O LORD! It is my meditation all the day. R. Lord, I love your commands. Your command has made me wiser than my enemies, for it is ever with me. R. Lord, I love your commands. I have more understanding than all my teachers when your decrees are my meditation. R. Lord, I love your commands. I have more discernment than the elders, because I observe your precepts. R. Lord, I love your commands. From every evil way I withhold my feet, that I may keep your words. R. Lord, I love your commands. From your ordinances I turn not away, for you have instructed me. R. Lord, I love your commands. Gospel: Mark 6:17-29 Herod was the one who had John the Baptist arrested and bound in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, whom he had married. John had said to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” Herodias harbored a grudge against him and wanted to kill him but was unable to do so. Herod feared John, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man, and kept him in custody. When he heard him speak he was very much perplexed, yet he liked to listen to him. She had an opportunity one day when Herod, on his birthday, gave a banquet for his courtiers, his military officers, and the leading men of Galilee. Herodias’ own daughter came in and performed a dance that delighted Herod and his guests. The king said to the girl, “Ask of me whatever you wish and I will grant it to you.” He even swore many things to her, “I will grant you whatever you ask of me, even to half of my kingdom.” She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?” She replied, “The head of John the Baptist.” The girl hurried back to the king’s presence and made her request, “I want you to give me at once on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” The king was deeply distressed, but because of his oaths and the guests he did not wish to break his word to her. So he promptly dispatched an executioner with orders to bring back his head. He went off and beheaded him in the prison. He brought in the head on a platter and gave it to the girl. The girl in turn gave it to her mother. When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb. NAB Two things stand out to me in today’s readings for the Beheading of Saint John the Baptist, the first being how King Herod felt about John: Herod feared John, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man, and kept him in custody. When he heard him speak he was very much perplexed, yet he liked to listen to him. King Herod knew that Saint John was a righteous man, and that he was speaking truth. But the truth put King Herod into a funny position. If he listened to Saint John, he would have to completely change his life. He would have to admit that he was wrong, and give up the women that he had taken as a wife from his own brother. He was stuck, and he was very attached to the life that he had, and because of this he was forced to kill a man who he knew to be holy and righteous. But Saint John stands in great contrast to King Herod as he waited patiently in prison, and died a martyr’s death for the truth. It is as if his life and death were embodied by the words of Saint Paul in today’s First Reading: I came to you in weakness and fear and much trembling, and my message and my proclamation were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of spirit and power, so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God. Everything that Saint John did pointed to God; he was completely weak before his creator, from his leaping and sanctification in the womb at the Visitation to his humble death in prison. He knew that he was a mere man, an instrument of his creator. He was not afraid to live a radical life for the sake of the conversion of others. He knew who he was called to be and was not afraid to live it. And he saw that despite all the good that he did, he was still not worthy. For he said, I baptize with water; but among you stands one whom you do not know, even he who comes after me, the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie, (John 1:26-27) and, He must increase, but I must decrease. (John 3:30.) [bctt tweet="John the Baptist knew who he was called to be and was not afraid to live it."] Where do we stand in relation to our Creator? Are we living the life we are meant to live, or are our worldly attachments or the situations in our life make it hard for us to make the change to be like Saint John? What do you choose everyday: God or the comfortable sins to which you are accustomed? Are you sitting perplexed by the truth or ready to decrease your desires in life so that the Christ in you may increase? photo credit Susanna Spencer once studied theology and philosophy, but now happily cares for her three adorable little girls, new baby boy, and her dear husband in Saint Paul. She loves beautiful liturgies, cooking delicious meals, baking amazing sweets, reading good books, raising her children, casually following baseball, and talking to her philosopher husband. You can find out more about her here.

First Reading: Sirach 3:17-18, 20, 28-29 My child, conduct your affairs with humility, and you will be loved more than a giver of gifts. Humble yourself the more, the greater you are, and you will find favor with God. What is too sublime for you, seek not, into things beyond your strength search not. The mind of a sage appreciates proverbs, and an attentive ear is the joy of the wise. Water quenches a flaming fire, and alms atone for sins. Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 68:4-5, 6-7, 10-11 R. (cf. 11b) God, in your goodness, you have made a home for the poor. The just rejoice and exult before God; they are glad and rejoice. Sing to God, chant praise to his name; whose name is the LORD. R. God, in your goodness, you have made a home for the poor. The father of orphans and the defender of widows is God in his holy dwelling. God gives a home to the forsaken; he leads forth prisoners to prosperity. R. God, in your goodness, you have made a home for the poor. A bountiful rain you showered down, O God, upon your inheritance; you restored the land when it languished; your flock settled in it; in your goodness, O God, you provided it for the needy. R. God, in your goodness, you have made a home for the poor. Second Reading: Hebrews 12:18-19, 22-24A Brothers and sisters: You have not approached that which could be touched and a blazing fire and gloomy darkness and storm and a trumpet blast and a voice speaking words such that those who heard begged that no message be further addressed to them. No, you have approached Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and countless angels in festal gathering, and the assembly of the firstborn enrolled in heaven, and God the judge of all, and the spirits of the just made perfect, and Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and the sprinkled blood that speaks more eloquently than that of Abel. Gospel: Luke 14:1, 7-14 On a sabbath Jesus went to dine at the home of one of the leading Pharisees, and the people there were observing him carefully. He told a parable to those who had been invited, noticing how they were choosing the places of honor at the table. “When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not recline at table in the place of honor. A more distinguished guest than you may have been invited by him, and the host who invited both of you may approach you and say, ‘Give your place to this man,’ and then you would proceed with embarrassment to take the lowest place. Rather, when you are invited, go and take the lowest place so that when the host comes to you he may say, ‘My friend, move up to a higher position.’ Then you will enjoy the esteem of your companions at the table. For every one who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” Then he said to the host who invited him, “When you hold a lunch or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors, in case they may invite you back and you have repayment. Rather, when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.” NAB I’ll let you in on a little secret: I’ve been hesitant—afraid, really—to pray the Litany of Humility. Maybe you’ve seen it. There’s some scary language in that prayer, like this: “That others may be praised and I go unnoticed, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.” Woah. Between my own clunky awkwardness and my children’s lack of filters and my strong-willed spouse, I have ample opportunity to be humiliated on a regular basis. I’ve worked hard—fought tooth and nail, even—to accomplish a very few, small things. Why in the world would I want to cast recognition for these victories aside? Eating humble pie is not my idea of a good time. It’s important to understand that humility and humiliation aren’t the same things. Humility is a desirable virtue that predisposes me to holiness. Praying for humility isn’t asking God to embarrass or dismiss me. Praying for humility is seeking to know the truth of who I am, the truth of Who God is, and the grace to accept these truths. Specifically: I am not God. I need God. I need to be saved. Everything I have, and everything I am comes from God. He alone is the Source. In my life, humility means admitting I’ve gotten in way over my head on a project and need to ask a colleague for help. It means swallowing my pride and apologizing to my husband when I lose my cool over something silly. It means dragging myself to Confession over and over and over again for the same sinful pattern. For me, humility looks a whole lot like acknowledging my need for mercy—acknowledging my need for God and the Body of Christ. Because, left to my own devices, I want to do it all myself without relying on others; I want to be right; I don’t want to admit when I’m wrong. I want to feel like I have it all together. Or at least, some of it! But when I grow in humility, I can recognize the truth: that I am a uniquely loved and unrepeatable child of the Most High God with gifts and talents meant to glorify Him. He alone provides everything I need. [bctt tweet="Everything I have, and everything I am comes from God. He alone is the Source."] Consider your skills and talents, sister. Thank God for these gifts! Humbly submit your efforts to your Heavenly Father today, asking Him how you can use them to build up the Kingdom. photo credit Heather Renshaw is a writer, speaker, and uplifter on a mission to love and serve God with her husband and five children in the Pacific NW. You can learn more about her here.

First Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 Consider your own calling, brothers and sisters. Not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. Rather, God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong, and God chose the lowly and despised of the world, those who count for nothing, to reduce to nothing those who are something, so that no human being might boast before God. It is due to him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, as well as righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, so that, as it is written, Whoever boasts, should boast in the Lord. Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 33:12-13, 18-19, 20-21 R. (12) Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own. Blessed the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he has chosen for his own inheritance. From heaven the LORD looks down; he sees all mankind. R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own. But see, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him, upon those who hope for his kindness, To deliver them from death and preserve them in spite of famine. R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own. Our soul waits for the LORD, who is our help and our shield, For in him our hearts rejoice; in his holy name we trust. R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own. Gospel: Matthew 25:14-30 Jesus told his disciples this parable: “A man going on a journey called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one– to each according to his ability. Then he went away. Immediately the one who received five talents went and traded with them, and made another five. Likewise, the one who received two made another two. But the man who received one went off and dug a hole in the ground and buried his master’s money. After a long time the master of those servants came back and settled accounts with them. The one who had received five talents came forward bringing the additional five. He said, ‘Master, you gave me five talents. See, I have made five more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master’s joy.’ Then the one who had received two talents also came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two talents. See, I have made two more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master’s joy.’ Then the one who had received the one talent came forward and said, ‘Master, I knew you were a demanding person, harvesting where you did not plant and gathering where you did not scatter; so out of fear I went off and buried your talent in the ground. Here it is back.’ His master said to him in reply, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I did not plant and gather where I did not scatter? Should you not then have put my money in the bank so that I could have got it back with interest on my return? Now then! Take the talent from him and give it to the one with ten. For to everyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And throw this useless servant into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’” NAB Rather, God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong, and God chose the lowly and despised of the world, those who count for nothing, to reduce to nothing those who are something, so that no human being might boast before God. Whoever boasts, should boast in the Lord. Encountering this passage always makes me a little uneasy. Being foolish? Being weak? Being lowly? Not exactly what appears attractive in the eyes of the world. I’m not sure I want to swallow that pill. But then we take a look at someone like our saint of the day—Saint Monica—who truly accomplished great things in her “foolishness” and we can’t help but be compelled. She was mother of the famous Saint Augustine. Her constant, unwavering, seemingly futile prayers paved the pathway for his conversion. If you read his “Confessions,” you will realize this was no easy feat! He was on the path of destruction and spiraling further and further off the path of God’s love. It didn’t seem like anything would bring him back. But his mother persevered in prayer, with unwavering faith, and was able to witness his return home. And what’s little known is that she did this on behalf of her pagan husband and mother-in-law too! Those heartfelt prayers can work miracles in even the most dire of circumstances. Saint Monica’s piety must have appeared quite foolish and silly to those on the outside, but God worked wonders with what she gave to Him. I, too, think of Saint Bernadette, Saint Juan Diego, Saint Therese of Lisieux (Doctor of the Church!), Blessed Mother Teresa, Saint Rose of Lima . . . the list goes on. Not exactly powerhouses in the eyes of the world. But powerhouses of holiness in the eyes of God. They were the ones chosen by God to show forth His glory in all the places where we are least likely to see it with our bare eyes. What great things have been accomplished by God’s little ones! God can do incredible things with what YOU give Him, too. Boast in Him. Do you wish to rise? Begin by descending. You plan a tower that will pierce the clouds? Lay first the foundation of humility. ~St. Augustine [bctt tweet="God can do incredible things with what YOU give Him, too. Boast in Him."] Pray the powerful Litany of Humility for a booster shot of humility today. And as you go about your day remember this short prayer, the motto of the Jesuits: Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam (For the Greater Glory of God)! photo credit Laurel Muff is a creator and appreciator of beautiful things. She resides with her husband and daughters in Northern California. You can find more about her here.

First Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:17-25 Brothers and sisters: Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the Gospel, and not with the wisdom of human eloquence, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its meaning. The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the learning of the learned I will set aside. Where is the wise one? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made the wisdom of the world foolish? For since in the wisdom of God the world did not come to know God through wisdom, it was the will of God through the foolishness of the proclamation to save those who have faith. For Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are called, Jews and Greeks alike, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength. Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 33:1-2, 4-5, 10-11 R. (5) The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. Exult, you just, in the LORD; praise from the upright is fitting. Give thanks to the LORD on the harp; with the ten stringed lyre chant his praises. R. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. For upright is the word of the LORD, and all his works are trustworthy. He loves justice and right; of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full. R. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. The LORD brings to nought the plans of nations; he foils the designs of peoples. But the plan of the LORD stands forever; the design of his heart, through all generations. R. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. Gospel: Matthew 25:1-13 Jesus told his disciples this parable: “The Kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones, when taking their lamps, brought no oil with them, but the wise brought flasks of oil with their lamps. Since the bridegroom was long delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. At midnight, there was a cry, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise ones replied, ‘No, for there may not be enough for us and you. Go instead to the merchants and buy some for yourselves.’ While they went off to buy it, the bridegroom came and those who were ready went into the wedding feast with him. Then the door was locked. Afterwards the other virgins came and said, ‘Lord, Lord, open the door for us!’ But he said in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour.” NAB In today's First Reading, Saint Paul details the craziness we Christians proclaim: that there's glory in the Cross of Christ. He goes on to admit that the suffering Jesus endured for our salvation looks like foolishness to those outside of its redemption. He seems to imply that the only way to fully understand the beauty of the Cross is to first accept it as truth. Sometimes, we only understand once we believe. Saint Paul could have written these same words today and they would be accurate. For those unfamiliar with the concept of redemptive suffering, a world that's currently undergoing so much suffering can seem hopeless. One is able to easily write off the existence of a good God without a belief and comprehension of the power of the Cross, of the power of suffering used well. The Cross remains a stumbling block for many people, over 2,000 years later, because at first glance, it does not make sense. Only in light of the Resurrection do the pieces begin to come together for us, and we realize the great merit and significance of our earthly, fleeting suffering in this life. Yet I can't help but think of Saint Paul's description of the Cross as a stumbling block in yet another way. The Cross was literally a stumbling block for Jesus Himself. He fell three times under its weight. Three times, under the weight of our sins, of the taunts of the crowd, of the rejection by His friends, of the coarseness of the Cross, He stumbled. When we walk with Christ, striving to be more like Him in all things, why should we expect the Cross to be different for us? When we are given a cross to carry within our own lives, it can make us stumble. It can cause us to fall. It can cause us to doubt and question and wrestle with the hard stuff. And that's okay. What matters is where we go from there. Do we allow the Cross to remain a divisive wall between us and the sweet promise of the Lord's salvation? Or do we, like Jesus, rise again, trusting that the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength? [bctt tweet="Cling tightly to the promise of redemption within suffering."] How will we respond today, sisters? We all have crosses in our lives right now. Some bigger than others. But we have them, and they may be a stumbling block. I propose we strive to cling tight to the promise of redemption within suffering, confident in the meaning of the Cross and in our salvation through it. photo credit Olivia Spears is a middle school religion teacher turned SAHM who is married to her high school best friend. You can find out more about her here.

First Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:1-9 Paul, called to be an Apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, to the Church of God that is in Corinth, to you who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be holy, with all those everywhere who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I give thanks to my God always on your account for the grace of God bestowed on you in Christ Jesus, that in him you were enriched in every way, with all discourse and all knowledge, as the testimony to Christ was confirmed among you, so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will keep you firm to the end, irreproachable on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, and by him you were called to fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 145:2-3, 4-5, 6-7 R. (1) I will praise your name for ever, Lord. Every day will I bless you, and I will praise your name forever and ever. Great is the LORD and highly to be praised; his greatness is unsearchable. R. I will praise your name for ever, Lord. Generation after generation praises your works and proclaims your might. They speak of the splendor of your glorious majesty and tell of your wondrous works. R. I will praise your name for ever, Lord. They discourse of the power of your terrible deeds and declare your greatness. They publish the fame of your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your justice. R. I will praise your name for ever, Lord. Gospel: Matthew 24:42-51 Jesus said to his disciples: “Stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come. Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour of night when the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and not let his house be broken into. So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come. “Who, then, is the faithful and prudent servant, whom the master has put in charge of his household to distribute to them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master on his arrival finds doing so. Amen, I say to you, he will put him in charge of all his property. But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is long delayed,’ and begins to beat his fellow servants, and eat and drink with drunkards, the servant’s master will come on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour and will punish him severely and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.” NAB When I sat down to read today’s devotion, I wondered if I should put it off because I wasn’t in the mood for prayer and spiritual reading. It had been a rough day and I was out of sorts. Turning my mind to God was difficult at that moment. As I thought about it, though, that moment was the perfect time to stop and rest in God’s word. We all know too well that there are many things that keep us from spending quiet time with God—full schedules, looming deadlines, children to care for, household duties. There is always something to preoccupy our thoughts. This was precisely what came to mind as I read today’s Gospel. I may not be as extreme as the wicked servant beating people and partying with drunkards but there are plenty of occasions when I’m being a less than faithful servant. I am reminded of times when I lost my temper with my kids, made an unkind remark to my husband, gossiped about a neighbor or when I hurried through my night prayers so I could read or watch a favorite show. I could have easily rationalized it all and thought that it wasn’t a big deal but all these things do matter. In the First Reading, Saint Paul names the first Christians as you who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be holy. Called to be holy! God entrusted each of us with a calling and purpose in life. We are God’s servants and we have our work to do. It doesn’t mean that we can never take a break or enjoy recreational time, but we don’t get to take a break from living a life of virtue. Whether we are attending church or the local brewery with friends, we are still called to be faithful. Sometimes that means having to decline a certain movie or skipping that extra beer or enduring one more comment about “all those kids" or "why don't you have any kids yet?" There are going to be times when we fail (even fail miserably) but God understands that. His mercy is ready and waiting to pick us back up. Our job is to not let out guard down or become complacent and think we’re "not so bad." We should always be diligent and trying to live out our vocation as faithful servants 24/7. [bctt tweet="His mercy is ready and waiting to pick us back up."] Take a look at your life and ask the Holy Spirit if there is an area where you have become lazy or complacent (i.e., your prayer life, your attitude, your patience, your charity, etc.) Resolve to do one thing today that will help you improve that area. photo credit Bobbi Rol is a wife, a mama of four and a blogger learning to love God in the midst of dishes, laundry and swinging light sabers. You can find out more about her here. Save

First Reading: Revelation 21:9B-14 The angel spoke to me, saying, “Come here. I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” He took me in spirit to a great, high mountain and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God. It gleamed with the splendor of God. Its radiance was like that of a precious stone, like jasper, clear as crystal. It had a massive, high wall, with twelve gates where twelve angels were stationed and on which names were inscribed, the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel. There were three gates facing east, three north, three south, and three west. The wall of the city had twelve courses of stones as its foundation, on which were inscribed the twelve names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb. Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 145:10-11, 12-13, 17-18 R. (12) Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your Kingdom. Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD, and let your faithful ones bless you. Let them discourse of the glory of your Kingdom and speak of your might. R. Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your Kingdom. Making known to men your might and the glorious splendor of your Kingdom. Your Kingdom is a Kingdom for all ages, and your dominion endures through all generations. R. Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your Kingdom. The LORD is just in all his ways and holy in all his works. The LORD is near to all who call upon him, to all who call upon him in truth. R. Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your Kingdom. Gospel: John 1:45-51 Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one about whom Moses wrote in the law, and also the prophets, Jesus son of Joseph, from Nazareth.” But Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Here is a true child of Israel. There is no duplicity in him.” Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.” Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this.” And he said to him, “Amen, amen, I say to you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” NAB Angels. Saints. Twelve tribes of Israel. Apostles. A city radiant with the glory of God. I often wonder and think about what Heaven is like sometimes; what exactly will this glorious place be like? Until we meet Jesus face to face, we have only our imaginations as to the splendor of God's Heavenly Kingdom. But God's glory does not only reside in Heaven. God's glory is present in the Kingdom now here on earth. My sisters, we make present through our daily lives, vocations, jobs the glorious splendor of God's kingdom. Right in the here and now, wherever God has placed you! Through our actions and words, we bring about God's Kingdom here on earth. As a baptized believer, we bear the very image of God to all people we meet and encounter. The Spirit that inspired the Apostles at Pentecost lives in us and sends us out on mission into our daily lives. He sends us on missions to help bring Christ to a broken, hurting, wounded world. The splendor of Heaven kisses earth when we show patience and kind words to difficult people in our lives or when we pray from the heart for that person who has hurt you so deeply. The splendor of Heaven kisses earth when we extend more mercy, grace, and compassion instead of hate or judgment. The splendor of Heaven kisses earth each time we fight systems of injustices and racism to stand up for the hurting and oppressed. Each time we act a little bit more like Jesus Christ, Heaven and our lives here on Planet Earth collide. "It only takes a little bit of mercy to make the world less cold and more just." (Pope Francis at his first Angelus address.) [bctt tweet="It only takes a little bit of mercy to make the world less cold and more just. // Pope Francis"] Where is God calling you to make Him more known in this world? What is God calling you to do for the Kingdom right here and now? photo credit Patty Hubbard is a runner, youth minister ordinaire, and recovering know-it-all. When not fundraising for World Youth Day, she is learning to find grace in all things. You can find out more about her here.

