Author: yuengerwv

Storms can be not only scary, as many can attest to after a hurricane, they can also be deadly. Yet after the storm how often do we appreciate God’s bow in the sky when we see it? Yes, we understand the mechanics of light refraction, but does that really take away from the beauty and appreciation that we are still alive and are thankful to God? As we begin our Lenten journey with our fasting and self-mortifications, are we reflecting on any negatives or are we focused on the blessings that God bas provided us, with the fasting serving as a reminder of God’s compassion and those blessings?
We read that it is only after Jesus’ time in the desert that he came proclaiming the gospel of God. I have spoken previously about our mission from God and our motto for our mission. Do we take time in our own desert to prepare ourselves for the mission God is giving us? Do we about the time of preparation? Do we see ourselves as making ourselves stronger for our service to God? Some friends who are into weightlifting have said, “no pain, no gain.” Are we willing during Lent to “workout” with the pain in order to be prepared for the “gain” that comes from disciplining ourselves for our mission with Jesus?

In the first reading we hear about the life of someone who has become a leper or outcast from the community. Such would mean being ostracized from family, friends, career, financial means, etc. In our world how many suffer a similar faith for being a Christian? Penalized by governments for not bowing to the god of ideological political correctness. Robbed of career, shunted to the side, loss of family, friends, livelihood. In such circumstances do we turn to God and rejoice with the joy of salvation? Or do we grumble and say, “Unfair, Unfair!” Or do we expect to be appreciated and rewarded for our faith commitment? Do we follow Jesus because we expect glory, rewards, appreciation? As with Paul, are we imitators of Jeus? If so, why would we complain when we are chastised and crucified as was Jesus and Paul.
We hear the story of the leper who after being healed shared the story of his blessing. Do we share the story of our being blessed by God. Many in our world don’t want to hear such. Do we remain silent because of fear of offending them? Or being persecuted for letting others know how wonderfully God has blessed us? How can we keep silent amid such an outpouring of God’s love and concern for us?

How often have we been involved in a project that became pure drudgery? Job speaks from what some would call a pessimistic viewpoint. Yet ultimately Job recognizes he is not in a position to challenge how God creation and even aspects of his life. While we may or may not equate our experiences with Job’s complaint. Job at this point is feeling abandoned. Life has not recently delt him a winning hand. It’s amazing when things are going wrong, we seem to quickly forget the good things in life we have experienced. At such times we are challenged to recognize the blessings we have experienced from God.
When we share the good news of Jesus with others, do we expect compliments, criticisms, apathy? Paul reminds us that doing what we have been called to do is not for compliments or pats on the back. We do what Jesus has told us simply because he told us to do such. When we are criticized because we proclaim the Gospel, do we feel slighted or unappreciated. Jesus, said we will be persecuted for proclaiming the truth of our faith. Yet, if our faith means anything to us, how can we not proclaim it?
In the Gospel of Mark, we hear of the healing of Simon Peter’s mother-in-law. While there is no mention of his wife or children, the most common death for women/children was in childbirth. Interestingly Jesus expresses his mission in clear terms, “Let us go on to the nearby villages that I may preach there also. For this purpose have I come.” Do we understand our purpose in life? Or do we bounce around from one hobby or career to another without any focus? Being a disciple of Jesus, gives us at least one purpose to focus on. We all are called to bring the news of Jesus to others in one form or another. That purpose doesn’t mean we will have an easier life or even a fulfilling life in earthly terms. Let us respond to the call from Jesus to make a difference in the world, even if only a little difference.

