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Sinners Drew Near

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We have all heard the story from today’s Gospel. Of course God wants to go after the one out of the ninety-nine. We have all heard that Christ is the Good Shepherd. But I want to focus on something in this Gospel that may be easily overlooked, the very first line.

We hear that the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to Jesus. Why was this, do we think? What drew them to Jesus? Was it his preaching, his miracles, the way he presented himself? It could have been a mix of any number of reasons, but I think it may have been that they could see he was different. He actually wanted to help them. He cared deeply about them.

Notice, they didn’t gather around him to be validated in their own sins, but even when Christ challenged them they continued to come back. They could see that he had their actual best interest at heart.

I think this example of evangelization is crucial for our world today. We tend to either dumb down the Gospel so much that it no longer has meaning or we want to hit people with it as if it’s a two by four with rusty nails sticking out.

Here, Jesus shows us the approach that is effective and gets to the heart of those we interact with. It’s the same as the story of the woman caught in adultery. He cared for her, loved her, showed her mercy, but then said to go and sin no more. That must have seemed like a simple and small request for the woman, seeing as her life was just spared.

Do we use the same approach when preaching the good news? Is it first good news? Do we find out about our friends, family, coworkers, and others before we try to evangelize? Classics are classics for a reason. And the classic way of evangelizing that Jesus used, seems like it may just still work. From all of us here at Rodzinka Ministry, God Bless!

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Tommy Shultz is the Founder/Director of Rodzinka Ministry and the Director of Faith Formation for the North Allegan Catholic Collaborative. In these roles, he is committed to bringing all those he meets into a deeper relationship with Christ. Tommy has a heart and flair for inspiring people to live their faith every day. He has worked in various youth ministry, adult ministry, and diocesan roles. He has been a featured speaker at retreats and events across the country. With a degree in Theology from Franciscan University, Tommy hopes to use his knowledge to help all people understand the beauty of The Faith. Contact Tommy at tommy@rodzinkaministry.com or check out his website at rodzinkaministry.com.

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Rejoice! You’ve Got a Cross to Carry!

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Are you happy?

A simple question really. If you are someone who says “yes”, good for you. Now, examine yourself. Why? What makes you happy? Are you truly happy or is it an illusion?

Now, if you answered “no”, same thing. Why? What makes you unhappy? Is it really a big deal? Why does an event or a thing, a part of the great plan of God, make you sad?

The mess of our times – with politics, with Covid – is the result of unhappiness, dissatisfaction. Dissatisfaction with the laws, with our nation’s leaders, with the virus, and with God.

Then the question becomes how do we fix this mess?

Let’s take a look at the Gospel.

The thing that sticks out and confuses many Catholics in this passage is this line: “If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.”

At first glance, that doesn’t sound like fixing things.

Why would Jesus tell us to hate these things, these people? I mean, isn’t Jesus all about love?

Don’t worry. Jesus doesn’t mean literally hate. He is God. He is Love. What He means is that we should love God so much that all our other loves will look like hate compared to His.

Now, you may be thinking, “Isn’t that a bit selfish of God to want everyone to love Him above their wives, children, and family?”

No. Look at it this way.

Is it selfish of your spouse if they want you to love them more than a cookie? Even if the cookie is the most perfectly baked cookie on the face of planet earth?

No. Of course not.

Now, I’m not saying that your spouse is a cookie, to make that quite clear, but what I am saying is that it is that way for God. We are like cookies compared to His greatness.

Later he says “Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.”

Easy enough, right?

Sort of.

We hear it all the time. But do we actually do it? Do we meet the challenges, the crosses that are put in front of us? Do we embrace them with open arms like Jesus did?

We should.

If you were one of the people who answered “no” to the happy question at the beginning, found that your happiness was an illusion, or are just going about your day like a normal person, take up your cross. Whatever it may be. You see, the readings of today are all about doing something. Not feeling something, not thinking something, doing something. Now, what use is all of this, all these nuggets of wisdom, if we don’t actually do it? That is Jesus’ point. Do it. Take up that cross and rejoice. The action is what matters in the long run.