First Reading: 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3A, 14-17 We ask you, brothers and sisters, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our assembling with him, not to be shaken out of your minds suddenly, or to be alarmed either by a “spirit,” or by an oral statement, or by a letter allegedly from us to the effect that the day of the Lord is at hand. Let no one deceive you in any way. To this end he has also called you through our Gospel to possess the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught, either by an oral statement or by a letter of ours. May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting encouragement and good hope through his grace, encourage your hearts and strengthen them in every good deed and word. Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 96:10, 11-12, 13 R. (13b) The Lord comes to judge the earth. Say among the nations: The LORD is king. He has made the world firm, not to be moved; he governs the peoples with equity. R. The Lord comes to judge the earth. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice; let the sea and what fills it resound; let the plains be joyful and all that is in them! Then shall all the trees of the forest exult. R. The Lord comes to judge the earth. Before the LORD, for he comes; for he comes to rule the earth. He shall rule the world with justice and the peoples with his constancy. R. The Lord comes to judge the earth. Gospel: Matthew 23:23-26 Jesus said: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You pay tithes of mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier things of the law: judgment and mercy and fidelity. But these you should have done, without neglecting the others. Blind guides, who strain out the gnat and swallow the camel! “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You cleanse the outside of cup and dish, but inside they are full of plunder and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup, so that the outside also may be clean.” NAB At first, today’s readings were, well, a downer: don’t be shaken out of your minds suddenly; the Lord comes to judge the earth; woe to you! That’s a lot of worry. But, Scripture was not divinely inspired in order to make us worry, was it? It is said that the Devil incites worry and stress, and the Lord provides reassurance and comfort, so we must use that lens when we interpret the Word. I think about times when my parents would send me out the door with little bits of information like, “Traffic is really bad on I-75 this time of day” or “Watch out for drunk drivers; it is New Year’s Eve.” They didn’t say these things to ruin my night or so that I would spend my evening worrying. They wanted to arm me with truth and information so I could act accordingly. The messages in today’s readings are doing the same thing. Reread these passages, and imagine a loving parent’s tone of voice. Someone who is urgently trying to arm you with information to keep you safe, keep you holy, and keep you on the right path. The Lord will encourage us and strengthen us in every good deed and word. He governs His people with equity. Cleanse the inside so that the outside might be clean. These are the words your Father is calling as you walk out the door this morning. Pause and listen to what He is telling you. [bctt tweet="The Lord will encourage us and strengthen us in every good deed and word."] And if you find yourself consumed with stress over how you will be a good steward today, remember the words of Saint Padre Pio, “Pray, hope, and don’t worry.” photo credit Jenna Hines has a teeny army of three children (and one in utero), and is married to a bearded fellow named Mike. A former high school English teacher, she now stays at home where she blogs and runs a crafty embroidery business. You can find out more about her here.

Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary First Reading: 2 Thessalonians 1:1-5, 11-12 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy to the Church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We ought to thank God always for you, brothers and sisters, as is fitting, because your faith flourishes ever more, and the love of every one of you for one another grows ever greater. Accordingly, we ourselves boast of you in the churches of God regarding your endurance and faith in all your persecutions and the afflictions you endure. This is evidence of the just judgment of God, so that you may be considered worthy of the Kingdom of God for which you are suffering. We always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and powerfully bring to fulfillment every good purpose and every effort of faith, that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, in accord with the grace of our God and Lord Jesus Christ. Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 96:1-2A, 2B-3, 4-5 R. (3) Proclaim God’s marvelous deeds to all the nations. Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all you lands. Sing to the LORD; bless his name. R. Proclaim God’s marvelous deeds to all the nations. Announce his salvation, day after day. Tell his glory among the nations; among all peoples, his wondrous deeds. R. Proclaim God’s marvelous deeds to all the nations. For great is the LORD and highly to be praised; awesome is he, beyond all gods. For all the gods of the nations are things of nought, but the LORD made the heavens. R. Proclaim God’s marvelous deeds to all the nations. Gospel: Matthew 23:13-22 Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You lock the Kingdom of heaven before men. You do not enter yourselves, nor do you allow entrance to those trying to enter. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You traverse sea and land to make one convert, and when that happens you make him a child of Gehenna twice as much as yourselves. “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘If one swears by the temple, it means nothing, but if one swears by the gold of the temple, one is obligated.’ Blind fools, which is greater, the gold, or the temple that made the gold sacred? And you say, ‘If one swears by the altar, it means nothing, but if one swears by the gift on the altar, one is obligated.’ You blind ones, which is greater, the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? One who swears by the altar swears by it and all that is upon it; one who swears by the temple swears by it and by him who dwells in it; one who swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by him who is seated on it.” NAB Our Church has a rich and beautiful tradition of rituals and prayers and sacramentals. Devotions to these have helped generations of Catholics to come to a deeper relationship with God. Rituals like the sign of the cross, prayers like the Morning Offering and the Angelus, sacramentals like holy water and rosary beads, are all a part of my daily practice of my faith. Using them helps me to remember to pray and helps me to focus while I’m doing it. But it’s important to remember that no particular practice can guarantee salvation, or an answer to a prayer. Especially if, like the scribes and Pharisees, our hearts aren’t in the right place. So, how can we avoid the “Woes of the Pharisees”? Saying the Rosary for nine days in a row, for a particular intention, as an act of devotion, hoping that God will give me the desire of my heart, or change my heart if that desire is not His will . . . This is a novena. Thumbs Up. Saying a particular prayer to Saint Jude six times each day for nine consecutive days and leaving nine photocopies in the Church each day, as directed, with the expectation that my prayer will be answered on or before the ninth day and the guarantee that it has never been known to fail . . . This is a glorified chain letter. And an enormous waste of paper. Thumbs down. Asking for the intercession of Saint Joseph when selling my home, or putting a statue of Saint Joseph in my house to remind me to continue to ask him to pray for me as I try to sell it, or burying a statue of Saint Joseph on my property in order to dedicate it to God, through Saint Joseph . . . This is prayer, and the use of sacramentals. Thumbs up. Burying a statue of Saint Joseph upside down in my yard because I believe that this will irritate Saint Joseph and so make him make God make my house sell faster . . . . This is silly and manipulative. Even the Pharisees think it sounds kinda weird. Thumbs down. The good and proper use of the accoutrements of our faith comes down to avoiding the hypocrisy and superstitious practices that Jesus points out in the behavior of the scribes and Pharisees. We don’t pray in a particular way or place, or using particular objects, thinking we can guarantee that God will do what we say. God, after all, (as C.S. Lewis says of Aslan) is not a tame lion. Instead, we use those things to help us love God more and live our faith more completely. We ask for what we desire, but mostly we ask that our desires would align with His will. We hope, like Saint Paul, “that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in us, and us in him, in accord with the grace of our God and Lord Jesus Christ.” And also that Jesus never has cause to call us fools. [bctt tweet="We ask for what we desire, but mostly we ask that our desires would align with His will."] How are the sacramentals and devotions at play in your spiritual life? Can you go deeper in those areas? photo credit Kendra Tierney lives in Los Angeles, CA where her interests include blogging, homeschooling, looking after her eight children, and fixing up a hundred year old tumbledown mansion. You can find out more about her here.

