Don't look for excuses, go do something for the poor - Sunday's reading reflection

"Woe to the complacent..." "Blessed he who keeps faith forever, secures justice for the oppressed, gives food to the hungry."

On the heels of the memorial of St. Vincent de Paul, a remarkable friend of the poor, we hear in both the first reading and the Gospel, not to mention the Psalm, about the importance of getting off your bum and doing something, anything, for a truly poor person (people).  Draw close.  Do not keep a safe distance.

The rich man kept Lazarus at a safe distance. He refused to reach out to touch, a very needy person. He also resisted being touched by the poor man. That's never a good thing but especially not when the name "Lazarus" means "God is my help". His grace is not something to keep at arm's length.  Here is just a simple statement. Every person I know who has been touched through their personal contact with the poor, in its many forms, is a deeper person for that contact. That depth has to do with the awareness of the more important values of life.

(Adapted from Fr. Larry Gillick, SJ)

Asking tough questions - Tomorrow's reading reflection

"he asked them; Then he said to them..."

At my work, I have to constantly ask questions to help my students move one step further in their learning process. I have seen that the formulation and answer to questions depend on the skills of the students. I have witnessed that when students are at the beginning of understanding a new concept, a question with a “yes/no” answer turns out to be very insightful. As the understanding deepens, however, a more insightful answer is “it depends”. It does require a higher level of sophistication, maturity and experience to feel comfortable with ambiguity and with the realization that ignorance (we do not know yet) could be insightful.

Recently I have been doing a soul searching process that has helped me to develop stronger roots in my life. Many of the questions I have asked myself, have left me with the “it depends” answer. My reflection on those questions also left me with a sense of peace and tranquility- serenity- because I realized I was brave enough to ask myself those questions. And because the “it depends” answer gave me a sense of freedom, empowerment and healthy curiosity I needed.

Would you have a difficult question you would like to ask yourself just as Jesus asked a difficult question of the Apostles?  Perhaps posing the question is the first step to delve into an answer. And perhaps the greatest value would be the courage to state the question!

(Adapted from Patricia Soto)

Jesus at arm's length - Tomorrow's reading reflection

Sometimes, confusion and curiosity are moments of great importance for us. In this case, Herod becomes both curious and threatened. Sometimes, that's what happens to us. We hear about Jesus, and we hear about various things he says and does, and we are very curious. At times, we are also confused and threatened. The closer Jesus comes to us, to our hearts, the more likely it will be that we will be vulnerable to putting up some defenses. The questions come up, "What will this cost me? What will I have to change?" Sometimes it is easy to deflect the whole encounter with a simple defense, like, "Oh, I'm doing a lot already. I pray every day. I ..."

Sometimes, we have this paradoxical attraction to Jesus and, at the same time, an arms length relationship with him.  This brief encounter with Herod's curiosity with Jesus can be a powerful invitation to us all to open our hearts to a deeper relationship with Jesus, right where we are, right in the midst of discovering our defenses, our fears, and our distrust.

(Adapted from Andy Alexander, S.J.)

He said, "Take nothing..." - Tomorrow's reading reflection

"Take nothing for the journey."

The authority Luke speaks of is the authority of relationship.  Jesus gave his apostles the authority, to “cure diseases… proclaim the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick.”  Jesus offered nothing beyond themselves; who they were in relationship to him.  He offered them no healing herbs, no potions, no medical skills, no additional anything.  He sent them off with “… nothing for the journey, neither walking stick, nor sack, nor food, nor money,…no second tunic.”  But neither did Jesus say anything about expectations or results.  In fact, he says, “…as for those who don’t welcome you, shake the dust from your feet.”  He does not say to stick around, try and try again, or be persistent. He says to keep going, to keep moving on, to stay faithful to the mission, the journey, stay faithful to me, to us, to what we have together.  It is not about the quality of the hospitality offered, rather it is about faithfulness to Jesus himself. Staying faithful to the relationship.

This is not about the ‘what’ and the ‘where’ of the sending. It is not about success or failure. It is about relationship and the journey itself. It is about being sent – again and again within whatever my vocation is at the time. It is about living out of the relationship.  It is about having the freedom to go in spite of uncertainties.  It is about freedom from success or failure, people, places, and fears.  It is about journey and mission, freedom, response and responsibility . Relationship. It is about inner movement, inner change, as well as physical relocation.  It is about the relationship between me and Jesus, me and others. It is about trusting who I am in the heart of God and that what I have been given is enough for the journey.  It is always about relationship. 

(Adapted from Joan Blandin Howard)

Who has claim on me - Tomorrow's reading reflection

“My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it.”

Today’s readings invite us to consider some very fundamental questions: “Who is my family?” and “Who has a claim on my time, my talents, my energy, my love and concern?”  Jesus challenges his followers, and us, to re-think our assumptions and definitions.