Perpetua Phelps is a high school student residing in West Michigan and is the second of four children. Apart from homeschooling, Perpetua enjoys volunteering at her church, attending retreats, studying Latin and French, and reading classics such as Beowulf, The Lord of the Rings, C.S. Lewis’ Space Trilogy, and Mark Twain’s Joan of Arc. She also spends much time writing novels, essays, and poetry for fun and competition. A passionate Tolkien fan, Perpetua is a founding member of a Tolkien podcast.

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The Price of Humility

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Today’s First Reading is one of my all-time favorites. I grew up going to Youth 2000 retreats with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal (CFRs) in the Bronx. I will never forget the first time I heard this reading. I had probably *heard* it a thousand times before, but it struck such a chord with me that night as it was chanted. I still remember the exact tune, 15+ years later. It is crazy how some things just make an impression on you.

God was speaking to me in that soft voice of the Friar singing these words of St. Paul. Up until that point in my life, I had not really contemplated the humility of Jesus Christ, probably because humility is a hard virtue for me to grasp. Pride is one of the biggest struggles in my life, and I am constantly fighting my concupiscence to choose humility.

And then I look at Jesus, the most powerful being in all of existence. Even though He was God, He did not deem equality with God something to be grasped at. What does that actually mean? It means that He did not consider His power or omnipotence hindrances to offering Himself to the Father for our sake. He emptied Himself of Himself. What does this mean? It means that He, who lacked nothing, chose humanity. He chose to become one of us — a nothing!

Christ could have come to this earth with fire and brimstone, on a golden chariot in all of His Divine Glory, power, and wealth. But He came as a “still small voice.” Who is discriminated against the most in our world today? The unborn babies. And yet who did Jesus come as? A poor, helpless babe.

Jesus chose to be dependent on a human mother and father. What is the root of the breakdown of our society? The downfall of the familial structure.

Furthermore, He was treated as nothing more than a slave; persecuted, beaten, and eventually executed. He chose death for us. That, my friends, is the price of humility.

And that is why, at the sound of the name of Jesus, every man in Heaven, in Hell, and on earth should fall to their knees. Paul calls to mind David’s words in today’s Psalm when He makes this claim, “ The whole wide world will remember and return to Yahweh, all the families of nations bow down before him. For to Yahweh, ruler of the nations, belongs kingly power!

All…on earth will bow before him, all who go down to the dust will do reverence before him. And those who are dead, their descendants will serve him, will proclaim his name to generations.” Even the demons cower in awe and reverence of Him! That is the glory, the honor, and the praise that is due only to Jesus Christ, because in Him alone is the Father “well pleased”. And that is the return for humility.

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Sarah Rose hails from Long Island and graduated from Franciscan University in 2016 with a Bachelor’s in Theology & Catechetics. She is happily married to her college sweetheart John Paul. They welcomed their first child, Judah Zion, in 2019. She is passionate about her big V-vocation: motherhood, and her little v-vocation: bringing people to encounter Christ through the true, the good, and the beautiful. She loves fictional novels, true crime podcasts/documentaries, the saints (especially Blessed Chiara Luce Badano), & sharing conversation over a good cup of coffee. She is currently the Coordinator of Young Adult Ministry at St. Cecilia Church in Oakley, Cincinnati. You can find out more about her ministry here: https://eastsidefaith.org/young-adult OR at https://www.facebook.com/stceciliayam.

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Mourning and Rejoicing

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As I slid into the pew and knelt down to prepare my heart for Mass, I saw something out of the corner of my eye. Glancing over to the sill of the stained glass window, I noticed several picture frames holding images of unknown individuals. Some were black and white, some looked fairly recent, but one thing I knew for sure, they were all no longer with us. It was the month of November and my parish had invited everyone to bring in images of their deceased loved ones. It was a time to pray for the souls of those still in purgatory.