First Reading: Isaiah 66:18-21 Thus says the LORD: I know their works and their thoughts, and I come to gather nations of every language; they shall come and see my glory. I will set a sign among them; from them I will send fugitives to the nations: to Tarshish, Put and Lud, Mosoch, Tubal and Javan, to the distant coastlands that have never heard of my fame, or seen my glory; and they shall proclaim my glory among the nations. They shall bring all your brothers and sisters from all the nations as an offering to the LORD, on horses and in chariots, in carts, upon mules and dromedaries, to Jerusalem, my holy mountain, says the LORD, just as the Israelites bring their offering to the house of the LORD in clean vessels. Some of these I will take as priests and Levites, says the LORD. Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 117:1, 2 R. (Mk 16:15) Go out to all the world and tell the Good News. Praise the LORD all you nations; glorify him, all you peoples! R. Go out to all the world and tell the Good News. For steadfast is his kindness toward us, and the fidelity of the LORD endures forever. R. Go out to all the world and tell the Good News. Second Reading: Hebrews 12:5-7, 11-13 Brothers and sisters, You have forgotten the exhortation addressed to you as children: “My son, do not disdain the discipline of the Lord or lose heart when reproved by him; for whom the Lord loves, he disciplines; he scourges every son he acknowledges.” Endure your trials as “discipline”; God treats you as sons. For what “son” is there whom his father does not discipline? At the time, all discipline seems a cause not for joy but for pain, yet later it brings the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who are trained by it. So strengthen your drooping hands and your weak knees. Make straight paths for your feet, that what is lame may not be disjointed but healed. Gospel: Luke 13:22-30 Jesus passed through towns and villages, teaching as he went and making his way to Jerusalem. Someone asked him, “Lord, will only a few people be saved?” He answered them, “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough. After the master of the house has arisen and locked the door, then will you stand outside knocking and saying, ‘Lord, open the door for us.’ He will say to you in reply, ‘I do not know where you are from. And you will say, ‘We ate and drank in your company and you taught in our streets.’ Then he will say to you, ‘I do not know where you are from. Depart from me, all you evildoers!’ And there will be wailing and grinding of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God and you yourselves cast out. And people will come from the east and the west and from the north and the south and will recline at table in the kingdom of God. For behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.” NAB “Some of you will fail this course . . . .” I’ll never forget hearing these words during the first day of my freshman college speech class as my professor explained the department’s “aggressive curve” grading policy which required a certain percentage of students to fail. Determined to not be one of those students, it was not uncommon to find me in my dorm room that semester attempting to brainstorm captivating topics or witty attention getters that my professor and peers would enjoy. Some of my close friends would even playfully tease me in the days leading up to a speech as I would turn down social invitations in order to practice and perfect my speech. After I delivered my final speech of the semester, I anxiously waited for my grade to post. When it finally did, I nearly shrieked with excitement because I had passed. Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough. Just as my professor shared that some would fail the class, Jesus’ response to the question in today's Gospel revealed that the path to salvation would also be a difficult one. Note that Jesus uses the word “strive” for a reason: our salvation is something we need to work for. It is not something we should just take for granted. And if I’m being honest with you, I have had moments in my life— including my college speech class—where I have worked much harder at doing things of the world than doing things that would better prepare me for God’s kingdom. Even in these moments, though, God has given me the grace to turn towards Him again by partaking in the Sacraments, and He wants the same for you. Go to Mass; go to confession; go and let God's graces pour over you whenever you feel like your faith life has taken the back burner. As Pope Saint Pius X, whose feast day we celebrate today, once said, “Holy Communion is the shortest and safest way to Heaven." My dear sister, know that the path to Heaven is not always going to be easy, but take comfort in knowing that Jesus is the key you need to enter the narrow gate. [bctt tweet="Take comfort in knowing that Jesus is the key you need to enter the narrow gate."] What are you striving for in your life? Joan Geiger is a North Dakota native and newlywed, and in her spare time she can be found going on adventures with her husband, working as a Registered Dietitian, and playing piano. You can find out more about her here.

First Reading: Ezekiel 43:1-7AB The angel led me to the gate which faces the east, and there I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east. I heard a sound like the roaring of many waters, and the earth shone with his glory. The vision was like that which I had seen when he came to destroy the city, and like that which I had seen by the river Chebar. I fell prone as the glory of the LORD entered the temple by way of the gate which faces the east, but spirit lifted me up and brought me to the inner court. And I saw that the temple was filled with the glory of the LORD. Then I heard someone speaking to me from the temple, while the man stood beside me. The voice said to me: Son of man, this is where my throne shall be, this is where I will set the soles of my feet; here I will dwell among the children of Israel forever. Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 85:9AB AND 10, 11-12, 13-14 R. (see 10b) The glory of the Lord will dwell in our land. I will hear what God proclaims; the LORD–for he proclaims peace. Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him, glory dwelling in our land. R. The glory of the Lord will dwell in our land. Kindness and truth shall meet; justice and peace shall kiss. Truth shall spring out of the earth, and justice shall look down from heaven. R. The glory of the Lord will dwell in our land. The LORD himself will give his benefits; our land shall yield its increase. Justice shall walk before him, and salvation, along the way of his steps. R. The glory of the Lord will dwell in our land. Gospel: Matthew 23:1-12 Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying, “The scribes and the Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses. Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they preach but they do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they will not lift a finger to move them. All their works are performed to be seen. They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels. They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues, greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation ‘Rabbi.’ As for you, do not be called ‘Rabbi.’ You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers. Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven. Do not be called ‘Master’; you have but one master, the Christ. The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” NAB It’s very easy to be disheartened by our world. If we aren’t hearing about a recent mass shooting, we’re learning of the unimaginable number of abortions taking place, or the over-sexualization of our young people. In an election year, the negativity grows, and sometimes it just seems like life would be so much better if He came back today. And as many predictors as there claim to be, no one knows when that day will come. More importantly, our individual time may come long before this world ends. Instead of closing ourselves off from a world that seems to carry more evil than good (believe me, I often think that being a hermit might be the answer), the Psalmist today gives hope. The glory of the Lord will dwell in our land. But how? In our actions. In the face of every evil that pervades our days, we can be Christ. It’s in the little things that often become the big things: a smile, a friendly hello, a hug, a prayer, and an empathetic ear when what we’d rather do is keep to ourselves. When God dwells in our land, Kindness and truth shall meet; justice and peace shall kiss. We can and should always share the truth . . . but with kindness. Justice can and should prevail . . . but with peace. Our God is still here, even when the future appears so grim. But, He lives through us, and therefore it is you and I who must carry the light into a darkened world. Just one step at a time. Just one act of love in each moment. Just these little things . . . and before long His light will be a bit easier to find. [bctt tweet="Our God lives through us, and it is you + I who must carry the light into a darkened world."] Let us be the ones who pave the way for Him to dwell in our land again. And, let’s begin now. photo credit Britt Fisk is the wife of Jeremy and mother of five young kids. She spends her days living simply in the-middle-of-nowhere-New Mexico helping with the family beef cattle operation. You can find out more about her here.

