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Thursday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time 2020: MT 6: 7-15, Reflection Published in Give Us This Day

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Gospel MT 6:7-15

Jesus said to his disciples:
“In praying, do not babble like the pagans,
who think that they will be heard because of their many words.
Do not be like them.
Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

“This is how you are to pray:

‘Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy Kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.’

“If you forgive others their transgressions,
your heavenly Father will forgive you.
But if you do not forgive others,
neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.”

 

 

A God Longing to Heal

An elderly woman recently sat with me to share her story. She nervously told of the horrific abuse from her past. Grasping the arm of the chair tightly, as if for strength, she revealed the painful consequences of such profound hurt. The woman had stayed away from Church and from God because she thought she needed to heal and save herself before God would finally love her.

This woman’s quest for self-salvation echoes within our lives as we hear today’s Gospel. Since God already knows our painful pasts, we may question the reason for prayer. However, we pray so as to move beyond any kingdom we may build for ourselves. We don’t save ourselves. We cannot fix our own brokenness and thereby earn God’s love. We pray listening to the gentleness of God who is unlike any earthly parent. Only Christ Jesus reveals forgiveness even in our unspoken stories.

Through every turmoil on earth, we bare the mystery of God’s Kingdom. God longs to heal the world, offering bread that will feed us today. Forgiving our trespasses is God’s initiative within our human nature. Then we shall muster tenderness to eventually forgive those who have abandoned us on earth. God’s invites us to rest in the Kingdom already on earth.

I witnessed within that elderly woman’s eyes a glowing mercy that refreshed itself over many later conversations. God provided such remedy within her through daily prayer. This may happen within each of us, where we learn to trust God in the food given us, the Eucharist for this day.

Fr. Ronald Raab

Ronald Patrick Raab, CSC, is pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Colorado Springs. Learn more at http://www.ronaldraab.com.

 

 

Wednesday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time 2020: MT 6:1-6, 16-18, Homily

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Gospel MT 6:1-6, 16-18

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Take care not to perform righteous deeds
in order that people may see them;
otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.
When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you,
as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets
to win the praise of others.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you give alms,
do not let your left hand know what your right is doing,
so that your almsgiving may be secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

“When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites,
who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners
so that others may see them.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door,
and pray to your Father in secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

“When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites.
They neglect their appearance,
so that they may appear to others to be fasting.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
so that you may not appear to others to be fasting,
except to your Father who is hidden.
And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.”

Tuesday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time 2020: MT 5: 43-48, Homily

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Gospel MT 5:43-48

Jesus said to his disciples:
“You have heard that it was said,
You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.
But I say to you, love your enemies
and pray for those who persecute you,
that you may be children of your heavenly Father,
for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good,
and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.
For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have?
Do not the tax collectors do the same?
And if you greet your brothers only,
what is unusual about that?
Do not the pagans do the same?
So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Monday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time 2020: MT 5:38-42, Homily

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Gospel MT 5:38-42

Jesus said to his disciples:
“You have heard that it was said,
An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.
But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil.
When someone strikes you on your right cheek,
turn the other one to him as well.
If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic,
hand him your cloak as well.
Should anyone press you into service for one mile,
go with him for two miles.
Give to the one who asks of you,
and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow.”

The Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ 2020: JN 6: 51-58, Homily, Prayers of the Faithful

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June 14, 2020 bulletin cover

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Gospel JN 6:51-58

Jesus said to the Jewish crowds:
“I am the living bread that came down from heaven;
whoever eats this bread will live forever;
and the bread that I will give
is my flesh for the life of the world.”

The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying,
“How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”
Jesus said to them,
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood,
you do not have life within you.
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood
has eternal life,
and I will raise him on the last day.
For my flesh is true food,
and my blood is true drink.
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood
remains in me and I in him.
Just as the living Father sent me
and I have life because of the Father,
so also the one who feeds on me
will have life because of me.
This is the bread that came down from heaven.
Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died,
whoever eats this bread will live forever.”

 

Prayers of the Faithful

Let us seek to satisfy the hunger of the Church by working for spiritual renewal and integrity of service for the benefit of all believers.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us seek to satisfy the hunger of people who are physically starving in every land and nation, especially for refugees and migrants, those who face draughts and floods, and those who cannot afford healthy food.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us seek to satisfy the hunger of all Christians as we seek unity amid division, harmony among racism, and hopelessness among the jobless. May we seek communion and love of the Eucharist for all people.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us seek to satisfy the hunger of loved ones in prison, our loved ones who bear the pain of their past actions, and those demonstrating peacefully on our streets. May we feast on justice and mercy.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us seek to satisfy the hunger of people in depression and loneliness. May the Eucharist keep us in communion with God’s fidelity and goodness. May hope satisfied all people.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us seek to satisfy the spiritual hunger of those who grieve our dead. May the Holy Spirit lift the burdens of loss and regrets of the past.  In this Mass…

We pray to the Lord.

 

 

The Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ 2020: Bulletin Column and Cover Art

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June 14, 2020 bulletin cover

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Dear Followers of Jesus,

There is one candle in the sanctuary that is always lit. Even during these months when the church has been empty, one candle flickers. The sanctuary lamp, a large candle set in red glass, glows bright even during COVID-19. This candle is not unique to our parish. For hundreds of years, in sanctuaries across generations and lands, one flicker tells us that the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist is reserved in the tabernacle.