Fast forward to a different year in a different state and I found myself in a cemetery setting up chairs. The Hispanic community would celebrate Mass outside among the graves. Tables lined the edges of the seating area and these people were also bringing in images of their loved ones. But this time, they also brought decorations, food, flowers, candles, toys, dolls and sometimes even painted skulls. What an incredible tradition! So different from what many of us are used to, “El Día de Muertos” is more a day of celebration than of mourning.

After Mass was over, we shared a meal of tamales, horchata (warm rice milk with cinnamon) and pan de muertos (bread of the dead). Those present recalled anecdotes of their relatives and friends and shared the foods they once enjoyed the most. The wind was brisk and the day was chilly, so not many lingered, but the ceremony was definitely memorable.

How will you chose to spend All Souls Day today? As you pray for the souls of your beloved departed, do you mourn them still or will you celebrate their past life on earth as well as their new life in heaven. For most of us, it will be a little bit of both. We cannot help but be sad that we can no longer physically spend time with them, but we rejoice that “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain, for the old order has passed away.” (Rev 21:4)

Our readings today grant so much comfort. “The souls of the just are in the hand of God…they are in peace…they shall be greatly blessed, because God tried them and found them worthy of himself…and the faithful shall abide with him in love…” (Wis 3) Our Catholic Faith gives us so much hope. Paul proclaims such an amazing truth: “For if we have grown into union with him through a death like his, we shall also be united with him in the resurrection.” Did you hear that? We will rise again! And so will our loved ones.

So may this day be one where our mourning is turned into dancing because of God’s great promise to us.

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Tami Urcia grew up in Western Michigan, a middle child in a large Catholic family. She spent early young adulthood as a missionary in Mexico, studying theology and philosophy, then worked and traveled extensively before finishing her Bachelor’s Degree in Western Kentucky. She loves tackling home improvement projects, finding fun ways to keep her four boys occupied, quiet conversation with the hubby and finding unique ways to love. She works at Diocesan, is a guest blogger on CatholicMom.com and BlessedIsShe.net, runs her own blog at https://togetherandalways.wordpress.com and has been doing Spanish translations on the side for almost 20 years.

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A November Resolution

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“For me to be a saint means to be myself” (Thomas Merton).

For as long as I can remember, I have always had a “Saint buddy.” Someone who’s help I would call upon if I ever needed anything. Of course, as a child, those needs were miniscule. “St. Therese, please help me to get the role of Flower in the Nutcracker.” “Mama Mary, give me a sign that he likes me back.” Or better yet, “St, Anthony, please help me find my mom’s necklace that I borrowed without her permission.” You get the idea.

The faith that we have as children that these little prayers will be answered is admirable!! But somewhere along the way, as we grow up, we start to view those kind of prayers as naive. We fall for the lie that praying for ourselves is selfish. We forget that we have POWERFUL intercessors in heaven that want to help grant us the desires of our heart. We have real-life heroes and heroines who fought the good fight — whose lives we can model in our pursuit of holiness. That is the great pearl of the Christian faith: that we were not made to walk this journey alone. We were created for community, both here on earth and in heaven.

There are a few saints who have stood out to me throughout the different seasons of my life. St. Therese of Lisieux is my Confirmation patron, and she is my go-to gal for all things morality and the Christian life. When I am going through a season of suffering, I look to Bl. Chiara Luce Badano or Servant of God Antonietta Meo, both of whom died at a young age from bone cancer. Bl. Chiara, who died at age 18 in 1971, was a model of redemptive suffering, and one of my favorite quotes from her is, “At this point, I have nothing left, but I still have my heart, and with that I can always love.” Servant of God Antonietta Meo was only 7 years old when she passed away in 1937, and her letters to God are proof of mysticism; “Dear Jesus, I love you very much. I want to abandon myself in your hands. I want to abandon myself in your arms. Do with me what you want. Help me with your grace. You help me, since without Your grace, I am nothing.”