First Reading: Ezekiel 37:1-14 The hand of the LORD came upon me, and led me out in the Spirit of the LORD and set me in the center of the plain, which was now filled with bones. He made me walk among the bones in every direction so that I saw how many they were on the surface of the plain. How dry they were! He asked me: Son of man, can these bones come to life? I answered, “Lord GOD, you alone know that.” Then he said to me: Prophesy over these bones, and say to them: Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: See! I will bring spirit into you, that you may come to life. I will put sinews upon you, make flesh grow over you, cover you with skin, and put spirit in you so that you may come to life and know that I am the LORD. I prophesied as I had been told, and even as I was prophesying I heard a noise; it was a rattling as the bones came together, bone joining bone. I saw the sinews and the flesh come upon them, and the skin cover them, but there was no spirit in them. Then the LORD said to me: Prophesy to the spirit, prophesy, son of man, and say to the spirit: Thus says the Lord GOD: From the four winds come, O spirit, and breathe into these slain that they may come to life. I prophesied as he told me, and the spirit came into them; they came alive and stood upright, a vast army. Then he said to me: Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They have been saying, “Our bones are dried up, our hope is lost, and we are cut off.” Therefore, prophesy and say to them: Thus says the Lord GOD: O my people, I will open your graves and have you rise from them, and bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you shall know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and have you rise from them, O my people! I will put my spirit in you that you may live, and I will settle you upon your land; thus you shall know that I am the LORD. I have promised, and I will do it, says the LORD. Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 107:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9 R. (1) Give thanks to the Lord; his love is everlasting. Let the redeemed of the LORD say, those whom he has redeemed from the hand of the foe And gathered from the lands, from the east and the west, from the north and the south. R. Give thanks to the Lord; his love is everlasting. They went astray in the desert wilderness; the way to an inhabited city they did not find. Hungry and thirsty, their life was wasting away within them. R. Give thanks to the Lord; his love is everlasting. They cried to the LORD in their distress; from their straits he rescued them. And he led them by a direct way to reach an inhabited city. R. Give thanks to the Lord; his love is everlasting. Let them give thanks to the LORD for his mercy and his wondrous deeds to the children of men, Because he satisfied the longing soul and filled the hungry soul with good things. R. Give thanks to the Lord; his love is everlasting. Gospel: Matthew 22:34-40 When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them, a scholar of the law, tested him by asking, “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” He said to him, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.” NAB Today's reading from Ezekiel is one of those incredibly powerful images that we find appropriately "epic" in the Old Testament. The Lord has taken Ezekiel out into a plain and as far as the eye can see are dead, dry bones. I feel like this image is powerful for us today. I often feel skeptical, I look around at our society and communities and it is so easy to just see dried up bones as far as the eye can see. We live in a time where human life is so blatantly trampled upon, where human dignity is not valued, where the transcendent and eternal have no bearing on how people live. Where is the supernatural life that God so desperately wants us to have? But the Lord tells Ezekiel to prophesy to the bones, to say His words and give life to that which is dead. The army of bones arise and themselves speak and say they have no hope. How many in our world, in our lives, in our communities are living without hope but cannot say it? God wants to bring these bones back into the house of Israel, just as He wants each and every person to come to His Church today. He wants everyone to drink of the waters of eternal life, to live in His love today and for eternity. And God is asking us who know Him to speak His word to those who are dry bones. It may feel daunting as we are not prophets, but Christ tells us exactly what we need to do: Love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind, and to love your neighbor as yourself. Christ is saying these words to us just as God told Ezekiel what to say to make dry bones live. The words of God are truly this powerful, we just have to live them. [bctt tweet="God wants to make these dry bones live."] How can I commit today to living Christ's words from the Gospel? What area of my life can I turn over more fully to God? Are there parts of my heart, my soul, my mind that I need to give to Christ more fully? Christy Isinger is the mom to five lovely, loud children living in the Canadian wilds. You can find out more about her here.

First Reading: Ezekiel 36:23-28 Thus says the LORD: I will prove the holiness of my great name, profaned among the nations, in whose midst you have profaned it. Thus the nations shall know that I am the LORD, says the Lord GOD, when in their sight I prove my holiness through you. For I will take you away from among the nations, gather you from all the foreign lands, and bring you back to your own land. I will sprinkle clean water upon you to cleanse you from all your impurities, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. I will give you a new heart and place a new spirit within you, taking from your bodies your stony hearts and giving you natural hearts. I will put my spirit within you and make you live by my statutes, careful to observe my decrees. You shall live in the land I gave your ancestors; you shall be my people, and I will be your God. Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 51:12-13, 14-15, 18-19 R. (Ezekiel 36:25) I will pour clean water on you and wash away all your sins. A clean heart create for me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me. Cast me not out from your presence, and your Holy Spirit take not from me. R. I will pour clean water on you and wash away all your sins. Give me back the joy of your salvation, and a willing spirit sustain in me. I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners shall return to you. R. I will pour clean water on you and wash away all your sins. For you are not pleased with sacrifices; should I offer a burnt offering, you would not accept it. My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit; a heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn. R. I will pour clean water on you and wash away all your sins. Gospel: Matthew 22:1-14 Jesus again in reply spoke to the chief priests and the elders of the people in parables saying, “The Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. He dispatched his servants to summon the invited guests to the feast, but they refused to come. A second time he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those invited: “Behold, I have prepared my banquet, my calves and fattened cattle are killed, and everything is ready; come to the feast.”’ Some ignored the invitation and went away, one to his farm, another to his business. The rest laid hold of his servants, mistreated them, and killed them. The king was enraged and sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. Then the king said to his servants, ‘The feast is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy to come. Go out, therefore, into the main roads and invite to the feast whomever you find.’ The servants went out into the streets and gathered all they found, bad and good alike, and the hall was filled with guests. But when the king came in to meet the guests he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment. He said to him, ‘My friend, how is it that you came in here without a wedding garment?’ But he was reduced to silence. Then the king said to his attendants, ‘Bind his hands and feet, and cast him into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’ Many are invited, but few are chosen.” NAB I will give you a new heart and place a new spirit within you, taking from your bodies your stony hearts and giving you natural hearts. I spend several minutes lagging behind a driver who is going at least 5 miles below the speed limit, in the fast lane and suddenly I’m hurling insults and thinking of the worst possible reason of why they could be driving so offensively slow, clearly just to annoy me!? I’m gathering laundry into the basket to wash and fuming at the gall of my husband to throw his socks in front of the basket instead of directly into it. Surely, he did this just to get on my nerves. I find an empty wrapper tossed into the sink. Could we not use the trash can?? For heaven sake, it’s closer than the sink! Never mind that the person responsible for this is merely two years old and is still learning the difference between the trash and the sink. She was attempting to be responsible after snack time. By bedtime, my heart has turned to stone. I have allowed this place within me made for love to become inflexible. I have neglected mercy. I have forgotten to practice that very thing which allows my heart to grow and remain pliable. It has hardened because I have not relied on His grace. I have not allowed my heart to be vivified by the Holy Spirit’s action, but turned inward to my own selfish thoughts, attempting to see everything through the lens of vanity. But my heart of flesh can only remain supple when I live in union with Christ. Man cannot live without love. He remains a being that is incomprehensible for himself, his life is senseless, if love is not revealed to him, if he does not encounter love, if he does not experience it and make it his own, if he does not participate intimately in it. - Redemptor Hominis by Pope Saint John Paul II. I need His help to return to a life of love, a life of mercy. I need Him to break this heart of stone and return it to its natural state. [bctt tweet="I need Him to break this heart of stone and return it to its natural state."] Lord, restore me. Help me to have mercy on others, on myself. Give me a heart of flesh that lives in You and for You alone. Amen. photo credit Laurel Muff is a creator and appreciator of beautiful things. She resides with her husband and daughters in Northern California. You can find more about her here.

