St. Rupert


St. Rupert

Feast date: Mar 27

On March 27 the Catholic Church remembers the monk and bishop Saint Rupert, whose missionary labors built up the Church in two of its historic strongholds, Austria and Bavaria.

During his lifetime, the “Apostle of Bavaria and Austria” was an energetic founder of churches and monasteries, and a remarkably successful evangelist of the regions – which include the homeland of the Bavarian native Pope Benedict XVI.

Little is known about Rupert’s early life, which is thought to have begun around 660 in the territory of Gaul in modern-day France. There is some indication that he came from the Merovignian royal line, though he embraced a life of prayer, fasting, asceticism and charity toward the poor.

This course of life led to his consecration as the Bishop of Worms in present-day Germany. Although Rupert was known as a wise and devout bishop, he eventually met with rejection from the largely pagan population, who beat him savagely and forced him to leave the city.

After this painful rejection, Rupert made a pilgrimage to Rome. Two years after his expulsion from Worms, his prayers were answered by means of a message from Duke Theodo of Bavaria, who knew of his reputation as a holy man and a sound teacher of the faith.

Bavaria, in Rupert’s day, was neither fully pagan nor solidly Catholic. Although missionaries had evangelized the region in the past, the local religion tended to mix portions of the Christian faith – often misunderstood along heretical lines – with native pagan beliefs and practices.

The Bavarian duke sought Rupert’s help to restore, correct, and spread the faith in his land. After sending messengers to report back to him on conditions in Bavaria, Rupert agreed. The bishop who had been brutally exiled from Worms was received with honor in the Bavarian city of Regensburg.

With the help of a group of priests he brought with him, Rupert undertook an extensive mission in Bavaria and parts of modern-day Austria. His missionary journeys resulted in many conversions, accompanied by numerous miracles including the healing of diseases.

In Salzburg, Rupert and his companions built a great church, which they placed under the patronage of St. Peter, and a monastery observing the Rule of St. Benedict. Rupert’s niece became the abbess of a Benedictine convent established nearby.

Rupert served as both the bishop of Salzburg and the abbot of the Benedictine monastery he established there. This traditional pairing of the two roles, also found in the Irish Church after its development of monasticism, was passed on by St. Rupert’s successors until the late 10th century.

St. Rupert died on March 27, Easter Sunday of the year 718, after preaching and celebrating Mass.

After the saint’s death, churches and monasteries began to be named after him – including Salzburg’s modern-day Cathedral of St. Rupert (also known as the “Salzburg Cathedral”), and the Church of St. Rupert which is believed to be the oldest surviving church structure in Vienna.

Thursday of the Third Week of Lent

Reading 1 Jeremiah 7:23-28

Thus says the LORD:
This is what I commanded my people:
Listen to my voice;
then I will be your God and you shall be my people.
Walk in all the ways that I command you,
so that you may prosper.

But they obeyed not, nor did they pay heed.
They walked in the hardness of their evil hearts
and turned their backs, not their faces, to me.
From the day that your fathers left the land of Egypt even to this day,
I have sent you untiringly all my servants the prophets.
Yet they have not obeyed me nor paid heed;
they have stiffened their necks and done worse than their fathers.
When you speak all these words to them,
they will not listen to you either;
when you call to them, they will not answer you.
Say to them:
This is the nation that does not listen
to the voice of the LORD, its God,
or take correction.
Faithfulness has disappeared;
the word itself is banished from their speech.

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9

R. (8) If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Come, let us sing joyfully to the LORD;
let us acclaim the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
let us joyfully sing psalms to him.
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Come, let us bow down in worship;
let us kneel before the LORD who made us.
For he is our God,
and we are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides.
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Oh, that today you would hear his voice:
“Harden not your hearts as at Meribah,
as in the day of Massah in the desert,
Where your fathers tempted me;
they tested me though they had seen my works.”
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

Verse Before the Gospel Joel 2:12-13

Even now, says the LORD,
return to me with your whole heart,
for I am gracious and merciful.