My favorite thing about both of these saints is that they are RECENT!! These are not 1st century martyrs. These are young girls who walked this earth less than a hundred years ago. And there are even more recent soon-to-be saints, such as Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati and newly Blessed Carlo Acutis (who only died in 2006). This is PROOF to us that we are called to pursue sainthood right now, in our current state of life. When we think of the “Communion of Saints”, or “All Saints”, those phrases can be intimidating. It is true – there are hundreds of thousands of saints in heaven, many of whose names we do not even know. But that should also give us hope, that there is room for us. Salvation is not for the elite, the perfect, the cream of the crop. If you look at our saints, many of them led very normal lives before having conversions. It should encourage us that sainthood is attainable for every single one of us, no matter our social class, wealth, or past.

A way that I have been able to make the saints seem more personable to me is to choose patron saints of the year. You can even do this more frequently, like once a month or even once a week. There are many ways to pick a patron saint. A good place to start is your namesake, or your Confirmation saint! You can choose one who exemplifies a virtue you want to grow in, or one who lived the same state of life that you are currently in. There are patron saints of different hobbies or vocations. You can choose a saint who was around your same age, or from the same place as you.

It is a great tragedy that we go through our lives, forgetting our friends in heaven. I hope this All Saints Day, you will make a resolution to choose a patron saint, and call on them to help you and lead you home.

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Sarah Rose hails from Long Island and graduated from Franciscan University in 2016 with a Bachelor’s in Theology & Catechetics. She is happily married to her college sweetheart John Paul. They welcomed their first child, Judah Zion, in 2019. She is passionate about her big V-vocation: motherhood, and her little v-vocation: bringing people to encounter Christ through the true, the good, and the beautiful. She loves fictional novels, true crime podcasts/documentaries, the saints (especially Blessed Chiara Luce Badano), & sharing conversation over a good cup of coffee. She is currently the Coordinator of Young Adult Ministry at St. Cecilia Church in Oakley, Cincinnati. You can find out more about her ministry here: https://eastsidefaith.org/young-adult OR at https://www.facebook.com/stceciliayam.

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Remember Your Death

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I have been hearing from a lot of people lately that they hope the second coming is soon because things are a mess right now. We hear cries of division, political unrest, and much more. But the reality is, Jesus has not come yet, he still has work for us to do.

This is what I received from the first reading today. Especially with today being Halloween and tomorrow being All Saints Day, followed by All Souls Day, it’s natural to think about death. Paul even exclaims that death is gain, because we enjoy the beatific vision. But guess what? We aren’t there yet. There is much to do.

Paul says that him remaining in the flesh is more necessary for our benefit, and the same is true for us regarding our family and friends. God has put us in this place of time and history for a reason. So what have we done with our time here? This is a good reminder for us all. If we are to remember our death right now and think about that day, will we be told, “Well done my good and faithful servant?” Or will we be taken by surprise?

There is such great hope in the Lord and until God takes me home, I want to do all I can to bring others to him. I am not always perfect, but striving is the important thing. Let’s all strive for that today and every day. Happy Halloween and from all of us here at Rodzinka Ministry, God Bless!

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Tommy Shultz is the Founder/Director of Rodzinka Ministry and the Director of Faith Formation for the North Allegan Catholic Collaborative. In these roles, he is committed to bringing all those he meets into a deeper relationship with Christ. Tommy has a heart and flair for inspiring people to live their faith every day. He has worked in various youth ministry, adult ministry, and diocesan roles. He has been a featured speaker at retreats and events across the country. With a degree in Theology from Franciscan University, Tommy hopes to use his knowledge to help all people understand the beauty of The Faith. Contact Tommy at tommy@rodzinkaministry.com or check out his website at rodzinkaministry.com.

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The Community of My Heart

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“…I hold you in my heart, you who are all partners with me in grace…how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. And this is my prayer: that your love may increase ever more and more in knowledge and every kind of perception, to discern what is of value, so that you may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God”. Phil 1:7, 8-11

This excerpt from the First Reading has been on my mind (and in my heart) for a very long time. I have shared with many that I hold them in the community of my heart. It’s a phrase a spiritual director shared with me during one of our first meetings. It has become part of my prayer life, to intentionally pray for those in the community of my heart. This community includes and is not limited to: family, friends, mentors, teachers, all those who have had direct contact with me throughout my life, including those who have been part of daily life encounters, work projects, prayer lists, the situations and underlying issues for which I have said I would think and pray.

