Humble Suffering Joyful Service (Wisdom 2:12, 17-20; Psalm 54; James 3:16 – 4:3; Mk 9:30-37) *********************************************************** In the movie “Forest Gump”, Forest reacts to his childhood sweetheart’s rejection by running across America. He draws media attention and followers who think he has some cause, some wisdom, for them. Some run with him, looking for the […]

On Being Rich Soil for the Word of God (1 Cor 15:35-50; Ps 56; Lk 8:4-15) ******************************************* “Regnum Dei Intra Vos” is Latin for the kingdom of heaven is among you. That is my episcopal motto as an archbishop, taken from Luke 17:21, and the only place in the new Testament where Jesus not only […]

Unity, Community and a Spirituality of Letting Go (Eph 4:1-7, 11-13; Ps 19; Mt 9:9-13) ***************************************** How have you responded to the words of Jesus, “Come, follow me,” addressed to you? The readings today, on this feast of St. Matthew, offers us three interrelated suggestions on how to follow Jesus: work for unity, build community […]

Forgiveness Vindicated – Memorial: Saints Andrew Kim Tae-gon, Paul Chong Ha-sang and Companions (Heb 5:7-9; Ps 31; Lk 7:36-50/Jn 19:25-27) ******************************************************************** A lady priding herself on her beauty confessed to a priest she was guilty of the sin of vanity and narcissism. The priest hopped out of the confession box, opened her door, had a […]

The Cross as Redemptive Suffering (Isaiah 50:5-9; James 2:114-18; Mark 8:27-35) *************************************************** A woman back from shopping was showing her husband the expensive dress she had purchased. When he asked her why she bought a dress she did not really need, she replied that she couldn’t resist the temptation. Her husband countered with the comment […]

Memorial: Our Lady of Sorrows (Heb 3:7-9; Ps 31; Lk 2:33-35 or Jn 19:25-27) ************************************************** A lady at a table in front of me in an airport restaurant noticed my cross and starting apologizing profusely for her coarse language. I replied that I had not heard it, but (pointing upwards) said that “he” had. She […]

The Cross – Source of Life Through Faith and Repentance (Numbers 21:4-9; Psalm 78; Philippians 2:6-11; John 3:13-17) *********************************************************** There is much history behind today’s feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Legend has it that St. Helena, mother of Constantine, discovered the Holy Cross in 326. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in […]

The Heart of Christian Living – Memorial: St. John Chrysostom (1 Cor 8:1b-7, 11-13; Ps 139; Lk 6:27-38) ************************************************************ A woman died and arrived at the Gates of Heaven.  Saint Peter told her she had to spell a word to get in. “Which word?” the woman asked. “Love,” he replied. The woman spelled “Love” and […]

Becoming Who We Are – Saints (1 Cor 6:1-11; Ps 149; Lk 6:12-19) ********************************* The late Anthony de Mello, in The Song of the Bird,recounts this captivating story: A boy found an eagle’s egg and put it in a nest of a barnyard hen. The eaglet hatched with the brood of chicks and grew up […]

Attitudinal Healing (1 Cor 5:1-8; Ps 5; Lk 6:6-11) ******************************* Has the cryptic statement, “Check that attitude” ever applied to you? The liturgy today invites us to be aware of and open to a transformation of attitudes, so we can help others heal in a similar way. The Word Among Us offers us this reflection […]