Gospel Luke 11:14-23

Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute,
and when the demon had gone out,
the mute man spoke and the crowds were amazed.
Some of them said, “By the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons,
he drives out demons.”
Others, to test him, asked him for a sign from heaven.
But he knew their thoughts and said to them,
“Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste
and house will fall against house.
And if Satan is divided against himself,
how will his kingdom stand?
For you say that it is by Beelzebul that I drive out demons.
If I, then, drive out demons by Beelzebul,
by whom do your own people drive them out?
Therefore they will be your judges.
But if it is by the finger of God that I drive out demons,
then the Kingdom of God has come upon you.
When a strong man fully armed guards his palace,
his possessions are safe.
But when one stronger than he attacks and overcomes him,
he takes away the armor on which he relied
and distributes the spoils.
Whoever is not with me is against me,
and whoever does not gather with me scatters.”

 

– – –

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Freedom’s Fence / La valla de la libertad

Thousands of years of salvation history were fulfilled with the Paschal Mystery of Jesus Christ. The long-awaited Messiah had come. So that’s it? Show’s over? Hardly.

The arrival of our Savior ushered in the last chapter of salvation history where all that was promised to God’s chosen people was fulfilled in his Son. His followers then embark on a new journey to share the Good News. We do not throw out the old for the new. Rather, the old provides a firm foundation on which to build the new. As Fr. Thomas Weinandy explains, “By contemplating Scripture within the living apostolic tradition, the Church grows, throughout the ages, in its understanding of what has been divinely revealed. Development of doctrine is this growth in understanding and expression of what has been revealed.” (Weinandy, Fr. Thomas, O.F.M. CAP. “What Does it Mean for Doctrine to Develop?” Catholic.com. May 2, 2020 para 20)

Some aspects of the Church have developed over the years in order to reflect greater wisdom and understanding of revealed Truth, but nothing new in the Church replaces or contradicts what came before it. Just as a parent’s rules for her children adapt as the child grows up, but the foundational basis of those rules remains the same – to help the child develop conscience and a moral compass. The expression of God’s guidance for us has also evolved over time, but the foundational Truth of those rules has not changed, nor can it. Our perfect Heavenly Father put His commandments in place not for His good, but for ours, and they are not ours to change.

God’s rules, His commands, His demands of us, can be seen as limits to our freedom, but they are quite the opposite. Those perfect fences actually expand our freedom. Playground builders found that in playgrounds designed without fences, children tended to stay near the center of the play space, close to their caregivers. In playgrounds that included fencing, though, children explored much a broader space, feeling safer and freer within the defined limits. God provides the playgrounds of our lives with similar limits – not barriers to our freedom, but defining how we can most fully explore that freedom. 

Throughout history there have been grumblings that the Church must pull down those fences, must get with the times and accommodate shifting cultural mores. The parable of GK Chesterton’s fence reminds us that before we do away with a particular barrier, it is important to understand why it was put in place. Before any of us “relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches men so in the name of well-meaning but misplaced compassion or progress, perhaps we need to have the humility to explore why God built those fences in the first place. Ultimately, when we put our trust in God’s design, our freedom will be fuller.

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Miles de años de historia de la salvación se cumplieron con el misterio pascual de Jesucristo. El Mesías tan esperado había llegado. ¿Así que ya estuvo? ¿Se acabó el show? Para nada.

La llegada de nuestro Salvador marcó el comienzo del último capítulo de la historia de la salvación, donde todo lo prometido al pueblo elegido de Dios se cumplió en su Hijo. Luego sus seguidores se embarcan a una nueva aventura para compartir la Buena Nueva. No desechamos lo viejo por lo nuevo. Más bien, lo viejo proporciona una base firme sobre la cual construir lo nuevo. Como explica el Padre Thomas Weinandy: “Al contemplar la Escritura dentro de la tradición apostólica viva, la Iglesia crece, a lo largo de los siglos, en su comprensión de lo que ha sido divinamente revelado. El desarrollo de la doctrina es este crecimiento en la comprensión y expresión de lo que ha sido revelado”. (Weinandy, Fr. Thomas, O.F.M. CAP. “What Does it Mean for Doctrine to Develop?” Catholic.com. 2 de mayo de 2020, traducción de una parte del párrafo 20)