First Reading: Ezekiel 34:1-11 The word of the Lord came to me: Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, in these words prophesy to them to the shepherds: Thus says the Lord GOD: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who have been pasturing themselves! Should not shepherds, rather, pasture sheep? You have fed off their milk, worn their wool, and slaughtered the fatlings, but the sheep you have not pastured. You did not strengthen the weak nor heal the sick nor bind up the injured. You did not bring back the strayed nor seek the lost, but you lorded it over them harshly and brutally. So they were scattered for the lack of a shepherd, and became food for all the wild beasts. My sheep were scattered and wandered over all the mountains and high hills; my sheep were scattered over the whole earth, with no one to look after them or to search for them. Therefore, shepherds, hear the word of the LORD: As I live, says the Lord GOD, because my sheep have been given over to pillage, and because my sheep have become food for every wild beast, for lack of a shepherd; because my shepherds did not look after my sheep, but pastured themselves and did not pasture my sheep; because of this, shepherds, hear the word of the LORD: Thus says the Lord GOD: I swear I am coming against these shepherds. I will claim my sheep from them and put a stop to their shepherding my sheep so that they may no longer pasture themselves. I will save my sheep, that they may no longer be food for their mouths. For thus says the Lord GOD: I myself will look after and tend my sheep. Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 23:1-3A, 3B-4, 5, 6 R. (1) The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. In verdant pastures he gives me repose; Beside restful waters he leads me; he refreshes my soul. R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want. He guides me in right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side With your rod and your staff that give me courage. R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want. You spread the table before me in the sight of my foes; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want. Only goodness and kindness will follow me all the days of my life; And I shall dwell in the house of the LORD for years to come. R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want. Gospel: Matthew 20:1-16 Jesus told his disciples this parable: “The Kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with them for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. Going out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and he said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard, and I will give you what is just.’ So they went off. And he went out again around noon, and around three o’clock, and did likewise. Going out about five o’clock, he found others standing around, and said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ They answered, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard.’ When it was evening the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Summon the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and ending with the first.’ When those who had started about five o’clock came, each received the usual daily wage. So when the first came, they thought that they would receive more, but each of them also got the usual wage. And on receiving it they grumbled against the landowner, saying, ‘These last ones worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who bore the day’s burden and the heat.’ He said to one of them in reply, ‘My friend, I am not cheating you. Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what is yours and go. What if I wish to give this last one the same as you? Or am I not free to do as I wish with my own money? Are you envious because I am generous?’ Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last.” NAB Society is always telling me, “don’t be a sheep,” “don’t be a follower, be a leader,” and my personal favorite, “just be yourself.” Our society emphasizes the value in individuality, egocentrism, looking out for number one and, quite frankly, I am a little tired of it. Don’t get me wrong, at the end of the day, I am just one person and can only control my own actions and that is important to remember. However, I think it’s truly crucial to be someone who is virtuous, kind, empathetic, patient, and welcoming—all traits that come from someplace within and require self-reflection and self-action. But how do I know that these traits are valuable and important? (Psst, this is not a trick question.) Yup. That’s right. My Lord and Savior, my main man, my perfect Shepherd—Jesus Christ. Before we evolved into a society of individuals simply dwelling near one another, we were thought of as a community, a tribe, a herd—to care for one another and ultimately to be cared for by our Shepherd. But I feel like we are at a crossroads, a time of deep change. Something is happening to our herd. We are like the herds of old again—we are used, we are sick, we are being left behind by these false shepherds in our society. (There are many, and they are persuasive.) Our Lord God has promised to be our Shepherd—the true, ever-present, life-giving Shepherd. I will save my sheep. I don’t know about you, but that makes me pretty darn proud to be a sheep. As long as I am HIS sheep. For as long as He is my Shepherd, there is nothing I shall want, as the Psalmist says! [bctt tweet="As long as He is my Shepherd, there is nothing I shall want"] How is that feeling of being a sheep going in your life? Do you take a little comfort in the notion that you could be the sheep with the ultimate shepherd? photo credit Samantha Aguinaldo-Wetterholm is a wife, mom, and dentist currently living in the Bay Area, California. You can find out more about her here.

