First Reading: 1 Timothy 3:1-13 Beloved, this saying is trustworthy: whoever aspires to the office of bishop desires a noble task. Therefore, a bishop must be irreproachable, married only once, temperate, self-controlled, decent, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not aggressive, but gentle, not contentious, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, keeping his children under control with perfect dignity; for if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how can he take care of the Church of God? He should not be a recent convert, so that he may not become conceited and thus incur the Devil’s punishment. He must also have a good reputation among outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, the Devil’s trap. Similarly, deacons must be dignified, not deceitful, not addicted to drink, not greedy for sordid gain, holding fast to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. Moreover, they should be tested first; then, if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons. Women, similarly, should be dignified, not slanderers, but temperate and faithful in everything. Deacons may be married only once and must manage their children and their households well. Thus those who serve well as deacons gain good standing and much confidence in their faith in Christ Jesus. Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 101:1B-2AB, 2CD-3AB, 5, 6 I will walk with blameless heart. Of mercy and judgment I will sing; to you, O LORD, I will sing praise. I will persevere in the way of integrity; when will you come to me? I will walk with blameless heart, within my house; I will not set before my eyes any base thing. Whoever slanders his neighbor in secret, him will I destroy. The man of haughty eyes and puffed up heart I will not endure. My eyes are upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me. He who walks in the way of integrity shall be in my service. Gospel: John 19:25-27 Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home. ESV I can’t forget my only date with that guy from the tennis team. He came to pick me up, and as we walked out to his car, I saw his mom wedged behind the driver’s seat on the floor, her legs folded up under her. “What’s your mom doing?” I asked him, baffled. “Oh, she’s there because I only have my learner’s permit.” His sheepish face turned just a little red, but not red enough. “Don’t worry!” came her cheerful, slightly muffled voice. “You won’t even know I’m here!” We didn’t go out again. Even if we don’t stuff our moms into backseats, many of us have had our moments with them. Thankfully, we have a beautiful model for honoring our mothers in Jesus’ treatment of Mary in today’s Gospel reading. Woman, behold your son. Son, behold your mother. Your mother. She’s your mother. Jesus didn’t say, “From now on she will be your mother,” but “Behold, your mother,” as if it had always been that way. In two sentences, Jesus totally redefined their relationship. And from that moment, he took her into his home. In that moment with his Beloved Disciple, Jesus gave Mary to all of us. She’s the mother of Christ, and we are all His body. Is she not our mother, too? Woman, behold your daughter. Daughter, behold your mother. Would I take her into my home as easily? A few years ago, I hesitated in a small shop in San Juan, Puerto Rico, gripping a carved wooden Mary statue, unable to put it down. Was I going to buy a Mary statue now, after all these years? Mary and I didn’t have a relationship. I respected her, honored her, faithfully attended Mass on her feast days, but I felt like an impostor. Mary was hard to explain—an obstacle to my faith, I thought. I didn’t know what to do with her. That day in the shop, I had to admit that I had been holding Mary at arms’ length for a long time. For some of us, especially those of us from other faith traditions, Mary is someone we have to get to know from scratch. She’s worth the effort, though. She’s there. She’s willing. She’s waiting patiently. She’s our mother, and she loves us . . . even if we stick her in the backseat sometimes. Mary, mother of Jesus, be a mother to me now. [bctt tweet="Jesus gave Mary to all of us. She’s the mother of Christ, and we are all His body."] Have you ever felt difficulty in connecting with Mary? When I first started to talk with her, I tried this simple prayer: Mary, Mother of Jesus, be a mother to me now. In stressful or anxious moments this week, why not try asking for her mothering? It's a great place to start a relationship. photo by Corynne Olivia Abbey Dupuy is a homeschooling mama to preschooler twins, a first grader and a new baby. You can find out more about her here.

First Reading: Numbers 21:4B-9 With their patience worn out by the journey, the people complained against God and Moses, “Why have you brought us up from Egypt to die in this desert, where there is no food or water? We are disgusted with this wretched food!” In punishment the LORD sent among the people saraph serpents, which bit the people so that many of them died. Then the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned in complaining against the LORD and you. Pray the LORD to take the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people, and the LORD said to Moses, “Make a saraph and mount it on a pole, and if any who have been bitten look at it, they will live.” Moses accordingly made a bronze serpent and mounted it on a pole, and whenever anyone who had been bitten by a serpent looked at the bronze serpent, he lived. Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 78:1BC-2, 34-35, 36-37, 38 Do not forget the works of the Lord! Hearken, my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in a parable, I will utter mysteries from of old. While he slew them they sought him and inquired after God again, Remembering that God was their rock and the Most High God, their redeemer. But they flattered him with their mouths and lied to him with their tongues, Though their hearts were not steadfast toward him, nor were they faithful to his covenant. But he, being merciful, forgave their sin and destroyed them not; Often he turned back his anger and let none of his wrath be roused. Second Reading: Philippians 2:6-11 Brothers and sisters: Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Gospel: John 3:13-17 Jesus said to Nicodemus: “No one has gone up to heaven except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.” For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. ESV Ladies. I did a little happy dance when I saw my Old Testament reading for today. It’s my favorite. Just ask my kids. Anytime one of them starts bellyaching about something or other, I’ll ask them, “What does God do to complainers?” And they have to respond, “He sends snakes to bite them.” Because it’s TRUE. It’s right there in the Bible. They know it so well that sometimes I’ll just hiss at them and poke them with two fingers, mid-complaint, so they remember. Seriously. I’m fun. Poor Moses. He’s doing his best. He’s keeping his charges safe and fed and un-enslaved and all he gets is whining and griping and grumbling. I can really identify with that feeling sometimes. But guess what? I’m just as guilty of being on the other side as well. Murmuring against God. Caught up in creature comforts. Failing to see the big picture. But it’s gazing upon one of those same snakes, the symbol of their weakness, that saves those who are bitten. Acknowledging my own weaknesses, being willing to gaze upon them and ask God’s forgiveness . . . that’s what will save ME as well. [bctt tweet="It’s gazing upon one of those same snakes, the symbol of their weakness, that saves those who are bitten."] Today is the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Today we celebrate this instrument of degradation and torture, that became the instrument of our salvation. Just as the people of Israel gazed up at the bronze serpent and lived, we can gaze upon the cross, and know our weakness, and find our strength. photo by Madi Myers-Cook Kendra Tierney lives in Los Angeles, CA where her interests include blogging, homeschooling, looking after her eight children, and suburban homesteading . . . in case of zombies. You can find out more about her here.