Algunos aspectos de la Iglesia se han desarrollado a lo largo de los años para reflejar una mayor sabiduría y comprensión de la Verdad revelada, pero nada nuevo en la Iglesia reemplaza o contradice lo que vino antes. Así como las reglas de un padre para sus hijos se adaptan a medida que el niño crece, pero la base fundamental de esas reglas sigue siendo la misma: ayudar al niño a desarrollar la conciencia y una moral rectora. La expresión de la guía de Dios para nosotros también ha evolucionado con el tiempo, pero la Verdad fundamental de esas reglas no ha cambiado, ni puede hacerlo. Nuestro Padre Celestial perfecto puso sus mandamientos en su lugar no para su bien, sino para el nuestro, y no son nuestros para cambiarlos.

Las reglas de Dios, sus mandamientos, sus demandas para nosotros, pueden verse como límites a nuestra libertad, pero son todo lo contrario. Esas vallas perfectas en realidad expanden nuestra libertad. Los constructores de parques infantiles descubrieron que en los diseñados sin vallas, los niños tendían a permanecer cerca del centro del espacio de juego, cerca de sus cuidadores. Sin embargo, en los que sí tenían vallas, los niños exploraban un espacio mucho más amplio, sintiéndose más seguros y libres dentro de los límites definidos. Dios proporciona a los parques infantiles de nuestra vida límites semejantes: no barreras a la libertad, sino que definen cómo podemos explorar esa libertad al máximo.

A lo largo de la historia ha habido quejas de que la Iglesia debe derribar esas vallas, adaptarse a los tiempos y adaptarse a las costumbres culturales cambiantes. La parábola de la valla de GK Chesterton nos recuerda que antes de eliminar una barrera en particular, es importante entender por qué se puso en ese lugar. Antes de que cualquiera de nosotros “relaje uno de estos mandamientos más pequeños y enseñe a los hombres a hacer lo mismo” en nombre de una compasión o un progreso bien intencionados pero fuera de lugar, tal vez debamos tener la humildad de explorar por qué Dios construyó esas vallas desde un principio. Al final, cuando ponemos la confianza en el diseño de Dios, nuestra libertad será más plena.

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Pamela Kavanaugh is a grateful wife, mother, and grandmother who has dedicated her professional life to Catholic education. Though she has done her very best to teach her students well in the subjects of language and religion, she knows that she has learned more than she has taught. She lives, teaches, and writes in southwest suburban Chicago.

Feature Image Credit: James Coleman, https://unsplash.com/photos/green-grass-field-during-daytime-bJAeszSaiTY

The views and opinions expressed in the Inspiration Daily blog are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Diocesan, the Diocesan staff, or other contributors to this blog.

The post Freedom’s Fence / La valla de la libertad appeared first on Diocesan.

St. Margaret of Clitherow


St. Margaret of Clitherow

Feast date: Mar 26

St. Margaret Clitherow was born in Middleton, England around the year 1555 to a protestant family. Margaret was known throughout the town for her wit and good looks, and in 1571 she married John Clitherow, and together they bore two children.

Several years after her marriage to John, Margaret was introduced to the Catholic faith, and converted. She was a zealous defender of Catholicism and hid fugitive priests in her home. Eventually, Margaret was turned in to the sheriff and tried for the crime of harboring Catholic priests.

While Margaret was on trial, many efforts were made to encourage her to deny the Catholic faith, but she held firmly. Finally, Margaret was condemned to be pressed to death upon sharp rocks. She was executed on March 25, 1586.

Pope Paul VI canonized Margaret in 1970.

Wednesday of the Third Week of Lent

Reading 1 Deuteronomy 4:1, 5-9

Moses spoke to the people and said:
“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.
Therefore, I teach you the statutes and decrees
as the LORD, my God, has commanded me,
that you may observe them in the land you are entering to occupy.
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?

“However, take care and be earnestly on your guard
not to forget the things which your own eyes have seen,
nor let them slip from your memory as long as you live,
but teach them to your children and to your children’s children.”