This reading has Moses letting the people know that God will raise up another prophet, similar to Moses. Have you ever wondered why is it tha God needed prophets instead of just “talking to us directly”? Actually, when God did such, there was great fear among the people, and they were afraid the experience would kill them! There have been numerous movies regarding God taking to people. Some more humorous than others, yet typically the human interacting with God goes through a very difficult period. Not a big selling point for taking to God face to face!
We have Sacred Scripture, we have the teachings of the Church, we have the Eucharist. Yet I think most of us would rather not speak with God face to face. In addition, how would we know it is God’s voice and we are not simply crazy. (A theme not uncommon to the above-mentioned movies.) As I look back over the years, I sometimes think of things my parents, aunts & uncles told me. I didn’t listen to them very well either. As the Psalm says, my heart was hardened.
The second reading starts off with, “I should like you to be free of anxieties.” Who wouldn’t like that? Yet how many of us would seriously consider the advice that follows?
Picking up from the first reading the Gospel has Jesus speaking as a prophet speaks. People heard him yet were astonished. Yet even when the miracles were performed, people were unwilling to listen closely. To listen and to follow is not a simple thing to do. Yet isn’t that what we are called to do? We have so many voices today, especially on social media. Yet how many are telling us what we need to be hearing. And, if they are, are we listening? Sometimes we are concerned with how many “followers” someone has that the content of their messages.

As we read the story of Jonah, we need to recall the definition of a prophet. A prophet is one who speaks for God, not someone who predicts the future. Here the “prediction” did not come to pass because the people of Nineveh listened to God, via the prophet Jonah and reformed their lives. This is especially significant because Nineveh was not a Hebrew/Jewish town. It is also significant in that it shows God’s mercy and love to all peoples, not just those descendants of Jacob.
The Psalm asks, Teach me your ways, O Lord. I have found the Lord always ready to teach, yet how often are we ready to listen and learn? I know all too often I don’t want to hear what God wants me to learn so I shut my ears so as to not hear! The second reading reminds us that the world in its present form is passing away. Do we look at our lives as passing swiftly? I suspect the older we may be, the faster it seems to pass. For eons people have asked God, “How long?” We need to realize our lives can be like a passing shadow from a cloud on a sunny day. The Gospel says the Kingdom of God is at hand! Do we live like it? I remember a TV show from years ago. The premise was simple. What would we do if we knew without-a-doubt we only had a short time to live? What would we do differently? How would we respond to others?
I speculate that, if we were living the way we are called to be living, no changes need be made. Are we that ready? I remember a pastor asking the community on a Sunday, “Who is ready to go to heaven?” Most people raised their hands. The pastor then stated there was a bus leaving immediately, most hands came down. Should we not always be ready?  

In the first reading, we hear the story of a young Samuel. It is significant that the role of the prophet is essential to the development of Samuel’s calling to be a prophet for God. I have heard some parents state, “They don’t want to influence their child’s choice of religion or non-religion.” This is obviously a cop-out by the parents.  Parents are essential to the guidance of children, something no state or government or school system can replace. A child needs parents to guide them, especially in the ways of God.
I remember reading in a Catholic Digest about two women cleaning a church. They were lamenting the few men entering the priesthood. One woman had a son and daughter, the other had never been blessed with a child. The one without a child stated that maybe the other woman’s son would become a priest. To which the woman replied, “He will not. I want grandchildren with my name!” Where does a priest come from? Families! If parents do not support a child with a special calling, who can complain if there are not enough priest to provide the Eucharist that nourishes our lives. Without the proper guidance, Samuel may not have responded to God in such a special way.
The Psalm response this week is, “Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.” This is not just for priests and religious, this is for everyone! Do couples looking to get married take the time to ask if their marriage to each other is “God’s will for them?” We all have a vocation: Priest, Deacon, Lector, Teacher, Married, Single, Parents, Prophet.
We have in the Gospel, the story of the earliest disciples of Jesus. John the Baptizer wasn’t concerned about building “HIS” group. Like a good parent, or the prophet in the first reading, he was more concerned with helping others find their calling and responding to God.

When I first considered the priesthood, I had someone say to me, “Forget this priest thing, get a real job!” Regardless of one’s calling, we have a responsibility to support each other and sometimes go guide them in the way God may be calling them.