I do not take things off my prayer list. My list becomes part of the community of my heart which encompasses all of His creation. This is echoed in the Psalm Response, “How great are the works of the Lord.” It’s a natural segue into the Gospel Reading from Luke in which Jesus, again, asks the Pharisees and those dining with him, “….Is it lawful to cure on the Sabbath… who among you, if your son or ox falls in a cistern would not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?”

Who among you would not reach out to a brother, sister, or any member of the human family, to give food, clothing, shelter, healthcare, whatever assistance that is needed?  We are all related. We are called to increase in love and in knowledge of every kind of perception to discern what is of value in our life, our world, for all our sisters and brothers.

Pray with me as St. John Paul II did with these words:

Oh God, You are our Creator. You are good and Your mercy knows no bounds. To You arises the praise of every creature.

Oh God, You have given us an inner law by which we must live. To do Your will is our task. To follow Your ways is to know peace of heart. To You we offer our homage.

Guide us on all the paths we travel upon this earth. Free us from all the evil tendencies which lead our hearts away from Your will. Never allow us to stray from You.

Oh God, judge of all humanity, help us to be included among Your chosen ones on the last day.

Oh God, Author of peace and justice, give us true joy and authentic love, and a lasting solidarity among peoples.

Give us Your everlasting gifts. Amen.

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Beth Price is part of the customer care team at Diocesan. She brings a unique depth of experience to the group due to her time spent in education, parish ministries, sales and the service industry over the last 25 yrs. She is a practicing spiritual director as well as a Secular Franciscan (OFS). Beth is quick to offer a laugh, a prayer or smile to all she comes in contact with. Reach her here bprice@diocesan.com.

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Grow Strong in the Lord

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Finally, grow strong in the Lord, with the strength of his power.

According to tradition, the Apostle Paul wrote his letter to the Ephesians while he was in prison in Rome (around AD 62). While in Rome, I was blessed to visit the restored “house” where Paul was held under house arrest. Thinking of the great Apostle confined in those rooms, I can imagine this giant of a man whose missionary activity had touched the entire then-known world reflecting upon the purpose of life and the larger mission of Christianity in the world. I resonate, at least in a small way, in a similar time in my life in the weeks and months after my stroke when I had to come to grips that without God’s permission I could do nothing: I couldn’t stand, I couldn’t speak, I couldn’t walk. As super as I had thought I was, busy, effective, bursting with ideas and energy, in reality I learned I was totally dependent on God.

People who are blessed with the ability to get things done, to envision the future, to organize and administrate—all of which were gifts Paul himself had received and which sustained him in his years of labor for and in Christ—know intimately that lightning-quick inner movement that constructs a roadmap for arriving at solutions and resolutions to issues when they arise. I like to think that Paul, in this reading, is showing us what he had gradually learned about living “in the Lord,” a truth that makes all activity fruitful.

He is telling the Ephesians and us, “Be empowered through your union with Christ, draw from Christ—and not yourself—the boundless strength he provides. For our strength as Christians cannot subsist outside of Christ. In Philippians he had written: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (cf. 4:13)

This is important to note because the armor which is described in the following verses as our proper attire is therefore of divine workmanship. The armor of God is given to us. It isn’t something we take up by creating it or choosing it ourselves. A soldier wears armor to protect and defend himself, whereas the armor that is described by Paul here, which God gives to us, consists of virtues which are useful for 1) defending us against the attack of the enemy, and 2) giving us strength in battle against the skillful, experienced, and malicious enemies which are the devil and his angels. A soldier’s armor protects him, but is powerless to strengthen him on the battlefield.

Therefore, put on the armor which God himself provides you: truth, righteousness and integrity. Run with stability and promptness to announce the Gospel of peace. Cover yourself with faith and wield the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. Be continually filled with the Holy Spirit. Don’t fall into the trap of assuming you can stand against the wiles of the evil one with your natural strength.