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 147:12-13, 15-16, 19-20

R. (12a)  Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
Glorify the LORD, O Jerusalem;
praise your God, O Zion.
For he has strengthened the bars of your gates;
he has blessed your children within you.
R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
He sends forth his command to the earth;
swiftly runs his word!
He spreads snow like wool;
frost he strews like ashes.
R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
He has proclaimed his word to Jacob,
his statutes and his ordinances to Israel.
He has not done thus for any other nation;
his ordinances he has not made known to them.
R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.

Verse Before the Gospel John 6:63c, 68c

Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life;
you have the words of everlasting life.

Gospel Matthew 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.”

 

– – –

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

The Word Became Flesh / El Verbo se hizo carne

Today we bow down before a great mystery: the Incarnation. The simple words of the Gospel convey a Truth that would be unbelievable if it were not revealed to us so clearly. This mysterious truth is that the omnipotent, infinite God leapt down from the heavenly throne (Wisdom 18:15) and became man within the womb of a young virgin in an obscure village, in order to set us free for life in Him forever.

Gabriel’s announcement expresses something and someone absolutely unique: the Davidic King whose reign will have no end, the Messiah who will save humankind from their sin, the One who will fulfill every prophecy about the House of Jacob, will be conceived by this grace-filled virgin.

The very Word of God will become flesh to dwell among us (Jn 1:14).

How? Invisible to human eyes, the Holy Spirit will come upon this young girl, and she will be overshadowed by the power of the Most High – a power that does things that seem impossible to us, but that does not annihilate us. A gentle omnipotence, ever working with mighty calm to save us, heal us, set us free, and draw us into His love and life.

Mary, “full of grace” from her own conception, understands her role in God’s plan of salvation. In the name of and for the sake of all humanity, her heart – bursting with love and humility and desire for all to be saved and for God’s will to be done in all things – says yes to this plan and all it will demand of her. She cannot see all the details, but she knows the Scriptures well enough to know that it will cost her much to be the mother of the Suffering Servant who comes to save us. But she cannot say no to the One her heart loves.

Her courageous and generous “yes” reversed Eve’s selfward “no” and opened the way for Christ to undo all the damage done by Original Sin. Her yes was spoken for all of humanity, to make it possible for each and every person to be set free from the ancient curse of sin and death. As we hear her humble fiat, we rejoice that God keeps His Promises, that Mary is the Mother of God and our Mother, and that Jesus came to save us.

Let us ask Mary, the perfect model of complete openness and the one who gives a ready “yes” to whatever the Spirit moves within her, to go before the Throne of Grace and intercede for us, that we too might give our courageous and generous “yes” to whatever God asks of us.

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Hoy nos inclinamos ante un gran misterio: la Encarnación. Las sencillas palabras del Evangelio nos transmiten una Verdad que sería increíble si no nos fuera revelada con tanta claridad. Esta misteriosa verdad es que el Dios omnipotente e infinito descendió del trono celestial (Sb 18,15) y se hizo hombre en el seno de una joven virgen en un pueblo oscuro, para liberarnos para poder vivir con Él para siempre.

El anuncio de Gabriel expresa algo y alguien absolutamente único: el Rey davídico cuyo reinado no tendrá fin, el Mesías que salvará a la humanidad de su pecado, Aquel que cumplirá todas las profecías sobre la Casa de Jacob, será concebido por esta virgen llena de gracia.

El mismo Verbo de Dios se hará carne para habitar entre nosotros (Jn 1,14).

¿Cómo? Invisible a los ojos humanos, el Espíritu Santo descenderá sobre esta jovencita, y será cubierta por el poder del Altísimo, un poder que hace cosas que a nosotros nos parecen imposibles, pero que no nos aniquila. Una omnipotencia dulce, que siempre trabaja con poderosa calma para salvarnos, sanarnos, liberarnos y atraernos hacia su amor y su vida.

María, “llena de gracia” desde su propia concepción, comprende su papel en el plan de salvación de Dios. En nombre de y por el bien de toda la humanidad, su corazón – rebosante de amor, humildad y deseo de que todos se salven y de que se haga la voluntad de Dios en todas las cosas – dice sí a este plan y a todo lo que le exigirá. No puede ver todos los detalles, pero conoce las Escrituras lo suficiente como para saber que le costará mucho ser la madre del Siervo Sufriente que viene a salvarnos. Pero no puede decir no a Aquel que su corazón ama.