The flicker of hope has shown during wartimes and national protests. The red globe shines no matter the ups and downs of Wall Street or in periods of ill health or during times when our children begin to walk. We keep the lamp tended when our neighborhoods are flooded or when we mourn a parent’s death. All times, all seasons, the Eucharist is housed in our churches for two reasons, to administer to the sick and for personal devotion.

We have kept the light burning for you. When you all return to church, you most likely will not notice since it is always there. This one small act is actually a statement of faith. We hope that we all will return to our churches to celebrate the action of the Eucharist, to hear the scriptures proclaimed and to offer our lives in bread and wine. The Eucharist that is celebrated is the source and summit of the Christian life as the Second Vatican Council stated. The Mass is the defining prayer of Catholics and the hope that we can live in the world with integrity.

The celebration of the Eucharist is not static. It is not just about the Real Presence of Christ Jesus in the tabernacle, but the action of the Breaking of the Bread at Mass. This action of Christ is given to us so we too may act as Christ did on earth. We break open our lives and hearts in order to live in the action of God’s unbelievable mercy. We are not spectators at Mass. We do not just attend Mass so to check off the obligation to do so. We do not view Mass as something distant and far away. Instead, we are in union with Christ’s offering of his life and death to the Father. We become what we eat. We are sharers in the life of Christ and in hope for all humanity.

The action of the Mass in the sanctuary is only the beginning. The sanctuary and the street are vitally linked. In other words, what we receive at Mass needs to be lived in the world. We are fed with Christ’s love for the sinner, his hope for the persecuted and his forgiveness for those who are most in need of new life. We receive a treasure house of tenderness and compassion in the Eucharist and live that in each encounter with our families, loved ones and strangers. In many ways, once we walk out of the doors of the church after receiving the Real Presence of Christ Jesus, the Mass really begins. It is only there that Christ’s forgiveness will be lived in the world. It is only then, that the world will come to know that justice and peace is at the core of our faith.

On this Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ, we celebrate the wonder and beauty of Christ’s love for humanity. On the night before he died he gave us the memorial of Eucharist. We have celebrated forms of this mystery ever since throughout the world. As we lift up the Body of Christ at the altar, we also lift up those who are hungry for God, the sick, the lonely, and the tormented. As we lift up the Blood of Christ, we lift up those who sip the Cup of Salvation who are longing for sobriety, for release of doubt and sin and for a sense of belonging. The Eucharist is action among us, transforming our hearts into the message of love that is the Kingdom of God. This Kingdom is right now, here before us on earth.

The Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ is not a personal piety alone. This feast celebrates us on earth who have become the Body of Christ. We, as Church, are witness to what we celebrate at Mass. The Church challenges us to live this mystery as a people redeemed in love. We are the Body of Christ and we break open our lives in service and in integrity for other people, just as the host is broken to be shared among us. The Eucharist makes sense when the poor are fed, when the sinner is forgiven and when the oppressed find justice. The Eucharist makes sense when we are all brought into communion and unity with God and one another.

So, the light is on. God is present. The Mass will continue to open up for us, even in the midst of COVID-19. Let us rejoice that Christ Jesus is present in our midst in the Breaking of the Bread and in the Sharing of the Cup.

God give you peace,

Fr. Ron Raab, CSC, Pastor

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Memorial of Saint Anthony of Padua, Priest and Doctor of the Church 2020: MT 5:33-37, Homily

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Gospel MT 5:33-37

Jesus said to his disciples:
“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors,
Do not take a false oath,
but make good to the Lord all that you vow.
But I say to you, do not swear at all;
not by heaven, for it is God’s throne;
nor by the earth, for it is his footstool;
nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.
Do not swear by your head,
for you cannot make a single hair white or black.
Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’
Anything more is from the Evil One.”

Friday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time 2020: MT 5:27-32, Homily

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GospelMT 5:27-32

Jesus said to his disciples:
“You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery.
But I say to you,
everyone who looks at a woman with lust
has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
If your right eye causes you to sin,
tear it out and throw it away.
It is better for you to lose one of your members
than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna.
And if your right hand causes you to sin,
cut it off and throw it away.
It is better for you to lose one of your members
than to have your whole body go into Gehenna.

“It was also said,
Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of divorce.
But I say to you,
whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful)
causes her to commit adultery,
and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.”

Memorial of Saint Barnabas, Apostle 2020: MT 5:20-26, Homily, Art

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Saint Barnabas, Apostle: Painting by Ronald Raab, CSC 2020

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Gospel MT 5:20-26

Jesus said to his disciples:
“I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that
of the scribes and Pharisees,
you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven.

“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors,
You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.
But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother
will be liable to judgment,
and whoever says to his brother, Raqa,
will be answerable to the Sanhedrin,
and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna.
Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar,
and there recall that your brother
has anything against you,
leave your gift there at the altar,
go first and be reconciled with your brother,
and then come and offer your gift.
Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court with him.
Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge,
and the judge will hand you over to the guard,
and you will be thrown into prison.
Amen, I say to you,
you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.”

Wednesday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time: MT 5:17-19, Homily

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Gospel MT 5:17-19

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets.
I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.
Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away,
not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter
will pass from the law,
until all things have taken place.
Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments
and teaches others to do so
will be called least in the Kingdom of heaven.
But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments
will be called greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.”