As we heard, Jesus was passing through Jericho, never intending to stay there but something prompted him to stop. Zacchaeus, the little man hated by everyone for being the head tax collector, had climbed a tree to see Jesus. Imagine his surprise when Jesus stopped under the tree, looked up and said, “Zacchaeus, come down quickly for today I must stay at your house.” Realizing that Jesus cared about him, Zacchaeus promised on the spot to give half his possessions to the poor and repay four times over all he had extorted. Seeing the change of heart in him, Jesus stated, “Today salvation has come to this house.”
 
Have you ever felt like Zacchaeus, small in the sight of God?  I think we have at times felt that our sins separated us from God and others, leaving us feeling unloved and rejected. For some people, the experience can be quite painful and devastating. When that happens, we forget the good news we heard in the Book of Wisdom, which reminds us that God loves us unconditionally. “You love things that are and loathe nothing that you have made; for what you hated, you would not have fashioned.” A priest shared a story of a young woman who felt unloved and was unable to grasp that God loved her unconditionally. …

31st Sunday of Ordinary TimeRead More »

A tiny insect met another bug who, by comparison, was really big. The tiny insect was looking up at the large insect and asked, “What kind of a bug are you?”

“I’m a praying mantis,” came the reply. The tiny insect chuckled and said, “That’s stupid. Bugs don’t pray!” With that, the mantis grabbed the tiny insect around its throat and began to squeeze. The poor little insect’s eyes started to bulge. Rolling its eyes heavenward, it screamed, “Lord, save me!” Meanwhile, the praying mantis prayed, “Bless us, O Lord, and these thy gifts….”

I have no idea if in their own language, bugs pray, but there comes a time when all we can do is cry out to God for help. That was essentially all the widow in the parable could do.  She pestered the judge to render justice until he did so to get her off his back. Were you left with the message that if we pester God long enough, we can eventually get what we want? Yet you and I know that our prayers aren’t always answered so is there another lesson here to consider?

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29th Sunday of Ordinary TimeRead More »

Today, I need to talk to those of you who are rich. Perhaps no one in this gathering is rich but then that beggar, Lazarus, would probably think all of you are rich, and if you are, I urge you to listen to what I have to say. You see, I was that rich man in the story you just heard. I’m down here in this place called Hades, and I tell you, it’s hotter than hell down here!

Anyway, when I was alive, I was blessed with a nice house. I enjoyed fine meals, the best wines, fancy clothes and classy wheels, the whole nine yards. I was a consumer, freely spending my shekels. I never left home without them. I was addicted to buying whatever I wanted.

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26th Sunday of Ordinary TimeRead More »

When running for re-election in 1954, Governor Christian Herter of Massachusetts arrived late one evening for a barbeque fundraiser. He had eaten very little that day and was famished. When he was being served, the woman serving the chicken gave him one piece. He said, “Excuse me, but I’m starving. May I have another piece?”

The woman explained that she was sorry, but her orders were to give each person only one piece of chicken. The governor replied, “But I’m starved!”  The woman said, “Sorry, only one piece of chicken per person!”

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22nd Sunday of Ordinary TimeRead More »

Pulling no punches, Jesus warnshis disciples that followinghim will not be easy. One of Robert Frost’s better-known poems, The Road Not Taken, comes to mind as I pondered this rather strange uneasy gospel. “Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, and sorry I could not travel both and be one traveler, long I stood and looked down one as far as I could to where it bent in the undergrowth…”

How often have we found ourselves, needing to render a choice that could make a real difference, not only in our lives but also in the lives of others? Before taking that next step, we ponder the outcome and the cost. After we have thought out the first option, we then consider the alternative.

“Then took the other, as just as fair, and having perhaps the better claim, because it was grassy and wanted wear; though as for that the passing there had worn them really about the same.”

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20th Sunday of Ordinary TimeRead More »