Su valiente y generoso “sí” revirtió el “no” egoísta de Eva y abrió el camino para que Cristo deshiciera todo el daño causado por el pecado original. Su sí fue pronunciado para toda la humanidad, para hacer posible que cada persona sea liberada de la antigua maldición del pecado y la muerte. Al escuchar su humilde fiat, nos regocijamos de que Dios cumpla sus promesas, de que María sea la Madre de Dios y Madre nuestra, y de que Jesús haya venido a salvarnos.

Pidamos a María, modelo perfecto de apertura total y la que da un “sí” inmediato a todo lo que el Espíritu mueve dentro de ella, que vaya ante el Trono de la Gracia e interceda por nosotros, para que también nosotros podamos dar nuestro valiente y generoso “sí” a todo lo que Dios nos pida.

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Kathryn Mulderink, MA, is married to Robert, Station Manager for Holy Family Radio. Together they have seven children (including Father Rob), and eleven grandchildren. She is President of the local community of Secular Discalced Carmelites and has published five books and many articles. Over the last 30 years, she has worked as a teacher, headmistress, catechist, Pastoral Associate, and DRE, and as a writer and voice talent for Catholic Radio. Currently, she serves the Church by writing and speaking, and by collaborating with various parishes and to lead others to encounter Christ and engage their faith. Her website is www.KathrynTherese.com

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The views and opinions expressed in the Inspiration Daily blog are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Diocesan, the Diocesan staff, or other contributors to this blog.

The post The Word Became Flesh / El Verbo se hizo carne appeared first on Diocesan.

Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord

Reading 1 Isaiah 7:10-14; 8:10

The LORD spoke to Ahaz, saying:
Ask for a sign from the LORD, your God;
let it be deep as the nether world, or high as the sky!
But Ahaz answered,
“I will not ask! I will not tempt the LORD!”
Then Isaiah said:
Listen, O house of David!
Is it not enough for you to weary people,
must you also weary my God?
Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign:
the virgin shall be with child, and bear a son,
and shall name him Emmanuel,
which means “God is with us!”

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 40:7-8a, 8b-9, 10, 11

R.    (8a and 9a)  Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Sacrifice or oblation you wished not,
but ears open to obedience you gave me.
Holocausts or sin-offerings you sought not;
then said I, “Behold I come.”
R.    Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
“In the written scroll it is prescribed for me,
To do your will, O my God, is my delight,
and your law is within my heart!”
R.    Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
I announced your justice in the vast assembly;
I did not restrain my lips, as you, O LORD, know.
R.    Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Your justice I kept not hid within my heart;
your faithfulness and your salvation I have spoken of;
I have made no secret of your kindness and your truth
in the vast assembly.
R.    Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.

Reading 2 Hebrews 10:4-10

Brothers and sisters:
It is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats
take away sins.
For this reason, when Christ came into the world, he said:

“Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,
but a body you prepared for me;
in holocausts and sin offerings you took no delight.
Then I said, ‘As is written of me in the scroll,
behold, I come to do your will, O God.’”

First he says, “Sacrifices and offerings,
holocausts and sin offerings,
you neither desired nor delighted in.”
These are offered according to the law.
Then he says, “Behold, I come to do your will.”
He takes away the first to establish the second.
By this “will,” we have been consecrated
through the offering of the Body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Verse Before the Gospel John 1:14ab

The Word of God became flesh and made his dwelling among us;
and we saw his glory.
 

Gospel Luke 1:26-38

The angel Gabriel was sent from God
to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,
to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph,
of the house of David,
and the virgin’s name was Mary.
And coming to her, he said,
“Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.”
But she was greatly troubled at what was said
and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
Then the angel said to her,
“Do not be afraid, Mary,
for you have found favor with God.
Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,
and you shall name him Jesus.
He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,
and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,
and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever,
and of his Kingdom there will be no end.”
But Mary said to the angel,
“How can this be,
since I have no relations with a man?”
And the angel said to her in reply,
“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, Elizabeth, your relative,
has also conceived a son in her old age,
and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren;
for nothing will be impossible for God.”
Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word.”
Then the angel departed from her.