“In all your prayer and entreaty keep praying in the Spirit on every possible occasion….”

No matter how virtuous we think we have become, how zealous we as missionaries, ministers, and Christians may be, how fantastic our projects and successful our plans, Paul is calling us through prayer to jettison self-reliance and to rely wholly on the Spirit’s enablement. Prayer is the very air we breathe. Prayer keeps us spiritually alive. Prayer makes us one with Christ.

What the Church and the world need today are people mighty in this battle of spiritual warfare, people who are filled with the Spirit and who run to do the Spirit’s bidding. Without prayer, to return to the imagery of the soldier’s armor, we shall be defeated in battle. And if we look to God in prayer, we shall triumph in the battle against every evil.

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Sr. Kathryn J. HermesKathryn James Hermes, FSP, is the author of the newly released title: Reclaim Regret: How God Heals Life’s Disappointments, by Pauline Books and Media. An author and spiritual mentor, she offers spiritual accompaniment for the contemporary Christian’s journey towards spiritual growth and inner healing. She is the director of My Sisters, where people can find spiritual accompaniment from the Daughters of St. Paul on their journey. Website: www.touchingthesunrise.com Public Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/srkathrynhermes/ For monthly spiritual journaling guides, weekly podcasts and over 50 conferences and retreat programs join my Patreon community: https://www.patreon.com/srkathryn.

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A Holy Temple in the Lord

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The union between Christ and the Church is, in the words of the Apostle Paul, “a great mystery” (Eph. 5:32). For that reason, he and the other New Testament writers used a number of descriptive images to give a multifaceted picture of the Church: it is at once the household or family of God, the kingdom of David, the kingdom of heaven, as well as the Body of Christ and a sacred temple. In our first reading taken from Ephesians 2, we see several such concepts used simultaneously: the Apostle Paul described “the household of God” not only as a kingdom with citizens, but also as a sacred structure “built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord.”

In the Gospel reading we see Jesus in the act of prayerfully building his Church, his temple, by picking out those who would form its foundation, the Apostles (Lu. 6:12-16). These men are the only people in the New Testament to whom Jesus gives the authority to “bind and loose” as is evident in Matthew 18:18: “Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Binding and loosing referred to the unique authority that had previously been held by the scribes and Pharisees.

Even though Jesus gave intense critiques of the personal character of the scribes and Pharisees, we can see in Matthew 23:2-3 that he still respected their teaching office and expected his followers to do the same: “The scribes and Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat; so practice and observe whatever they tell you, but not what they do; for they preach, but do not practice.” This expression, “to sit on the seat of Moses,” meant that the scribes and Pharisees inherited Moses’ authority to bind and loose; in other words, as his successors, they had the power to interpret the Law.

Therefore, when Jesus gave his apostles the authority to bind and loose, he was transferring the authority of the scribes and Pharisees to the twelve and establishing new offices invested with teaching authority. The same Holy Spirit who would inspire the infallible authorship of the New Testament, became the divine guarantee that what was “bound on earth” would truly be “bound in heaven.”

We can easily observe this understanding of apostolic succession at work in the early Church by examining the writings of Christians such as Irenaeus, who had been taught by Polycarp, who in turn had been taught by the Apostle John; also, Ignatius, the bishop of Antioch, who had heard from John himself. For their writings and more, check out The Faith of the Early Fathers (Vol. 1) by William Jurgens.

Ultimately, apostolic succession explains why Jesus would represent the Apostles as the stones upon which he would build his temple. Through the authority of their office, the Church was given divine protection from error and the unwavering certainty that despite the turbulence of life’s storms, God’s will would prevail.

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Nikol M. Jones is in her final year at Franciscan University’s Master’s in Theology and Christian Ministry program where it has been her joy to learn how to integrate the tools of modern biblical scholarship with the principles of biblical interpretation set forth by the Catholic Church in the service of the Word of God. She also has a passion for creating artwork and children’s books that honor the life and teachings of Christ. When she’s not studying or painting, she utilizes her writing and organizational skills as an administrative assistant. You can connect with her on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikol-m-jones-4b9893140/.