The Most Holy Name of Mary (Optional Memorial) First Reading: Sirach 24:17-21 Like a vine I caused loveliness to bud, and my blossoms became glorious and abundant fruit. Come to me, you who desire me, and eat your fill of my produce. For the remembrance of me is sweeter than honey, and my inheritance sweeter than the honeycomb. Those who eat me will hunger for more, and those who drink me will thirst for more. Responsorial Psalm: Luke 1:46-50, 53-54 And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden. For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. And his mercy is on those who fear him from generation to generation. he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent empty away. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy." Gospel: Luke 1:26-38 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!" But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end." And Mary said to the angel, "How shall this be, since I have no husband?" And the angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, your kinswoman Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible." And Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her. ESV I awoke to the sound of rain falling upon the tent. I was freezing. The weather had disturbed my night’s sleep. The prior day I had spent trekking over 20 miles on a pilgrimage. Not easy for a person who is lucky to get two miles in on a given day. Pilgrimages are hard. They are meant to give us a glimpse of life’s struggles—the road of sanctity. They are a time taken apart to put us in closer touch with our Creator, as a time to think about and converse with Him. And the suffering reminds us to rely on Him, to seek His help in our lives when times are tough. I awoke that second morning feeling sicker than ever before. I’ve battled with a chronic case of mononucleosis since I was thirteen. It rears its ugly head in the perfect storm—exhaustion, stress, and lack of sleep—and I had hit that storm squarely in the face. The first leg that morning, every step felt like a hundred. My whole body was like lead. As hard as the walking had been before, it now seemed impossible. After a 20 minute rest, I couldn’t get up. Our chaplain sent me to the children’s bus (they rode part of the journey). Somehow I made it there, rode to the midday Mass, but then it was time to walk again. I just couldn’t. I had fallen asleep hard and was shaking from exhaustion, but even the doctor was in denial about my condition. I kept asking to be placed on a vehicle going to Chartres because I just couldn’t walk another step. But no one was listening (or no one understood). I felt I would never get through this, never make it to the cathedral. This arduous pilgrimage now seemed insurmountable. I prayed and prayed for assistance. At the eleventh hour, He rescued me: an American reporter (who was much better with his French than I) was waiting with his elderly mother who had a private van ride straight to Chartres. He explained my situation to the driver and I was able to hitch a ride too. I barely remember arriving in town, finding the familiar hotel, booking a room, and falling fast asleep. I awoke the next day after almost 24 hours of sleep, right before the pilgrims began making their final steps into the cathedral. I prayed with deep gratitude as I watched the them trudge in. My pilgrimage had been different than how I envisioned, but I, too, had made it. Later that day, I walked into the quiet cathedral. I made my way to the simple stained glass window depicting the Annunciation—the words of Gabriel to Mary coming to mind: “For with God nothing will be impossible.” (Luke 1:37). [bctt tweet="Suffering reminds us to rely on Him, to seek His help in our lives when times are tough."] Never doubt that He will carry you through. Have faith without reservation because in Him all things are possible. photo by Corynne Olivia 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 Timothy 1:1-2, 12-14 Paul, an Apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our savior and of Christ Jesus our hope, to Timothy, my true child in faith: grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. I am grateful to him who has strengthened me, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he considered me trustworthy in appointing me to the ministry. I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and an arrogant man, but I have been mercifully treated because I acted out of ignorance in my unbelief. Indeed, the grace of our Lord has been abundant, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 16:1B-2A AND 5, 7-8, 11 You are my inheritance, O Lord. Keep me, O God, for in you I take refuge; I say to the LORD, “My Lord are you.” O LORD, my allotted portion and my cup, you it is who hold fast my lot. I bless the LORD who counsels me; even in the night my heart exhorts me. I set the LORD ever before me; with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed. You will show me the path to life, fullness of joys in your presence, the delights at your right hand forever. Gospel: Luke 6:39-42 Jesus told his disciples a parable: “Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit? No disciple is superior to the teacher; but when fully trained, every disciple will be like his teacher. Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own? How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove that splinter in your eye,’ when you do not even notice the wooden beam in your own eye? You hypocrite! Remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter in your brother’s eye.” ESV Do we truly believe that all humans are capable of redemption and forgiveness? Saint Paul was blasphemous, a persecutor, and an arrogant man, and the Lord was merciful with him. Jesus hung on the cross next to a thief, and He granted him salvation. We live in a broken world full of murders, crooks, and terrorists, and yet God provides hope for their futures too. Because this is true, do we treat people as such? Do we ask more of the people around us because we know they are capable, or do we shrug our shoulders and think, “Some people will never change”? Perhaps we shy away from pointing out areas in people’s lives that need improvement because of the beam in our own eye. But maybe we are reading this message incorrectly. After all, we are also called to be our sisters’ keepers. This is such a fine line to straddle, so what does it look like to guide someone while we are sinners ourselves? First of all, we must strive to live our lives according the the law of Christ, AND, when we fail, we must seek forgiveness in Confession, and also make amends with those we have wronged. Another way to do this would be to offer sound advice when asked. Or perhaps we can redirect a conversation that has turned into gossip. And, being someone’s keeper might not always require a conversation or action. In some instances, prayer and support might be the only reasonable route. [bctt tweet="We must strive to live our lives according the the law of Christ, AND, when we fail, we must seek forgiveness."] Today, on the fourteenth anniversary of September 11, ask God to speak deeply to the heart of a terrorist. Ask the Lord to bless that person in a special way so that he or she may realize the truth, beauty, and peace of Jesus. These people are capable of redemption and forgiveness too. photo by Corynne Olivia Jenna Hines has teeny army of three children 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.