– – –

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Unexpected Courage in Humility / La valentía inesperado dentro de la humildad

Going home isn’t always easy. Early in His public ministry, Jesus returns to Nazareth. Word of His wonders has begun to spread and even whispers of “Messiah.” Could this really be the one? Joseph’s boy? Imagine if a kid you grew up with turned out to be the savior of the world. Really? That guy?

But there He is, sitting with them in synagogue. He knows what they are thinking; the people want Him to do in Nazareth what they have heard He has done in Capernaum. But Jesus is not there to razzle-dazzle. He is home to deliver a message. Have faith, he seems to say. It’s going to be harder for you to believe because you have grown up with me, but have faith. Expect the unexpected. He reminds them of their shared history when God wove the story of salvation with unexpected threads. Jesus is there to tell these beloved people that here is another unexpected thread.

Then, as if to prove His point, they turn on Him. They become filled with wrath. These people who’ve known Jesus since He was a boy become so angry at His message that they carry Him to the edge of town and plan to hurl Him over a cliff. Yes, going home can be difficult, indeed.

Would we respond differently? The people of Jesus’ time were not unlike the people of today. Like them, we have a faith tradition that we know and trust. We are comforted by the familiar message but when that message demands the uncomfortable, we can bristle. When our faith teaches what we don’t want to hear or insists on teaching a moral standard that is difficult to live by, our arrogance demands that the faith must change rather than our hearts. The arrogance that stirred the rage in that Nazareth synagogue continues to stir. And, just like back then, the only antidote is humility.

Humility stands before the challenges of faith and prays for strength. Humility begs for the gifts of the Holy Spirit to temper our arrogance: wisdom, understanding, counsel, knowledge, piety, fear of the Lord, and, of course, fortitude. Courage. Courage to be shaped by our faith rather than demanding it be shaped by us, and courage to recognize the face of our Savior in unexpected places.

Ultimately the crowd did not succeed in throwing Jesus off the cliff because “passing through the midst of them, he went away.” (Luke 4:30). In their fury, they could not see what was right before them – the Messiah, the Savior. Were there those who did recognize Him and His call? Who, when Jesus passed through the anger and outrage, turned also and followed him? Luke doesn’t say. But it begs the question for us today. When we are challenged by Christ’s call, let’s pray that we will have the humility to keep our eyes on Jesus, trust Him, and follow Him.

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Volver a casa no siempre es fácil. Al principio de su ministerio público, Jesús regresa a Nazaret. La noticia de sus maravillas ha comenzado a difundirse e incluso hay rumores de un “Mesías”. ¿Este podría ser realmente el elegido? ¿El hijo de José? Imagínate si un niño con el que creciste resultara ser el salvador del mundo. ¿De verdad? ¿Ese tipo?

Pero allí está, sentado con ellos en la sinagoga. Sabe lo que están pensando; la gente quiere que Él haga en Nazaret lo que han oído que hizo en Capernaúm. Pero Jesús no está allí para deslumbrar. Está en casa para entregar un mensaje: Tengan fe, parece decir. Será más difícil para ustedes creer porque han crecido conmigo, pero tengan fe. Esperen lo inesperado. Les recuerda su historia compartida cuando Dios tejió la historia de la salvación con hilos inesperados. Jesús está allí para decirles a estas amadas personas que aquí hay otro hilo inesperado.

Entonces, como para comprobar su punto, se vuelven contra Él. Se llenan de ira. Estas personas que conocen a Jesús desde que era niño se enfadan tanto con su mensaje que lo llevan a las afueras de la ciudad y planean arrojarlo por un precipicio. Sí, volver a casa puede ser difícil, de plano.

¿Responderíamos de forma diferente? La gente de la época de Jesús no era nada diferente a la gente de hoy. Igual que ellos, tenemos una tradición de fe que conocemos y en la que confiamos. Nos consuela el mensaje familiar, pero cuando ese mensaje exige algo incómodo, podemos enojarnos. Cuando la fe enseña lo que no queremos oír o insiste en enseñar un estándar moral que es difícil de vivir, nuestra arrogancia exige que la fe cambie en lugar de nuestros corazones. La arrogancia que despertó la ira en esa sinagoga de Nazaret sigue despertándose. Y, al igual que en aquel tiempo, el único antídoto es la humildad.