First Reading: Ezekiel 28:1-10 The word of the LORD came to me: Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre: Thus says the Lord GOD: Because you are haughty of heart, you say, “A god am I! I occupy a godly throne in the heart of the sea!”— And yet you are a man, and not a god, however you may think yourself like a god. Oh yes, you are wiser than Daniel, there is no secret that is beyond you. By your wisdom and your intelligence you have made riches for yourself; You have put gold and silver into your treasuries. By your great wisdom applied to your trading you have heaped up your riches; your heart has grown haughty from your riches– therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Because you have thought yourself to have the mind of a god, Therefore I will bring against you foreigners, the most barbarous of nations. They shall draw their swords against your beauteous wisdom, they shall run them through your splendid apparel. They shall thrust you down to the pit, there to die a bloodied corpse, in the heart of the sea. Will you then say, “I am a god!” when you face your murderers? No, you are man, not a god, handed over to those who will slay you. You shall die the death of the uncircumcised at the hands of foreigners, for I have spoken, says the Lord GOD. Responsorial Psalm: Deutoronmy 32:26-27AB, 27CD-28, 30, 35CD-36AB R. (39c) It is I who deal death and give life. “I would have said, ‘I will make an end of them and blot out their name from men’s memories,’ Had I not feared the insolence of their enemies, feared that these foes would mistakenly boast.” R. It is I who deal death and give life. “‘Our own hand won the victory; the LORD had nothing to do with it.’” For they are a people devoid of reason, having no understanding. R. It is I who deal death and give life. “How could one man rout a thousand, or two men put ten thousand to flight, Unless it was because their Rock sold them and the LORD delivered them up?” R. It is I who deal death and give life. Close at hand is the day of their disaster, and their doom is rushing upon them! Surely, the LORD shall do justice for his people; on his servants he shall have pity. R. It is I who deal death and give life. Gospel: Matthew 19:23-30 Jesus said to his disciples: “Amen, I say to you, it will be hard for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of heaven. Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God.” When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and said, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “For men this is impossible, but for God all things are possible.” Then Peter said to him in reply, “We have given up everything and followed you. What will there be for us?” Jesus said to them, “Amen, I say to you that you who have followed me, in the new age, when the Son of Man is seated on his throne of glory, will yourselves sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times more, and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.” NAB When I was hired as a youth minister ten years ago this summer, I was sure I’d be in it for three to five years. It wasn’t that I didn’t love the students or feel called to this particular parish, but rather I planned to give myself to ministry until the Lord gave me my heart’s desire: to be a wife and mother. And in the past ten years of being mostly single and still childless, my heart has often echoed the question posed in today’s Gospel: We have given up everything and followed you. What will there be for us? Saint Peter, the rock upon which our Church was founded, asked Jesus the modern day equivalent of “what about me?” Can you relate? Maybe you’re exhausted from nursing an ailing parent or grieving a lost child. Maybe you’ve been generous with your ‘yes’ to children but struggle financially or perhaps you desire children but struggle with infertility. Have you ever spent yourself in the service of God and others and only to find yourself wondering the same thing: what will there be for me? Lucky for us, Jesus answered Saint Peter. And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times more . . . . From our limited perspective, we want our reward to look a certain way and come at a particular time, but let me tell you a little secret . . . that hundred times more? It’s Jesus. Jesus is our prize. Jesus doesn’t promise a finite blessing, but an infinite Person. And in Him, the kind of love and acceptance we hardly dared to hope for. On the day I celebrated ten years in ministry, the Holy Spirit softly spoke into my heart, Happy Anniversary. The Lord was reminding me that it was our anniversary, not only a professional milestone. In all these years of following Him in ministry, He had been committed to me. He had loved me unreservedly. He had forgiven me without hesitation. The intimate relationship with Him was the reward. And it’s available for you, too. [bctt tweet="He is committed to you, he loves you unreservedly, he has forgiven you without hesitation."] Pause now and invite the Lover of your soul to reveal His love for you in a new, deeper way. Stay attentive throughout the day to the ways in which God is loving you. photo credit Beth Davis is a lover of Jesus, an aunt to five beautiful humans, and a full time youth minister in Flagstaff, Arizona. She is passionate about winning the hearts of young people for Jesus through discipleship. You can find out more about her here.

Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary First Reading: Revelation 11:19A; 12:1-6A, 10AB God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant could be seen in the temple. A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was with child and wailed aloud in pain as she labored to give birth. Then another sign appeared in the sky; it was a huge red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on its heads were seven diadems. Its tail swept away a third of the stars in the sky and hurled them down to the earth. Then the dragon stood before the woman about to give birth, to devour her child when she gave birth. She gave birth to a son, a male child, destined to rule all the nations with an iron rod. Her child was caught up to God and his throne. The woman herself fled into the desert where she had a place prepared by God. Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have salvation and power come, and the Kingdom of our God and the authority of his Anointed One.” Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 45:10, 11, 12, 16 R. (10bc) The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold. The queen takes her place at your right hand in gold of Ophir. R. The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold. Hear, O daughter, and see; turn your ear, forget your people and your father’s house. R. The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold. So shall the king desire your beauty; for he is your lord. R. The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold. They are borne in with gladness and joy; they enter the palace of the king. R. The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold. Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:20-27 Brothers and sisters: Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through man, the resurrection of the dead came also through man. For just as in Adam all die, so too in Christ shall all be brought to life, but each one in proper order: Christ the firstfruits; then, at his coming, those who belong to Christ; then comes the end, when he hands over the Kingdom to his God and Father, when he has destroyed every sovereignty and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death, for “he subjected everything under his feet.” Gospel: Luke 1:39-56 Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.” And Mary said: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Savior for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed: the Almighty has done great things for me and holy is his Name. He has mercy on those who fear him in every generation. He has shown the strength of his arm, and has scattered the proud in their conceit. He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. He has come to the help of his servant Israel for he has remembered his promise of mercy, the promise he made to our fathers, to Abraham and his children forever.” Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home. NAB Since the earliest days of the church after Christ’s death, the apostles handed down the knowledge, the truth and belief, that God assumed the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven—body and soul—after her earthly death. By the sixth century, this truth was celebrated as an annual feast day; we still celebrate this beautiful, unchanged truth all these thousands of years later on this Holy Day of Obligation. But when trying to squeeze in a weekday mass between work and school and family schedules, sometimes the beauty gets a little overrun by regular old life. Let’s reflect on it now, shall we? Mary died as all humans do. Apostolic tradition tells us her death occurred in the presence of the Apostles sometime after Jesus ascended to heaven. She was buried, but when the Apostles returned as required by burial customs of the time, they found no remains. Like her Son, they found only a miraculously empty tomb. But why? When the Angel Gabriel told Mary before any early-response pregnancy test could that she would be pregnant, she didn’t let selfish (or what we would even consider reasonable) concerns—that it wasn’t the right time, that she was too young, that she would be shamed by the locals—conflict with God’s plan. When her young divine Son’s life was threatened by Herod, she didn’t complain about another move or bemoan the displeasure of Egypt this time of year. When her heart was pierced by a sword as her Son suffered persecution and mocking, as her tears mingled with his blood and sweat each step of his Passion, she loved trustingly, recklessly, and with her whole self. In every moment, with every single fiber of her being, she gave fully of her body and her soul, in the purest example of what a human love of God—what a personal relationship with Jesus—is meant to be. Yes, time and again Mary gave herself over to our Lord, body and soul. And so God gave both back to her as His divine gift. Through His singular power, her Lord and Son united to Himself not just His Blessed Mother's soul, but her body—the blameless body that had selflessly carried and born Him to our earthly world—that she might continue to fully love Him, body and soul, in His eternal world. [bctt tweet="God will fill us unconditionally, body and soul, with Himself."] On this feast that exemplifies perfect human love, let’s strive to love, body and soul—with even a fraction of Mary’s love—that our God may fill us unconditionally, body and soul, with Himself. photo credit Megan Hjelmstad is a wife, mom, writer and sometimes soldier whose real passion is equal parts faith and chocolate. You can find out more about her here.