First Reading: Colossians 3:12-17 Brothers and sisters: Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do. And over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection. And let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were also called in one Body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 150:1B-2, 3-4, 5-6 Let everything that breathes praise the Lord! Praise the LORD in his sanctuary, praise him in the firmament of his strength. Praise him for his mighty deeds, praise him for his sovereign majesty. Praise him with the blast of the trumpet, praise him with lyre and harp, Praise him with timbrel and dance, praise him with strings and pipe. Praise him with sounding cymbals, praise him with clanging cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the LORD! Alleluia. Gospel: Luke 6:27-38 Jesus said to his disciples: “To you who hear I say, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. To the person who strikes you on one cheek, offer the other one as well, and from the person who takes your cloak, do not withhold even your tunic. Give to everyone who asks of you, and from the one who takes what is yours do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you. For if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do the same. If you lend money to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, and get back the same amount. But rather, love your enemies and do good to them, and lend expecting nothing back; then your reward will be great and you will be children of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as also your Father is merciful.“Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.” ESV Lord, you are funny. Just hilarious. You’ve got me today. I swear, if there was one thing I have a hard time with it is forgiveness. And lo and behold, today I have Saint Luke telling me exactly what is hardest for me to hear. Love my enemies? But I don’t want to! (And now I sound like a stubborn child.) I am the ultimate grudge holder and I am ashamed to admit it. This is not the first time I have had to face the facts. It is something I struggle with on the daily. I wish I could be able to say that I have had an epiphany and now I suddenly understand how to be forgiving, non-resentful, and non-judgmental, but I don’t. It is still something I am working on and something I need to improve. But today’s readings gave me a glimpse on how to make that possible and it is pretty simple. Love. Love of Him. Love of them. The Lord forgave me. Me. Imperfect, ever-failing, sinful me. How do I continue to to drag my feet when I have been commanded to forgive? If I spent more time praising the Lord and thinking less of myself, then I should be able to get my act together. When all else fails, love. Love your neighbor. Forgive your enemy. Be merciful. But don’t take my word for it. Scroll right back up there and read. Repeat. Bookmark these readings. Print them out. Put them on your bathroom mirror. Read, and re-read. He’s got us covered. [bctt tweet="When all else fails, love. Love your neighbor. Forgive your enemy. Be merciful."] photo by Corynne Olivia Samantha Aguinaldo-Wetterholm is a wife, mom, and soon-to-be-dentist currently living in San Francisco, California. You can find out more about her here.

First Reading: Colossians 3:1-11 Brothers and sisters: If you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Think of what is above, not of what is on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ your life appears, then you too will appear with him in glory. Put to death, then, the parts of you that are earthly: immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and the greed that is idolatry. Because of these the wrath of God is coming upon the disobedient. By these you too once conducted yourselves, when you lived in that way. But now you must put them all away: anger, fury, malice, slander, and obscene language out of your mouths. Stop lying to one another, since you have taken off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed, for knowledge, in the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all and in all. Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 145:2-3, 10-11, 12-13AB The Lord is compassionate toward all his works. 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. 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. 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. Gospel: Luke 6:20-26 Raising his eyes toward his disciples Jesus said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for the Kingdom of God is yours. Blessed are you who are now hungry, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who are now weeping, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude and insult you, and denounce your name as evil on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice and leap for joy on that day! Behold, your reward will be great in heaven. For their ancestors treated the prophets in the same way. But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. But woe to you who are filled now, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will grieve and weep. Woe to you when all speak well of you, for their ancestors treated the false prophets in this way.” ESV You know, for as many times as our other wonderful sisters (and even myself) have reflected on the concept of worldly detachment, I still struggle. Man, do I struggle. I hear it constantly, wisdom like "store up your treasures in heaven," and "the rich have already received their reward," and all the "woe-is-mes" and "put away your vices" from today's readings. It's convincing and convicting, every single time. But at least as many times as I'm convicted, I forget. It slips away as I fail to fully trust. And when it comes to possessions, my unchecked selfishness slowly begins to harden my heart; I can't—or maybe more accurately, deep down, I know that I don't want to. It's almost like I'm unable to let go, just like the rich man who retreated with sadness after Jesus told him that to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, he should sell all that he had, come follow Him. I wonder sometimes why it's so difficult. Why is the pull of the truth is so much weaker than that of our unreliable emotions? In my heart, I know that advertisements and not-so-subtle branding are meant to prey on my weakness. I know that emotional passions can, and should be controlled to the best of my ability; that the anger and irritation that can take over are often irrational, that the gluttony and sloth in caving to pleasures instead of responding to responsibilities is the work of the one who wants me to fail, not the work of the One who loves me beyond measure. But yes, the struggle is still real. Every day feels like I'm fighting some sort of losing battle against all those "woe-to-yous" that Jesus ticks off. Every day I cave too often to those vices Saint Paul tells me I should have put away a long time ago—anger, fury, malice, slander, and obscene language, among too many others. But if I stop and think about the words that fill me with renewed conviction, then wrack me with guilt every time I subsequently let them go . . . . If I stop—really take pause—and think hard about the nature of this God of mine who says He loves me beyond measure . . . If I reflect long enough and quietly enough . . . I think I can see Him standing by me, smiling with the kind of patience that only the most seasoned and serene of parents have mastered. It's the kind of telling smile offered to only the luckiest of children as they have carelessly repeatedly blundered, that lesson that they were supposedly old enough to finally understand. It's the kind of love that can disarm my hardness of heart far better than my response of fear and trepidation to all those "woe is me" failings. And as I see my God regard me so lovingly in this light, the small voice in my heart—motivated solely by love—whispers: "The struggle is real. But His grace is stronger. Just get back up one more time and keep trying, daughter. That's all He wants. Just keep on trying." [bctt tweet="Just get back up one more time and keep trying, daughter."] The holy saints and apostles struggled just as much, but the one thing that set them apart was their conviction to keep coming back to the Source of All Love. Give yourself some grace and get back on your horse with me, sisters. Let's try again today. photo by Madi Myers-Cook 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: Micah 5:1-4A The LORD says: You, Bethlehem-Ephrathah, too small to be among the clans of Judah, From you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel; Whose origin is from of old, from ancient times. (Therefore the Lord will give them up, until the time when she who is to give birth has borne, And the rest of his brethren shall return to the children of Israel.) He shall stand firm and shepherd his flock by the strength of the LORD, in the majestic name of the LORD, his God; And they shall remain, for now his greatness shall reach to the ends of the earth; he shall be peace. Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 13:6AB, 6C With delight I rejoice in the Lord. Though I trusted in your mercy, let my heart rejoice in your salvation. Let me sing of the LORD, “He has been good to me.” Gospel: Matthew 1:1-16, 18-23 The Book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham became the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers. Judah became the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar. Perez became the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, Ram the father of Amminadab. Amminadab became the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab. Boaz became the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth. Obed became the father of Jesse, Jesse the father of David the king. David became the father of Solomon, whose mother had been the wife of Uriah. Solomon became the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asaph. Asaph became the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, Joram the father of Uzziah. Uzziah became the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah. Hezekiah became the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amos, Amos the father of Josiah. Josiah became the father of Jechoniah and his brothers at the time of the Babylonian exile. After the Babylonian exile, Jechoniah became the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, Zerubbabel the father of Abiud. Abiud became the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor, Azor the father of Zadok. Zadok became the father of Achim, Achim the father of Eliud, Eliud the father of Eleazar. Eleazar became the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Of her was born Jesus who is called the Christ. Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means “God is with us.” ESV They say the biggest blessings come in unlikely forms. Can you imagine being Joseph; a completely human and fallible human being given a staring role in one of biggest blessings in human history? Jesus was created as He was and His mother, Mary, was conceived without Original Sin, but Joseph? Joseph was born with Original Sin, like you or me. Sometimes I feel that we don't talk about Joseph nearly as often as we should. Sometimes I wonder how frustrating it would have been to be a good man in that family bust still struggling with our sinful nature. Was it frustrating? Was it inspiring? Did he feel inadequate or unworthy? Did he feel just like we do, day in and day out? No wonder he tries to quietly, politely get out of things. I can only imagine that perhaps the news of Mary's maternity did not seem like much of a blessing at that moment. Perhaps he was angry, perhaps he was embarrassed, or perhaps he was just confused by it all. And yet he made an amazing choice—he swallowed any pride that may have hurt and he did the job that God gave him to do; to love the family that was given to him, raise Jesus and love Mary. He took the blessing in disguise and through that he blessed the world. I wonder how many times we turn away from a blessing from God and isn't this what the world at large wants us to think? That if something isn't perfectly timed, financed, and aesthetically pleasing that no good can come from it? How many children have we lost to this idea? How many neighbors have gone without help? How many times have we lost a chance to bless the world by accepting what is given to us, exactly how and exactly when it is given? The world wants us to turn away the less than our version of perfect, the blessings in disguise, and we must remember that we are not for this world. Today I want us to look at our lives, and the ups and downs that fill it, in a different light. I want you to find the blessing in the broken, in the ill-timed, and the unappealing. I want you to find the blessing in that thing that threatens to embarrass you, that person who angers you, and the world that saddens you. [bctt tweet="I want you to find the blessing in the broken, in the ill-timed and the unappealing."] When your heart drops at a turn for the worst or a fork in the road, let us not stomp our feet and pout; let's remember to find the blessing in the moment and say "God, you have been good to me." photo by Corynne Olivia Molly Walter is a wife, mother and homemaker (with a pesky job outside the home). She shares about making the life she wants with the life she's been given over here.

Aren't today's readings such a confirmation of what we've been hearing from Pope Francis lately? I love thinking about the connection between welcoming all, showing no partiality to rich or poor, and simultaneously being opened to Christ's healing power like in today's Gospel. I feel as if this is a connection that keeps coming to us from Pope Francis. He is desperately wanting us to understand that we are being called to extend mercy and welcome to everyone: the poor, the marginalized, those who disagree with us, those who we think we have nothing in common. He wants us to welcome them into our Church, call them back to Christ, extend them our small mercies of acceptance so that they will be opened to experiencing the life changing mercy of Christ. Of course, it's easy for me to see what's blocking someone else from the Church. I can quickly identify what's making it impossible for someone to accept Church teaching and God's love. But it takes me a painfully long time to acknowledge my own blockages. And yet, as we are welcoming others to the Church and God's love, we ourselves need to remember that we need to be asking Christ to open and heal our own hearts. We all live with certain blockages towards certain things, or have been hurt and need that deep, lasting healing only Christ can give. And again, this is the heart of what Pope Francis has been preaching. We as a Church need to recognize the imperative to welcome everyone into our Church so that they may receive the wonders of Christ's mercy, while at the very same time recognizing our own poorness of spirit, our own damaged souls that seek a home in God's love. We need to be both welcoming to others and opened by Christ's healing ourselves. We need to be mindful of how we're treating those around us while at the same time giving attention to our own prayer lives. The two go hand-in-hand and are both answered in Christ's constant and generous mercy. [bctt tweet="We as a Church need to recognize the imperative to welcome everyone into our Church."] Are there areas of our life that need to be opened to Christ? Who in my life needs to be welcomed with mercy? photo by Madi Myers-Cook 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: Colossians 1:21-23 Brothers and sisters: You once were alienated and hostile in mind because of evil deeds; God has now reconciled you in the fleshly Body of Christ through his death, to present you holy, without blemish, and irreproachable before him, provided that you persevere in the faith, firmly grounded, stable, and not shifting from the hope of the Gospel that you heard, which has been preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, am a minister. Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 54:3-4, 6 & 8 God himself is my help. O God, by your name save me, and by your might defend my cause. O God, hear my prayer; hearken to the words of my mouth. Behold, God is my helper; the Lord sustains my life. Freely will I offer you sacrifice; I will praise your name, O LORD, for its goodness. Gospel: Luke 6:1-5 While Jesus was going through a field of grain on a sabbath, his disciples were picking the heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands, and eating them. Some Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is unlawful on the sabbath?” Jesus said to them in reply, “Have you not read what David did when he and those who were with him were hungry? How he went into the house of God, took the bread of offering, which only the priests could lawfully eat, ate of it, and shared it with his companions?” Then he said to them, “The Son of Man is lord of the sabbath.” ESV Oh, Saint Paul, master of the run-on sentence. It’s very easy to read something like the First Reading for today, get to the end, and go, huh? It's tempting to just cruise on ahead to the Gospel. But the Epistles are so rich in teaching; let’s not let it just go over our heads. Let’s pick it apart, chew on it, and allow ourselves to be nourished. Take a deep breath and read it again, slowly. First off: we were once estranged. Maybe you grew up in the Church, you’ve always been a Christian. For you this points to the original sin you were born with, and that tendency towards sin you still battle with on the daily. Or maybe you came to know Jesus later in life. You remember a time, not so long ago, that you literally were estranged from Him and did not know Him. Whatever the case, we all have been estranged from God because of our sin. Then we get this: He has now reconciled us! Hallelujah! And not only are we reconciled to Him, we are also made holy and blameless. So we go from being estranged and doing evil deeds, to being holy and blameless. And all this is made possible by Christ’s saving work on the cross. Thank you, Lord! But wait! There’s a provision: provided that you continue in the faith. My sisters, can I be honest and say that sometimes this is hard to do? Our faith is so countercultural to the world around us. Sometimes I feel the world’s grip pulling on me, making me wonder, what’s the point? But there is hope in the Gospel, and we are called to remain steadfast and not shift from that hope. Finally, we share in a Gospel that is preached to every creature under Heaven. Now this may have been a bit of an exaggeration coming from Saint Paul in the first century, when the Gospel was just making its way to the gentiles. But Saint Paul, through the promptings of the Holy Spirit, knew what was to come, that this Gospel would be preached all over the world. And we are called to partake in that world wide evangelization. Why? Because this Gospel is life-changing. He knew that full well. His own life was turned completely upside down by this Gospel. He went from being a passive bystander at the stoning of Saint Stephan to being one of the pillars of our Church. Remain steadfast, dear sisters. This Gospel can have the same transforming power in your life. [bctt tweet="There is hope in the Gospel, and we are called to remain steadfast."] Thank you, Jesus, for your Gospel of Salvation. Let its power never be lost on me. I give You my heart, and I give You full permission to turn my life upside down. photo by Corynne Olivia Anna Coyne is a wife, mother, knitter, gardener, and convert to the Catholic faith. Read more about her here.