La humildad se enfrenta a los desafíos de la fe y ora por fortaleza. La humildad pide los dones del Espíritu Santo para moderar la arrogancia: sabiduría, entendimiento, consejo, conocimiento, piedad, temor del Señor y, por supuesto, fortaleza. Valentía. Valentía para dejarnos moldear por nuestra fe en lugar de exigir que la moldeemos nosotros, y la valentía para reconocer el rostro de nuestro Salvador en lugares inesperados.

Al final, la multitud no logró arrojar a Jesús por el precipicio porque “pasando por en medio de ellos, se alejó de allí” (Lucas 4,30). En su furia, no pudieron ver lo que estaba justo delante de ellos: el Mesías, el Salvador. ¿Hubo quienes lo reconocieron a Él y su llamado? ¿Quiénes, cuando Jesús pasó por la ira y la indignación, se dieron la vuelta también y lo siguieron? Lucas no lo dice, pero nos plantea la pregunta hoy. Cuando nos vemos desafiados por el llamado de Cristo, oremos para que tengamos la humildad de mantener los ojos en Jesús, confiar en Él y seguirlo.

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Pamela Kavanaugh is a grateful wife, mother, and grandmother who has dedicated her professional life to Catholic education. Though she has done her very best to teach her students well in the subjects of language and religion, she knows that she has learned more than she has taught. She lives, teaches, and writes in southwest suburban Chicago.

Feature Image Credit: Vadim Lu, pexels.com/photo/aerial-view-of-a-coastal-village-6217055/

The views and opinions expressed in the Inspiration Daily blog are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Diocesan, the Diocesan staff, or other contributors to this blog.

The post Unexpected Courage in Humility / La valentía inesperado dentro de la humildad appeared first on Diocesan.

Monday of the Third Week of Lent

Reading 1 2 Kings 5:1-15ab

Naaman, the army commander of the king of Aram,
was highly esteemed and respected by his master,
for through him the LORD had brought victory to Aram.
But valiant as he was, the man was a leper.
Now the Arameans had captured in a raid on the land of Israel
a little girl, who became the servant of Naaman’s wife.
“If only my master would present himself to the prophet in Samaria,”
she said to her mistress, “he would cure him of his leprosy.”
Naaman went and told his lord
just what the slave girl from the land of Israel had said.
“Go,” said the king of Aram.
“I will send along a letter to the king of Israel.”
So Naaman set out, taking along ten silver talents,
six thousand gold pieces, and ten festal garments.
To the king of Israel he brought the letter, which read:
“With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman to you,
that you may cure him of his leprosy.”

When he read the letter,
the king of Israel tore his garments and exclaimed:
“Am I a god with power over life and death,
that this man should send someone to me to be cured of leprosy?
Take note! You can see he is only looking for a quarrel with me!”
When Elisha, the man of God,
heard that the king of Israel had torn his garments,
he sent word to the king:
“Why have you torn your garments?
Let him come to me and find out
that there is a prophet in Israel.”

Naaman came with his horses and chariots
and stopped at the door of Elisha’s house.
The prophet sent him the message:
“Go and wash seven times in the Jordan,
and your flesh will heal, and you will be clean.”
But Naaman went away angry, saying,
“I thought that he would surely come out and stand there
to invoke the LORD his God,
and would move his hand over the spot,
and thus cure the leprosy.
Are not the rivers of Damascus, the Abana and the Pharpar,
better than all the waters of Israel?
Could I not wash in them and be cleansed?”
With this, he turned about in anger and left.

But his servants came up and reasoned with him.
“My father,” they said,
“if the prophet had told you to do something extraordinary,
would you not have done it?
All the more now, since he said to you,
‘Wash and be clean,’ should you do as he said.”
So Naaman went down and plunged into the Jordan seven times
at the word of the man of God.
His flesh became again like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.