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Doing a Lot with Just a Little

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Have you ever Google searched a mustard seed? Or have you ever seen one in person? Those things are pretty dang tiny (and even that might be an understatement).

That’s why I’ve always found today’s Gospel – and others like it – intriguing. The size of a mustard seed doesn’t lend itself to much. You wouldn’t expect much out of it upon sight. That’s where the intrigue lies, for when a mustard seed is planted, it grows into a large plant.

Today’s Gospel draws the comparison of the Kingdom of Heaven to the large bush that grows from a single mustard seed. The bush was large and fully-grown, attracting the birds of the sky to come and rest in its branches.

As I read those verses and try to imagine what Jesus must have meant with this parable, it struck me that our own understanding of the Kingdom of Heaven is much like a single mustard seed – small, to say the least. Yet, when the mustard seed is planted in the ground, something comes forth much larger and more beautiful than expected.

We have no earthly understanding of what the Kingdom of Heaven will be like and yet we are called to make the Kingdom of Heaven present here on earth. How can we make the Kingdom of Heaven known when we can’t even wrap our minds around it ourselves? It is certainly greater than any human words or comparison could ever hold. Instead, we entrust our mustard seed-like understanding to the Lord, plant the seed and work, allowing Him to take care of the rest. Eventually, one day, when we have finished our mission here on earth (and finished it well), we will be rewarded by our own presence in the Kingdom of Heaven.

My take from all of this is that the Lord can do a lot of good with just a little. Just a little what, though? A little faith. A little hope. A little love. A little trust, a little time and a little space in our lives and hearts. That’s all we need to give Him – though, hopefully, we end up giving the Lord more than that!

If you aren’t sure where to start, ask God to show you. That’s giving Him a little bit of room to work in your life while also giving Him a little bit of your faith.

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Erin Madden is a Cleveland native and graduate of the Franciscan University of Steubenville. Following graduation, she began volunteering in youth ministry at her home parish of Holy Family Church. Her first “big girl” job was in collegiate sports information where, after a busy two years in the profession on top of serving the youth, she took a leap of faith and followed the Lord’s call to full-time youth ministry at St. Peter Church. She still hopes to use her communication arts degree as a freelance writer and statistician, though. You can catch her on the Clarence & Peter Podcast on YouTube as well as follow her on Twitter @erinmadden2016.

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The Compassion of Christ

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“Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ.” 

In the first reading we hear Paul’s exhortation to the Ephesians to be compassionate with one another. He calls them, and in turn calls us, to be imitators of Christ in everything we do. What St. Paul is urging us to do is not easy. Immorality, impurity, greed, obscenity, and suggestive talk are all actions that we should rebuke. Rather than participating in deeds that distance us from Christ and His Kingdom, we are called to be thankful and compassionate. We are to live as children of light.

In today’s Gospel, Christ teaches us how to be compassionate. When he sees a woman who was “crippled by the Spirit” he calls out to her and heals her of her infirmity. In doing so, he angers the leader of the synagogue. The leader of the synagogue accuses Christ of not keeping holy the Sabbath because He cured the woman. Christ then rebukes him by calling him a hypocrite. Christ’s reasoning took me a very long time to understand. He asks the leader of the synagogue, “Does not each one of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his ass from the manger and lead it out for watering?” I thought Christ was comparing the work they do with their animals to the work He did in curing the crippled woman. What I now understand is that Christ sees the watering of animals as compassionate. One would not deny an animal sustenance on the Sabbath in order to keep the day holy. Rather, one would be compassionate to the animal and grant the animal its need for water and food. In the same way, Christ did not deny the woman the compassion of healing her from her infirmity. By watering the animals their physical needs are met. In curing the woman, not only are her physical needs met but her spiritual needs are as well because we are told it was Satan who kept her in slavery and caused her infirmity. Curing the woman from her physical infirmity shows us that Christ came to cure us of our spiritual infirmities.