First Reading: Colossians 1:15-20 Brothers and sisters: Christ Jesus is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For in him were created all things in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things were created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the Body, the Church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he himself might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile all things for him, making peace by the Blood of his cross through him, whether those on earth or those in heaven. Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 100:1B-2, 3, 4, 5 Come with joy into the presence of the Lord. Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands; serve the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful song. Know that the LORD is God; he made us, his we are; his people, the flock he tends. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, his courts with praise; Give thanks to him; bless his name. For he is good, the LORD, whose kindness endures forever, and his faithfulness, to all generations. Gospel: Luke 5:33-39 The scribes and Pharisees said to Jesus, “The disciples of John the Baptist fast often and offer prayers, and the disciples of the Pharisees do the same; but yours eat and drink.” Jesus answered them, “Can you make the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come, and when the bridegroom is taken away from them, then they will fast in those days.” And he also told them a parable. “No one tears a piece from a new cloak to patch an old one. Otherwise, he will tear the new and the piece from it will not match the old cloak. Likewise, no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins, and it will be spilled, and the skins will be ruined. Rather, new wine must be poured into fresh wineskins. And no one who has been drinking old wine desires new, for he says, ‘The old is good.’” ESV One of our family friends is a very holy priest who comes to our house ready to make a steak and a martini. I remember as a young teen watching him sprinkle coffee grounds on raw meat and then sip vodka out of a large martini glass while the meat cooked in our oven. He and our family would swap stories over dinner and afterwards I would sing and play for everyone. Father Mode knew how to have a good time. However, this same priest would spend months deployed all over the world as a U.S. Navy Chaplain where a steak and a martini would be impossible to come by. On his first deployment, he spent two years in Afghanistan. On the the second day he arrived he received a dying solider in his arms, the first of his unit. Today Father Mode is the head chaplain in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. He works twelve-hour days in intense heat, overseeing chaplains who minister to some of the most dangerous criminals. This assignment, by the way, he picked for himself. On a recent trip back to states, he visited my family. While speaking with him over a large stack of homemade pancakes and bacon, I realized that his ability to both fast and feast comes from an acceptance that there are seasons for both. Our Lord Jesus talks about the times to fast and feast in today's Gospel, and the Church calendar also gives us seasons of fasting and feasting. Life will inevitably give us these as well. My job is to be faithful regardless whether the day presents a battlefield or steaks and martinis. God wants us to soak in those moments when family, friends, and all beautiful things are with us, when the Bridegroom is present. God also wants us to remain His on the days when the Bridegroom is taken away. In those fasting days, let us cling to the words of today's Psalm, "Know that the Lord is God; his we are; his people the flock he tends." In whatever season you are in, may your soul be filled with His unwavering peace. [bctt tweet="In whatever season you are in, may your soul be filled with His unwavering peace."] Where are you in your season of life? If you're feeling a fast coming on, perhaps seek out grace in the sacraments and fortify yourself spiritually. If you're feasting, remember to give thanksgiving and share the love you're experiencing. photo by Madi Myers-Cook Marie Miller is a singer/songwriter who loves to read old books, drink red wine, and spend time with her very big family. You can find out more about her here.

First Reading: Colossians 1:9-14 Brothers and sisters: From the day we heard about you, we do not cease praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of God’s will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, so as to be fully pleasing, in every good work bearing fruit and growing in the knowledge of God, strengthened with every power, in accord with his glorious might, for all endurance and patience, with joy giving thanks to the Father, who has made you fit to share in the inheritance of the holy ones in light. He delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us to the Kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 98:2-3AB, 3CD-4, 5-6 The Lord has made known his salvation. The LORD has made his salvation known: in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice. He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness toward the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation by our God. Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands; break into song; sing praise. Sing praise to the LORD with the harp, with the harp and melodious song. With trumpets and the sound of the horn sing joyfully before the King, the LORD. Gospel: Luke 5:1-11 While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God, he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret. He saw two boats there alongside the lake; the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” Simon said in reply, “Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets.” When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come to help them. They came and filled both boats so that the boats were in danger of sinking. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him and all those with him, and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners of Simon. Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him. ESV How is your prayer life? When was the last time you checked in with yourself and God and really gave any thought to your prayer life? Meditating on the First Reading today I couldn’t help but feel like I come up short. Then again with saints as our standard it is hard to measure up! I am on a prayer warrior list for one of our ministries so I get regular request for prayers from our parish. Facebook is filled with prayer requests as well and our BIS Regional groups have been great places to connect and pray for the intentions of one another. But how frequently do we continue to pray for those folks once we have clicked off-line? I get caught up in deadlines and dishes, ToDo lists and the time-suck of social media. Saint Paul gives us such a lovely glimpse into the prayer life that we can aspire towards while in communion with one another here on earth. He says “we have not ceased to pray for you . . . .” I know I have a long way to go before my prayers can be constant, but that doesn’t mean that my little prayers here and there aren’t valuable too. I know that because I have felt the little prayers of my busy brothers and sisters when I was too distressed to pray unceasingly myself. When my daughter was born she had to spend a little while in the NICU. Like many parents with babies born struggling, I was in a bit of a fog. The NICU family center had a computer for us to use and I remember clearly sitting at that computer and hammering out prayer requests and updates. Those prayers sustained me. Well, really God sustained me, but the prayers to Him made a difference! The knowledge that my community was praying for us provided such peace. Have there been times in your life when you have felt sustained through the prayers of others? I am praying for you dear sister. [bctt tweet="When was the last time you checked in with yourself and God?"] In your times of need, don’t be afraid to call on your sisters here, and the Saints that have gone before us. And for those of us who are called upon to pray for others, let us strive to be like Saint Paul, and in his words pray unceasingly, that we may all “be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, to lead a life worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.” photo by Corynne Olivia MaryRuth Hackett is a full-time wife and mother doing her best to teach her four children to love God and country. You can find out more about her here.