As we celebrate the Epiphany of the Lord, it is important to remember what epiphany means, reveal. The first reading from Isaiah refers to Jerusalem being a light in the darkness. Perhaps like a lighthouse used in centuries past to provide guidance to safe harbors. This is followed by the Psalm with its refrain, “Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.” It should remind us of the importance of our being witnesses. How can others come to know Jesus without an example being given to them? Evangelization does not mean beating others over the head with a bible, or threatening them with death if they refuse to convert. Evangelization means revealing our faith, letting our light, our faith in Jesus, be seen by others so that they can see what a difference it means to be a disciple of Jesus.
Paul’s letter mentions that what had been hidden has now been revealed. It is not just something we give lip service to, but a way of life, a way of responding to the world in a way that reveals our core values to others. ‘Accepting Jesus into our lives’ is meaningless unless we reveal the difference it makes.
The Gospel provides the story of the magi. Obviously knocking on the door of a jealous king in a foreign land is not the best way to make friends. Did you notice that “All Jerusalem” was troubled when Herod became troubled. In our world, being politically correct may mean letting go of the truth, the faith. We have choices to make, do we “get along” without making waves? How often is our faith compromised by following the crowd?
We are called to reveal the truth of living the Christian life, by not supporting whatever ideological fad that passes.

There are multiple possible readings for this weekend, each pastor will make his own determination as to which will be read in your parish. For this reason, I will primarily focus on the Holy Family rather than the readings. Here I will be reflecting on the traditional understanding of “family” rather than the modern or politically correct variations.
Have you ever considered what constitutes a “holy family”? I propose three criteria. My first criteria would be a willingness to respond to God. This begins obviously with the husband and wife in marriage. From the beginning, even before marriage, are they discerning God’s will for their lives? A solid couple would be discerning not just about marriage, but also about if “this person” is the one I should be married to.
My second criteria which is in the first sentence of the first reading is the word “honor”. To honor someone is to hold them in high esteem or great respect. To do this means I am looking for the best of the other person more than my own needs and desires. It appears, in the modern Western World, asking God to help discern whom to marry is not even considered prior to a marriage proposal, if at all. A good husband or good wife should be the primary catalyst for their spouse’s holiness. This is the bedrock of a family focused on being a Holy Family.
In Marriage Encounter it is pointed out that, while important and significant, the couple are the foundation of a family. They are to be there BEFORE the children arrive and will be there AFTER the children have moved out. If a husband and wife truly HONOR each other, a solid foundation is set prior to flushing out the family’s holiness with, or without, children. In addition, the Human Flourishing Program at Harvard University shows that regular religious service attendance is associated with 50% lower divorce rates in later life. This has an impact on the holiness of the entire family.
My third criteria is found in Pope Paul VI’s encyclical “Humanae Vitae” the focus of which is not on birth control, as many people think, but on respect for the human person. A truly holy family has a husband and wife who truly respect each other. If this is true, then this carries over to respecting children as well as others.

I will stop here and reiterate my three key criteria for a Holy Family: God, Honor, Respect. I have found if these three criteria are present, chances are good I have found a Holy Family.

Have you ever had a good project that didn’t work out the way it was planned? The first reading tells us of a plan King David had that God didn’t go along with. Ever wonder why? I suspect the virtue of humility would be a possible reason. Think of what God had accomplished through David. Yet David began acting like he was responsible for all the accomplishments. We have God reminding him of the fact that it was only with the grace of God that the accomplishments were successful plans. I remember once my mother telling me I was “getting too big for my britches”. How often when we are praised do we thank God first for the grace and opportunity to do his bidding? What would it be like if the first person thanked at the awards ceremony was God? Do we “for ever sing the goodness of the Lord”, for his blessings?
In the Gospel we have the young maiden Mary as a counter to King David. Mary was truly humble as she accepted her mission from God. What a marvelous sense of humility. Are we willing to say yes to God even if it doesn’t make sense?

In the first reading we hear the prophet say, “I rejoice heartily in the LORD, in my God is the joy of my soul”. The Psalm states: “My soul rejoices in my God”. The second reading states: “Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks.” How often during our day do we give thanks to God? When we have done a good job, do we thank God for the ability to do such? When we experience difficulties, do we thank God for the opportunity to grow? I remember a story about the Franciscan Brother Juniper. He was giving thanks to God always, especially in adversity. When he was scheduled to be falsely executed, he was still rejoicing.
We hear again of John the baptizer. How often do we want to be the “top dog”. John knew his mission and his calling. He was clear to people that he was not the messiah. In today’s world where everyone sounds their own horn and want to brag about their accomplishments, the example of John should help us to remember the value of humility.