He returned with his whole retinue to the man of God.
On his arrival he stood before him and said,
“Now I know that there is no God in all the earth,
except in Israel.”

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 42:2, 3; 43:3, 4

R. (see 42:3) Athirst is my soul for the living God.
When shall I go and behold the face of God?
As the hind longs for the running waters,
so my soul longs for you, O God.
R. Athirst is my soul for the living God.
When shall I go and behold the face of God?
Athirst is my soul for God, the living God.
When shall I go and behold the face of God?
R. Athirst is my soul for the living God.
When shall I go and behold the face of God?
Send forth your light and your fidelity;
they shall lead me on
And bring me to your holy mountain,
to your dwelling-place.
R. Athirst is my soul for the living God.
When shall I go and behold the face of God?
Then will I go in to the altar of God,
the God of my gladness and joy;
Then will I give you thanks upon the harp,
O God, my God!
R. Athirst is my soul for the living God.
When shall I go and behold the face of God?

Verse Before the Gospel Psalm 130:5, 7

I hope in the LORD, I trust in his word;
with him there is kindness and plenteous redemption.

Gospel Luke 4:24-30

Jesus said to the people in the synagogue at Nazareth:
“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.

– – –

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Healing Relationships / Sanar las relaciones interpersonales

In today’s Gospel from Luke Jesus preaches the parable of the barren fig tree. The tree has borne no fruit for three years, so he tells the gardener to get rid of the tree. But the gardener tells the person that they need to put time and effort into taking care of the tree and if it doesn’t bear fruit after that, they would cut it down. 

I believe that this parable given by Jesus was meant for how we should go about our relationships with one another. To be able to forgive and give time to relationships that are strained, to heal and allow the “barren tree” to bear fruits of goodness. Even if the relationship doesn’t bear fruit, we can find peace knowing that we did our best to mend the relationship. Making the sacrifice to overcome our pride to mend and heal broken relationships can be part of the suffering we endure during Lent.

As we look forward to reaching the end of Lent and beginning the joyous time of Easter, I invite you to reflect on where your relationships are not only spiritually but also with one another. As we approach Easter, we can reflect on where we can improve personally and also find healing in our relationships with others, so as to participate fully in Easter joy.

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En el Evangelio de hoy de Lucas, Jesús predica la parábola de la higuera estéril. El árbol no ha dado fruto durante tres años, por lo que le dice al jardinero que se deshaga del árbol. Pero el jardinero le dice a la persona que necesita dedicar tiempo y esfuerzo a cuidar el árbol y si no da fruto después de eso, lo cortará.

Creo que esta parábola dada por Jesús tenía como objetivo cómo debemos abordar nuestras relaciones con los demás. Ser capaces de perdonar y dar tiempo a las relaciones que están tensas, sanar y permitir que el “árbol estéril” dé frutos de bondad. Incluso si la relación no da fruto, podemos encontrar paz sabiendo que hicimos lo mejor que pudimos para reparar la relación. Hacer el sacrificio de superar nuestro orgullo para reparar y sanar las relaciones rotas puede ser parte del sufrimiento que soportamos durante la Cuaresma.

Mientras anticipamos llegar al final de la Cuaresma y comenzar el tiempo alegre de la Pascua, los invito a reflexionar sobre cómo están sus relaciones no solo espiritualmente sino también entre sí. Mientras vamos acercándonos a la Pascua, podemos reflexionar sobre dónde podemos mejorar personalmente y también encontrar sanación en nuestras relaciones con los demás, para poder participar plenamente en la alegría de Pascua.

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Ben Hooper is originally from Maryland, having been adopted from Korea and growing up in the Catholic faith. He went to Franciscan University to dive deeper into his faith and eventually graduated with a degree in Business Management. He loves musical theater, sports, spending time with his fiancé Lily and their dog Kolbe.

Feature Image Credit: Jonathan Borba, https://www.pexels.com/photo/black-cross-on-top-of-mountain-2917373/

The views and opinions expressed in the Inspiration Daily blog are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Diocesan, the Diocesan staff, or other contributors to this blog.

The post Healing Relationships / Sanar las relaciones interpersonales appeared first on Diocesan.