First Reading: Collosians 1:1-8 Paul, an Apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the holy ones and faithful brothers and sisters in Christ in Colossae: grace to you and peace from God our Father. We always give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love that you have for all the holy ones because of the hope reserved for you in heaven. Of this you have already heard through the word of truth, the Gospel, that has come to you. Just as in the whole world it is bearing fruit and growing, so also among you, from the day you heard it and came to know the grace of God in truth, as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow slave, who is a trustworthy minister of Christ on your behalf and who also told us of your love in the Spirit. Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 52:10, 11 I trust in the mercy of God for ever. I, like a green olive tree in the house of God, Trust in the mercy of God forever and ever. I will thank you always for what you have done, and proclaim the goodness of your name before your faithful ones. 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. ESV The second weekend of July I took a group of teens from our parish to the Steubenville youth conference in Ohio. I was SO excited to have a little extra spending cash to spend at the bookstore. One of my favorite Catholic authors is Father Michael Gaitley, MIC. He has two newer books I have been dying to get my hands on. The one I was most anxious to read was "The Second Greatest Story Ever Told." Ladies. It was incredible. We're talking the kind of book you finish in one weekend; which was crazy for me to even do that considering how little sleep I got that entire weekend. In the book, Father Gaitley shares how the second greatest story is that of "God's School of Trust." This issue of trust, he writes, gets to the heart of salvation history: "The whole of the Bible can be summarized as one long 'school of trust,' where our good and merciful God is simply trying to win us back; for us to give up our fear of him and trust in his love and goodness." I immediately thought of these words of Father Gaitley as I was reflecting on the words of the Psalm today: I trust in the mercy of God forever. Each of us was born with a trust problem in our relationship with God. Unfortunately we inherited it from Adam and Eve. Gosh darn original sin. In our sin and brokenness, we are afraid to trust our good and loving God. We will spend our entire life on this earth striving and seeking to draw closer to Jesus through "God's School of Trust." Of course our fickle ways put God in quite a predicament. He cannot force a relationship with us, even though He so desperately aches for it. It is hard and long. However, with mercy, Jesus begins the long, arduous process of winning back our hearts. I don't know about you ladies, but I am a work-in-progress when it comes to working through my trust issues with God. I have grown, but still need much to learn in God's school of trust. It's not a one time deal and you're good for life. To trust in the Lord are a constant, daily payer that should be upon each of our hearts. We believe in a God who is "merciful and gracious, slow anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness" (Exodus 34:6). Do we really believe this in our hearts? [bctt tweet="To trust in the Lord are a constant, daily payer that should be upon each of our hearts."] Today set three different alarms on your phone and space them thorough out the day. When those alarms go off, stop everything you are doing and pray, "Jesus, I trust in You" or "Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me a sinner" or "I trust in the mercy of God forever." We receive more by asking unceasingly for it. Now is the time of mercy in the world and each of you play such an important role in that story. photo by Corynne Olivia Patty Hubbard is a wife, writer, and youth minister. When not fundraising for World Youth Day, she is learning to cook more than your average Lean Cuisine and training for her first half marathon. You can find out more about her here.

First Reading: 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6, 9-11 Concerning times and seasons, brothers and sisters, you have no need for anything to be written to you. For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief at night. When people are saying, “Peace and security,” then sudden disaster comes upon them, like labor pains upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness, for that day to overtake you like a thief. For all of you are children of the light and children of the day. We are not of the night or of darkness. Therefore, let us not sleep as the rest do, but let us stay alert and sober. For God did not destine us for wrath, but to gain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep we may live together with him. Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up, as indeed you do. Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 27:1, 4, 13-14 I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living. The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom should I fear? The LORD is my life’s refuge; of whom should I be afraid? One thing I ask of the LORD; this I seek: To dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, That I may gaze on the loveliness of the LORD and contemplate his temple. I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD with courage; be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD. 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. ESV "The day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night." Always be ready to go. Marantha . . . Come, oh Lord. I pray it some days when the going is very bad—these days of young girls being trafficked and shootings becoming all too commonplace and baby organs being sold and evil overtaking nearly every last shred of dignity left in our culture. Maranatha, I can't help but cry out—Jesus, come back and save us from this mess that seems to grow and grow. I pray for Him to come back but is my heart even prepared for Him to do so? I try to remember this as often as I can, that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night; Jesus could return to us here at a moment's notice. It is because we are women of faith that we know and believe this—and so we pursue holiness, and that day will not surprise us, catch us off guard, or come completely unexpected. We know that Jesus will return or take us home and look at how well we loved. I hope to be welcomed into the Heavenly Kingdom . . . but am I living a life worthy of entrance? Do I live in a state of grace by frequenting Reconciliation, receive the Eucharist as often as I possibly can? Do I continually pursue my King, so that if the day of the Lord comes tomorrow, I will be received with great joy and love for all eternity? As Saint Paul wrote, we are daughters of light and daughters of the day—if you are here, reading and joining with us in this community, we are on the path toward Christ. There is an incalculable amount of ways each of us found our way to this path, but we are on it, and we are women well aware that this pursuit of holiness, this striving to love as Christ loved and give as Christ gave—this is what matters. This is what will remain when the day of the Lord comes. Your pursuit of holiness is what will stand to be counted on the day you meet Christ. And so I ask you . . . if the day of the Lord were to come tomorrow . . . are you ready to meet Him? [bctt tweet="If the day of the Lord were to come tomorrow . . . are you ready to meet Him?"] What area in your life would you scramble to fix or put together if you were told tomorrow was the day of the Lord's return? Would you get to Reconciliation, repair that relationship, or try to be more generous? Make an attempt to start that today. May we always be ready and alert for that day to come. photo by Corynne Olivia Emily Wilson planned her whole life to become a sports reporter but turned out to be a Catholic musician and speaker at the hand of God. She lives out of her suitcase and travels across the world speaking to people of all ages. The heart of her ministry is offering encouragement to teen girls in search of their true identity, and she loves ever second of it. You can find out more about her here.  