May we be Christ-like in our compassion toward others and may we always look for and find the face of Christ in one another.

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Dakota currently lives in Denver, CO and teaches English Language Development and Spanish to high schoolers. She is married to the love of her life, Ralph. In her spare time, she reads, goes to breweries, and watches baseball. Dakota’s favorite saints are St. John Paul II (how could it not be?) and St. José Luis Sánchez del Río. She is passionate about her faith and considers herself blessed at any opportunity to share that faith with others. Check out more of her writing at https://dakotaleonard16.blogspot.com.

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A Blueprint for Charity

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As we continue to hear of the difficult questions posed to Jesus, we come to the Great Commandment: “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Matt 22:37). The second, also essential, follows close behind: “you shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt 22:39). We ought to honor God in the public square, attending Mass, defending core teachings of the Faith, and avoiding the idols of our time. In addition, we ought to care for the poor and needy, offering our time, talent, and treasure to be present to the disadvantaged. Often, we focus more on one or the other of these commandments. After all, worship and charity seem to be quite different. This focus is good to the extent that we truly put the Great Commandment, love of God, first. Even so, it is easy to miss the unifying connection between these two commandments: charity.

The Catechism, in paragraph 1822, refers to charity as the virtue “by which we love God above all things for his own sake, and our neighbor as ourselves for the love of God.” Both commandments, touching God and neighbor, are encompassed by this virtue. Just as the Great Commandment takes primacy in Jesus’ response, so does love of God take primacy in the virtue of charity. Even love of neighbor, while seemingly centered on our brothers and sisters, is ultimately done for love of God. When we love God with all our heart, soul, and mind, we love all people for his sake, recognizing that the Lord wants his creation to flourish.

Our readings give us a sort of blueprint for this understanding of charity. Our reading from Exodus gives us a foundation: charity cannot exist in us without justice. Justice, at its core, means giving the other person what is due to him. If we wrong the widow, the orphan, the poor, or our neighbor, we cannot possibly move forward in acting out of love for them. We must treat all people as they deserve, created in God’s image and likeness. This is the minimum, asked of the Hebrews immediately upon being freed from Egyptian slavery. Still drawn to idolatry, they were expected to be just.

Once we learn to be just, as even the pagans were, we turn our thoughts to God. The Psalmist expresses this beautifully, proclaiming God as his strength, rock, fortress, and deliverer. “The LORD lives and blessed be my rock! Extolled be God my savior” (Ps 18:47). We proclaim in reply, “I love you, Lord, my strength.” All charity, as seen in the Catechism, begins with love of God. As Love himself, the Lord is the perfect object of our love. He gives us all that we need and even more, equipping us for a life of joy. Throughout our trials and triumphs, he is present. Beyond what he gives us, God is always worthy to be praised and loved, perfect and wonderful as he is. God is to be loved with all of our strength. This is why love of God is the Great Commandment.

Saint Paul shows us the flowering of charity in our second reading. Having practiced justice and the love of God, we can perfect our love of neighbor. The Thessalonians impress Paul precisely in showing this charity: not only did they hear the words of the Lord and implement them, but they spread them far and wide. They cared so deeply for their brothers and sisters that they could not bear to see them deprived of the grace of God. They strove to bring all to Christ, both to fulfill God’s will and to serve their neighbor. Their evangelization was an act of love for neighbor, but it was done out of love for God. This unity of the commandments is exactly what charity calls for. We practice justice, love God in himself, and love God in our neighbor, all at the same time.

Often, we hear gospel passages such as this one and remain at the surface. It is fairly easy to imagine what Jesus means when he tells us to love God and to love our neighbor. However, when we read in context and look for the depth of God’s Word, we can see the riches of a life of charity, lived in union with God and in communion with our neighbors.

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David Dashiell is the Associate Director of Liturgy for a group of parishes in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. When he is not spending time with his wife and infant daughter, he is writing on philosophy and theology for various online publications. You can find some of these in Crisis Magazine and the Imaginative Conservative, and you can contact him at ddashiellwork@gmail.com.