First Reading: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 We do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, about those who have fallen asleep, so that you may not grieve like the rest, who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose, so too will God, through Jesus, bring with him those who have fallen asleep. Indeed, we tell you this, on the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will surely not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself, with a word of command, with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet of God, will come down from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore, console one another with these words. Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 96:1 AND 3, 4-5, 11-12, 13 The Lord comes to judge the earth. Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all you lands. Tell his glory among the nations; among all peoples, his wondrous deeds. 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. 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. 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. Gospel: Luke 4:16-30 Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had grown up, and went according to his custom into the synagogue on the sabbath day. He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord. Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down, and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him. He said to them, “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” And all spoke highly of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They also asked, “Is this not the son of Joseph?” He said to them, “Surely you will quote me this proverb, ‘Physician, cure yourself,’ and say, ‘Do here in your native place the things that we heard were done in Capernaum.’” And he said, “Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place. Indeed, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah when the sky was closed for three and a half years and a severe famine spread over the entire land. It was to none of these that Elijah was sent, but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon. Again, there were many lepers in Israel during the time of Elisha the prophet; yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.” When the people in the synagogue heard this, they were all filled with fury. They rose up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong. But he passed through the midst of them and went away. ESV My last semester of graduate school I had to take a class in Pauline Literature as part of my required credits. The priest who taught it was very, um, shall we say lively? He would frequently come to class in costume dressed as Saint Paul and swinging around chains that he reminded me of the Ghost of Christmas Past. His booming voice could be heard all the way down the hallway, not to mention his "Roman chains" hitting the classroom desks. Father Cassidy lived and breathed everything about Saint Paul and his writings. I definitely never saw such a lively interpretation of Paul's conversion on the way to Damascus acted out as I did that semester! The backstory for the First Reading today is very interesting, and something I never knew before taking a class on Saint Paul. Thessalonica was a large port city in Macedonia (Northern Greece) and was one of the first Christian communities founded by Paul and his associates. This letter is actually considered the oldest of Paul's letters and one of the oldest writings in the entire New Testament. Thessalonians is known for Paul's teaching on the end times but it also relates to another issue arising in the community. In the First Reading, the Christian community in Thessalonica was experiencing some fear and uncertainty regarding death. They began to worry and fearful about what would happen after death. Amid growing persecution, their faith seems to have gotten rattled. Paul strongly reminds the believers "not to lose hope or mourn too much; those who have died and we who are still alive will be together again with Jesus." (4:14-18) He reminds them that just as Jesus' body was raised from the dead, that the Lord will remember all those who have already passed from this life to the next. The promise that death does not have the final answer is perhaps the most radical belief of Christianity. Death for the Christian is not the end, but a beginning of the real journey. We have great hope, as Saint Paul reminds the Thessalonians, that death is not the end. This world may be done with our earthly bodies, but that is when we become most fully alive with God. I am quite sure all of us have experienced loss and the death of close loved ones. It is normal to cry and grieve over the loss of one you love. It doesn't matter the size, the death of those we love is painful and sad. But let us remember, if we believe that Jesus died and rose, so too will God, through Jesus, bring with Him those who have fallen asleep. [bctt tweet="This world may be done with our earthly bodies, but that is when we become most fully alive."] Take a few minutes today and call to mind the names of close loved ones in your life who have passed from this life. Recall happy memories you shared with them. But more importantly, pray for their soul today. Offer up your morning cup of coffee or that nut job who cut you off in morning traffic for the repose of their soul. Praying and offering sacrifices for our deceased loved ones is the best way to honor, remember, and care for them. photo by Corynne Olivia Patty Hubbard is a wife, writer, and youth minister. When not fundraising for World Youth Day, she is learning to cook more than your average Lean Cuisine and training for her first half marathon. You can find out more about her here.

First Reading: Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-8 Moses said to the people: “Now, Israel, hear the statutes and decrees which I am teaching you to observe, that you may live, and may enter in and take possession of the land which the LORD, the God of your fathers, is giving you. In your observance of the commandments of the LORD, your God, which I enjoin upon you, you shall not add to what I command you nor subtract from it. Observe them carefully, for thus will you give evidence of your wisdom and intelligence to the nations, who will hear of all these statutes and say, ‘This great nation is truly a wise and intelligent people.’ For what great nation is there that has gods so close to it as the LORD, our God, is to us whenever we call upon him? Or what great nation has statutes and decrees that are as just as this whole law which I am setting before you today?” Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 15:2-3, 3-4, 4-5 One who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord. Whoever walks blamelessly and does justice; who thinks the truth in his heart and slanders not with his tongue. Who harms not his fellow man, nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor; by whom the reprobate is despised, while he honors those who fear the LORD. Who lends not his money at usury and accepts no bribe against the innocent. Whoever does these things shall never be disturbed. Second Reading: James 1:17-18, 21B-22, 27 Dearest brothers and sisters: All good giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no alteration or shadow caused by change. He willed to give us birth by the word of truth that we may be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. Humbly welcome the word that has been planted in you and is able to save your souls. Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deluding yourselves. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unstained by the world. Gospel: Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 When the Pharisees with some scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus, they observed that some of his disciples ate their meals with unclean, that is, unwashed, hands. —For the Pharisees and, in fact, all Jews, do not eat without carefully washing their hands, keeping the tradition of the elders. And on coming from the marketplace they do not eat without purifying themselves. And there are many other things that they have traditionally observed, the purification of cups and jugs and kettles and beds. —So the Pharisees and scribes questioned him, “Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders but instead eat a meal with unclean hands?” He responded, “Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written: This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines human precepts. You disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition.” He summoned the crowd again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand. Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person; but the things that come out from within are what defile. “From within people, from their hearts, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly. All these evils come from within and they defile.” ESV I gripped the sponge tighter, holding on firmly to keep it from slipping as I put all my strength into scrubbing the counter. Internally, I was fuming. My mother had asked me to clean the kitchen and I had “more important” things to do. While the kitchen was becoming cleaner by the minute, I was busy dirtying my heart. I muttered under my breath, I cursed this blasted project I was asked to do. I thought of all the horrible words and eye rolling I would engage in later when speaking with my mother. The dirt of that kitchen had nothing on the filth I was piling on my soul. All the good I was doing fulfilling my mother’s request—completely negated by the state of my heart. This is a scene which unfolded all too frequently, I’m afraid, when I was younger. It was then followed by harsh words, passive-aggressive comments, door slamming, yelling. I would do a mighty fine job of defiling my heart. “There is nothing outside a man which by going into him can defile him; but the things which come out of a man are what defile him.” We are our own worst enemy when it comes to sin. It is our choice—to do good or to do evil. All the temptations which assail us, they mean nothing if we don’t give into them. The devil, worldly temptations, people who are a bad influence—they can do nothing to taint your soul. Only you can give them that power. (Although we should definitely try to avoid those near occasions of sin!) But virtue is our friend. Practicing good habits, finding joy in our suffering, combatting against those rude thoughts—these things help ensure that what comes forth from our hearts and our mouths give Him glory rather than contribute to the weight of His Cross. “Keep your heart with all vigilance; for from it flows the springs of life.” (Proverbs 4:23) [bctt tweet="It is our choice—to do good or to do evil."] Choose today to radiate Christ in your thoughts, deeds, words and actions! Practice small acts of charity with a joyful heart to combat against those bad thoughts which try to creep in and destroy. photo by Corynne Olivia 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 Thessalonions 4:9-11 Brothers and sisters: On the subject of fraternal charity you have no need for anyone to write you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another. Indeed, you do this for all the brothers throughout Macedonia. Nevertheless we urge you, brothers and sisters, to progress even more, and to aspire to live a tranquil life, to mind your own affairs, and to work with your own hands, as we instructed you. Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 98:1, 7-8, 9 The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice. Sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done wondrous deeds; His right hand has won victory for him, his holy arm. Let the sea and what fills it resound, the world and those who dwell in it; Let the rivers clap their hands, the mountains shout with them for joy. Before the LORD, for he comes, for he comes to rule the earth; He will rule the world with justice and the peoples with equity. 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. ESV We had an explosion in my house recently. Not the kind with fire and flying shrapnel, thank goodness, but the kind with hot tempers and hurt feelings. It’s on days like those—when life is anything but tranquil—that I am all too aware that our homes are where we all need to progress more and more towards living fraternal love. Saint Paul says that we have no need for him to write to us on the topic because we are taught by God Himself. Then, he proceeds to write about it. I do that with the people I live with, too; just for good measure, because, you know, sometimes I think it’s good to say it out loud. God taught us to love one another when the Father sent us His Son. It was a huge, demonstrative, magnanimous act of love. And He continues to teach us how to love by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. If we listen, the Spirit whispers reminders of love all the time, but we aren’t the quickest studies. Saint Paul’s image sounds so peaceful to me: a peaceful life where I mind my own affairs and work with my hands. I envision it perfectly as I sit here with my Bible open on my lap and my eyes closed in the early morning. Then I open my eyes and see all the people with whom I share space in this house of love. Suddenly, it’s messier, both literally and figuratively. Each of us is charged to build a haven for the people with whom we live. In this place, we prepare for one another a sanctuary of peace and comfort to shelter in a world where the culture clashes and clangs against Christian values. Whether our house is a dorm room, a third floor walk-up in the city, or a sprawling suburban ranch with every bedroom filled with beds and children to sleep in them, we are homemakers. By wisdom, we build the house. By understanding, we establish it. And by knowledge, we fill the rooms with all precious and pleasant riches. (Proverbs 24:3-4) On those days when tempers flare and hot words explode, the house built of love will stand firm. Ultimately, tranquility prevails because the quiet work of a woman’s hands has made home so much more than a simple shelter where we eat, sleep, and study. Home is a snug refuge, made warm and beautiful by the woman who devotes herself to its care. This homemaking work? It matters. [bctt tweet="On those days when tempers flare and hot words explode, the house built of love will stand firm."] With the quiet work of our hands, we go about our daily round, nurturing a tranquil life for ourselves and those with whom we live. photo by Corynne Olivia Elizabeth Foss is a wife, the mother of nine, and a grandmother. She finds the cacophony of big family imperfection to be the perfect place to learn to walk in the unforced rhythms of grace. You can learn more about her here.

First Reading: 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8 Brothers and sisters, we earnestly ask and exhort you in the Lord Jesus that, as you received from us how you should conduct yourselves to please God– and as you are conducting yourselves– you do so even more. For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. This is the will of God, your holiness: that you refrain from immorality, that each of you know how to acquire a wife for himself in holiness and honor, not in lustful passion as do the Gentiles who do not know God; not to take advantage of or exploit a brother or sister in this matter, for the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you before and solemnly affirmed. For God did not call us to impurity but to holiness. Therefore, whoever disregards this, disregards not a human being but God, who also gives his Holy Spirit to you. Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 97:1 AND 2B, 5-6, 10, 11-12 Rejoice in the Lord, you just! The LORD is king; let the earth rejoice; let the many isles be glad. Justice and judgment are the foundation of his throne. The mountains melt like wax before the LORD, before the LORD of all the earth. The heavens proclaim his justice, and all peoples see his glory. The LORD loves those who hate evil; he guards the lives of his faithful ones; from the hand of the wicked he delivers them. Light dawns for the just; and gladness, for the upright of heart. Be glad in the LORD, you just, and give thanks to his holy name. 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.” ESV Sometimes, you read something in the Bible and you’re like, “What the WHAT?” Right? ‘Cause it just seems really . . . harsh. Today’s Gospel reading, the parable of the wise and foolish virgins, is one of those times. On first reading, the story seems to be about preparedness. And it is. But you can’t help but notice a couple of things. One, the punishment is really severe. The foolish virgins didn’t do anything THAT bad, they were there, they had their lamps, they just forgot to bring extra oil. They went to get some and they were going to be RIGHT back. But they get shut out of the wedding, and the bridegroom won’t even acknowledge that he ever knew them. Ouch. Even worse, the wise virgins are total jerks and won’t share. And THEY get to go right in and party. What is going ON? It seems like a pretty easy fix that they’d share, and they’d all get to go to the wedding. But, of course, it’s a parable. It’s a story about one thing, that’s meant to teach us something else. It’s not really about oil. Oil you CAN share. But not everything works like that. If the current events of the last couple of months have taught us anything, it’s that sometimes we can have something that it just isn’t possible to share with those we love the most. The wise virgins are WISE. That’s not something you can just hand over to a friend. They probably also have the other gifts of the Holy Spirit: understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. Those aren’t ours to give away. Only the Holy Spirit can do that. We all have friends or family members who really do seem to WANT to understand, but just don’t get it when we try to explain the Church’s position on a theological or social issue. It can be frustrating and heartbreaking, especially if we remember a time when we believed as they did. We’ve come to understand why the Church holds certain positions, and now we want everyone to see things the way we do. But, alas, that pesky free will. We can’t MAKE our loved ones see things our way, and neither will the Holy Spirit. Sometimes, the best we can do is be there, with our extra oil, hoping and praying that our friends will ask us where we got it, BEFORE they miss the party. [bctt tweet="We can’t MAKE our loved ones see things our way, and neither will the Holy Spirit."] Join me in praying that today? photo by Corynne Olivia Kendra Tierney lives in Los Angeles, CA where her interests include blogging, homeschooling, looking after her eight children, and suburban homesteading . . . in case of zombies. You can find out more about her here.